The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death by suicide and violence.

Monkey contemplates whether he should apologize for seeing the value of his life as equal to Samir’s, particularly in a world like the Silk Road, where life is a currency as much as anything else. He decides that Samir must not value his own life very much to price it at one bolt, since “he loved himself and hated himself too much at the same time” (96).

They arrive at the caravanserai to discover that Samir’s friend is dead and his nephew has taken over. The nephew is dismissive of them until they promise to pay for lodging. 

Monkey spends time with Rostam and the mules in the stable, where they eat some discarded figs. Their feast is interrupted by a rider in white and black on a camel—a dervish. Monkey follows him into the inn. Inside, Samir is winning free food with his stories, and Monkey tries to do the same. 

Suddenly, the dervish takes the stage and begins to dance in a furious spin, but there is a strange metallic sound coming from his shoes. Sparks fly, and everyone is compelled by his chant. Monkey realizes the dervish is the Persian killer they have heard about.