Map of the Impossible

Mapwalker #3

by J.F. Penn

A journey through the realm of the dead.
A threat that will change the world.
A choice that might save everything—or end it all.

As natural disasters sweep Earthside, a mutant army rises in the Borderlands, driven by the dark force behind the Shadow Cartographers.
Sienna and the Mapwalker team must use the Map of the Impossible to journey through the realm of the dead and face the nightmare at its heart.
But when one of their number is taken and the team begins to break apart, each Mapwalker must face their greatest challenge.

Can the Mapwalker team reach the Tower of the Winds before the Shadow claims Earthside?
Will Sienna choose Finn — or turn away from the Borderlands forever?

Map of Plagues is book 3 of the Mapwalker fantasy adventure trilogy.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Supernatural, Audiobook, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

215 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 21, 2020

About the author

I'm the award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, crime, dark fantasy, horror, short stories, and travel memoir.

Reading order: https://jfpennbooks.com/pages/reading...

The fast-paced ARKANE thrillers weave together historical artifacts, global locations, a kick-ass protagonist and a hint of the supernatural. Described by readers as "Dan Brown meets Lara Croft."

The Brooke & Daniel Crime Thriller Series features British detective Jamie Brooke alongside museum researcher Blake Daniel, as they solve dark crimes around London.

The Mapwalker fantasy adventure trilogy is set between Bath, England and the Borderlands in a split world fantasy where Sienna and the Mapwalker team travel through maps to adventure ...

A Thousand Fiendish Angels is a collection of 3 short stories bound together by a book of human skin. Inspired by Dante's Inferno.

You can buy books directly from me https://jfpennbooks.com/

I have a blog and podcast at http://www.BooksAndTravel.page

I'm passionate about writing and I love reading. My favorite authors include James Rollins, Jonathan Maberry, John Connolly, Daniel Silva, and I also read a lot of travel books.

Reviews

[Toni Osborne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 3, of the Mapwalker fantasy adventure trilogy.

I must say dark fantasy novels are not my preferred reading experiences and I rarely read them but I make exception when it comes to Ms. Penn. To be fair to the author and to myself I will say what I like about the book and I will also say what I like the least.

The Mapwalker Fantasy trilogy:
- Map of Shadows #1
- Map of Plagues #2
- Map of the Impossible #3

I am a huge fan of her Arkane series and was quite taken by the Sins series also, so when this trilogy was offered for my thoughts I jumped right in and said yes sent me the books. Thank you for doing so Ms. Penn.

In a few words:

Sienna and the Mapwalker team will use the Map of Impossible for their journey through the realm of the dead and face the challenges and the nightmare that awaits them. Can’t they reach their goal before it is too late?

What I like:

The blend of psychology and supernatural written with richness of words, each movement is vividly painted, although extremely dark but most of all full of lively descriptions…very wicked ones most of the time. Ms. Penn is very creative in her story and she loves to include creepy characters and supernatural happenings in order to propel us into a world of fantasy.

What I like the least:

Terror, darkness and “impossible” action. A storyline out of this world totally “impossible” played out by characters that weave spells, flames out of their hands, creepy creature at every corner, lead characters facing “impossible” situation and jumping, twirling in the air, kick boxing….dead birds coming back to life…brrrrrrrrrrr ”Impossible” is the correct word but again this is a fantasy and should be “Impossible”. In a few words the storyline didn’t gel for me but the way it is said is excellent and will please fans of this genre.

Since this story was not my cup of tea, I suggest you do not take my words for it and judge for yourself.

[HornFan2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an advance copy, by J.F. Penn for my honest review.

'Map of the Impossible' falls in genre's that I don't typically read. I've always believed that good authors books always find their way into readers hands. It's J.F. Penn writing that has made me a fan, I really like her Arkane Series a lot and figured that her Mapwalkers series would be equally good.

Just like with Stephen King, Penn has the gift, to give her readers a heart pounding hellacious read, scare the crap out of you, yet your glued to every word, you don't want it to end and they leave you begging for more please.

She expertly researches, it has a theme, that could be ripped right out of the headlines, like all the history she mixes into it, especially present day Bath, puts you right into the pages, over loaded with action, with an extra helping of twist and turns and best of all good conquers evil.

