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Book Review of The Map of the Sky (Victorian Trilogy, Bk 2)

The Map of the Sky (Victorian Trilogy, Bk 2)
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The Map of the Sky is a campy, sci-fi thriller and is better than its predecessor, The Map of Time. Both books consist of three intertwining stories based on H.G. Wells novels, War of the Worlds and The Time Machine, respectively. While The Map of Time was about the Victorian obsession with time travel, in The Map of the Sky fantasy becomes reality.

The first story involves a 1830 expedition to Antarctica gone wrong. The ship becomes trapped in ice and not only must the crew fight hunger and bitter cold but they soon realize there is a monstrous alien in their midst. If you've read Dan Simmons' The Terror, you know what I'm talking about.

In the second story, H.G. Wells witnesses War of the Worlds actually become reality almost exactly how he wrote it in his novel. With a Scotland Yard detective and a few characters from the first novel, Wells is in a race to save mankind.

The third story relates in detail how Wells faces the biggest test of his life while discovering things about himself he would never have imagined.

Palma also neatly sets up the next book in the series. This series is meant to be read in order and you will enjoy The Map of the Sky more if you read the previous novel first. This is a very original historical fantasy series.