Картата на небето е очарователна и превъзходна история, достойно продължение и надграждане на тази разказана в Картата на времето.
Авторът е страхотен познавач на творците и образите от Викторианската епоха. Майсторски ги премята из книгата, както грък на теферич посред жежко лято премята своята броеница. :)
Х. Дж. Уелс като главен герой отново е на познатото високо ниво и за да е пълно задоволството ми от трилогията се надявам в последната част да оживеят като минимум Марк Твен, Шерлок Холмс и доктор Уотсън. ;)
Не ще разкривам какво точно се случва, но изчетох тая тухла с огромен кеф и нито за момент не ми бе скучно!
Истината е, че нямам търпение да науча какво ми е подготвил испанският магьосник Феликс Палма в третата и последна част от трилогията. Но за съжаление, тя няма да бъде издадена на български... :(
Цитати:
И сега не зная как да върна изгубеното време. Затова плачех - заради изгубеното време, заради изгубените мечти... Къде отиват немечтаните мечти? Има ли във Вселената място за тях?
Колкото и да е прекрасно да срещнеш истинската любов, да намериш приятел е също толкова хубаво.
German Esta novela es todo un homenaje a la literatura de folletín y de aventuras, donde se dan lugar algunos de los grandes nombres de la Literatura Universal como son H.G. Wells y Edgar Allan Poe. Pero no estamos ante un libro donde la acción te conduce a una lectura frenética. La novela de Félix J. Palma es pura literatura, es un placer detenerse en cada párrafo de cada página, y donde sí, hay acción, suspense, romanticismo, viajes en el tiempo, terror, pero también una exquisita sensibilidad que requiere de una lectura más detenida. Resulta apasionante adentrarse en el laberinto de tramas que ha trazado este magnífico autor, y dejarse absorber por la historia que nos narra.
‘El mapa del cielo’ es la segunda novela de la llama Trilogía Victoriana, que comenzó con la estupenda ‘El mapa del tiempo’, y pueden leerse de manera independiente, ya que son de argumento cerrado, aunque es verdad que la una se entronca con la otra. Si ‘El mapa del tiempo’ era todo un homenaje a La máquina del tiempo de H.G. Wells, haciendo referencia también a la película Los pasajeros del tiempo y a la novela gráfica From Hell de Alan Moore, ‘El mapa del cielo’ homenajea esta vez a La guerra de los mundos de Wells, Narración de Arthur Gordon Pym, de Poe, y la película La cosa, de John Carpenter, con ciertos toques de Las puertas de Anubis, de Tim Powers.
Pero ‘El mapa del cielo’ es mucho más que un simple pastiche de historias y géneros. Palma podría haber fracasado en su sentido homenaje, convirtiéndose en una mera copia de los originales, obras maestras todas ellas. Sin embargo, Palma ha salido airoso del intento, consiguiendo sumergirte en su juego de sombras y engaños. Uno podría pensar también que Palma iba a repetir la exitosa fórmula de ‘El mapa del tiempo’, cayendo en el autoplagio. No es así en absoluto, porque ‘El mapa del cielo’ es igual de original y magnífica.
En cuanto al argumento de la novela, francamente, es mejor no contar nada y simplemente dejarse llevar por la historia. Es más, recomendaría no leer ciertas reseñas, ni tan siquiera la contraportada del libro, ya que es fácil caer en el spoiler y destripar parte de la trama, conociendo sin querer información que no aparece en las primeras páginas precisamente.
Personalmente, me ha gustado mucho ese viaje a la Antártida de la primera parte, así como la voz narradora de la historia, esa voz omnisciente que te va trasladando por los diversos argumentos y pensamientos de los protagonistas. Aquí es donde sale a relucir la gran inteligencia de Palma a la hora de construir la novela, ya que muestra únicamente la mínima información necesaria para mantener la tensión narrativa sin desvelar las sorpresas, como si de un mago se tratase, que distrae la atención del lector mientras realiza su truco. Solo puedo decir que he disfrutado de cada página, degustando los guiños que nos servía el autor y cayendo con placer en cada una de sus trampas.