'Map of the Impossible' really isn't a standalone novel, for best reading results you'll want to read 'Map of Shadows' first and then 'Map of Plagues'.

While I don't want to give too much away. The authors created a World where you have an Earthside, whose borders continuously shift and change, it has portals that takes you into the Borderlands and made up of what gets cast out from Earthside. You also have areas that end up being lost forever. Interestingly the Earthside is present day, you have all the tech, while the Borderlands are medieval, and one can't take anything from one side to the other.

What makes this series so good, has been that the story told through Sienna a mapwalker whom also is a blood cartographer, has the able to create maps using her blood and the team holds onto each other as they jump into the map. Two other mapwalkers are part of her team, Mila has water magic, enabling her too move water and become transparent in water. The other is Perry who has fire magic and uses it as a weapon.

With this one Penn added a new member to the team. You have Zoe who is a weaver, she's also able to create webs, she's untested and accepted by the team. Also add two borderlands Finn and Ramsey to the mix, they can't go to the earth side and part of a group trying to free the borderlands from evil leader who wants to take over earth side.

Definitely recommend the author J.F. Penn, your guaranteed a hellious fast paced read, she hook you in as a reader and just glad she left the Bath portal ajar for more Mapwalker books.

[dennis barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Map of the Impossible. J.F. Penn

Natural disasters are occurring for no apparent reason. The dark forces of the borderlands are sweeping across and entering earthside. The world is divided into two distinct realms which only a select few in are world are aware of in Bath England. The dark forces of the borderlands are trying to cross over and claim what they feel belongs to them. Not to enrich their life's or help their people. Simply put conquest, domination, control. A select group of individuals a Mapwalkers team with magical powers to defeat the darkside of the shadow lands enters the dark realm. They will either die trying or triumph. Even if successful, a price will be paid. Sacrifices made. This is an excellent read which I enjoyed immensely. As I have stated in all my reviews of novels by Joanna Penn, she has a magical gift for writing. Again another stupendous read!!!

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievable, has you lost from the beginning in a story that has you hooked. Impossible to guess the ending. Loved it.

[Cait Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved, loved, loved this book, it has been a while since I’ve had such a great page-turner. When Joanna Penn first said, she was writing a trilogy, around cartography, I wondered where this storyline would take me.
I wouldn’t necessarily shy away from dark fantasy but at the same time, witchcraft, and spells, are not areas i would consider exploring. But with the Mapwalker series, I was captured from the get-go. Once again I’m taken on a great adventure, with Sienna, Mila, Perry, Finn, and Titus, who are joined by newcomer Zoe.
The whole idea of this other shadow world created in the borders of the earthside maps, where the borders continually shift and move, with portals opening up to allow the Mapwalker team to pass through into the borderlands. The story is beautifully told from the point of view of the character Sienna, who is a blood cartographer, and she along with her teammates, and their individual gifts, taking us on this amazing adventure, of action and suspense, but knowing their various gifts of magic, will get them out of some very hot spots.
You will find yourself pulled into the world of the characters, the fight between earthside, which is mainly in Bath, and the borderlands, almost a land that time forgot, where its inhabitants live in poverty, and under the rule of a world of black magic. Then there is Finn and Titus who are borderlands, but are the good guys, they used their physical strength, and intelligence with no help from magic to survive in this cruel shadow world and fight on the side of good. My heart broke for Titus and what he had to go through emotionally, and Finn is someone you cannot help but fall in love with. The ending was sad and so unexpected, and I honestly felt bad for poor Finn. By the end, I was left wanting more, and sorry that this was the last of the trilogy. But hoping that there will be a spin-off, possibly from Mila’s storyline, who is my favorite from the Mapwalker team. Do treat yourself to the trilogy, you will love the adventure it takes you on.

