It is the ultimate quest for the ultimate treasure. Chasing a map tattooed on human skin. Across an omniverse of intersecting realities. To unravel the future of the ..
But the map has since been lost and rival factions are in desperate competition to recover it. What none of them yet realize is that the skin map itself is not the ..
Stephen Lawhead has not ventured into the realms of science fiction for many years. Not since his Empyrion books back in 1996, in fact. The Skin Map is his ..
The Skin Map (Bright Empires, #1) 3.72 of 5 stars 3.72 · rating details · 2,680 ratings · 434 reviews It is the ultimate quest for the ultimate treasure. Chasing a map tattooed on human skin. Across an omniverse of intersecting realities. To unravel the future of the future. Kit Livingstone's great-grandfather appears to him in a deserted alley during a tumultuous storm. He reveals an unbelievable story: that the ley lines throughout Britain are not merely the stuff of lege It is the ultimate quest for the ultimate treasure. Chasing a map tattooed on human skin. Across an omniverse of intersecting realities. To unravel the future of the future. Kit Livingstone's great-grandfather appears to him in a deserted alley during a tumultuous storm. He reveals an unbelievable story: that the ley lines throughout Britain are not merely the stuff of legend or the weekend hobby of deluded cranks, but pathways to other worlds. To those who know how to use them, they grant the ability to travel the multi-layered universe of which we ordinarily inhabit only a tiny part. One explorer knew more than most. Braving every danger, he toured both time and space on voyages of heroic discovery. Ever on his guard and fearful of becoming lost in the cosmos, he developed an intricate code--a roadmap of symbols--that he tattooed onto his own body. This Skin Map has since been lost in time. Now the race is on to recover all the pieces and discover its secrets. But the Skin Map itself is not the ultimate goal. It is merely the beginning of a vast and marvelous quest for a prize beyond imagining. The Bright Empires series--from acclaimed author Stephen R. Lawhead--is a unique blend of epic treasure hunt, ancient history, alternate realities, cutting-edge physics, philosophy, and mystery. The result is a page-turning, adventure like no other. "Anything but ordinary . . . Dynamic settings are mixed with unpredictable adventures [and] parallel worlds." --"BookPage" ...more Note, Nov. 30, 2012 --I'm adding this note to correct an error in the review. The Bright Empires series is NOT to be a trilogy; Lawhead is projecting five volumes for it in all. My bad! :-) In the 1920s, landscape photographer and amateur antiquarian Alfred Watkins became convinced that large numbers of pre-Roman sites in Great Britain (megaliths, mounds, hill forts, wells, causeways, sacred sites, etc.) were deliberately laid out along straight lines, for which he coined the term "ley lines," ru Note, Nov. 30, 2012 --I'm adding this note to correct an error in the review. The Bright Empires series is NOT to be a trilogy; Lawhead is projecting five volumes for it in all. My bad! :-) In the 1920s, landscape photographer and amateur antiquarian Alfred Watkins became convinced that large numbers of pre-Roman sites in Great Britain (megaliths, mounds, hill forts, wells, causeways, sacred sites, etc.) were deliberately laid out along straight lines, for which he coined the term "ley lines," running across the landscape for long distances. His theory, elaborated in such writings as The Old Straight Track (1925) was that these were actual paths or trackways made by ancient Britons to facilitate travel at a time when the land was much more heavily forested than it is now. (For the most part, the archaeological community has dismissed the theory.) He did NOT ascribe any sort of paranormal significance to these lines; but beginning in 1969, occult enthusiasts began to seize on the concept and ascribe various sorts of mystical properties to ley lines, and (according to Lawhead's postscript to this novel) some researchers have claimed to find electromagnetic energy emanating from some ley lines in the UK and elsewhere. Building on this background, Lawhead's fictional premise is that these ley lines are the points along which the boundaries of other inter-dimensional alternate worlds, like touching soap bubbles, intersect with our world --and allow travel between the two. The Goodreads description above elaborates on this pretty accurately. This is the first novel of a trilogy; and no spoilers here, but I'd advise having quick access to the second book, The Bone House, when you finish this one. :-) Lawhead wrote this, I believe, at a time when he was battling life-threatening cancer. Given that distraction, it's a testament to his prowess as a writer that the book is as good as it is. It has to be said, though, that the literary craftsmanship