What do you think?
Rate this book
Journey of the Spirit Man
"This uplifting, other-worldly parable about loss and despair, struggle and success, has much to offer our time of challenges and possibility. George Mendoza writes from his heart and his own hard lessons in life." Anne Hillerman, New York Times best-selling author.
"A journey into an extraordinary world- both an alternative world and the world of the mind. For seekers of wisdom." JL Powers, author of Broken Circle
After losing a race that he believed would destine him for great things, egocentric Michael's pity party leads to tragedy. Unable to face his own complicity, Michael runs from his fears, and unexpectedly passes through a magical gate into a bizarre world. As Michael passes through one inconceivable test after another, his self-delusion collides with the hard truths of life. Journey of the Spirit Man, Book One of the Spirit Man series, is an exploration of the struggles, limitations, and triumphs of the human spirit.
162 pages, Paperback
Published May 18, 2021
About the author
George Mendoza
4 booksBlind artist and athlete. Son of children's book writer George Mendoza.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 10, 2026
I grabbed this on Audible after a Publisher / PR team reached out about a review, and, I am completely mystified.
If you want to read about a metaphysical journey where someone has to face different levels of purgatory or spiritual escape rooms to confront their abhorrent behavior and change away from their own selfishness and narrow world view, you're in the right spot.
The author's bio (Google him, there's a lot of interesting stuff there) is pretty fascinating since he set records for blind runners back in the 80s and has art on display in many of the most prestigious places possible. Regardless of my thoughts on the book, I would recommend giving it a shot or at least checking out the author and his immense amount of work for and with those with different abilities!
Honestly, as I said, the book was confusing. Michael *has* to win a race to impress recruiters and fuel his Olympic dreams and help his college win a championship, but in no situation ever do these things occur together? Especially if he's not a senior like, who cares? Who's recruiting at a collegiate race? In the 1500 (I thought they said the 1500) why would he be in starting blocks? Why would they have killed themselves running up a mountain the day before the race?
I pretty much stopped myself there and said "ok girl stop picking the book apart and just enjoy the ride"
Michael does get a tiny bit less insufferable through each step in his journey. Somehow he goes from made up locations to ancient-but-not-ancient-Egypt where he's been sufficiently educated by his prior experiences enough to finally learn some lessons and confront his past mistakes.
And...somehow upon returning to the present day spiritually, after he survived for MONTHS out in the mountains with a head injury in a location where searchers must have not been able to find him, he was able to pop up and waltz back home....
*Shrug* like I said, I'm mystified. I think the author is interesting enough that I'd recommend giving the book a shot, because sprinkled throughout are a few actually interesting concepts and ideas. I liked Mendoza's thoughts on how prophets might go from pats on the head to sacrificial real quick, and how he said something like "belief isn't required for the spirit to work through a person" (probably not a direct quote but close)
Anyway, I have no regrets for expanding my reading/listening horizons and would at least encourage everyone to check out the author and his art!
If you want to read about a metaphysical journey where someone has to face different levels of purgatory or spiritual escape rooms to confront their abhorrent behavior and change away from their own selfishness and narrow world view, you're in the right spot.
The author's bio (Google him, there's a lot of interesting stuff there) is pretty fascinating since he set records for blind runners back in the 80s and has art on display in many of the most prestigious places possible. Regardless of my thoughts on the book, I would recommend giving it a shot or at least checking out the author and his immense amount of work for and with those with different abilities!
Honestly, as I said, the book was confusing. Michael *has* to win a race to impress recruiters and fuel his Olympic dreams and help his college win a championship, but in no situation ever do these things occur together? Especially if he's not a senior like, who cares? Who's recruiting at a collegiate race? In the 1500 (I thought they said the 1500) why would he be in starting blocks? Why would they have killed themselves running up a mountain the day before the race?
I pretty much stopped myself there and said "ok girl stop picking the book apart and just enjoy the ride"
Michael does get a tiny bit less insufferable through each step in his journey. Somehow he goes from made up locations to ancient-but-not-ancient-Egypt where he's been sufficiently educated by his prior experiences enough to finally learn some lessons and confront his past mistakes.
And...somehow upon returning to the present day spiritually, after he survived for MONTHS out in the mountains with a head injury in a location where searchers must have not been able to find him, he was able to pop up and waltz back home....
*Shrug* like I said, I'm mystified. I think the author is interesting enough that I'd recommend giving the book a shot, because sprinkled throughout are a few actually interesting concepts and ideas. I liked Mendoza's thoughts on how prophets might go from pats on the head to sacrificial real quick, and how he said something like "belief isn't required for the spirit to work through a person" (probably not a direct quote but close)
Anyway, I have no regrets for expanding my reading/listening horizons and would at least encourage everyone to check out the author and his art!