[Michael Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book begins with increasingly violent natural disasters on Earthside as a result of closing the border. As it turned out, the border needed to be open enough to act as a pressure relief for both sides to make necessary crossings, so the Mapwalkers had to use the Map of the Impossible to find a way through the realm of the dead in order to deal with the Shadow Cartographers. Due to their frequent use of their magic, the Shadow had drained enough magic to increase its pull on their spirits. If the balance tipped too far, they would not be able to return Earthside and could be turned into Shadow Cartographers. Sienna longed to see Finn, and Mila desired to swim again with Ekon in their watery forms. Perry had vowed to kill his father, who had turned into a powerful and evil Shadow Cartographer. For this journey, they were joined by Zoe, whose magic allowed her to weave and strengthen power emanations of good people to protect against evil forces. This journey had many twists, turns and surprises that kept me engrossed, trying to guess what would happen next. Would our friends be able to survive the dangerous journey and make contact with those they cared about? Can they succeed in overcoming the Shadow forces that pull them in so strongly?

The story is fast-paced with strong characters, vivid descriptions and intense interpersonal dynamics. Ms. Penn artfully brought the series to a bittersweet finale which closed the major loops, but also left a few situations that could spin-off into other adventures. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire series and highly recommend it. You should read the books in series order, for maximum enjoyment. I look forward to reading more books by this great author and I bought a copy of this book on release to support her work.

[Pete · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of Joanna Penn's great attributes is to create brilliant, believable characters and then thrust them into a truly strange fantasy world, in this series she has created an organisation that uses maps as a medium to travel between realms, the human one (rather prosaically based in Bath in the UK) and the borderlands which is not a nice place!
Although I am not a huge fan of dark fantasy, the sheer quality of the writing has meant that I have thoroughly enjoyed being engrossed by this trilogy, and couldn't wait to see where the story led. The ending was totally unexpected, and yet managed to seem almost inevitable once I had read it.
Although this book is a fantasy, it does reflect a lot of real-world issues, people trafficking, slavery, family loyalty, being faced by impossible choices, and utilising talents as well as possible, and it is this link to the real world that makes this book so relevant and readable.
With each book we have been introduced to new characters, and in this one it is Zoe, who starts out as a very clever but minor member of the map restoration team, using her talents as a weaver to untangle the threads of damaged maps and then rearranging them as part of the restoration project. However she grows in confidence and abilities as she helps a team entering the borderlands, and ends up being a major player in the spectacular ending. I love this type of character development which makes them much more human, and inspirational.
I am fortunate to be a member of this author's advance readers team, and so received a complimentary copy of this book, but have voluntarily written this honest review.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprising, thrilling, and sometimes heart-breaking, end to the trilogy

At last, the conclusion to this trilogy that kept me gripped from the beginning. The level of imagination of J.F. Penn still amazes me with every new book. She writes beautifully, the descriptions dragging you into the book and making you feel a part of it. She is not shy of introducing sadness and tragedy, and her characters feel like real people with real problems, even though they inhabit a fantasy setting.
The Mapwalkers are again travelling through the Shadowlands to come face to face with the enemy that is trying to claim our world for themselves. I won't lie, I wasn't expecting what they encountered, not at all. The events took a completely unforeseen turn at the end but the resolution was totally believable and, once I had time to reflect on it, totally satisfying. Whilst the story is complete, there is the potential for further books set in this world and I would definitely be happy if those materialised at some time in the future.

[Michele Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted an ARC from the author, and as with her others in the 'Mapwalkers' series, I was not left disappointed.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series from the start, and this final book took me on yet another adventure that had me finishing the book in 2 days. I couldn't put it down!
Sienna and her Mapwalker team did what they do best, while overcoming a whole load of new 'issues' thrown their way.
I loved the melding of 'fiction' with 'fact' (something I highly commend Penn doing in all her books) and was immersed in a world that I didn't want to leave.
But there had to come a time ... and while the book was concluded satisfactorily, I know I will miss the characters and the world Penn created.
If you are after a book that is full of adventure, thrills, complex characters, fantasy and historical facts - add this to your list.

[Ronel Janse van Vuuren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This last adventure of Sienna was so much fun to read. Though there was a lot of foreshadowing as to what the end would be, it was still a surprise.

Loads of awesome description brought the journey to the Borderlands alive (some scary stuff deep beneath the earth) and Zoe was a great addition to the team and to the magic of Mapwalkers.

I like what happened to Mila and the Waterwalker possibilities of the future.