here is not up to his usual high standard. In places, the dialogue flow is off-kilter; there are some internal inconsistencies in plotting, the author occasionally clearly forgets a significant detail, and once a wooden staircase changes to stone a few pages later (and no, paranormal processes weren't involved! :-) ). I'd say that most of the characters aren't as well developed as they are in much of Lawhead's fiction, and Kit isn't as compelling a character as other Lawhead heroes I've encountered. Nonetheless, the book has some strengths. The subject matter is right up my alley; the plotting is exciting and engaging, with good guys and gals to root for and a ruthless villain to root against; Lawhead makes good use of local color and detail to evoke historical settings, and his tendency to create strong female characters who are active rather than passive, and well able to look the male characters in the eye and meet them as equals, is as much in evidence as ever. As the Thomas Nelson label suggests, it's free from bad language and sexual content. Evanelical author Lawhead treats the faith of some of his characters sympathetically, and clearly recognizes the hand of Providence in the tale's events; but his spiritual content is low-key and naturally integrated with the storyline. And his plot developments managed to take me by surprise several times --sometimes to my pleasure and sometimes to my consternation! :-) This is a relatively quick read, a page-turner that flows easily; and having come to the end, there are still a LOT of unanswered questions. So, as soon as possible, it's going to be on to Book 2 of the trilogy! ...more The Skin Map is not your average stand-alone novel. It is the first instalment of a vast story arc. The story begins simply, with an everyday twenty-first century Londoner, Kit Livingstone. Upon a mysterious meeting with his long-dead great-grandfather he is pulled into a world of mysteries, dangers and alternate realities. The book covers a number of parallel stories about multiple characters. Neither of these stories is brought to conclusion in the Skin Map, they are all left hanging for the ne The Skin Map is not your average stand-alone novel. It is the first instalment of a vast story arc. The story begins simply, with an everyday twenty-first century Londoner, Kit Livingstone. Upon a mysterious meeting with his long-dead great-grandfather he is pulled into a world of mysteries, dangers and alternate realities. The book covers a number of parallel stories about multiple characters. Neither of these stories is brought to conclusion in the Skin Map, they are all left hanging for the next instalment. This makes reading the book an experience more like watching a TV serial such as Babylon 5 or Lost. Some may be put off by this but I enjoy that sort of thing. Stephen R. Lawhead has always been a masterful world builder, and this book gives him multiple opportunities to immerse readers in everything from renaissance Prague to ancient Egypt. This book is a culmination of everything Lawhead does best, combining fantasy and science-fiction with historical fiction. I did find that with the constant universe-hopping, that I was sometimes disoriented. I wasn't always sure what time period a given segment was set in. Neither was I always sure which 'reality' a scene would take place in. This however didn't overly get in the way of the story. If you're put off by non-chronological story-telling then this may not be the book for you, but I for one loved it and can't wait to read the next one. ...more my history with Stephen Lawhead isn’t the best… a long time ago, (when i was but a wee lad) i bought three Lawhead books from a book club… Taliesin, Merlin, and Arthur… i had heard that he was a good author and i guessed based on the titles, that i’d be interested in the books… unfortunately, i could never get into them and i doubt i made it past the first three chapters of the first book, despite trying several times… and, as it turns out, those books are part of a larger series, the Pendragon my history with Stephen Lawhead isn’t the best… a long time ago, (when i was but a wee lad) i bought three Lawhead books from a book club… Taliesin, Merlin, and Arthur… i had heard that he was a good author and i guessed based on the titles, that i’d be interested in the books… unfortunately, i could never get into them and i doubt i made it past the first three chapters of the first book, despite trying several times… and, as it turns out, those books are part of a larger series, the Pendragon Cycle… Be that as it may, i jumped at the chance to read a copy of The Skin Map without the foggiest idea of what lay ahead… i certainly didn’t expect a tale about time travel and multiple universes… and i honestly didn’t expect to be completely absorbed by the rich storytelling… the book weaves a handful of individual storylines that ultimately stretch