The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead

I received The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead from booksneeze.com for free for my honest opinion and review of the book.
Book Description
Enter the ultimate treasure hunt--with a map made of skin, a playing field of alternate realities, and a prize that is the greatest mystery of all.

Kit Livingstone's great-grandfather has re-appeared with an unbelievable story--the ley lines throughout Britain are not merely the stuff of legends but truly are pathways to other worlds. So few people know how to use them, though, that doing so is fraught with danger.

But one explorer knew more than most. Because of his fear of being unable to find his way home, he developed an intricate code and tattooed his map onto his skin. 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 prize at the end of this race . . . but merely the first goal of a vast and marvelous quest to regain Paradise.

I have never read any of Stephen Lawhead's novels but I plan to start. First I would like to comment on the book physically. It is really different in how it is put together. Under the dustcover the cover has these symbols all over(the symbols are from the symbols for the Skin Map). The edges of the paper were not completely even-cut. These add to the character of the book. The Skin Map is the first book in a new series called the Bright Empires. As I stated I have not ever read any of Lawhead's books but I am excited to. Right from the beginning the book caught my attention. There are A LOT of characters in the story so that sometimes caused a little confusion but keeping in mind that this is the first of a series it made sense. Toward the middle things kind of lagged for me but then picked right back up. This book takes you to different countries at different centuries. Alot of history and research had to be done to give the details that Lawhead did. The language corresponded with the time they were in.
The Skin Map is about Kit, a modern day Londoner who meets his Great Grandfather on the street. His Great Grandfather was looking for him to help with his life long research. Ley Lines are believed to be all over the world and they allow for those who know how to use them to to different places and times. Kit is in disbelief. He goes with his Grandfather and sees its possible. Kit agrees to help his Grandfather in this quest to find The Skin Map. Once the travel starts we meet many new characters in all different times and locations. All with a common goal: to have the Skin Map.

I definitely recommend this book highly. I enjoyed the writing and the story. I look forward to reading more of Stephen Lawhead's novels and the next in this series. I now have another favorite author