Todos estos ingredientes, hacen de ‘El mapa del cielo’ una novela más que recomendable, que hará disfrutar no solo a los aficionados del género de fantástico y de ciencia ficción, sino también a los aficionados a la literatura general. German Genial. Mind-blowing.
Mehrere Jahre habe ich nach der Lektüre von „Die Landkarte der Zeit“ gewartet, bis ich diesen Folgeband zur Hand genommen habe. Warum nur? Wie schon der erste Teil war auch die Fortsetzung für mich ein Riesenspaß, sie hat mir sogar besser gefallen als Band 1. Wieder ist unser Protagonist der Schriftsteller H. G. Wells, der sich dieses Mal zunächst einmal mit einem Amerikaner herumschlagen muss, der allen Ernstes eine Fortsetzung seines „Krieg der Welten“ verbrochen hat. Natürlich ohne jegliche Berücksichtigung der sozialkritischen Absicht, die dieses Werk beinhaltet. Jener Mensch hat jedoch angeblich noch etwas anderes in petto: die Leiche eines waschechten Marsmenschen. In einer vermeintlichen Wunderkammer im naturgeschichtlichen Museum soll er liegen. Und in seiner Bierlaune stimmt Wells zu, sich die Kreatur mal anzuschauen…
Was folgt, ist ein spannendes Abenteuer, bei der nicht nur Montgomery Gilmore wieder mit von der Partie und sogar ein paar Sympathiepunkte sammelt, sondern auch ein paar Überraschungsgäste, die die komplexe Geschichte in ihrer Gesamtheit umso faszinierender werden lassen. So klärt sich schließlich auch auf, was genau es mit der Antarktisexpedition im Jahr 1829 auf sich hat, die einen Anteil des Buches einnimmt. Vor allem für Anhänger von Sci-Fi-Klassikern ein Genuss! German (review in English below)
4,5*
Que viagem! Estou (quase) sem palavras!
Palma parece ter encarnado vários grandes escritores nesta obra (como já comentei nos updates, lembrei-me de Salgari, London, Verne e Austen mas também de Arthur C. Clarke e de Ursula K. Le Guin), conseguindo produzir uma narrativa que é uma interessante e criativa sequela de O Mapa do Tempo e, ao mesmo tempo, uma história fantástica que vale por si própria. Uma história que são três, tal como no livro anterior, e que se completam e complementam entre si. E que nos fazem pensar, e sonhar, e duvidar, e arrepiar...
A escrita é cativante, absorvendo-nos para dentro do livro e fazendo-nos viver os acontecimentos com os personagens. Nem o facto de o narrador se desvendar de vez em quando, dirigindo-se directamente ao leitor, conseguiu quebrar o encantamento. Viciante, do início ao fim.
E, com tudo isto, porque não as 5 estrelas? Possivelmente porque ler em espanhol não é o mesmo que ler em português, e os falsos amigos às vezes tentam dar-nos a volta ao cérebro (largo, apenas, etc.) e esse esforço extra talvez me tenha impedido de desfrutar ao máximo este livro. Tenha sido essa a razão ou não, faltou-lhe a meia estrela.
Recomendado a toda a gente que esteja à vontade a ler em espanhol (ou em inglês).
What a ride! I'm (almost) speechless!
Palma seems to have embodied several great writers in this work (as I commented in the updates, I was reminded of Salgari, London, Verne and Austen, but also of Arthur C. Clarke and Ursula K. Le Guin), managing to produce a narrative that is an interesting and creative sequel to The Map of Time and, at the same time, a fantastic story that stands on its own. A story that is in fact three stories, as in the previous book, which complete and complement each other. And that make you think, and dream, and doubt, and shiver...
The writing is captivating, sucking you into the book and making you live through all the events along with the characters. Not even the fact that the narrator unveils himself from time to time, addressing the reader, has been able to break the spell. Addictive, from beginning to end.
So, after all, why not the 5 stars? Possibly because reading in Spanish is not the same as reading in Portuguese, and false friends sometimes try to twist your brain and that extra effort maybe has prevented me to enjoy this book to the fullest. Whatever the reason, it fell half a star short.