across all dimensions to overlap in a wonderfully unique way… The Skin Map is gripping, action-packed, and full of surprises… you never quite know what will happen or where the next chapter will take place… but observing the characters as the develop, adapt, and learn makes this a fascinating journey… i’m actually pretty happy that it’s just the first of a forthcoming series… -from trudatmusic.com/raw ...more Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead (4 Star Review for Amazon, Goodreads, Librarything.com) Time Leaping Along the Ley Lines Stephen Lawhead’s new book Skin Map, the first in an upcoming series called Bright Empires, is a bit of a deviation from his usual style of fiction. I think it’s important to up front, not compare it to his other works and normal literary style, in order to not get disappointed. This is a light, fun, sci-fi adventure story, not a lot of deep substance or description. Once in that fra Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead (4 Star Review for Amazon, Goodreads, Librarything.com) Time Leaping Along the Ley Lines Stephen Lawhead’s new book Skin Map, the first in an upcoming series called Bright Empires, is a bit of a deviation from his usual style of fiction. I think it’s important to up front, not compare it to his other works and normal literary style, in order to not get disappointed. This is a light, fun, sci-fi adventure story, not a lot of deep substance or description. Once in that frame of mind, readers will enjoy the concept of what Lawhead is trying to create. The book is also definitely an intro book, a sort of outline of the lead characters and their background history. You will learn who they are, what their part in the scheme will be, and where they are located in time and place along the ley line journeys. Do not expect a wrapped up story, this first installment really does leave you hanging, and literally is just the tip of the iceberg with the basic players and a core plot set-up that will evolve with more significance in the coming installments. At first I was disappointed in the simple writing and at times unsophisticated dialog, and because some characters appeared to be locked into one place not moving. But as I got further into the book I realized what the author was attempting, and with that knew I had to be patient for him to invent a starting point that would obviously be followed up with more in-depth scenarios later in the future books. The plot of the Skin Map revolves around Kit Livingstone who is one day out racing to the London train station to meet his girlfriend Mina. Along the way he is stopped by an old man who calls Kit by his real name, Cosimo. Stunned and stopping to a halt, he finds a ragged old man who claims to be his great grandfather, and is fed a ridiculous story of how a person can travel through time and space and into otherworld dimensions. Kit refuses to believe this nonsense as the old man tugs him along a dark alley, when a sudden and violent wind storm surrounds them. Within seconds, Kit finds himself thrown to the ground, in 16th century England. His great grandfather, also named Cosimo, then introduces the world of ley line travel to Kit, leaving Kit rather in denial, yet fascinated. Still unwilling to participate in this hoax, he returns to modern day London, arrives at Mina’s apartment 8 hours later, and decides to prove to her what just happened to him in order for her to not be angry he was late for their date. As he pulls her down that same mysterious dark alley, the storm comes once again, and although they were holding hands, she ends up in 17th century Prague, and Kit ends up back in old London, frantic that he has apparently lost his girl! Lawhead slowly introduces various characters, letting us know who the good guys and the bad guys are. He begins to weave stories within stories in each place in time that will all come together in future volumes. When you are reading the book you soon realize that all is not going to connect in this first book, and one must be patient. I totally enjoyed the ley line theory, and after getting half way through, started to chose characters I liked and the mini stories within that they got involved in. Visiting 17th Century Prague (Austria then), 16th century London, and both ancient and Victorian Egypt was fun to armchair travel to! At times I did feel this was printed television, and that it did read like a screenplay for a new sci-fi channel T.V. series because of the Quantum Leap/Stargate feel to it. But I found by the end of the book, that it was O.K., and I liked what Lawhead did. I have to say I did enjoy it and am eagerly awaiting book two to see what creative innovation the author will use to entertain me and execute this cool concept of time travel using ley lines, all to find a map made of skin! This was interesting, fun, and different for a Lawhead novel, but it shows promise! ...more