Gary Jennings · 1984 · global
Gary Jennings's 1984 historical epic, a sprawling, bawdy, richly imagined retelling of the travels of Marco Polo, who left Venice as a boy and spent twenty-four years crossing the medieval world to the court of Kublai Khan and back. Jennings fills the gaps in Polo's own account with invention, adventure and appetite on a grand scale. Note: this covers much the same ground as the two existing Marco Polo routes, with a deeper swing through southern China, Burma and the Indian Ocean.
- 1Venice
Young Marco Polo leaves Venice with his father and uncle, bound for the court of the great Kublai Khan at the far end of the known world.
- 2Acre
By sea to Acre in the Holy Land, the gateway to the East, where the long overland road begins.
- 3Baghdad
Through the cities of the Arab world, Baghdad and beyond, amid merchants, caravans and intrigue.
- 4Hormuz
Down to the Persian Gulf and the hot port of Hormuz, where they consider and reject the sea route east.
- 5Balkh
North and east instead, across Persia to Balkh in the mountains of Afghanistan, the edge of the wider world.
- 6Kashgar
Over the high passes of the Pamir, the Roof of the World, and down to the oasis of Kashgar on the silk road.
- 7Khanbaliq
Across the deserts of the Tarim and the Gobi to Khanbaliq, the Khan's capital, where Marco enters the emperor's service.
- 8Yunnan
For years Marco travels the empire on the Khan's business, south through China to Yunnan and its strange frontier peoples.
- 9Chittagong
Onward through Burma to the shores of the Bay of Bengal, the eastern ocean opening before him.
- 10Ceylon
By ship across the bay to Ceylon, isle of cinnamon and rubies, on the long voyage home.
- 11Hormuz (return)
Westward across the Indian Ocean to Hormuz again, the great loop closing.
- 12Trebizond
Overland through Persia to Trebizond on the Black Sea, robbed and weary but alive.
- 13Venice (return)
And home at last to Venice after twenty-four years, with tales no one will quite believe.