Recommended to everyone who can read Spanish (or English). German As I write more reviews, I realize that my favorite books are the devastating ones. The Map of the Sky by Félix J. Palma is devastating almost from the first page. So many times hope raises its meek head only to be struck down by ineffable powerlessness. I don't read sci-fi or horror, and some of the scenes are so terrifying that I sometimes wondered what I was doing reading this thing. Answer: I was compelled. The book addicted me completely and -- I'm not sure if it's because of the length or in spite of it -- I never wanted it to end. In this book the reader witnesses the complete genocide of earthlings, and yet the universe is full of awe, so that, like Emma, I want to look at this map and savor its imagination.
The plot itself is a virtuosic piece of mapping out a story. I could never tell exactly where it was going (and I just love that), but in the end the pieces fit together so well I thought I must have been distracted not to see that that was how it was going to turn out. I haven't read the first book, The Map of Time (but I will now, as soon as I can), but the references to the events of the first book were easily understandable in terms of plot.
Criticism? Perhaps one could say the female characters aren't well developed, but if you think about it, the males aren't that developed, either. Rather, the characters represent different concepts, as witnessed by a couple of different characters commenting on the roles they and their companions play during these crucial events. The represent things like love, the ability to dream, hope, strength, and also their corresponding opposites as well as the human capacity for redemption. The ending especially proved that the author knows real love. Some readers (those who haven't really loved) will probably find that the end rings a bit false, but it resonated strongly with me. Tied up in the philosophizing about love is something I've never seen before, which is a logical conclusion about what time travel would mean to the traveler, and that was simultaneously a delicious mental exercise and another devastating emotional experience.
It's clear that Palma and his able translator Nick Caistor love books from the Victorian period. The language is very much of this time, which some readers might find boring or impenetrable. I thought I would be one of those readers, but I wasn't. I couldn't resist a book in which H. G. Wells has the opportunity to speak with Edgar Allan Poe or Charles Dickens or -- well, I won't say any more, so as not to spoil it. This was one of those books my husband was astounded to see me read, and possibly more astounded as I told him about all the incredible occurrences and exciting ideas in it. If you're like me, you'll want to be in a discussion group for this one.
I take comfort knowing that in some alternate universe, I translated this book for the English-speaking market, and in another, I wrote the original version. German
Fremde Welten, gefährliche Abenteuer und eine große Liebe
Gibt es eine Zivilisation im All, die intelligenter und glücklicher ist als wir Menschen?
Eine Expedition in die Antarktis trifft im Jahr 1829 auf ein Wesen von einem anderen Stern. Sechzig Jahre später will der Millionär Montgomery Gilmore für die Frau, die er liebt, im viktorianischen London eine Invasion von Außerirdischen als Überraschung inszenieren. Doch die Show wird zur Wirklichkeit. Was tun, wenn Wünsche in Erfüllung gehen und
zu Albträumen werden?
Im zweiten Teil der Trilogie jagt uns Félix J. Palma wieder durch ungeheuerliche Parallelwelten. Ein neuer Tornado der Fantasie kommt auf uns zu. Staunen und Schrecken garantiert! Die Landkarte des Himmels
I had the pleasure of reading Palma's book The Map of Time last year so I was excited to get my hands on his new release, The Map of the Sky. Palma has a distinct writing voice, one filled with deception, grace and melodic prose.
The Map of the Sky is told in three parts. H.G. Wells is perturbed about a sequel to his best-selling novel, The War of the Worlds. He didn't write it and he wants to meet the author. But the author shows Wells something that he has only imagined - an alien that was found earlier on an Antarctica expedition, one which Edgar Allen Poe was on.
Emma Harlow is consistently turning away male attention, until one such gentleman won't take no for an answer. His name is Montgomery Gilmore. He's wealthy and it's a good thing, because Emma issues him a challenge. Recreate the alien invasion from Well's book The War of the Worlds and she'll consider his proposal. Not to turn away from a challenge, Gilmore does just that.