Stephen R. Lawhead an acclaimed author of mythic history and imaginative fiction. Kit lives in modern day London and is on his way to Wilhelmina, whom he has had a relationship with for an extended period. There seems to be no romance or feelings of immortal love between them. Somewhere he crosses a ley line, which is one of many branches of deep earth energy, and he finds himself in the past. He meets up with his grandfather, who left one day to buy a loaf of bread, but never returned. Disbeliev Stephen R. Lawhead an acclaimed author of mythic history and imaginative fiction. Kit lives in modern day London and is on his way to Wilhelmina, whom he has had a relationship with for an extended period. There seems to be no romance or feelings of immortal love between them. Somewhere he crosses a ley line, which is one of many branches of deep earth energy, and he finds himself in the past. He meets up with his grandfather, who left one day to buy a loaf of bread, but never returned. Disbelieving Kit returns to modern day London, but because Wilhelmina does not believe his explanation for being late, he decides to show her. During the jump from modern day London into the past, Kit and Wilhelmina separate, and so the journey starts for the search of Wilhelmina and the Skin Map. This story was interesting, but at times there were too many people to keep in mind and when a new chapter started with another character I had to think to remember who they were again. I loved the parts with Wilhelmina, but what happened between her and Etzel? At the end of the story, there are many unanswered questions. The last chapter lost me completely and I still do not know who the young boy was. This story should have been much, much longer so that every character's story within the story has a conclusion. However, I found the idea of ley lines extremely fascinating and was intrigued by the idea of A Well of Souls. ...more Stephen Lawhead has started a new fantasy series called Bright Empires, beginning with the book The Skin Map. I read this quite quickly and will probably take the next one out of the library when it is released, but it isn't that memorable. Compared to the last book I read, characterization is virtually non-existent and the story flies. Of course, this is not meant to be classic literature, so it is like comparing a big turkey dinner to a McDonald's cheeseburger. Both fulfill your hunger, but in Stephen Lawhead has started a new fantasy series called Bright Empires, beginning with the book The Skin Map. I read this quite quickly and will probably take the next one out of the library when it is released, but it isn't that memorable. Compared to the last book I read, characterization is virtually non-existent and the story flies. Of course, this is not meant to be classic literature, so it is like comparing a big turkey dinner to a McDonald's cheeseburger. Both fulfill your hunger, but in widely diverse ways. Ley lines are the keys to the plot in this book. Specific paths where the fabric between universes is rather thin and can be used to cross over into another time, place, and reality. Kit Livingstone is brought along one of these ley lines and is quickly moved into an adventure that has been waiting for him since before his birth. His great-grandfather has been travelling ley lines for most of his life and needs to pass on his knowledge and task to a successor who can continue in his footsteps. At the moment, he is looking for pieces of the skin map which is the only record of where and when all the paths lead to. Obviously it is much sought after and Kit's great-grandfather is not the only one on the hunt. Thus begins the adventure which moves quickly in a variety of places to a variety of people. There is Kit and his great-grandfather, Cosimo, Kit's girlfriend Wilhelmina, Arthur Flinders-Petrie whose body is the canvas for a very unique map, Sir Henry Fayth and his niece who collaborate with the Livingstones, and Lord Burleigh who is also after the map but will go to any lengths to get it. I'll admit to being disappointed. Even though it is mainly plot-driven, the plot is very convoluted and seemingly random. Nothing really gets explained to satisfaction and as mentioned before, characterization is definitely lacking. There doesn't seem to be the grandeur or legend building that occurs in many other fantasy series. Only four bookmarks out of ten. http://toomanybooknotenoughtime.blogs... ...more Stephen Lawhead is an author whose name I was familiar with, but hadn't yet sampled. When I received an offer to listen to his book The Skin Map (A Bright Empires novel) it was the tag line that convinced me to say yes. "It is the ultimate quest for the ultimate treasure. Chasing a map tattooed on human skin. Across an omniverse of intersecting realities. To unravel the future of the future." Kit Livingstone is on his way to visit his girlfriend