CSFF Tour – The Skin Map Day 3

by Jason Joyner | Nov 3, 2010 | Blog, speculative fiction, Stephen Lawhead, The Skin Map

In Which The Blogger Finally Gets Around To Telling The Reader If The Book Is Any Good.

The CSFF Tour is featuring the latest from acclaimed author Stephen Lawhead, The Skin Map, first book of the Bright Empires series. Yesterday I gave a synopsis of the book, if you missed it. How does it stand up?

I’ve said here in the past that Stephen Lawhead is one of my favorite authors. For some reason, a couple of his books (usually the second or third in a series) have fallen flat for me. It’s almost if he’s a little streaky. Does The Skin Map strike hard or does it miss?

Thankfully, I can testify that Lawhead is on target with this first book. There’s wit, suspense, intrigue, and the Lawhead tradmark of making a setting come alive. You see some of this with the very first lines of the book:

Had he but known that before the day was over he would discover the hidden dimensions of the universe, Kit might have been better prepared. At least, he would have brought an umbrella.

(Best opening line I’ve read since, “The nun hit me in the mouth and said, ‘Get out of my house.'”)

Lawhead has stated on his website that he’s been writing this series in his head for the last 15 years or so, just now he has the skill to handle all of the complexity. I would believe it. He has numerous characters jumping from the Home World to different times and locales, and he brings the unique flavor of each place out. There’s enough characters and locations (and times!) that it almost gets confusing, but he keeps things moving forward. Many threads are started, and it may seem a little disconnected in the middle of the book. The beauty is that in the apparent chaos ensuing, it snaps together in the end, leaving the reader going “Whoa.” If a reader isn’t patient or attentive, they could get lost.

The book follows 20-something Kit Livingstone as he discovers his gift for traveling the mysterious ley lines, his girlfriend Mina as she gets lost in 17th century Prague, the Man Who Is Map forging paths through the dimensions, and the ruthless Lord Burleigh. Each character brings their own weight to their sections. I don’t feel like I’m reading one voice for each person – they are individuals. Their interaction with the various settings is thought-provoking, such as the timeline in which Kit’s relative Cosimo stops the famous Fire of London in1666 just by waking the baker whose oven started the disaster.

Despite a rather large cast and the varied times, the book is suspenseful and a great page-turner. My only complaint is the book is a major set-up for the whole series. It makes sense that it can’t be too self-limiting, and the reader is left with a major cliffhanger at the end. I am ready for book two, like RIGHT NOW.

A couple further thoughts:
As I discussed yesterday, the story’s premise hinges on these ley lines acting as corridors to these alternate universes. These are well-known to the pagan and new age movements, considered powerful centers of energy. Lawhead has used many other mythic components in his fiction, such as Atlantis and Merlin in the Pendragon Cycle, and Celtic myths in the Song of Albion trilogy. However, he has taking these seemingly pagan points and turned them into a natual way of speaking of faith and Christ. He makes it an organic part of the story. Christianity isn’t proclaimed loudly in The Skin Map, but there are characters who speak and ponder about God and how He may be working through the Omniverse (multiple universes). Speculative, but still informed by faith. Potential authors can learn here from Mr. Lawhead.

Finally, check out his website for a good interview from Lawhead regarding the research he does for his work. It is informative to those curious about how to write a realistic setting, one of his strengths.

 As always, the other fun folk at the CSFF Tour have more to say, and you can find the full list on Becky Miller’s blog.
—
BTW, the FTC requires a blogger to disclose whether they got a free review copy. I am disclosing that I used my birthday gift card to Barnes and Noble on this book. I am a very satisfied consumer!
—

CSFF Tour – The Skin Map Day 3

by Jason Joyner | Nov 3, 2010 | Blog, speculative fiction, Stephen Lawhead, The Skin Map

In Which The Blogger Finally Gets Around To Telling The Reader If The Book Is Any Good.

The CSFF Tour is featuring the latest from acclaimed author Stephen Lawhead, The Skin Map, first book of the Bright Empires series. Yesterday I gave a synopsis of the book, if you missed it. How does it stand up?

