An action adventure novel set in the late Middle Ages, The Wonderful Travels of Drake follows the journey of a young boy, Drake, who accompanies his father and uncle on a trade expedition from their home in Naples to the mysterious land of Cathay, present-day China. His taste for adventure and glory is satisfied on the journey, as he experiences the wonders of seeing foreign, exotic lands, and battles with strange creatures and hostile people that he and his party encounter. In the end, Drake becomes older and wiser, and acquires recognition of some of the wonders and perils of the world, and of life. With colorful companions ranging from monks to ship captains to revloutionaries and fierce foes such as a pack of desert jackals and a vast Mongol horde, Drakes adventures are gripping and amazing. The Wonderful Travels of Drake is an excellent tale that uses the metaphor of a fantastic journey to symbolize the deeper meaning, which is the a young boys transition from being a boy to a man.