The best book I read this month was a sci-fi adventure with an interesting premise. Michael Rutger’s The Anomaly centers on the cast and crew of a YouTube show that investigates unexplained phenomena. In this case, the team retraces the steps of an early 20th century expedition that discovered a mysterious cave in the Grand Canyon.
I don’t completely buy the explanation of events in the story, but I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure—largely because of the characters. Distinct characterizations made it easy to tell the characters apart, and I loved their interactions. While they would deny the characterization, it was clear they were a found family with all the appreciation, affection, needling, and frustration that families experience.
Then there’s the descriptions of the scenery, which were equally impressive: the beauty of the canyon, the claustrophobia of the cave—it all comes through in the prose. So does the action, which keeps the plot moving forward.
I would follow this group of characters on any adventure (and did, in the sequel The Possession). Alas, there are only two books in this “series,” so if I want to spend more time with them, I’ll need to reread one or both books.