Foundation's Edge

Although we here at the blog were hesitant about continuing the later novels in the Foundation series, Foundation's Edge was not that bad. While perhaps unnecessarily longer than it needed to be, some of the additional length in the narrative and the changes in late Asimov's style are provocative, raising questions about how an older Asimov viewed the world and the question of science fiction in depicting some of the timeless problems of humanity: political division, ideological conflict, competition, and violence. It was still for the most part, a suspenseful tale of intrigue, galactic conspiracies and conflict, and continued backstory for the Foundation universe. Stylistically, it follows the similar pattern of his earlier installments, switching back and forth between various characters to advance the plot. Asimov also took the bold move of trying to connect his Robots series into the same universe, even adding the time traveling organization Eternity to connect all of these works in the same fictional world and provide an explanation for the origin of mentalics.

Sometimes, unfortunately, the narrative is dragged along by often unnecessary dialogue and exposition on various topics rather than direct actions or Seldon Crises to advance the plot forward. Nevertheless, Foundation's Edge gives the fans more details and adventures in the Seldon Plan, while also connecting various dots in his other works and the elusive Earth, the original home of humanity. One cannot help but smile when thinking about late Imperial archaeological fascination about the possible original planet, and then to see centuries later, an obscure Foundation historian obsessed with the quest for Earth. Nor can one not express some interest in technological developments with gravitics and shields developed by the First Foundation against mentalics. The world-building is fantastic, drawing the reader into this setting. One learns more about the Galaxy 500 years after Seldon first initiated the Foundation, seeing how the First Foundation has become the dominant force yet cannot subdue the Sayshell Union (who seem to be descendants of ancient humans who may be of Indian origin, if their names and dark skin are any reliable indicator). 

After 500 years in this epic, one would expect technological change to arise and perceive the lack of unity in physical sciences and mentalics, represented by the two Foundations, as part of the problem. How does one reconcile two distinct branches of knowledge that are both truly necessary for running a society? And what political form should it take? By the novel's conclusion, the protagonist, Trevize, is asked to decide between 3 possible options, with the third represented by an unknown entity that has been influencing from behind the scenes. Does one believe group-consciousness, uniting people, animals, plants, and inanimate objects to create a truly living Galaxy, is the solution? Or outright force by the First Foundation to establish the Second Galactic Empire after only 500 years of the Plan? Or can one trust the Second Foundation to guide and influence from behind the scenes, after the full millennium, to oversee a great Second Empire? As a rationalist, like Asimov, Trevize chooses the option which allows for the maximum chance of later correction. In spite of its flaws, and the problematic creative choices made by Asimov to connect the Robots series with Foundation, Trevize's quest of galactic proportions cannot disappoint. 

A History of Islam in West Africa

Trimingham's A History of Islam in West Africa is quite dated. For instance, it relies on problematic older assumptions typical of the scholarship of its era. For example, the Almoravids are assumed without question to have sacked or defeated ancient Ghana. In addition, the author relies on problematic assumptions of "Hamitic" races and "Negro" (while also considering all Berbers "white") while also describing colonialism as largely beneficial. Indeed, based on the rise of theocratic Islamic states in the 19th century and the endless wars and slave-raiding created by these theocratic states and the military adventurers like al-Hajj Umar, Trimingham appears to see in European colonialism as saving West Africa from endless wars.

Nontheless, Trimingham's work provides an excellent synthesis of the historical knowledge of its era. One sees exactly what the dominant trends were based on oral history and internal and external textual sources to reconstruct the origins of trans-Saharan trade, the spread of Islam, and the various polities and kingdoms of the "Sudanese" style that developed in the western and central Sudan, from Senegal to Chad. Despise the author's misgivings about the reliability of the oral sources for earlier moments in the development of states like Takrur, Ghana, and Songhay/Kawkaw, they add a wide array of new details to the cultural and historical development of the various peoples of the region. 

