Some time ago I suppested that the quality of Christian science fiction could be greatly improved if only author Harry Turtledove would get saved.
Well, reading "The Skin Map" makes me wonder--- has anyone ever seen Stephen Lawhead and Harry Turtledove in the same place at the same time? Maybe it's like Clark Kent and Superman.
Like Harry Turtledove's Crosstime Traffic series, The Skin Map deals with travel between alternate worlds that are similar to our own, but in which history has gone in somewhat a different way.
In The Skin Map we start off with a young man who is contacted by his great-grandfather, who knows the secret of travelling between worlds using ley-lines, and they visit another world. This makes the young fellow late for a date with his girl, Mina.
To save his love life, the young fellow decides to demonstrate ley-line travel for Mina, with the result that the girl is stranded in Europe about 400 years ago. Being no fragile flower, she does pretty well for herself there, even invents the first Starbucks.
Meanwhile there is the quest for the skin map--- a map of the known worlds, which was tattooed on the skin of an explorer. The skin map is now detached from its owner (who is also a character in the story--- the guy, not his skin) and the good guys must find it because the bad guy wants it so bad.
How about the faith-related content of The Skin Map? Well, compared to the hard-hitting secularist preaching in the latest Crosstime Traffic novel I read, the faith content of The Skin Map is so mild as to be nearly invisible--- which is all to the good, because Christian readers who read secular fiction are just not accustomed to a more hard-hitting Christianity in their fiction.
***EVIL UNCONSTITUTIONAL but GOVT-REQUIRED DISCLAIMER***
Yes, I got a review copy of the book. Which would not have been a bribe but an unwanted burden if the book had not been great.
***FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM! DEFEAT OBAMA'S PLOT TO CONTROL THE INTERNET! VOTE PALIN IN 2012!***
[CLARIFICATION: By 'Vote Palin' I didn't mean Bristol.]
Personal Stuff: I have been having problems with my internet connection for some time now--- I only have access in the middle of the night. Which is a real pain since I am trying to sell some sheep and have to check my email daily in case of email from potential buyers. So that's one reason why I haven't been working on this blog....
I also just got back from a trip to lower Michigan. Yes, it's scary to be that close to where Gov. Granholm lives. I had to go to deliver 2 sheep and pick up 2 different sheep. It's fun to travel with sheep--- at least when you use a pickup with a stock rack instead of a car. In a car, the sheep keep trying to come into the front seat so they can help you drive.
The great part is when you stop at a McDonald's or a wayside and all the people are gathering around your truck and asking 'what kind of dogs are those...'
* The Skin Map - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1595548041 (or an alternate link of your choice)
Author’s web site - http://www.stephenlawhead.com/
*Participants’ links
Red Bissell
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Beckie Burnham
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Christian Fiction Book Reviews
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CSFF Blog Tour
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Nissa
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Kathleen Smith
Rachel Starr Thomson
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Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
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Dave Wilson
4 comments:
Saved or not, Turtledove has a better understanding of Christianity than most SF writers I've read. (Although I'm behind on the current crop; my loyalties tend to be to the Golden Age writers.)
Turtledove understands that being an adherent of a religion doesn't automatically confer either stupidity or malice toward members of other religions. Nor is it an artificial thing that can be separated from a person's basic personality. It's one of the things I really enjoy in his work.
Meanwhile, I've got to lay hands on the Lawhead book you reviewed. My acquaintance with him is slim.
I've read some other reviews of this book and I'm quite looking forward to finally reading it.
PS: I don't get US politics :) so your comments on that front went right over my head - probably a good thing.
Heheh--I like the timing of your little political statement, Nissa.
BTW, I JUST put up an article about Mr. Lawhead's subtlety in the area of the spiritual.
Becky
LOL Love the sheep traveling anecdote. Can't believe people mistake them for dogs! :)
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