Due to a passing in the family a few years ago and my subsequent health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for years after the bereavement. Thank you for the opportunity.

Not a bad tale of exploration and adventure. It doesn't sit at the top of the tree with Authors like Cussler but it's a fun read. Easy going and not too heavy on the grey cells. One for a lazy afternoon.

The Anomaly is a disturbing horror thriller. A team of filmmakers investigate a hidden cave in the Grand Canyon and come face to face with their worst fears. Claustrophobic and frightening this novel will appeal to fans of the horror/science fiction genre.

When Archaeologist and YouTube star Nolan Moore decides to do a new video at the Grand Canyon in search of a cave full of ancient treasures, he and his team are in for much more than they bargained for when they actually find it!

While searching the cave someone triggers a large round stone to cover the only way in or out thus beginning the shenanigans that begin to get weirder and more frightening as they try to find a way out.

The characters are well written, the story has a good flow to it and the descriptions of all the weird happenings are and strange. I was gripped by it and didn't put it down until I finished it as I, like the characters, wanted to know what in the actual fuck was going on! It was a long night of WTF's and 'Oh I see's'.

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

*Huge thanks to Michael Rutger, Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own*

I would call this a fantasy thriller. Very readable story with great characters and a very imaginative storyline. The tension keeps rising to the very end. Thoroughly enjoyable read.

Plot: The crew of a YouTube documentary series that investigates archaeological anomalies around the world travels to the Grand Canyon where they’ve heard rumours and read reports of a mysterious cavern, discovered in 1909 but never understood. The secrets the cave conceals are unknown but turn out to be stranger than you can imagine, as the documentary becomes a fight for survival.

My thoughts: Well, this was an interesting one that I read in one sitting on the plane – I was totally immersed in it because of this! The story was scary, with points that made me jump or hyperventilate, the atmosphere was claustrophobic (only heightened by being on a plane, I think!), and the plot was totally action packed. And I really enjoyed it, to my surprise! It’s compared to Indiana Jones crossed with the X files, and I totally agree here. I love creepy, weird things, so this totally appealed to that for me, plus it just kept pushing forward and forward, so I think I’d have struggled to put it down had I not been able to read it in one go.
I’ve since found out that Michael Rutger is a screenwriter, and this totally makes sense. Due to the level of action and the way it flowed, it felt more like an action movie that I could picture on a big screen than a book. There’s nothing wrong with this and I do enjoy books written this way occasionally, but I can see it would jar with some. Like I said, I really enjoyed it, so maybe give it a go and see if it surprises you too!

5 stars from me. In short I finished the book at a whirlwind pace and was left wanting it not to finish at the same time. It was a shame it was all over!
I went into this story blind (which I like to do sometimes) - completely unaware of the plot - and so after the first quarter of the book I was left completely dumb-founded as to where it was headed. Then Indianna Jones mode kicked in and it never looked back. It really felt like a movie description as I could really picture/imagine what was going on. I thought the whole scene-setting was handled really well.
The story progressed nicely with, I thought, the right balance of character development and plot progression. I really lapped it up.
Thanks very much for the preview copy.

This book was cracking fun and will no doubt make a great film. The perfect escapist book. Good characters who you can care about with a nice line in not taking themselves too seriously. A very visual plot with the action being described well and able to follow in the minds eye (not something that it is easy to achieve). Scarey and tense, I had to keep reading to find out what exactly was in that cave! I want to read more Michael Rutger. Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

Imagine Indiana Jones, The Mummy and the TV show Timeless all merged together into one cheesy read and you will be close to having the premise of The Anomaly by Michael Rutger.
The first third of the book is quite uneventful. I wouldn't say boring, but nothing much of note happens before the group find the cavern, with most of the action taking place in the last third.
For almost the entire time I was reading the book I kept thinking that it would make such a good movie only to discover after I was done that the author is a Hollywood screenwriter and the rights for the movie have already been optioned!

I think that this is one of those plots that you are either going to love or hate. It definitely comes down on the side of the fantastical and, I think, without your suspending of your disbelief it will very quickly become ridiculous.

