The data interconnect and routing mechanism reduces data communication latency, supports dynamic route determination based upon processor activity level/traffic, and implements an architecture that supports scalable improvements in communication frequencies. In one application, a data processing system includes first and second processing books, each including at least first and second processing units. Each of the first and second processing units has a respective first output data bus. The first output data bus of the first processing unit is coupled to the second processing unit, and the first output data bus of the second processing unit is coupled to the first processing unit. At least the first processing unit of the first processing book and the second processing unit of the second processing book each have a respective second output data bus. The second output data bus of the first processing unit of the first processing book is coupled to the first processing unit of the second processor book, and the second output data bus of the second processing unit of the second processor book is coupled to the second processing unit of the first processor book.