Felix J. Palma’s “The Map of Time” is written with spell bounding craft. His novel stars H.G. Wells and a colorful cast of characters linked together by Well’s novel, “The Time Machine”. Readers are immersed in Victorian London as interlocking plots play out and the possibility of time travel is examined.

The driving force behind Felix J Palma’s novel is his distinctive narrative. There are instances when this is unnecessarily lengthy; but Palma’s talent keeps it from becoming tiresome. It’s also necessary in tying together the individual plots within the novel.

At first I felt the number of characters and side stories a bit too numerous. But throughout The Map of Time, Palma does a wonderful job of developing his characters. Readers will find Andrew Harrington and Tom Blunt’s tales equally compelling within the larger story.

But the true praise I have for Palma is his ability to keep the readers guessing. Throughout my reading of The Map of Time, I wasn’t sure whether the novel actually contained a true instance of time travel. And to be honest such a plot device would not be necessary. The quality of Palma’s story is consistent and engaging throughout.

In closing, The Map of Time is a rich and wonderful read. The characters are touching and the plot rewarding. Oh, and Palma’s depiction of James Joyce is literally side splitting hilarious. It alone is worth the price of admission. This is a must read story for any science-fiction fan.