# The Journeyer

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-journeyer/79198>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 31, 2001, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-journeyer/79198 "2001-08-31T21:06:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-journeyer/79198/1 "2001-08-31T21:06:28Z")

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Has anyone here read _The Journeyer_ by Gary Jennings? I haven’t found a single person, ever, who has. It’s out of print, I discovered when trying to purchase a copy as a gift. This is one of the funniest, most enjoyable books I have ever read.

The premise is these are the true adventures of Marco Polo. The stuff you read in history books? Bah. Turn here for the true story, which includes hundreds (well, _tens_ at least) of hilarious situations which toy with history, convention. Many are plain-old bawdy.

Anyone? 🙂

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**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-journeyer/79198/2 "2001-09-01T00:53:16Z")

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Well, I’ve read it. However, I’ve never re-read it because the torture scenes were just too upsetting to me. I’m not especially squeamish as a rule, but I was about 8 months pregnant when I read it and, apparently, more emotional than usual… Some of the scenes actually gave me nightmares. It’s funny, I _did_ enjoy the book, but all I remember now is those nightmares ::shudder::

BTW, if you liked The Journeyer, you really ought to read Spangle by the same author. It’s also loaded with some gory stuff – Jennings is really a rather bent dude – but it’s very entertaining.

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**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-journeyer/79198/3 "2001-09-01T13:58:52Z")

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I’ve never re-read it either, Jess, and it’s been about 10 years since the first time. Eeek, I certainly wouldn’t recommend it to pregnant women. Funny what you remember, though – I don’t particularly recall torture scenes. I do remember the childbirth scene, however.

Well, no wonder it’s out of print, if only one person responds!

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**Author:** ![stoneytom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71e660/32.png) [@stoneytom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stoneytom)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-journeyer/79198/4 "2001-09-01T18:36:38Z")

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I have loved everything by Gary Jennings wrote, including The Journyer, but the best by far is Aztec. This story of the Aztec culture and the arrival of the Spanish to Mexico was the greatest.

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**Author:** ![stoneytom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71e660/32.png) [@stoneytom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stoneytom)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-journeyer/79198/5 "2001-09-01T18:40:03Z")

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And I heard he died not too long ago (last year?). I hate it when authors whose work I eagerly await do that. seems to happen more and more as I get older.

Duh !?!