Wilhemina. Somewhere along the way, he takes a short Stephen Lawhead is an author whose name I was familiar with, but hadn't yet sampled. When I received an offer to listen to his book The Skin Map (A Bright Empires novel) it was the tag line that convinced me to say yes. "It is the ultimate quest for the ultimate treasure. Chasing a map tattooed on human skin. Across an omniverse of intersecting realities. To unravel the future of the future." Kit Livingstone is on his way to visit his girlfriend Wilhemina. Somewhere along the way, he takes a shortcut through an unfamiliar alley in London, England and ends up.... Well, he's not quite sure where he ends up. But the man who greets him by name says he is his great grandfather Cosimo and he's been hoping Kit would show up. Cosimo spins a fantastic tale of ley lines, time travel and alternate worlds. Kit listens, but decides to head back to his own time. He finally gets to Wilhemina's apartment. She's quite angry at Kit for turning up almost 8 hours late and doesn't believe his reason, so Kit decides to show her instead. He find the alley again and makes the leap into the other world. But....Wilhemina loses her grip on Kit and doesn't make the jump. She is lost...somewhere. Kit rejoins Cosimo and his peers. They are seeking to keep The Skin Map - a tattooed version of the ley lines and their entry points safe. Kit just wants to find Mina. I thought this was a great premise. Although I don't read a lot of sci-fi, the concept of ley lines is indeed fact based and the cause of much speculation in history. The reader, Simon Bubb, was fantastic. He conveyed many different characters, conjuring up separate personalities with his voice. His reading style is even and measured. Bubb is British, but I had no problem understanding his accent. A five for the reader. Although Kit is the main character, I found myself more drawn to Mina. She lands in 17th century Prague. She seems to assimilate much easier than Kit and embraces her new life. I found myself really looking forward to 'her' chapters.Kit seems more unsure of himself and content to follow. I found the book very slow in the beginning. While I appreciated the historic detail Lawhead has infused his story with, it dragged for me after awhile. While I didn't fast forward, I would have been flipping forward if I had a book in hand. Again, the concept is great and I was looking forward to what would be found in these alternate universes. I kept waiting for things to happen - some action. I did get my wish close to the end of the book, but it wasn't a satisfying finish for me. I had the feeling that this first book was simply setting things up for future books in this planned five book series. So, for me a solid listen. I'm curious as to what Lawhead has planned - the second book, The Bone House was released in September 2011, but it's not at the top of my must have list. ...more The Skin Map By: Stephen R. Lawhead I requested this book because it looked like an interesting read. I looked forward to reading it. I started reading this book and it was a little different than I had imagined. Even though I was looking forward to something a little different I was not disappointed. The Skin Map is full of mystery and very sci-fi. The twists and turns through out this book will take you on an adventure of a lifetime. You will not want to put this book down. The main character, K The Skin Map By: Stephen R. Lawhead I requested this book because it looked like an interesting read. I looked forward to reading it. I started reading this book and it was a little different than I had imagined. Even though I was looking forward to something a little different I was not disappointed. The Skin Map is full of mystery and very sci-fi. The twists and turns through out this book will take you on an adventure of a lifetime. You will not want to put this book down. The main character, Kit Livingstone, is transported through time on a search for the mysterious map that is etched in human skin. This map reveals that future of the future. Stephen Lawhead developed this great read for us to enjoy and did an amazing thing by creating this novel. For those of you who love novels that lead you to worlds other than the one we live in, you will want to read this book. I recommend this book to everyone. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author in the future. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” ...more
Available in: NOOK Book (eBook), Paperback, Hardcover, Audiobook. It is the ultimate quest for the ultimate treasure. Chasing a map tattooed on human skin.
Aug 31, 2010.. The Skin Map has 2679 ratings and 434 reviews. Lynnda said: It's much harder to write a negative review than a positive one. However, I've put ..
The Skin Map. BRIGHT EMPIRES NOVEL 1 – 2010. The ultimate quest for ultimate treasure. Kit Livingstone gets caught up in an Omniverse of intersecting ..
