Disclaimer: Imagine yourself on the 50 yard line of a football field. You are standing in the center of the field. Before you are four ropes with each end tied to the goalposts at each end of the field. In the center of these ropes is an impossible knot. You have to untie it. You can make out how the knot is shaped and even manipulate it a bit but without obtaining the beginning of each rope you cannot untie it. What are you feeling?
That is how about how I felt as I started this book. Before starting it I didn't know this was a sequel. I was tossed into the middle of an elaborate tale that was not written for the inattentive reader. Booksneeze has since rectified their mistake and sent me a copy of the first book, The Skin Map, which will be reviewed soon.
Review: After finding on part of the Skin map, in the first installment of the series, our traveler Kit Livingstone must quicken the pace if he is to restore the map of the multiverse. Along the way he encounters the dreadful Burley men as well as the astute and resourceful Mina, both of whom are fellow ley travelers. Unsure of where the map leads or the meaning of his quest, he only knows that he can't let the Burley men beat him to it. With flashes into the life of Arthur, The Man Who is Map, and side excursions into the beginnings of Archie Burley, the quest takes the reader to several exotic locations in a breathless attempt to reveal the secret of The Bone House.
Other than not having read the first book, The Skin Map, this book was an exhilarating read. Similar to coming up for air, I found the style of the novel to be so far above the drab novels that are so prevalent right now that it improved my outlook for the future of writing. With a vocabulary the rivals the SAT exam and college level spelling tests, Lawhead paints a vivid picture of not only the characters but also the environments which they visit.
While reading the picture that was painted was both enjoyable and clean. Although the method of time and space travel confused me, my own fault not the author's, I enjoyed the freshness of his vision. I cannot say that this will be enjoyable for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Note: If you do choose to read this book, be sure to read it in a distraction free zone. This novel reads so quickly that if you don't pay attention or reread then you will miss crucial elements.
Rating: ***** Five Stars
I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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