The convincing voice of the teen narrator makes this much more than a great sci-f adventure Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2026 Format: KindleVerified Purchase Inner Earth is indeed a fast paced sci-fi adventure, but it's much more than that. It's full of humor and local color (Rhode Island in New England) and colorful characters. What makes it really work, though, is the totally convincing voice of the teen narrator, Mick. We see through his eyes and hear his thoughts. So we are confused when Mick is confused and through his thoughts we wind up inquiring into important questions of friendship and honesty with oneself and others. We feel Mick's emotions and share his concerns so we wind up caring about the two main characters in ways that go beyond whether or not they can escape the dark forces that lie in Inner Earth. All of this "serious stuff" comes on the fly in Mick's narrative, in bits and pieces, woven into the rapid flow of the story. Mr. Cavanagh has accomplished something that many YA authors strive for, and that is constructing a fun and believable narrative that handles all sorts of serious issues without being the least bit preachy. Inner Earth is the second book in a series but can stand alone as a great read. I suggest reading The Monocle first because it provides more local color than Inner Earth and sketches out the characters of Mick's family and the authority figures in the book. But as with his handling of the serious issues in the book, Mr. Cavanagh has provided all that you need to know within the fast flow of the narrative of Inner Earth.