Surprisingly, we learn less about Islam in this region than the history of kingdoms, traders, and trading centers like Jenne or Timbuktu, but Trimingham rightly sees Islam in pre-19th century West Africa as mainly limited to towns, traders, and kings who professed it but did not impose it on their subjects (although this is contradicted by states like Takrur, whose first king, War Jabi, did compel his subjects to Islam). Overall, Trimingham's study is more about political and social history with appropriate emphasis on Islam for certain key moments, developments, or changes in religious practice, such as the rise of Sufism, jihadist 19th century movements, and colonialism aiding Islam's expansion amongst "pagan" peoples. Sometimes one thinks Trimingham sees in West African "traditional" religion something anti-universalist (unlike Islam) and closed off to the wider world, so perhaps more recent scholarship has approached the delicate question of Islam and "traditional" religion more convincingly.

The Honjin Murders

Although we here at the blog have heard about Seishi Yokomizo for several years (albeit, through the influence of detective anime and manga), we have finally sat down and read one of the few translated works by the active writer of Kosuke Kindaichi tales. The Honjin Murders reads like a detective story or locked room murder mystery for aficionados and obsessive fans of detective fiction. And this is a good thing, as it establishes connections between Japanese and classic Western mystery novels and will definitely appeal to Western readers who are fans of the genre. 

Yet it remains a very Japanese tale set in 1937, featuring a rural Japanese setting where lineage, status, and some of the old social relations that predated the enormous postwar changes wrought by the Japanese defeat in World War II. While we were somewhat disappointed by the reveal of the murder and their accomplice, the novel's satisfactory use of suspense, red herrings, and social commentary make for an entertaining read. Kosuke Kindaichi himself is central to this, although introduced somewhat late into the tale and often seen through the perspective of the mystery writer narrator or the "notes" of a local doctor. Kindaichi, with his disheveled hair, stammer, and unkempt appearance is the underdog we can all root for. He even lived in California for some years, switching his drug addiction to solving crimes as a superior thrill. 

While some detective fiction, particularly of that era, can be often conservative, the fall of the Ichiyanagi family after the ghastly double murder here, seems an appropriate end for a family lineage rooted in a "feudal" and unequal social relations. Once the proud owners of an inn serving daimyo in the feudal era, the Ichiyanagis saw an imminent decline of their status in the Meiji era, and switched to becoming wealthy landowners by buying up land and exploiting the villagers as tenant farmers. The crux of the conflict preceding the killings is the marriage of Ichiyanagi's head, Kenzo, to Katsuko, the daughter and niece of tenant farmers who became prosperous farmers running their own orchard. Due to her family's lack of an established and respectable lineage, the Ichiyanagi household initially opposed the marriage, so delicate questions of class, status, and sexual relations pervade this "inappropriate" marriage in 1930s Japan. Just a decade later, when our narrator is recounting the events of the novel, one sees exactly how this social world was in its period of decline, less relevant to a postwar Japan and more social mobility. 

Byzantium: The Decline and Fall

The final volume of Norwich's history of Byzantium is a depressing read. After the brief brilliance of the Komnenian Restoration, the disastrous Fourth Crusade and continual imperial disintegration make for repeated disappointment as Anatolia and the Balkans were lost to Western Latins, Balkan powers, and the Turks. However, as Norwich demonstrates, the consequences of Manzikert did not have to lead to the Fourth Crusade. As usual, internal dissension, civil wars, squabbling over the throne, and conflicts with other Christian powers made it increasingly likely that a Turkish victory over Constantinople was inevitable. Along the long road to the 1453 fall,  the reader of this final volume is treated to the various blunders and brilliant tactics made during the Crusades, papal schisms, and shifting realities of the European and Mediterranean Middle Ages. We root for Byzantium, despite see the constant mistakes, errors, and misplaced pleas for help from the West. But, perhaps, the world had long passed the need and room for this Roman Empire.