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and . If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you increase your sales. We invite you to learn more about Fulfillment by Amazon . Sci-fi or fantasy? Adventure or suspense? The Skin Map is one of those special books that crosses genres. In a way, it's all of the above, which makes for a delightful reading stew. A novel that's been cooking in Stephen Lawhead's mind for over fifteen years, it was well worth the wait. Chapter One wastes no time in introducing us to main character Kit Livingstone, a man living a mundane existence who in the span of a few minutes finds himself embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. Make that multiple lifetimes. And dimensions. And countries. From the moment he meets his long dead great-grandfather Cosimo (clearly alive and well) in a strange London alley, Kit is thrust into a web of intrigue that sets his mind spinning. Apparently Cosimo has discovered a way to travel through space, time, and alternate universes using ley lines, forces of energy that are intersections between worlds. But there are enemies of Cosimo and his cause that are bent on bringing him and his fellow Questors to ruin. All because one brave traveler tattooed on his body a map of these ley lines for future adventurers. It's this skin map everyone's after (yes, it was made from his skin after he died), and it's what Kit and Cosimo must find at all costs. Mix in a detailed sub plot featuring Kit's girlfriend Wilhelmina who accidentally lands in 17th Century Austria, and there's something in The Skin Map for just about everyone. The adventure elements draw comparisons to Matt Bronleewe's August Adams series, minus the rare books. Aside from a few British swear words, Lawhead keeps things clean and in the vein of the great books and movies of yesteryear. Think National Treasure with a lot more depth and even some philosophical references to ponder.Read more › My last foray into Stephen Lawhead territory was with The Pendragon Cycle. That was back in the early 90's, and it was quite an enjoyable experience. So it was with some anticipation that I opened The Skin Map, Lawhead's latest and the first of a series. Conceptually, the novel appeared to be a perfect vehicle for Lawhead, who excels at historical detail. But while the concept and the detail don't disappoint, I found myself struggling through both. The Skin Map blends several genres, but is probably best described as time travel or urban fantasy. The story revolves around Kit, a 21st century Londoner who stumbles upon a portal between different universes within our multiverse (alternate universes with infinite possible histories). Along the way, he loses his girlfriend Wilhemina in 17th century Prague, and in an attempt to rescue her, finds himself in a quest for a map that details these universal portals (or ley lines). As such, the story shifts between numerous possible worlds, an 18th-century Chinese port, old England, ancient Egypt, just to name a few. But what could be a wild ride was, for me, only marginally interesting. For the main characters who lead me on this fantastical journey are not very interesting. Kit and Wilhelmina's relationship, which becomes the dramatic hinge of The Skin Map, endeared me to neither. For instance, upon introduction, we learn that Kit believes "he simply had to get a new girlfriend at first opportunity" (pg. 29). After a rather unflattering description of Wilhelmina's features -- mousy hair, receding chin, spinster's hump, and dark-circled eyes -- it's no wonder he feels this way. She yawns a lot, is emotionally cold, even calls him a "dope." Thus, our protagonist concludes, "Wilhelmina was no catch" (pg. 30).Read more › Disclosure: This book was provided by Thomas Nelson for review purposes. The Skin Map begins the story of Kit Livingstone's odd travels. His great-grandfather appears to him and tells him that all throughout Britian are 'ley-lines' which allow individuals to travel through both time and space. Kit is then invited to join in the quest to find the skin map, a parchment made from the skin of a man who learned much about these ley-lines, mapped them, and tatooed that information onto his body. Naturally, Kit and his great-grandfather are not the only ones looking for this map, so the race is on. I have read Lawhead before and enjoyed his work. This book was no different. It was suspenseful and engaging, and with Lawhead's typical ability to write characters that are human and easy to relate to. The idea behind this story is interesting, and I found Lawhead's descriptions of the various ages/places visited to be quite well done. Lawhead also does very well in writing the confusion and displacement his characters experience in an easy-to-sympathize with manner. Unfortunately, in this particular book, you should not be surprised if you yourself become somewhat confused or displaced. His chapters jump erratically in terms of the character focus, place, and time with very few cues to inform the reader of where they are. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I will look forward to the next one in the series. 4 of 5 Stars, Conditionally Recommended (do you like historical fiction/fantasy?).
Jan 23, 2012.. But all in all I was pleased with his novel The Skin Map, and look forward to the continuation of the series. The main character is a generally ..
In 1986, he moved to Oxford, England to do research for The Pendragon Cycle.. The Skin Map (2010); The Bone House (2011); The Spirit Well (2012); The ..