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Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Carved From Wood by Brendan O'Meara is the second installment in the Crafting Humanity series, a young adult sci-fi adventure. James and his team venture into the perilous Southern Federation to explore the BlankZone border, a mysterious and dangerous region threatening humanity's survival. As they navigate jungles, ghost towns, and enemy territory, the group uncovers dark secrets about the Southern Federation and their adversaries. Along the way, James forms alliances, confronts unexpected enemies, and unearths conspiracies that challenge everything they know about their world. The stakes rise as they fight to protect their new home and humanity's future.
Author Brendan O'Meara has crafted a richly immersive and dangerous post-apocalyptic world with intricate, cinematic levels of detail, allowing readers to easily picture the dense jungles and ghost towns of the heroes’ journey, as well as the totally eerie BlankZone that gave me chills. I really enjoyed the bonds between James and his team for their authentic feel, with O'Meara skillfully portraying their camaraderie, conflicts, and growth in naturalistic dialogue that immediately characterizes each person distinctly, but also feels cohesive for the group dynamic. The friendships and rivalries among these bold, capable characters make their journey both emotionally and narratively engaging with many likable and interesting people to root for. In terms of the plot and its pacing, O'Meara expertly balances action, suspense, and quieter moments of reflection so that the plot never has a dull moment, and the handling of conspiracies, manipulation, and secrets is well timed to let the right clues drop at the right time. Overall, Carved From Wood is a riveting read that will keep fans of post-apocalyptic adventure and YA mystery hooked from cover to cover. I highly recommend it.
