The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams

For many cultures in Europe and Asia, the 11th century marked a high point in social and cultural advancement. China, in the Song dynasty, and the classical Islamic world both flourished, experiencing advancements in science, technology, and literature, while Europe saw the sharp loss of the Byzantine empire and the rise of Norman culture and papal authority, initiating what we now call the High Middle Ages. Further, the Seljuk dynasty in Türkiye claimed power, cementing advancements in Persian culture. 

All these varied cultures consistently met and mixed on the Silk Road, also called the Silk Routes, a dangerous but lucrative series of trade routes linking Türkiye and Egypt to Chinese cities and covering over 4,000 miles. The Silk Road was vital to the multicultural development of Asia and the Middle East, allowing for the spread of religion, art, culture, and technology. Despite the benefits, however, it was extremely dangerous, with raids from bandits and exposure to harsh desert conditions resulting in few people surviving the entire journey. Mara and Smithy’s belief in Accidentalism (the philosophy that events happen haphazardly and without causality) seems justified for people living as travelers on the Silk Road—death came often, and usually at random, to those who dared risk their lives for profit.

The novel mentions a variety of cultures, often through the lens of religion, mixing in caravanserai (resting places for caravans), as well as a variety of historical people groups, like Vikings or Roman soldiers. The Silk Road did link together many of these people groups and allowed for the widespread transmission of different religions, although wars and conquest often changed the dominant religions in varying areas—for example, the Muslim caliphate’s conquest in the 7th century led to a sharp decline in Zoroastrianism. Despite the varying threats, a diverse range of religions still flourished—hence Samir’s confusion as to which religion the monks chasing Monkey were. Some scholars even hold that intercultural connections led to syncretism, blending religions into new faiths, hence Monkey’s assertion that his monastery was not properly Zoroastrian despite the similarities. 

There are some inaccuracies in the novel, however, lending to the fantastical nature of the tale (many of these inaccuracies are discussed in the author’s note). Roman soldiers would likely no longer be in existence by the 11th century; although the legionary system survived the “Fall” of the Roman Empire, most of them had been eliminated (at least recognizably) by the 7th or 8th century. It is accurate, however, that there were few Western Europeans on the road since Western Europe’s presence on the Silk Road was much more limited. The only Western European person in the book is a Viking, but Vikings (who would have been in sharp decline, culturally, during the 11th century) did make it to the Middle East, although there is minimal evidence that they reached China or used the Silk Road, due to their seafaring culture. In addition, the common Western belief that Marco Polo (who lived from 1254-1324) was the first European person to travel the Silk Road is incorrect. Many Europeans traveled the Silk Road earlier than him—often in pursuit of silk—but Marco Polo was the first to write a book describing his experiences, The Travels of Marco Polo, which cemented his fame. Still, the Silk Road was primarily an Asian and Middle Eastern venture, allowing cultures to expand, profit, and develop far faster than their European peers.