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The Skin Map (Bright Empires, #1)

Stephen R. Lawhead

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Apr 05, 2012 Werner rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, alternate-worlds

Note, Nov. 30, 2012 --I'm adding this note to correct an error in the review. The Bright Empires series is NOT to be a trilogy; Lawhead is projecting five volumes for it in all. My bad! :-)

In the 1920s, landscape photographer and amateur antiquarian Alfred Watkins became convinced that large numbers of pre-Roman sites in Great Britain (megaliths, mounds, hill forts, wells, causeways, sacred sites, etc.) were deliberately laid out along straight lines, for which he coined the term "ley lines," ru Note, Nov. 30, 2012 --I'm adding this note to correct an error in the review. The Bright Empires series is NOT to be a trilogy; Lawhead is projecting five volumes for it in all. My bad! :-)

In the 1920s, landscape photographer and amateur antiquarian Alfred Watkins became convinced that large numbers of pre-Roman sites in Great Britain (megaliths, mounds, hill forts, wells, causeways, sacred sites, etc.) were deliberately laid out along straight lines, for which he coined the term "ley lines," running across the landscape for long distances. His theory, elaborated in such writings as The Old Straight Track (1925) was that these were actual paths or trackways made by ancient Britons to facilitate travel at a time when the land was much more heavily forested than it is now. (For the most part, the archaeological community has dismissed the theory.) He did NOT ascribe any sort of paranormal significance to these lines; but beginning in 1969, occult enthusiasts began to seize on the concept and ascribe various sorts of mystical properties to ley lines, and (according to Lawhead's postscript to this novel) some researchers have claimed to find electromagnetic energy emanating from some ley lines in the UK and elsewhere. Building on this background, Lawhead's fictional premise is that these ley lines are the points along which the boundaries of other inter-dimensional alternate worlds, like touching soap bubbles, intersect with our world --and allow travel between the two. The Goodreads description above elaborates on this pretty accurately.

This is the first novel of a trilogy; and no spoilers here, but I'd advise having quick access to the second book, The Bone House, when you finish this one. :-) Lawhead wrote this, I believe, at a time when he was battling life-threatening cancer. Given that distraction, it's a testament to his prowess as a writer that the book is as good as it is. It has to be said, though, that the literary craftsmanship here is not up to his usual high standard. In places, the dialogue flow is off-kilter; there are some internal inconsistencies in plotting, the author occasionally clearly forgets a significant detail, and once a wooden staircase changes to stone a few pages later (and no, paranormal processes weren't involved! :-) ). I'd say that most of the characters aren't as well developed as they are in much of Lawhead's fiction, and Kit isn't as compelling a character as other Lawhead heroes I've encountered.

Nonetheless, the book has some strengths. The subject matter is right up my alley; the plotting is exciting and engaging, with good guys and gals to root for and a ruthless villain to root against; Lawhead makes good use of local color and detail to evoke historical settings, and his tendency to create strong female characters who are active rather than passive, and well able to look the male characters in the eye and meet them as equals, is as much in evidence as ever. As the Thomas Nelson label suggests, it's free from bad language and sexual content. Evanelical author Lawhead treats the faith of some of his characters sympathetically, and clearly recognizes the hand of Providence in the tale's events; but his spiritual content is low-key and naturally integrated with the storyline. And his plot developments managed to take me by surprise several times --sometimes to my pleasure and sometimes to my consternation! :-)

This is a relatively quick read, a page-turner that flows easily; and having come to the end, there are still a LOT of unanswered questions.
So, as soon as possible, it's going to be on to Book 2 of the trilogy! ...more

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