Felix J. Palma’s, American debut novel, The Map of Time is not my usual genre but on the suggestion of a friend I picked it up, and loved it. It is not a short read by any means but it is a well written story including elements of romance, robots, historical fiction, mystery, murder and time travel. The narrator sees all and knows all and is at times repetitive and annoying. However there are so many other good things about this book that the narrator is easy to overlook. The novel takes place in 1888 London with three related plots and H.G. Wells as the connecting character. H.G. Wells’ popular book “The Time Machine” has just been published and the time travel frenzy has gripped Victorian England. Wells is called upon to help a young man travel to the past and deal with the murder – by Jack the Ripper – of the woman he loved. In Part Two, a woman, unhappy with the social restrictions of the Victorian age seeks something else in a future time period. In Part Three, Wells tries to stop a plot to murder Bram Stoker, Henry James and Wells, himself, and steal their fictional creations. An imaginative story with well developed characters. Long yes but well worth it.
If you like time travel check out these other books and authors:
Brashares, Ann My Name is Memory
James, David Before the Cradle Falls
Fforde, Jasper The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next Novels)
Wells, H.G. The Time Machine
Niffenegger, Audrey The Time Traveler’s Wife
Moning, Karen Marie Highlander romances series
Haddix, Margaret The Missing Series
Holdeman, Joe The Accidental Time Machine
Plunkett, Susan Bethany’s Song
Rigler, Laurie Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict
Twain, Mark A Connecticut Yankee in Kings Arthur’s Court