The Prester Quest
Notes
I love this so much. One of the first emissaries to Prester John was sent in 1177. The pope sent a letter, to be carried through the east and on to the mythical kingdom. Not only did the letter never arrive (how could it?), but the messenger, Master Phillip, disappeared. In this book, young modern adventurer Nicholas Jubber decides to recreate the journey, and complete the mission. It's a fun travelogue of the modern day, but with lots of historical explanation about what Phillip would have faced, and much more of the kind of modern hijinks that only a young man on a mission can get into.
Noted on April 30, 2025