Nolan Moore, a rogue archeologist, and conspiracy theorist hosts the web series “Then Anomaly Files”. He gets the chance to get the make the discovery of a lifetime when a donor funds his trip to the Grand Canyon to find a rumored cave that no one had set foot in over 100 years. But the tale of discovery turns into one of survival as Nolan’s team has to escape a place of perpetual darkness. Sounds like a plot that was right down my alley.

When I was presented with this book, I was excited. It was touted as an X-Files meets Indiana Jones. Sadly, it was touted as such because the author used those specific references repeatedly. “Okay,” I thought, “I can forgive that so long as it holds up.” And for the first half of the book, it did. The tone was dark and foreboding, and things felt like they were building for some phenomenal action.

Then the letdown.

This book got weird. Really weird. I’m okay with monsters chasing you in the darkness, but there was no rhyme or reason to the creatures that started appearing from some ancient technology that was never really explained. Then there was the secret organization trying to bring about the end of the world.

When the team finally escapes the cave (spoiler alert), it feels like the author just gave up. There was no real resolution to the ancient technology. The secret organization behind it all was never explained. It felt like there could have been a lead-up to a sequel, but I don’t see how. I was left feeling unfulfilled and if there were a sequel, I don’t know that I’d care.