By Michael Rutger
Published by Bonnier Zaffre (12 July 2018)
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher
Publisher's description
THEY SOUGHT THE TRUTH. THEY FOUND A NIGHTMARE
A team of explorers seek ancient treasures, hidden in a secret cave.
At first it seems they will return empty handed. Then their luck turns.
But the team's elation is short-lived as they become trapped there in the dark, with little possibility of escape.
Then events take an even more terrifying turn.
For not all secrets are meant to be found . . .
My verdict
The Anomaly is a modern day Indiana Jones with its nail-biting rollercoaster storyline and action scenes that gave me palpitations.
This archaeological thriller contains a combination of science, history, mythology and religion. It provides a mix of horror, action, sci fi and the bizarre, reminding me of the Fortean Times, Fringe and The X-Files, with their stories of the unexplained. The plot didn't feel particularly credible but it certainly felt very real, with its atmospheric, creepy and claustrophobic setting and a host of believable characters. The cavern was so well described (using all five senses) that I could picture it in my head while I was reading and felt as if I was there too.
The horror in The Anomaly builds up gradually after a slightly slow start. Looking back, I realise this added to the tension and suspense - I knew disaster was going to strike (it always does in these books), but I had no idea when. And when it did, it hit hard, like reading the script of an action movie with an explosive climax. Eventually, the writing became so fast paced and energetic that I found myself having to slow down my reading pace, ignoring that my inner self was desperate to know what was going to happen next.
The Anomaly is a high-octane journey into the unknown. It's a great action thriller and provided me with perfect escapism for a few hours. But maybe don't read it if you're afraid of the dark or enclosed spaces!
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