Although not all my reviews are spoilery, which I do not consider this one to be, here is a little warning just in case.

Review Written: 8th January 2013

The Map of Time by Félix J. Palma

The book is split into three parts and shall be explained that way.

The first, focuses on Andrew Harrington, and the book starts with him attempting to kill himself. No, that is not a spoiler. For Andrew had fallen in love with the wrong person; Jack the Ripper's fifth victim, Mary Kelly. In despair from losing the woman of his dreams, Andrew reaches his lowest point. Before cousin Charles enters and tells Andrew that he's just returned from the year 2000 where an army of humans led by brave Captain Derek Shackleton are at war with robots and perhaps they could travel to the past and save Mary Kelly!

The second focuses on wealthy Claire Haggerty. She is clearly a feminist and I take a liking to her immediately. Not that I don't like non-feminists, I just see a lot of my thoughts suddenly appear in front of me in another character's voice. She's a girl out of love, believing that the man of her dreams isn't in 1896 with her but in another moment in time. Now, her cousin really wants to visit the year 2000 and wants Claire to join her. Here, she meets charming Captain Derek Shackleton and falls in love. Returning to her own time, she wonders whether she will see the man she's given her heart to.

An author by the name of H.G. Wells is just becoming famous after publishing The Time Machine and the final part of the book focuses on him [he makes appearances in book one and two]. Arguably the most complicated part of the book, time travel finally becomes a reality in this section. We have appearances from authors Bram Stoker and Henry James, as well as mentions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and I liked how these authors, whose books I have read, are given a voice.

This is the most imaginative book I've read in a while and although the start was slow, the rest of the book was an enjoyable ride. I thoroughly recommend.

NEXT REVIEW: MCFLY'S UNSAID THINGS