July 20, 2026
Journey of the Spirit Man by George Mendoza is a fictional novel inspired by a hiking accident Mendoza experienced in 2011 in the Organ Mountains. After the fall, he began suffering from cluster headaches that provided dreamlike visions, which he then painted. Those visions eventually became the foundation for the story. As Mendoza writes in the author's note, “The headaches and pain led to a wildly productive period during which I painted up a storm and wrote novels about my superhero, the Spiritman.” The novel offers readers a glimpse into these visions through vivid imagery, spiritual exploration, moral dilemmas, and self-discovery, following the main character, Michael Seymour, on a journey across a series of strange and symbolic worlds.
The story opens with an eerie prologue in which Michael is dreaming, lost in a fog, surrounded by grinning faces emerging from the mist. This opening immediately places the reader somewhere between reality and imagination, establishing the dreamlike tone that carries throughout the novel. One aspect of the novel that I found especially fascinating was its vibrant language. The descriptive style mirrors Mendoza's background as a painter, but it is even more remarkable considering that he lost his vision when he was a teenager.
Although Mendoza has stated that he can still perceive colors, I find it intriguing that the worlds he creates on both canvas and page are so full of life and color when his own visual experience is likely much more limited than that of a sighted person. His imagery transforms scenes into vivid paintings. One example appears on page 4: “A storm billowed high above, the late afternoon sun piercing the piles of cumulous clouds with shafts of light that glowed crimson and gold on the valley below.”
At the onset of the novel, Michael is characterized by a very large ego, believing he is better than everyone and everything around him. His friend Mark openly points this out, complaining that Michael has had the whole world handed to him. Before his accident, Michael also possessed the unusual ability to see spirits, or “mirages,” despite Mark telling him that he had no spirit of his own. In the first few chapters, Michael is forced to confront a series of traumatic events. He witnesses the death of his best friend, Mark, in a violent bar fight that seems to be partially his fault. After this, he learns that he has a rare, incurable degenerative disease that, while not life-threatening, will progressively limit his abilities. His diagnosis creates an interesting dynamic, raising questions about life, death, and survival. While he grapples with his best friend’s death, he must also come to terms with the reality of living under increasing limitations and uncertainty.
After going through these traumatic events, Michael escapes for a run in the mountains, where he slips, falls, and hits his head, waking up in a terrifying spirit world. He first finds himself in a barren desert before being taken by a nomad to a prison known as Gehenna. One of the inhabitants of this strange new world references The Wizard of Oz with the line, “You're not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” emphasizing just how far removed Michael is from reality.
In Gehenna, he witnesses prison cells containing each person's own unique hell, carefully designed around whatever would cause that individual the greatest suffering. He is even given the opportunity to take revenge on Mark's killer, but chooses not to, revealing the first signs of personal growth. Throughout this section, Michael's guilt remains, reflected in the thought, “Didn't he carry the filth of that city inside him? Didn't everybody to one extent or another?” After escaping Gehenna, Michael journeys across the desert, suffering from dehydration and delirium. Along the way, he experiences visions of Mark, who encourages him to continue moving forward rather than give up. Eventually, he encounters a group of nomads who guide him toward the “Holy Mountain that holds the Altar of the Cup of All Good Things.” There, the people believe Michael is their chosen prophet and begin to worship him. Uncomfortable with both the title and the responsibility, and still questioning whether he is even a good person at all, Michael rejects the admiration and riches offered to him and leaves the pilgrims behind, continuing his journey.
In the next leg of his adventure through the strange new land, Michael encounters Paradisa, a place where every wish is instantly granted. Paradisa is filled with endless feasts, stunning women, strong servant men, and rooms offering “your every wish.” In the perfection of this world, Michael quickly slips back into his jealous, egotistical, and narcissistic tendencies. He finds himself able to outperform everyone at writing, music, sports, painting, and countless other talents, reinforcing his sense of superiority. This section raises the question of whether people truly change, or whether they endlessly chase what they already have. Although tempted by the beauty and euphoria of Paradisa, Michael eventually breaks free from its pull, consciously deciding to be better than what Paradisa has to offer. Soon after he leaves, a great flood sweeps him into ancient Egypt.
In Egypt, Michael is taken to a palace where he studies and learns. Once again, those around him question whether he is a savior figure who has come to bring a secret. The climax of this section comes when Michael is forced to confront his past self through a series of mirrors, asking him to examine who he truly is. The novel’s central question then emerges: “Who was Michael Seymour? Who had he been, who was he now, and who did he want to be? Could he leave behind the constraints of his culture and experiences to become a better person—even if he wanted to?” (155)
The story winds through many different realities, each testing a different aspect of Michael’s character while reinforcing the idea that he can become better than he was in his real life. The themes explored in this Alice in Wonderland-type journey include ego, identity, change, morality, self-discovery, and self-betterment. These themes are layered over psychedelic, trippy settings that serve as metaphors and encourage reflection from the reader about reality and what we choose to accept as real. The ending delivers a major surprise. Both Michael and the reader expect that he will return to his life with time intact and everything unchanged. Instead, he returns to his world with a shocking revelation and a cliffhanger that begs for a second book, effectively setting up readers for the continuation of Michael’s journey across three more books.
