The Map of Time

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The Map of Time
Felix J. Palma
2011

The Summary
The Map of Time compiles the adventures of eminent author, H.G. Wells, as he finds himself called upon more than once to save lives through his literary skill and his supposed expertise of time travel.

Additionally, Felix J. Palma provides a unique vision of Victorian London - that is, if Victorian London possessed a time travel agency and authors of beloved classics were endangered by time traveling assassins.

The Good
Written with a storyteller's voice in mind, The Map of Time draws you in and makes you an intimate witness to events, compelling your attention from beginning to end.

And Palma isn't afraid to leave you with a cliffhanger or two.  He has mastered the art of unpredictability and suspense, which will keep you hanging on to his every word.

More importantly, he brings his characters to life and fashions a beautiful, rich, and complex story around them.  He combines whimsical imagery, romance, daring acts of heroism, and elements of science fiction, bundling together all the best aspects of literature into one, wonderfully seamless adventure.

As the narrator declares on page one, "Your emotion and astonishment are guaranteed."

The Bad
Palma's novel, however, is anything but a whimsical undertaking.  It borders on the lengthy side at more than six hundred pages, so it requires a reader's time and commitment - although, to be fair, its length in no way diminishes its quality or beauty.

The Map of Time is also not a book for the faint of heart.  The first pages open with the contemplation of suicide by young aristocrat, Andrew Harrington, and later detail the murder of a prostitute by Jack the Ripper, followed by varying acts of violence and depravity.

I won't lie, this novel has the potential to jar you out of your comfort zone.

The Ugly
Tragedy happens.

For instance, within the first couple of chapters, Palma introduces the character of Marie Kelly.  Marie Kelly is the love of Andrew Harrington's life.  Marie Kelly is also a prostitute, who lives in White Chapel.

Don't get too attached.