The action scenes were superb and the story took one on an emotional rollercoaster. Everything wove neatly from one place to the next making this a page-turner that I couldn’t put down.

A great ending to Sienna’s Mapwalker story.

*I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest opinion.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sienna, Mila, and Perry have a new teammate, Zoe, who is a weaver. The original team is still suffering in various ways from their last trip to the Borderlands and now must find a way back through the very border that they closed to stop the plague from crossing over to Earthside. The tale is very exciting and there is a happy/sad ending, depending on who you are. (I would advise not reading it before bedtime if you don't want nightmares about dead birds coming back to life and such.) Though many things are finished at the end, there is still more that could become a future series.

I was given an advanced copy of this book by the author. My review is voluntary.

[Laure · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this final book of the Mapwalker Trilogy, the consequences of the now, pretty much, impenetrable barrier between Earthside and the Boarderlands are being felt almost daily. Now Sienna and her team of Mapwalkers must get through the barrier by taking a route protected by the dead.

Well written, intriguing, and realistic characters that are on a mission to save two worlds. Engaging, and entertaining dialog help this exciting, and action packed plot move along at a quick pace while unexpected twist kept me engrossed in the story. I think this is a satisfying end to a compelling, must read series. Fantastic book!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Carol Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 3rd of the trilogy Sienna who inherited her map shop off of an uncle and has special powers that enable her to journey into the borderlands, and a dangerous place it is. Carrying on from book 2 there have been natural disasters and fears of an army from the Borderlands would devastate Earthside. Sienna and the Map walkers must return back through the Map of the Impossible to rebalance Earthside before a disaster happens. Can Sienna do it with the team and will she see Finn again will they have a future? It is a little bit sad in places but exciting thrilling even, it is J F Penn at her best, pure fantasy what an imagination.

[Maria Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read!
I found myself engrossed in both the plot & the characters without getting bogged down by unnecessary sub plots or detail for details sake.

The storyline was ever changing but straightforward to follow, but it was more than that... it’s an exciting page turner that (for me) had echoes of Harry Potter, early George R R Martin and even a sprinkling of Michael Crichton about it, which I enjoyed immensely.

I’ve only recently come across this author but have read this trilogy with huge enjoyment, as well as a few of the Arkane thrillers. Again, great reads without being too “heavy”.

Definitely well worth the investment.

[David Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Map of the Impossible brings J.F. Penn’s Mapwalkers trilogy to a close. This is one of those series that gets the reader very invested in the story and the characters, that being said I’m feeling a sense of loss knowing that this was the end of the series. There are stories where you know how you want the story to end and how you want your favorite characters to fare in the end. Well, sadly Map of the Impossible didn’t end the way I wanted, and my favorite character didn’t fare the way I wished, but then again the story was awesome and ended in a way that made it the best possible story to conclude the series. I received an Advance Reader Copy and chose to provide this review.
 

[Paul Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has meant something to me. My first dive into a different world for me. I usually read detective novels and love them but when this series came out I decided to give it a try since I have read many of the other books by J.F. Penn. I enjoyed this series and this book was a great addition. I love the way she makes her town the center of the books, treating it like another character that you want to visit. All of the different characters having different abilities making them a perfect team together.

[Normand Girard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure here: I received this book from Joanna after joining her "Pennfriends", but I can assure you that these thoughts are my own. I could say that this book is the most exciting and interesting of the series, especially the part where the team travels through a "path of the dead" - but then again, make sure you read the first two books to appreciate what I am saying. Here, a new Mapwalker joins the team and her magic is quite something to try and picture.The ending is quite spectacular, while also a bit sad as Sienna seems to have been lost forever in her new role (predicament).

[Jeffrey Aitken · Rating 5 out of 5]

I looked forward to my pre-release copy of the third in the series, and I was not disappointed. In her usual action packed, fast pace, the world is experiencing many catastrophic events. Naturally the end of the world, instigated by the evil individuals in charge of the borderland.