I’ve said here in the past that Stephen Lawhead is one of my favorite authors. For some reason, a couple of his books (usually the second or third in a series) have fallen flat for me. It’s almost if he’s a little streaky. Does The Skin Map strike hard or does it miss?

Thankfully, I can testify that Lawhead is on target with this first book. There’s wit, suspense, intrigue, and the Lawhead tradmark of making a setting come alive. You see some of this with the very first lines of the book:

Had he but known that before the day was over he would discover the hidden dimensions of the universe, Kit might have been better prepared. At least, he would have brought an umbrella.

(Best opening line I’ve read since, “The nun hit me in the mouth and said, ‘Get out of my house.'”)

Lawhead has stated on his website that he’s been writing this series in his head for the last 15 years or so, just now he has the skill to handle all of the complexity. I would believe it. He has numerous characters jumping from the Home World to different times and locales, and he brings the unique flavor of each place out. There’s enough characters and locations (and times!) that it almost gets confusing, but he keeps things moving forward. Many threads are started, and it may seem a little disconnected in the middle of the book. The beauty is that in the apparent chaos ensuing, it snaps together in the end, leaving the reader going “Whoa.” If a reader isn’t patient or attentive, they could get lost.

The book follows 20-something Kit Livingstone as he discovers his gift for traveling the mysterious ley lines, his girlfriend Mina as she gets lost in 17th century Prague, the Man Who Is Map forging paths through the dimensions, and the ruthless Lord Burleigh. Each character brings their own weight to their sections. I don’t feel like I’m reading one voice for each person – they are individuals. Their interaction with the various settings is thought-provoking, such as the timeline in which Kit’s relative Cosimo stops the famous Fire of London in1666 just by waking the baker whose oven started the disaster.

Despite a rather large cast and the varied times, the book is suspenseful and a great page-turner. My only complaint is the book is a major set-up for the whole series. It makes sense that it can’t be too self-limiting, and the reader is left with a major cliffhanger at the end. I am ready for book two, like RIGHT NOW.

A couple further thoughts:
As I discussed yesterday, the story’s premise hinges on these ley lines acting as corridors to these alternate universes. These are well-known to the pagan and new age movements, considered powerful centers of energy. Lawhead has used many other mythic components in his fiction, such as Atlantis and Merlin in the Pendragon Cycle, and Celtic myths in the Song of Albion trilogy. However, he has taking these seemingly pagan points and turned them into a natual way of speaking of faith and Christ. He makes it an organic part of the story. Christianity isn’t proclaimed loudly in The Skin Map, but there are characters who speak and ponder about God and how He may be working through the Omniverse (multiple universes). Speculative, but still informed by faith. Potential authors can learn here from Mr. Lawhead.

Finally, check out his website for a good interview from Lawhead regarding the research he does for his work. It is informative to those curious about how to write a realistic setting, one of his strengths.

 As always, the other fun folk at the CSFF Tour have more to say, and you can find the full list on Becky Miller’s blog.
—
BTW, the FTC requires a blogger to disclose whether they got a free review copy. I am disclosing that I used my birthday gift card to Barnes and Noble on this book. I am a very satisfied consumer!
—

CSFF Tour – The Skin Map Day 2

by Jason Joyner | Nov 2, 2010 | Blog, speculative fiction, Stephen Lawhead, The Skin Map

In Which The Blogger Attempts To Understand Why Someone Would Put A Map On Their Skin…

Yesterday I introduced the latest book in the pantheon of great CSFF blog tours: The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead. Just the idea of a map tattooed on someone is intriguing. But wait, there’s more!

The book follows Kit Livingstone, a rather boring and average Brit, on his way to his average and boring girlfriend’s flat. That is, until he ends up in a little alleyway in London, soaking wet from a fierce storm, confronted by his great-grandfather, seeming to be pretty spry for a dead guy.

His great-grandfather Cosimo explains that people have discovered a way to travel to alternate dimensions or universes via “ley lines.” Cosimo and Kit have this unusual ability, and it is up to them to find the Skin Map. The most prolific traveler had the routes tattooed on his abdomen so it would be secure. Or so it would seem.

