Book Review: The Chasm by Branwen O’Shea

Genre(s): Science Fiction / YA

Content warning: There are some violent scenes in this book, and some themes of mind-control that might be disturbing to some readers.

The Chasm is book 2 in the Finding Humanity series. I read/reviewed book 1 as part of my August 2021 review post. You can read my thoughts about it here: The Calling by Branwen O’Shea.

In a quest to reconnect with the rest of humanity and save the next generation from the debilitating Sickness, Bleu Rainier traveled to the surface and encountered the Star Beings in The Calling. Now, in The Chasm, he’s faced with the task of commanding a team of both peoples as they continue the search for humanity in the iced over world of the future. The Star Beings are willing to help, but Kern Savas, his haven’s top strategist, refuses to trust them and keeps many important details to himself.

There are a number of characters featured throughout the story, some human, some Star Beings. Their stories intertwine wonderfully to create an array of diverse perspectives on the mission. You see Bleu’s insecurities and struggles to do what he believes is right, Atsushi’s love of learning, Rana’s desire to Crown and her wariness when it comes to certain humans, Kahali’s struggle with anger, and Savas’ manipulating and secretive demeanor.

On a personal note, I found Savas to be a great antagonist to the story—he is aggravating and infuriating, but also believes he’s doing the right thing for his people. I rather like the complexity of his character, even though he was so frustrating at times.

With so many different personalities (and trust issues) at work, Bleu had his work cut out for him in maintaining a cohesive team. It wasn’t until nearly the end that they began to truly work together. There was a lot of character growth that occurred—even for Savas—and it was fun to see.

During the journey, the team is faced with a number of dangers, some from the natural world and some from the team members themselves. There was plenty of action and mystery to keep the story interesting from start to finish.

I’d love to say a bit more, but some of my thoughts contain spoilers, so we’ll leave it at this for now. There is a third book in the works, The Ruined, which I’ll definitely be watching for.

The Chasm was an excellent sequel to The Calling. I recommend both books for fans of adventure-driven science fiction with an array of very interesting characters.

Author website: branwenoshea.com

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