I'm not going to lie, I very much enjoyed it. Once the story picked up I found the mystery to be quite fun to solve and I found the characters to be incredibly likeable. If or when this does become a movie, I will definitely be watching it!

Thank you so much to Bonnier Zaffre for sending me a proof copy of The Anomaly.

I had high hopes for The Anomaly as I had seen nothing but rave reviews on social media. Unfortunately it wasn’t for me. I was intrigued by the premise and I read a good chunk of it quite quickly, but the pacing changed around halfway and I found it hard work to get through the latter half,

A conspiracies webcast called The Anomaly Files lands an actual TV series on a cable network after receiving funding from a corporate sponsor. The team sets out to find a fabled cavern of wonders hidden somewhere in the Grand Canyon that was allegedly found by an expedition more than a century ago.

With nods to Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider, this book is an extremely enjoyable journey into dark and scary places with a colourful cast of characters and some fine, witty dialogue.

A load of lovely, very entertaining nonsense. Hopefully we will see more from The Anomaly Files.

The opening of this book was difficult for me as I found the introduction of the main characters at the beginning read too much like a list. This made it feel amateurish - I normally prefer characters introduced by their actions or moods etc. However, this did mean I was familiar with them from the outset and, as my reading progressed, the characters developed depth.
Normally one to avoid horror films, mainly due to a much too-vivid imagination, I wanted to put this down once I realised this filming expedition was not going to be all that straightforward. Unfortunately for me Rutger had me hooked with his suggestions of mystery and hints of something not being quite as it should be and I had to find out what happens. By including plenty of emotion and interaction between the characters, he successfully transports the reader into the caves and forces him to share the traumatic journey of the filming crew.
Although you think you must know the outcome of this journey, you are presented with a couple of unexpected twists that add to the suspense and make this more than a simple chase.
Despite what felt like a slightly rushed and weak ending (I cannot believe their fear would actually have enabled them to remain silent about such events) this is a book I would certainly recommend to lovers of horror-based mystery, However, that too-vivid imagination ensures I personally have learned my lesson and will not be reading Rutger's next book on my Kindle in the dark and I certainly won't be going to see this if it is made into a film.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zaffre Books for this copy in exchange for an honest review..

A stunning tale, barreling along a knife-edge through every page. Smart, terrifying, terrifically exciting - it's a long time since I've read something that made me want to keep the lights on so fiercely.

I loved this boos. It stats slow and then it starts going and you’re hooked and sitting on the border of the chair waiting for a new development.
I found it enyoable, full of twists and turns. The horror part was really good and the cave description made you fell the oppressive atmosphere.
It could be made into a great movie.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bonnier Zaffre and Netgalley for this arc

I loved the concept of Anomaly. The premise was clever and original. Would have liked more background information which might have made it more suspenseful. Just needed a good edit and more development. Otherwise, good read.

I knew I needed to read this book when the blurb stated that the main characters would be like a modern version of Indiana Jones in an X-Files era. I LOVE Indiana Jones!

Nolan Moore is a YoutTube celebrity, hosting his own web show where he's trying to find if the truth is out there ... Nolan loves mysteries, although he's not a true archaeologist. He used to be in the movies, well he was a screenwriter. But, he's very passionate when it comes to his show.

This time he's retracing the step of an explorer from 1909 who claimed that he had found a mysterious cave in the Grand Canyon. It would be marvelous if Nolan and his team found the cave ... or would it? It turns out this little expedition may be more dangerous than Nolan had anticipated...

One thing I really loved about THE ANOMALY was how it took a long time for the true horror to happen. You just know it would, and you sit there turning page after page waiting for the BAM moment. And, when it happened, WOW! This is definitely a book for thriller/sci-fi fans. A group of people put together, getting more and more paranoid, or do they have a reason to fear the unknown? Also, I had no idea what would happen. Everything was just as mysterious as for the characters in the book. Fabulous book, recommend it warmly!

