Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

In Kevin Michael Flynn’s West Of Man, a twelve-year-old Irish boy arrives in America in 1908 and eventually becomes The Carpenter, a war veteran raising his son Michael in Old Town during 1929. When a secret organization operating through the city begins targeting his family, The Carpenter discovers that Michael’s school is run by The Headmaster, a ruthless figure whose reach extends far beyond education. The fight draws The Carpenter toward The Plain, a supernatural frontier guarded by Native American warriors led by The Indian. Their battle reaches back to nineteenth-century Comancheria, where invaders tried to seize Native land under the language of expansion. As Old Town and The Plain become linked by the same hidden enemy, The Carpenter must protect Michael while confronting a power that has survived by changing its face across generations.

Kevin Michael Flynn’s West Of Man is fantastic historical speculative fiction. The author knows character has to show up in behavior, which comes through beautifully in The Carpenter’s craftsmanship on the frontier. Hand planes curl timber during a cabin build beside Bishop, The Carpenter’s wartime friend, putting the work right in the room. The Headmaster is terribly cruel, with the schoolmaster’s cold manner fitting the supernatural frontier perfectly. The Native American warriors on The Plain are some of the book’s best character work. Red Blade, a silent fighter who communicates through thought, has lethal intensity built into every exchange with The Carpenter. Sun Cloud, the towering warrior assigned to train The Carpenter, absolutely fits the trainer role naturally. The Indian, who leads the warriors, has an unmistakable calm that sets the tone for the group and is definitely the most fascinating character. Readers who appreciate the literary and storytelling chops of Gilman's The Half-Made World and Lin's The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu are in for a real treat. Very highly recommended.