Gary Jennings (September 20, 1928 – February 13, 1999) was an American author who wrote children's and adult novels. In 1980, after the successful novel ''
Aztec
The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl ...
Buena Vista, Virginia
Buena Vista ( ) is an independent city located in the Blue Ridge Mountains region of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,641. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the independent cities of Buena Vist ...
, to Glen Edward and Vaughnye May Jennings, Gary Jennings attended little formal school after graduating from Eastside High School (of '' Lean on Me'' fame) in Paterson, New Jersey, and was mostly self-educated thereafter.
His novels were known for their historical detail and occasionally graphic content. Jennings' novels are well-researched: he lived for 12 years in
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
to research the Aztec novels, traveled the
Balkans
The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
while researching ''
Raptor
Raptor or RAPTOR may refer to:
Animals
The word "raptor" refers to several groups of bird-like dinosaurs which primarily capture and subdue/kill prey with their talons.
* Raptor (bird) or bird of prey, a bird that primarily hunts and feeds on ...
'', and joined nine
circus
A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicyclis ...
troupes during the writing of '' Spangle''. He also produced a number of novels for younger readers, such as ''A Rope in the Jungle'' and a history of the occult ''Black Magic, White Magic.''
Gary Jennings died in February 1999 in
Pompton Lakes, New Jersey
Pompton Lakes is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 11,097,
Bibliography
Aztec series
* ''
Aztec
The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl ...
'' (1980) : A story of the
Aztec
The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl ...
empire just before and during the arrival of the Spaniards.
* ''
Aztec Autumn
Gary Jennings (September 20, 1928 – February 13, 1999) was an American author who wrote children's and adult novels. In 1980, after the successful novel ''Aztec'', he specialized in writing adult historical fiction novels.
Biography
Born Septe ...
'' (1997), a story of the Aztecs following the
Spanish conquest
The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its predece ...
.
Additional books in the series (''Aztec Blood'', 2002; ''Aztec Rage'', 2006; ''Aztec Fire'', 2008; ''Aztec Revenge'', 2012) were written by Robert Gleason, Jennings's former editor, and Junius Podrug.
Novels
* ''The Terrible Teague Bunch'' (1975) : about a gang of Texas outlaws at the tail end of the Old West
* '' Sow the Seeds of Hemp'' (1976) : about a fire-breathing preacher in Mississippi
* ''
The Journeyer
''The Journeyer'' is a historical novel about Marco Polo, written by Gary Jennings and first published in 1984.
Plot introduction
Marco is the only heir to the wealthy Polo family of Venice. Unsupervised, he freely roams the streets and canal ...
'' (1984) : An account of the travels of Marco Polo to the
Far East
The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.
The ter ...
.
* '' Spangle'' (1987) : A chronicle of the lives of circus entertainers. Also released in paperback, split into a trilogy: ''The Road Show'', ''The Center Ring'' and ''The Grand Promenade''.
* ''The Lively Lives of Crispin Mobey'' (by 'Gabriel Quyth') (1988) : "A novel of the hilarious chronicle of the exploits of an all-too-zealous missionary." Mostly assembled from a series of short stories published under Jennings's real name in ''
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
''The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction'' (usually referred to as ''F&SF'') is a U.S. fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House, a subsidiary of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Press. Editors Anthony Boucher ...
'' 1972–1979.
* ''
Raptor
Raptor or RAPTOR may refer to:
Animals
The word "raptor" refers to several groups of bird-like dinosaurs which primarily capture and subdue/kill prey with their talons.
* Raptor (bird) or bird of prey, a bird that primarily hunts and feeds on ...
'' (1992) : Thorn, a hermaphrodite, and his/her adventures in a post-Roman world.
For young adults
* ''March of the Robots: From The Manikins Of Antiquity To The Space Robots Of Tomorrow'' (1962)
* ''The Movie Book'' (1963)
* ''Parades!: Celebrations and circuses on the march'' (1966)
* ''The Teenager's Realistic Guide to Astrology'' (1971)
* ''The Shrinking Outdoors'' (1972)
* ''The Killer Storms: Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Tornadoes'' (1974)
* ''Black Magic, White Magic'' (1975)
* ''March of the Heroes: The folk hero through the ages'' (1975)
* ''March of the Gods'' (1976)
* ''The Rope in the Jungle'' (a novel) (1976)
* ''March of the Demons'' (1977)
For preschool readers
* ''The Earth Book'' (1975)
Nonfiction
* ''Personalities of Language'' (1965)
* ''World of Words: The Personalities of Language'' (1967)
* ''The Treasure of the Superstition Mountains'' (1973)