Gil Marsh

Good looking, athletic, and smart, Gil Marsh is the most popular kid at Uruk High School. When Enko, a new kid from Montreal, shows up, Gil is wary. Yet Enko is easy going and matches Gil's athletic prowess without being a threat. Soon, the two become inseparable friends, practicing, studying, and double-dating. 

Then suddenly, to everyone's shock, Enko succombs to an aggressive cancer. 

When Enko's parents return to Canada, Gil is unable to even say good bye. He is inconsolable. Determined to find Enko's grave, Gil sneaks away and heads north. 

Bauer's retelling of  the Sumerian King from 3000 BC, carefully weaves the classic elements of myth to follow Gil's quest and explore the grief and growth of a young man.