This is the sort of book that I devoured when I first started reading "adult" books. For some reason I either fell out with the genre or just moved into more crime type books but I figured that there must have been something about this type of story that used to grab me so I thought I'd revisit it with this book, and I am pretty glad I did.
Nolan Moore is an archaeologist who has gone a bit rogue, now fronting up a documentary series and spending his days chasing conspiracy theories and mythical, historical lost discoveries. His research is second to none but his success at the start of the book is very limited; most of his recent endeavours having just fizzled out. But, as he says, it's more important to continue to seek.
His latest attempt at glory is a trek to the Grand Canyon, to retrace the steps of an explorer who, in 1909, claimed to have found a cave high up in the ancient rock. A cave whose contents as documented at the time has definitely piqued his interest. As it's in the blurb for the book, it's no secret that he finds it, but what happens next takes the reader on a weird and wonderful, action packed, perilous journey that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
Nolan is a bit of a wide-boy. He's cocky and annoying but, at the same time, you can't help admiring him. When he knuckles down, his work ethic is second to none and his research is meticulous. The rest of the documentary crew are a bit of a mixed bag but all have their parts to play and they certainly do that! They are definitely in it for the thrill of the chase but on this, their latest, expedition, when they actually realise that maybe they might have found what they were looking for, and that realisation puts them in peril, well... let's just say that their true personalities definitely come out.
The way that the book was written, how it was all laid out and narrated, really made me feel like I was watching a film. Almost like it was written with "screenplay" in mind. That said, I found it very easy to read and was mindful, initially anyway, of an Indiana Jones-esque type movie running in my head.
I'm not going to say any more about the actual plot. Whether you believe it is credible or not, it was definitely well thought out and, within the genre, and with the way it was played out, it was wholly believable as presented. It was terrifying in parts as I crept around along with the characters, jumping at certain points, holding my breath at others. It was claustrophobic, atmospheric, creepy, and, at times, downright scary. From the beginning, the reader knows what is coming, and it's fascinating watching the cast get to that same point!
It's also very fresh with an original (to me) concept investigated and presented to the baying public by way of various social media outlets. It's a bit heavy on the gore too but all within the story, just beware if you are of a nervous disposition.
As with a lot of books of the genre, the ending is probably the weakest point. Not the reveal, I mean the aftermath. But then again, how else could it end? By the time you get to that point, when the truth has all come out, where else could you go from there? Personally, I'd love some of the characters from this book take me somewhere else, to find something else in some kind of a sequel.
All in all, a thrilling read that held my attention nicely and contained some wonderful characters, and I am not just talking about the human ones here! My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Bonnier Zaffre and Michael Rutger for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of The Anomaly.
I found the beginning to be a bit slow for my liking. Having said that, once the story started to develop, I found it to be a good read. The storyline was well thought out and interesting. A good book for lovers of adventure and thrillers.

Starts innocently and dry humored enough for a story with a YouTube conspiracy/hunt for the incredible show and its participants.

The protagonist is what you would want in a presenter of a show like this. Lover of mystery, open to new, out of the box ideas, maybe acting a little more arrogant than he is, and no crazy in sight. But still believes in and likes what he is doing. Even though he is what most scientists would call a fraud, he doesn't care one bit.

Rutger details the surroundings well, straight to the point, but without stifling the imagination and introduces the mystery. The weird factor starts as a low gasp waiting to erupt, and it is as if you're holding your breath. Then the claustrophobic aura of a thriller kicks in and the gradual reveals bring the creepy.

The 'geography' of the cave does get confusing at times, and I did wish it got to the 'meat' of the story quicker, and spent more time on it. What they found in that cave is incredible and in my opinion needed more analyzing. But there is no denying that this is a gripping, full of suspense, unpredictable story. And nail-biting to to the very end.

I was very excited to read The Anomaly after I got the publisher's invitation. There was promise of conspiracy, ancient secrets, danger and fright – anything ranging from Indiana Jones to Uncharted and all that. Exciting! I was kind of sad when at 40% of the book, nothing much had really happened, and when at 70% it just lost me. I guess it's safe to say that the book was not quite for me, but I can also vouch for the fact that the wider public will love it. And let me tell you why.

It's about:

Nolan Moore is a Youtube conspiracy theorist, an Indiana Jones wannabe (sort of...) and is on track to finally be picked up by a cable TV as a program. But before he can, he must... finally find something to show. And he thinks he's on track.

