Anomaly
In a far future, when the fates of humanity are dictated by the ominous and shadowy Conglomerate, the classes of society are well defined. The wealthy, elite Shareholders hold the power, the military holds the might, and the lowly menials dwell in darkness in the bottom decks of Earth’s orbiting space stations. “Exploration” of far-flung planets is a thinly veiled excuse for conquering the sentient life encountered by the Conglomerate’s security forces. Jon, an Enforcer fallen from grace, knows this firsthand, but Samantha, a wealthy idealist, thinks there is a better way to make first contact. They spearhead a peaceful mission that tests her idealism and suggests that something more sinister is afoot. Though laden with archetypal if well-crafted characters and familiar, even clichéd sf tropes, there’s no denying the beauty of this massive book and the intricacy of its imagined worlds. The strikingly rendered CGI-style art, rich color processing, and heavy, glossy pages add to the epic feel of the story. For a book this cinematic in scope and presentation, it’s no surprise that a movie isn’t far behind. --Tina Coleman