Waiting...for something to happen!

After reading up to page 70, I am still waiting for something to happen, or even a description of where this takes place and more information about the barbarians and why the Empire wants
them to move up towards the mountains. I keep trying to put myself in the place of Achebe or Hooks and read it maybe through their eyes. I believe that just like everything we discuss in class, there is most definitely two arguments that can be made. First of all, I don't even recall the name of the character who is the narrator. As a matter of fact, the only name that I do know is Colonel Joll, so I wish there would be more description in this book by Coetzee, however, I assume (without making an ass out of u and me, as they say) there is a reason for everything an author does, therefore, I try to stop myself from questioning too much and read it nevertheless.
Also, like Hook says himself, this type of literature, "excludes certain information."

I believe that the arguments could go as follows: maybe Achebe or another post colonialism theorist would say that Coetzee is a racist because he writes a story where the main character is fascinated with the barbarian women and completely takes advantage of them, almost as if that is how he gains his feeling of power by subjugating them, i.e. the barbarian girl he shares his bed with and the barbarian prostitute. The other argument could be that he is not racist at all, because there are many examples where he shows such concern and discernment for helping the barbarians that are taken to be prisoners and feels such pity for them, screaming at the guards when they take in a family of fishing people for prisoners, which is where the barbarian girl he shares his bed with came into play, although he doesn't remember her at all. All he remembers is a blank space next to her father.

I am looking foward to finishing this book to see where it goes because it is easy reading, but it leaves me with so many questions and wonderment, but I almost womnder if that's what Coetzee intended for his readers to feel.