Kit doesn’t know what to think of this crazy old man, but he does know his no-nonesense girlfriend Wilhelmina isn’t pleased by his late arrival due to a dimensional detour. When he tries to show her how it works, he loses Mina into an alternate timeline, and the race is on to find Mina and the Skin Map before too much chaos is caused. Unfortunately, the Lord Burleigh and his “Burley Men” are also on the hunt for this map, and they are not reserved in how they pursue it.

So what are these ley lines? It seems that many geographical features built by ancients in Britain follow straight lines and patterns. An enterprising fellow in the 1920’s noticed this, and it has become a favorite of New Agers and other kooky types, although there is apparently a strange energy associated with them. The ley lines are certainly good fodder for such a speculative fiction book. Blogging buddy Matt Mikalatos has a more information on them, so why duplicate his good work?

For more information, you can check out the book’s website. I’ll have my review of the book tomorrow, but if you just can’t wait, check out the rest of the inmates for more on The Skin Map.

Red Bissell
Thomas Clayton Booher
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Beckie Burnham
Morgan L. Busse
Jeff Chapman
Christian Fiction Book Reviews
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
George Duncan
April Erwin
Tori Greene
Ryan Heart
Bruce Hennigan
Timothy Hicks
Christopher Hopper
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Becca Johnson
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Shannon McDermott
Allen McGraw
Matt Mikalatos
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
John W. Otte
Gavin Patchett
Sarah Sawyer
Chawna Schroeder
Kathleen Smith
Rachel Starr Thomson
Donna Swanson
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler
Nicole White
Elizabeth Williams
Dave Wilson

CSFF Tour – The Skin Map Day 2

by Jason Joyner | Nov 2, 2010 | Blog, speculative fiction, Stephen Lawhead, The Skin Map

In Which The Blogger Attempts To Understand Why Someone Would Put A Map On Their Skin…

Yesterday I introduced the latest book in the pantheon of great CSFF blog tours: The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead. Just the idea of a map tattooed on someone is intriguing. But wait, there’s more!

The book follows Kit Livingstone, a rather boring and average Brit, on his way to his average and boring girlfriend’s flat. That is, until he ends up in a little alleyway in London, soaking wet from a fierce storm, confronted by his great-grandfather, seeming to be pretty spry for a dead guy.

His great-grandfather Cosimo explains that people have discovered a way to travel to alternate dimensions or universes via “ley lines.” Cosimo and Kit have this unusual ability, and it is up to them to find the Skin Map. The most prolific traveler had the routes tattooed on his abdomen so it would be secure. Or so it would seem.

Kit doesn’t know what to think of this crazy old man, but he does know his no-nonesense girlfriend Wilhelmina isn’t pleased by his late arrival due to a dimensional detour. When he tries to show her how it works, he loses Mina into an alternate timeline, and the race is on to find Mina and the Skin Map before too much chaos is caused. Unfortunately, the Lord Burleigh and his “Burley Men” are also on the hunt for this map, and they are not reserved in how they pursue it.

So what are these ley lines? It seems that many geographical features built by ancients in Britain follow straight lines and patterns. An enterprising fellow in the 1920’s noticed this, and it has become a favorite of New Agers and other kooky types, although there is apparently a strange energy associated with them. The ley lines are certainly good fodder for such a speculative fiction book. Blogging buddy Matt Mikalatos has a more information on them, so why duplicate his good work?

For more information, you can check out the book’s website. I’ll have my review of the book tomorrow, but if you just can’t wait, check out the rest of the inmates for more on The Skin Map.

Red Bissell
Thomas Clayton Booher
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Beckie Burnham
Morgan L. Busse
Jeff Chapman
Christian Fiction Book Reviews
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
George Duncan
April Erwin
Tori Greene
Ryan Heart
Bruce Hennigan
Timothy Hicks
Christopher Hopper
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Becca Johnson
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Shannon McDermott
Allen McGraw
Matt Mikalatos
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
John W. Otte
Gavin Patchett
Sarah Sawyer
Chawna Schroeder
Kathleen Smith
Rachel Starr Thomson
Donna Swanson
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler
Nicole White
Elizabeth Williams
Dave Wilson