Anomaly

A Novel

Christian - Fantasy/Sci-Fi
214 Pages
Reviewed on 06/01/2017
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

John L. Owens grew up in northeast Florida in a coastal community similar to Green Port Beach, the setting of his latest novel. He served as an oceanographic line officer in the U.S. Coast Guard and later settled in Coastal Georgia. He and his family were full-time missionaries to the former USSR. He has also served as a college instructor, pastor, seminar speaker, and is active in truckstop and prison ministry. He has two published novels – The Ninth Generation and Anomaly.

Three of his favorite novel authors are Frank Peretti, Dean Koontz and Clive Cussler, all of whom helped to shape his writing style. John's hope with each novel, both five year projects, was to produce a compelling adventure with a classic plot while rewarding the reader in a surprising way.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Anomaly is a Christian science fiction thriller written by John L. Owens. Joel loved his morning runs along Green Port Beach in Florida. He even braved category 4 hurricane winds to be out there, pounding the sand and watching as the waves crashed upon the beach and splashed his running shoes with foam. As he was about to head back home, he heard a woman’s voice, calling for her dog. He could understand her concern for her pet in this weather and offered to help her find Midnight, her black lab. He recognized her from the weekly recovery meetings they both attended at the local church. As they searched, Amber told him about her job at the local veterinary hospital. When they found Midnight, he was industriously unearthing what appeared at first to be a long skeleton of a fish, but as they got closer to it, they realized that the skeleton was different than anything they’d ever seen. While the bottom half of it was definitely that of a fish, they saw what clearly looked like arm bones and fingers on the top portion. The jaw was large, with double rows of teeth, some still intact and strangely humanoid. The two decided to take the jawbone for Amber’s boss to identify. Joel was already writing up an article on the strange find in his head for submission to his boss at the local newspaper. But someone was determined to suppress any information about their discovery, and the skeleton was spirited away in the middle of the night. Joel was determined to follow this lead, despite the danger, but at what cost to his life and well-being?

John L Owens’s Christian science fiction novel, Anomaly, is a fascinating and suspenseful tale about an undiscovered species and the conspiracy to suppress their existence that confronts Joel and Amber. This well-written tale offers an alternative to the Darwinian theory of evolution and discusses the role of the Bible in education and at recovery meetings such as those held by AA. Joel is confused by the fact that passages from the Bible are not read at his AA meeting, and he doesn’t seem quite convinced that accepting that others may have their own higher beings to lean on doesn’t actually cheat them of the knowledge of his God and savior. His premise is thought-provoking. I especially enjoyed that part of the book which takes Joel to Andros Island in the Bahamas as he follows the trail of the missing bones. Anomaly gives the reader a lot to think about. It’s recommended for Christian fantasy and science fiction fans.

Cheryl E. Rodriguez

Anomaly by John L. Owens is an out of this world science fiction thriller. On a beach run after a storm, reporter Joel Landon hears Amber calling for her Labrador, Midnight. Joel and Amber discover Midnight digging for something in a sand dune. The dog unearths a huge fish-like skeleton. Upon observation, they realize this is not an ordinary fossil. Joel’s investigative nature kicks in, as well as Amber’s. Since Amber works at a local animal clinic, they agree she should take the jawbone to the veterinarian at the clinic. This simple discovery starts a chain of bizarre events which bind Joel and Amber together in a fight for the truth and for their lives. There is something sinister happening, something not of this world, and it’s somehow connected to this anomalous fossil. With the help of a Chaplain Simon, they are plunged into an abyss and come face to face with a world beyond their darkest imaginations.

John L. Owens uses his service in the Coast Guard as well as his experience as a missionary and a chaplain to create his fascinating tale. “Anything found contradicting the way the world sees things is labeled an anomaly.” The narrative takes you to the outer limits of perception, stretches your imagination, while luring you into an alien, evil world that is felt, yet not often seen. It is my kind of story, being a fan of Frank Peretti's novels. Anomaly proved to be an exciting read, revealing the forces of the unseen supernatural realm. The plot is creative and extraordinary in its approach, blending scripture, angels, evil spirits, and extraterrestrials.

This science fiction adventure has a little bit of everything - a pet turtle and a dog, a budding romance, internal and external demons, corrupt institutions, and an ambitious military - all influenced by the divergence of good versus evil. It surprises, it twists and dives into shadowy chasms to expose what is real and what is a grotesque aberration of God’s creation. Anomaly certainly proves to be a contradiction in the way the world is known and visualized by humanity.

Astrid M. Arzu

In John L Owens’s Anomaly, young newspaper writer Joel Landon discovers the skeleton of what appears to be a Triton on the beach of his Florida town. He and his friend Amber decide to find out what those remains truly are. But when the skeleton is seized in the middle of the night by an undercover military operation, they realize this will not be any normal enterprise. And they are right since their adventure will involve not only secret operations but also worldwide top political powers, including the Vatican; occult scientific findings and manipulation; transgenetic engineering; harmful extraterrestrials and powerful dark spiritual entities. Luckily for Joel and Amber, they get help from Simon, a Christian pastor, and his friends. But they will need superior help to survive and accomplish their mission.

Well written, John L. Owen’s Anomaly takes us to top-secret parts of the world and occult activities which give rise to conspiracies about the true powers that rule the planet. The storyline is well developed, with thrilling action and an exciting pace. The characters have depth and credibility. This is especially true for the protagonist, Joel. He is a young man of great drive, integrity, and intelligence, but when faced with the toughest obstacles, he believes that he must also rely on the help and salvation from God and His Son, in order to survive his adventure dealing with the occult world of powerful dark forces. This is a great story for anyone enjoying the blend of science fiction, conspiracy, and Christian themes.

K.C. Finn

Anomaly is a thrilling combination of science fiction and biblical connections penned by author John L Owens. This short but compelling read introduces us to journalist Joel when a typical Florida hurricane warning sees him cross paths with the effervescent Amber. After that chance meeting, Joel and Amber find mutual fascination with strange fossils unearthed from a sand dune. But the mystery is only beginning, and when Amber goes missing, Joel finds himself facing danger too. To save his own life and Amber’s, and get to the bottom of the mystery, Joel must journey to the Devil’s own triangle with an unlikely entourage of help. What they discover there throws everything they’ve ever known about humanity into contention.

Combining Christian themes and ideas with a science fiction storyline is no easy feat, but author John L Owens weaves these concepts together masterfully as the events of Anomaly unfold. Focused more on plot than any character as an individual, Joel becomes the playing piece that we follow deeper and deeper into a labyrinth of conspiracies, secrets and ancient truths. The science fiction elements are subtly laid in preparation for the big reveal, which certainly doesn’t disappoint when it is delivered. The concept of the Nephilim from the Bible is well-used, and those Christians who enjoy the exploration of the humans and the fallen angels will delight in the revelations that John L Owens posits. There are moments of tense drama and great discovery throughout Anomaly, making it a story that leaves an indelible mark on your mind.