As the aliens begin to descend upon London, is it fantasy or reality? Soon they are fighting and running for their lives and Palma does not let up with his blend of history and fantasy. From page one, the story will grab a hold of you and not let go until the final conclusion. Entranced? Absolutely! I loved this book! You don't have to read The Map of Time to read this one, but I highly urge it. It too is wonderful! German I am completely in love with this series. Felix J. Palma is my hero. Seriously. I loved The Map of Time (which deals with H.G. Well's Time Machine) - so it was inevitable that I picked up The Map of the Sky with anticipation, and thoroughly expecting a story that dealt with Wells's sky-themed book like.. say.. War of the Worlds.
People, I cackled out loud several times as I read this story.
Something I've learned to appreciate, over the last year especially, is how a narrator can make or break a story. If you, as a writer, choose to write in the first person and the character you have speaking is unlikable or annoying in any way, the narration is going to get on the nerves of your readers. If you choose third-person and that intimate moment crops up when we need to be in the head of the character, then you've made a blunder there as well.
Then there are geniuses like Felix J. Palma who give us a third-person narrator who is a character in his own right. This book is like having Palma's voice in our heads, enjoying the story right there along with us, and guessing (correctly in my case) what are reactions will be and then calling them out in the text itself. It was downright spooky at times - but a good spooky!
I knew from The Map of Time that I could expect another story intricate in its weaving, and filled with misdirection. But even knowing all of that, the misdirection was not easy to spot, and when I did spot it, I fully expect that Palma intended it to happen at that time because just a page later it was brought to light so matter-of-factly I felt foolish for feeling a bit jubilant.
I am not going to talk about the plot, other than to tell you that in three distinct sections, Palma writes such a complete story that is committed to all of the details, that even if you are dying for the answers, it's impossible to not thoroughly enjoy the ride in getting to them.
This book was fun, pure and simple, and I am loving that the covers were flashy enough to catch my eye and make me pull them off the shelf. German В “Картата на небето” марсианците атакуват…: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/k...
Очакванията ми към първата книга на Феликс Палма – “Картата на времето”, бяха чудовищни, испанските медии го бяха обявили за новия Карлос Руис Сафон и това силно невярно твърдение изкриви възможността да прочета романа по нормален начин. Сега, няколко години по-късно, си мисля колко несправедлив бях към него – и се радвам, че излезе толкова чаканото продължение, “Картата на небето”, която да покаже същинския чар на таланта на този автор. За щастие, преводът е отново на деликатната Светла Христова, която одухотворява всеки текст, до който се докосне.
Издателство Изток-Запад
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/k... German I was a really big fan of The Map of Time, which was three separate-but-connected stories about time travel starring H.G Wells as one of the characters. I stumbled across this sequel at the library - it's a bit of the same setup, but instead of using Wells' The Time Machine as the inspiration, this one is all about Martians and The War of the Worlds.
I liked this one a little less than The Map of Time, if only because the first book seemed a little more tightly constructed and clever. However, both are firmly in my 4 star camp, and I completely recommend them to anyone who wants something unique and fun. This is supposed to be a trilogy, and I'm dying to know which of Wells' books the third one will involve (assuming the author follows this pattern). His website has the third book listed as a ? for now.
Definitely, definitely read these in the order they were published. I wasn't expecting this to be a direct sequel, but there are characters and plot points that would make no sense if you hadn't read The Map of Time first. Reading them in order led to some awesome revelations throughout the story. German Unfortunately, rather than improving on the best aspects of The Map of Time, this novel exacerbates its worst features. Yes, length is one of them, but more worrying is the tendency to turn intertextuality into plagiarism. The entire first section set in Antarctica is a palimpsest of that SciFi horror movie classic The Thing; while the alternative 1900 set in a London colonised by evil aliens borrows heavily from The Matrix; not to mention the fact that both novels simply rework K. W. Jeter's foundational Steampunk novel Morlock Night. Now I don't mind writers borrowing from anywhere if they can make something new and interesting from the material, particularly if an intertextual awareness of the original adds an extra layer of meaning to the new text (and often, in the best examples, adding to our understanding of the old as well). However, I feel that The Map of the Sky fails to achieve this.
All that said, some of the episodes were excitingly written (both the one borrowed from The Thing from Another World and the re-imagining of War of the Worlds with H.G.Wells as a key character) and I liked the quirky commentary on the American Dream implied by use of Gilliam Murray's reinvention of himself as Montgomery Gilmore. German