Review by Britain Powers
The story opens with an eerie prologue in which Michael is dreaming, lost in a fog, surrounded by grinning faces emerging from the mist. This opening immediately places the reader somewhere between reality and imagination, establishing the dreamlike tone that carries throughout the novel. One aspect of the novel that I found especially fascinating was its vibrant language. The descriptive style mirrors Mendoza's background as a painter, but it is even more remarkable considering that he lost his vision when he was a teenager.
Although Mendoza has stated that he can still perceive colors, I find it intriguing that the worlds he creates on both canvas and page are so full of life and color when his own visual experience is likely much more limited than that of a sighted person. His imagery transforms scenes into vivid paintings. One example appears on page 4: “A storm billowed high above, the late afternoon sun piercing the piles of cumulous clouds with shafts of light that glowed crimson and gold on the valley below.”
At the onset of the novel, Michael is characterized by a very large ego, believing he is better than everyone and everything around him. His friend Mark openly points this out, complaining that Michael has had the whole world handed to him. Before his accident, Michael also possessed the unusual ability to see spirits, or “mirages,” despite Mark telling him that he had no spirit of his own. In the first few chapters, Michael is forced to confront a series of traumatic events. He witnesses the death of his best friend, Mark, in a violent bar fight that seems to be partially his fault. After this, he learns that he has a rare, incurable degenerative disease that, while not life-threatening, will progressively limit his abilities. His diagnosis creates an interesting dynamic, raising questions about life, death, and survival. While he grapples with his best friend’s death, he must also come to terms with the reality of living under increasing limitations and uncertainty.
After going through these traumatic events, Michael escapes for a run in the mountains, where he slips, falls, and hits his head, waking up in a terrifying spirit world. He first finds himself in a barren desert before being taken by a nomad to a prison known as Gehenna. One of the inhabitants of this strange new world references The Wizard of Oz with the line, “You're not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” emphasizing just how far removed Michael is from reality.
In Gehenna, he witnesses prison cells containing each person's own unique hell, carefully designed around whatever would cause that individual the greatest suffering. He is even given the opportunity to take revenge on Mark's killer, but chooses not to, revealing the first signs of personal growth. Throughout this section, Michael's guilt remains, reflected in the thought, “Didn't he carry the filth of that city inside him? Didn't everybody to one extent or another?” After escaping Gehenna, Michael journeys across the desert, suffering from dehydration and delirium. Along the way, he experiences visions of Mark, who encourages him to continue moving forward rather than give up. Eventually, he encounters a group of nomads who guide him toward the “Holy Mountain that holds the Altar of the Cup of All Good Things.” There, the people believe Michael is their chosen prophet and begin to worship him. Uncomfortable with both the title and the responsibility, and still questioning whether he is even a good person at all, Michael rejects the admiration and riches offered to him and leaves the pilgrims behind, continuing his journey.
In the next leg of his adventure through the strange new land, Michael encounters Paradisa, a place where every wish is instantly granted. Paradisa is filled with endless feasts, stunning women, strong servant men, and rooms offering “your every wish.” In the perfection of this world, Michael quickly slips back into his jealous, egotistical, and narcissistic tendencies. He finds himself able to outperform everyone at writing, music, sports, painting, and countless other talents, reinforcing his sense of superiority. This section raises the question of whether people truly change, or whether they endlessly chase what they already have. Although tempted by the beauty and euphoria of Paradisa, Michael eventually breaks free from its pull, consciously deciding to be better than what Paradisa has to offer. Soon after he leaves, a great flood sweeps him into ancient Egypt.
In Egypt, Michael is taken to a palace where he studies and learns. Once again, those around him question whether he is a savior figure who has come to bring a secret. The climax of this section comes when Michael is forced to confront his past self through a series of mirrors, asking him to examine who he truly is. The novel’s central question then emerges: “Who was Michael Seymour? Who had he been, who was he now, and who did he want to be? Could he leave behind the constraints of his culture and experiences to become a better person—even if he wanted to?” (155)
The story winds through many different realities, each testing a different aspect of Michael’s character while reinforcing the idea that he can become better than he was in his real life. The themes explored in this Alice in Wonderland-type journey include ego, identity, change, morality, self-discovery, and self-betterment. These themes are layered over psychedelic, trippy settings that serve as metaphors and encourage reflection from the reader about reality and what we choose to accept as real. The ending delivers a major surprise. Both Michael and the reader expect that he will return to his life with time intact and everything unchanged. Instead, he returns to his world with a shocking revelation and a cliffhanger that begs for a second book, effectively setting up readers for the continuation of Michael’s journey across three more books.
