Journey to Fusang

Although the narrator, the Irish con-artist Finn, is a wonderfully engaging character, its his Jewish sidekick Yusuf that really stands out. While he IS a caricature of long-suffering 'Hollywood' Jews, his intelligence and quick wit are readily evident, as are his morals, which set him apart from Finn, who is almost totally amoral.As for the setting - wow. I've read several alternate history novels where the New World is colonized by the Islamic kingdoms and the Chinese, but this is definitely the most inventive and entertaining, much more so than the staggeringly boring 'Years of Rice and Salt'.This book is a comedy with a heart - the gags fly fast and furious, from a mule named Francis to a satire of an infamous John Wayne character to sly references of Oliver Cromwell as an inveterate gambler, but underlying it all is a great story that deals with complex issues like the slave and drug trade, war and conquest, and friendship and love. 'Journey to Fusang' is well worth buying... I only wish Sanders would write a sequel.