Adventures teeter on disaster but ultimately overcome this threat, but the world needs yet more to balance the future. With this twist at the end, I hope the saga continues in the hunt for a fairytale ending for all.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great ending of this trilogy. Closing the border between worlds has threaten the earthside with natural disasters. The Mapwalker Team has a new member and heads out to figure out how to open the borders again so earthside will survive. But the entrance they find into the Borderlands is a maze of traps and not a good omen for their task. The combination of action, magic and suspense makes this an almost perfect read. It just ends to quickly, but does manage to answer all the questions in the great trilogy.

[Louis Henke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Map of the Impossible by J.F. Penn is the third book in the Mapwalker Trilogy. This book bring the series to a fitting and appropriate conclusion. It is not the way I wanted it to end, but it is the way the story has to end; I found it satisfying.
Joanna Penn is a fantastic story teller. Her story lines are complex but completely interconnected so they hold together well. Her characters are strong, but flawed just enough to make them believable.
I highly recommend J.F. Penn's Mapwalker Trilogy. Make sure you read them in order, as each book builds on the previous.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this installment, the Mapwalker team faces their most perilous journey yet—through the realm of the dead. As natural disasters wreak havoc on Earthside, a mutant army rises in the Borderlands, driven by the dark force behind the Shadow Cartographers. The team must use the Map of the Impossible to confront the nightmare at the heart of it all. Amidst the chaos, personal stakes are high: one team member is taken, the group begins to fracture, and Sienna must make a life-altering choice—will she choose Finn or turn away from the Borderlands forever?

[Sue Peek · Rating 5 out of 5]

J.F. Penn has outdone herself with the final book in the Mapwalkers trilogy. Map of the Impossible contains plenty of excitement and suspense along with loyalty and friendship. I couldn’t stop reading as Sienna and the Mapwalker team face one challenge after another in the Borderlands. With a unique imagination and artful writing style J.F. pulls you into the story for an enjoyable reading experience.

I received a review copy of this book but that in no way influenced my review.

[Renee Arthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Border between Earthside and the Borderlands has been closed for a while now. Earthside has been experiencing many uncommon natural disasters, and they're unsure of what is happening in the Borderlands. Suspense and both light and dark magic show up throughout the book. It is an awesome end to the trilogy and can also be read as a standalone. This book kept me up reading into the wee hours. I absolutely recommend it. I'm sure I'll read all three books again.

[C.D. Storiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Argh! I'm so sad this series is over. The sacrifice Bridgette and Sienna both made broke my heart. To give up love in order to fulfill destiny... I loved that Miller found other water walkers and the introduction of the weaver, Zoey, but I so wanted to see Finn happy. Each book in the trilogy just got better and better that I'm sorry I raced through them but I couldn't help myself. I'll never look at another map or compass again in the same way.

[Roger]

Map of the Impossible (Mapwalkers #3), my fourteenth read from author J.F. Penn. The epic conclusion to the Mapwalker Trilogy. Captivating, with well-developed characters coupled with an outstanding story-line with its intricately woven twists and turns. Penn, as always, does a good job with her character development. I'll be reading more by this author. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Michael Mardel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Map of the Impossible by JF Penn. Joanna has excelled herself with this story. Mapwalkers, Waterwalkers and Weavers abound. The characters are well-rounded, even the Baddies like Elf. There is some romance thrown in but it is all leading to a denouement. Descriptions abound so the reader is in the middle, feeling the tension. Another cracking tale by Joanna.

[Sharon Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I have read everything J. F. Penn has written, this MapWalker series is my favourite.

I’m not quite sure how she accomplished it, but this book was a satisfying end to the trilogy yet, it makes me want more. I truly hope that Joanna decides to write more about these characters.

[JoAnna Lamb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved, loved the third book in the Map series. So descriptive and evocative, with memorable characters who stay with you long after I finished the read, particularly Sienna. Did not want it to end...

[Sherry Vaughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sienna and friends try to find the Map of the Impossible hoping that they can reopen the border. Sienna is conflicted because she wants to be with Finn but she would lose her friends and family.
Full of angst and life-altering decisions, this is the perfect sequel to the Map of Plagues.

[Jean Rufatabahizi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Map of the Impossible is another five star novel by J.F.Penn. I read it as a penfriend. It is for you if you enjoyed reading her wonderful books Map of Plagues and Map of Shadows.

Jean Baptiste Rufatabahizi, a five star romance novelist.