Review by Britain Powers
August 14, 2026
The Journey of the Spirit Man is a semi-autobiographical novel by author and artist George Mendoza. It combines a coming of age journey of self-discovery with elements of fantasy and magical realism.
Spirit Man is strongly a coming of age story. At the beginning Michael is arrogant, egotistical and dismissive of the people around him. Throughout his journey his is presented with a series of extremes – extreme violence in Gehenna, extreme beliefs on the mountain, and extreme excess and abundance at Paradisa. All offer Michael ways in which he could live his life and impulses he could give into. Over the course the novel we see Michael mature and gain self-insight as he accepts the type of person he was and learns about the type of person he wants to be.
Starting in our world, the story crosses over into fantasy and fictional realms. I would also argue that it brings in elements of magical realism. The opening establishes that Michael has visions before ever entering the gateway, therefore implying that some form of magic exists in the real world. I’ve found that in many magical realism stories I’ve read there is often a lack of explanation for why things are happening paired with a similar lack of curiosity from the characters. These attributes can also be found in Spirit Man. The rules of this world are never truly established – why is there a gateway in the desert that only Michael can find? How can he move so quickly between landscapes that shouldn’t exist next to each other? While Michael is shocked by what he encounters within each location, the discovery of the locations themselves don’t faze him.
Now the argument can be made that, as this is a story of self-discovery, the focus is always inwards. Mendoza does not need to develop and explain any of the outward fantastical elements in the novel because they are simply tools to help Michael on his journey of understanding and betterment.
While I have to conclude that The Journey of the Spirit Man is not the book for me, in part due to the amount of unanswered questions I had at the end, I can’t deny that Mendoza achieves what he set out to create in this novel. It is undeniably a story of self-discovery that allows the protagonist opportunities to grow and learn how to improve his life.
Spirit Man is strongly a coming of age story. At the beginning Michael is arrogant, egotistical and dismissive of the people around him. Throughout his journey his is presented with a series of extremes – extreme violence in Gehenna, extreme beliefs on the mountain, and extreme excess and abundance at Paradisa. All offer Michael ways in which he could live his life and impulses he could give into. Over the course the novel we see Michael mature and gain self-insight as he accepts the type of person he was and learns about the type of person he wants to be.
Starting in our world, the story crosses over into fantasy and fictional realms. I would also argue that it brings in elements of magical realism. The opening establishes that Michael has visions before ever entering the gateway, therefore implying that some form of magic exists in the real world. I’ve found that in many magical realism stories I’ve read there is often a lack of explanation for why things are happening paired with a similar lack of curiosity from the characters. These attributes can also be found in Spirit Man. The rules of this world are never truly established – why is there a gateway in the desert that only Michael can find? How can he move so quickly between landscapes that shouldn’t exist next to each other? While Michael is shocked by what he encounters within each location, the discovery of the locations themselves don’t faze him.
Now the argument can be made that, as this is a story of self-discovery, the focus is always inwards. Mendoza does not need to develop and explain any of the outward fantastical elements in the novel because they are simply tools to help Michael on his journey of understanding and betterment.
While I have to conclude that The Journey of the Spirit Man is not the book for me, in part due to the amount of unanswered questions I had at the end, I can’t deny that Mendoza achieves what he set out to create in this novel. It is undeniably a story of self-discovery that allows the protagonist opportunities to grow and learn how to improve his life.
![Profile Image for Amanda [Novel Addiction].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1415744673i/4886503._UX200_CR0,36,200,200_.jpg)
April 13, 2021
Reviewed for a magazine.
October 2, 2021
I have mixed feelings about this book. The book didn't start out very great. I decided to read through it because I wanted to experiment with the genres I had been reading, and this book really intrigued me. The main reason was that I found the main character very.. repulsive. And the 'savior' trope also played here in some parts of the book that I didn't like.
What I liked about this book was the main character's journey, and how everything was basically imagined. I also liked how the themes of love and loss were at play. The main character is flawed and I know that's how that is supposed to be to make the character memorable, but I wish it could have been a little more likeable and relatable.
Overall, I would like to give this book 3 stars.
This book is recommended for spiritual people and those who like to read off-beat fiction
What I liked about this book was the main character's journey, and how everything was basically imagined. I also liked how the themes of love and loss were at play. The main character is flawed and I know that's how that is supposed to be to make the character memorable, but I wish it could have been a little more likeable and relatable.
Overall, I would like to give this book 3 stars.
This book is recommended for spiritual people and those who like to read off-beat fiction
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews