THE MAP OF THE SKY

This title is the follow-up to Palma's lauded MAP OF TIME. Both novels cast the author H.G. Wells in a world in which his novels spill into real life. Here, Wells's novel WAR OF THE WORLDS predicts an actual Martian invasion in Victorian England. James Langton's appropriately mannered reading suits the polite characters of the period. His narration is companionable in this topsy-turvy world of historical fantasy. While the British Langton's American character voices are not fully on the mark, they manage to grow on the listener. Overall, Langton's narration will engage listeners with Palma's playful reordering of Victorian England. F.T. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2013]