From the Bookshelf of Time Travel…

The Map of Time

Félix J. Palma,

Nick Caistor (Translator)

Start date: January 15, 2012

Finish date: February 29, 2012

Discussion: Archive Book Club Discussions

Why we're reading this: This book was selected for our group read for January and February. To discuss this book with the group, …more
[close] This book was selected for our group read for January and February. To discuss this book with the group, use the following link: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/7...

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What Members Thought

Jul 18, 2013 Denise rated it did not like it

Shelves: time-travel

It never takes me two weeks to read a book--until now. I am one of those people that can stay up all night reading a good book, this book I would read three pages and be falling asleep or my mind would wander. Several times I thought about not finishing it but I doggedly continued. I was never so glad to finish a book, I actually did a mental happy dance.

I love time travel books, but not this one. I think this is one of those books you either love or hate. I didn't "hate" it, I just didn't reall ...more

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Jul 21, 2011 Sean Randall rated it really liked it

"That is why I need you to take into account the elasticity of time, its ability to expand or contract like an accordion regardless of clocks. I am sure this is something you will have experienced frequently in your own lives, depending on which side of the bathroom door you found yourselves."

This gem of a novel, found through a monthly Goodreads newsletter, is certainly something very different. I'm in admiration of the language - Victorian England is perfectly captured, even to the point of a "That is why I need you to take into account the elasticity of time, its ability to expand or contract like an accordion regardless of clocks. I am sure this is something you will have experienced frequently in your own lives, depending on which side of the bathroom door you found yourselves."

This gem of a novel, found through a monthly Goodreads newsletter, is certainly something very different. I'm in admiration of the language - Victorian England is perfectly captured, even to the point of amazingly torrid language.

"Here you are. You can shoot yourself as many times as you like now."

The humour is understated but present, and though some of the commentary isn't to my taste, it all fits remarkably well into the Mise en scène of the work.

"They also had whiskey, that marvelous drink that would fire up their courage, or at least turn the prospect of being eaten by an elephantine monster into a relatively minor nuisance. What more did they need?"

As to the story, it does get off to something of a slow start. Not in detail, but as things wind down, one is left wondering precisely why the first two parts were so exacting in their detail. I appreciated this for the richness of the environs, but at times, the story - or at least the purpose of the plot - was little enhanced by the flowery but punctiliously executed milieu of the age.

"There is little more I can add short of dissecting the man, or going into intimate details such as the modest proportions and slight southeasterly curvature of his manhood."

H. G. Wells is very prominent in the story - one doesn't quite click how pivotal until the end. It was interesting, seeing a modernly-written science fiction story hark back to those days and, quite truthfully, doing it remarkably well.

"not only did the basket bring good fortune and boost his self-confidence, not only did it embody the spirit of personal triumph by evoking the extraordinary person who had made it, it was also just a basket."

The thing that astonished me most about this story was it's literary capacity. It's really not what you come to expect from a hard science fiction novel. I've never seen a book that keeps you zinging between the existence of time travel or not and yet evoking such powerful imagery and utilising such loquaciously precise language at the same time. So, worth reading, especially if you enjoy that sort of thing. ...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Jamie rated it did not like it

Shelves: fiction, never-finished, alternate-history, historical-fiction

After reading parts I & II, I gave up on this book. The fact that this is billed as a time-travel book (view spoiler) left me very dissatisfied. Add to that the confusion incurred by adding historical figures such as H. G. Wells and Jack the Ripper (view spoiler) into a work of fiction... well, it really felt rather random to me. If I wanted to read alternate history/time travel randomness, I'd ...more

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Aug 11, 2011 Selena Calingo rated it it was amazing

Wow, I must admit that when I started reading this book, I was a little bored and off-put by the style of narration. As I got into it though, I realized that this was actually a novel that totally surprised me with it's whimsy and imagination. I can understand that this is the kind of fiction that people either really like or really don't. ...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Debbie rated it liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 26, 2013 Jo Burl rated it did not like it

Shelves: did-not-finish

I was really looking forward to this book, but I just can't get into it. I don't care for the writing style and the story isn't grabbing me. On to the next book. ...more

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Jun 30, 2011 Todd Mayville rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

One of my favorite books of all time. My full review: http://tometraveling.blogspot.com/201... ...more

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Dec 17, 2011 Grumpus rated it really liked it

Shelves: time-travel, fiction

There are already excellent reviews of this book here but I just wanted to say that the time-travel aspect of the book is well thought out and filled with surprises throughout. I enjoyed it tremendously.

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