And he actually is. The Smithsonian is sitting on a big secret of a cavern in the Grand Canyon, insisting it doesn't exist, although facts point otherwise. So Nolan and the team set out to find this cavern and uncover the truth about the world's origins – and although they don't really know what the secret is, they believe it will be world shattering.

It turns out, Nolan is onto something. But does he know what is really going on? And what will be the consequences of his little excursion, both for himself and his little team, and the world at large? Nolan doesn't expect to find anything else than an archaeological site, but what he finds is much, much more dangerous.

So What's Good About The Anomaly?

I have to agree that I was completely hooked on the promise of fight and adventure! I still believe that this story could have been delivered so much better, and not just in terms of how it was told, but the story and its details itself. Tell anyone this premise and they'll tell you "this should be a movie, NOW". That's no coincidence – the author happens to be a screenwriter, and I actually wondered if he was before I read the acknowledgements, where it's confirmed that he was. Unfortunately for The Anomaly, the fact that the author is a screenwriter didn't make the book more cinematic – it somehow made it miss certain very integral parts of story telling on paper. I can't point out exactly what it was – but I know that certain things would have worked perfectly on screen, but didn't work so well on the page. I still maintain that the idea for the story is amazing. I just wish it was delivered better.

Continuing this theme, I must admit that the themes were great. Ancient civilizations, stone computers, mysterious creatures, crafted from relevant elements. Big organizations, trying to achieve dubious goals. And even your typical urban fantasy male lead who is struggling with a broken marriage and a cracked image of self, when he really isn't that bad. All these things were great. And this is exactly why I think The Anomaly will still appeal to most occasional readers – which is actually something I'm already seeing, judging by all those great reviews on Goodreads. If you're less picky, if you don't read a lot, if you prefer movies to books – chances are you will find this very engaging, although maybe a little slow to develop.

So What Disappointed Me So Much?

Well, first of all, there was promise of fright. There are several blurbs for this book, and all of them talk about 'a nightmare', 'a scare', and the reviews rave on about how people were afraid to turn of the lights. Me while reading this book?

I truly and honestly did not get WHAT the promised scary part was. There was NOTHING scary about this book, legitimately. There was arguably only one scene that had the potential of being scary, but honestly – we've seen it all (we've seen it in 1980...) That's not what scary is. [spoiler]In case you're wondering, it was a creature that broke out of someone's stomach. Yawn. It wasn't even a part of the main storyline.[/spoiler] Sure, they were trapped in a mysterious cave with dangerous artifacts and no way out, but... that's just sad, that's not scary. There was no dark presence. There was nothing evil at work. I have read kids books that are scarier than The Anomaly.

Another thing was the pace. Like I mentioned before, three quarters of the book in, and still nothing much was moving! I can see a lot of less patient readers just dropping it altogether. When things happened, they stopped happening several pages after they started, and never picked up. The book is largerly about people wandering dark cave corridors. And that's it.

That would also be okay if there was a big secret and mythologies involved. But there barely is. Another thing that upset me about the story was the lack of smart, viable explanation. Things just happen and are a little too easy to explain, and very conveniently. Explanations are simplified: "for some reason it's doing that." At first an inexplicable catastrophe starts, and then it reverses itself just as inexplicably. I am gullible, but not this much. I understand that the characters don't know squat about what's going on, but please, have you watched Stargate or Doctor Who, or even the said Indiana Jones? For people to buy sciencey or magical mumbo jumbo, you need a lot of detail, and if the characters don't know anything about it – they must at least try guessing and surmising. There have to be clues found. They can't just go "well this happened. For some reason." That does not make a complelling story. The Anomaly fell very short in this regard, as there were barely any explanations or theories on the whole 'big thing' that is happening.

And yet, despite all these shortcomings, the book was interesting to read and I didn't want to drop it. That's why I'm giving it three stars. It's an interesting evening read, as long as you're not looking for it to be 'gripping and terrifying', despite it claiming to be so.

I thank Bonnier Zaffre for giving me a free copy of the book in exchange to my honest opinion. Receiving the book for free does not affect my opinion.