The Map of Chaos (The Map of Time Trilogy, Book 3)
This novel is an historical fantasy set during the Victorian Age. Three literary greats of the time – Arthur Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells, and Lewis Carroll – inhabit the strange worlds created by Mr. Palma. Themes in this tale include spiritualism, time travel, haunted houses, portals into the fourth dimension, the existence of parallel worlds, and Martian invasions.
A virus, known as cronotomia, is transmitted among the people inhabiting the different worlds. This virus causes chaos, and only the book The Map of Chaos can stop this epidemic from destroying the parallel worlds where it is imminent. In order to save the universes, Wells must find the book and give it to an Executioner to implement, thus destroying the virus and saving this world and all other worlds. He must then defeat an invisible man who is planning to obtain the book himself and become master of the universe.
This novel is the third and final book in the Map of Time trilogy. Palma’s first two books, The Map of Time and The Map of the Sky, have won acclaim worldwide. I haven’t read the first two books, but I wish I had. The fantastic worlds and various characters would have made more sense to me early on as I tried to follow the details and settings described by the author. Mr. Palma is an exceptional writer – he performs a masterful job of blending together the fantasy worlds, the various characters and different cultures of each of the worlds. I must admit to becoming confused at times, but I was able to follow the storyline.
Highly recommended for historical fantasy readers.
