The Cosmic Anomaly

by Henk Wester

Earth has fallen victim to a nightmarish global catastrophe. Bizarre and grisly events and manifestations known as Anomalies are upsetting reality. No one is safe. Anyone could be affected at any time, often with gruesome results. Areas with numerous and severe Anomalies have been closed off as uninhabitable. Humanity lives in a constant state of uncertainty.

A group of South African YouTubers decide to capitalize on this glitch in existence by venturing to possibly the country's most dangerous Anomaly hotspot. But what they thought would be an opportunity to boost their channel and launch them into celebrity stardom may turn out to be an experience worse than hell itself.

Genres: Horror

260 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2021

About the author

Henk Wester was born in a farm town in South Africa. He started writing at the age of seven and hasn't stopped since. Wester specializes in horror, extreme horror, and sci-fi. Due to the dark nature of his work, his stories were more often than not met with scorn and disapproval from classmates, family, and friends while he grew up. However, that didn't and still doesn't stop him from churning out works of fiction that disturbs, disgusts, and scares, but also makes you think. Underneath Wester's stories, there often belies a deeper meaning and commentary on profound topics.

Besides writing, reading, cartoons, and horror movies, Henk also loves nature, animals, silence (so that he can hear himself loud enough in his head), and sleeping. Furthermore, he enjoys hearing from readers and can be found on Facebook.

Reviews

[Peter Topside · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I think the cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous. Very eye-catching and appealing to any horror fan. The story itself has a great premise, which I can relate to personally. Many years ago, I set out to disprove all Wierd NJ stories, and ran through a good number of them, ie Clinton Road, Midnight Walker, haunted cemetaries and abandoned buildings. So I really liked how this book had the main characters staging anomaly sightings and went to De Aer as the ultimate money making stunt for their channel. Now I saw a great deal of similarities to this story and the Silent Hill movies. Not necessarily a bad thing, but at times felt a little too familiar. I feel like some of the scenes could have also been in more interesting settings in this highly reactive level 5 zone, and there were times things hopped around, leaving me unsure of which character and time I was reading about. I also wished the ending was a bit more clear as to detail what actually happened, not just to the world but also the characters. But sometimes it’s more unsettling to leave open-ended, whether to let the reader decide or to set up potential sequels. Beyond all that, the writing was good, the characters were tragic and diverse, the creatures were very scary, and the violence was pretty good, too. All in all, a pretty solid horror tale!

[Janie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, check out that amazing cover. Does it make you want to read the book? If you are tempted, then by all means, proceed. You are in for a mind blowing trip. Anomalies are turning into a pandemic worldwide. Strange things are appearing and occurring globally. A group of Youtubers in South Africa start their own channel, investigating and even making up their own strange experiences. To become a top channel, the group goes on a trip to an abandoned town that is known as a hotspot for anomalous activities. They couldn't possibly have known what they were in for.

Henk Wester has an intense imagination, and the sights and the creatures that populate this book are cold-blooded and scary. The abandoned town is dark and eerie. It is the source of violence, mind-break and scattered body parts. I certainly hope that this author is writing another book of horror. Right now. I will pre-order.

[John The Crippledgimp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy shit.... I need to read more books like this. Henk Wester killed This debut.This book to me was creepy as hell. This was like a psychological/horror \science fiction..... This shit was like a Cronenberg film. The anomalies are creepy as fuck brutal kills I mean damn what more can you ask for. I dug the hell outta this I wish there was more I didn't want this book to end.I'm a new fan and can't wait to read more from Henk Wester. Awesome debut.

[Rayne Havok · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a pretty epic entry into the writing game. It had everything you could want in a horror story, great flow and really cool and original ideas. I think the whole thing is A+, top-notch.

[Simon McHardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henk's tale weaves the epic nature of Lovecraft's Mythos with the excreta and gore of splatter, creating a novel that would make the granddaddy of horror proud.

[Angel Gelique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just imagine standing next to your friend, engaged in ordinary conversation when suddenly, his head begins to split open, expelling the gore within along with five ghastly tentacles. Now imagine that such bizarre occurrences begin happening randomly, all over the world, with no rhyme or reason. It could happen to anyone without regard to race, age, gender or economic status. There is no warning. No one is safe from these anomalies.
A group of young YouTubers decide to investigate the phenomenon in a small town that has become notorious for its deadly anomalies. With visions of fame and fortune, they recklessly enter the danger zone. But after encountering unimaginable horrors, how many of them will return?

Wester’s incredible imagination and brilliant writing merge to create a highly immersive and truly unforgettable story. You may think at first that you know what will happen. It’s no different from every other story with a group of youngsters who set out to investigate a haunted house or asylum, right? WRONG! Wester effectively produces a sense of dread that is so palpable, this book should come with a warning about the physical manifestations of stress that are sure to occur—tense muscles, racing heart, etc. This is no mere ghost story; the creatures that emerge from Wester’s twisted mind are unlike anything you’ve encountered before. The mounting suspense will have you at the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next.
The characters are very well-developed and relatable. You will likely hate a couple but come to care for most of them. You’ll get so invested in the story that you will actually worry about them and probably shout for them to watch out or to turn back.
Predictable? Not this story. Not by a long shot. You can’t imagine what will happen next. And even when you think you know what has happened, don’t be too sure! There are plenty of twists and surprises along the way.
Action-packed, thrilling, gory and horrific, this book was a true delight! I can’t wait to read more stories by the immensely talented Henk Wester.

[Corrina Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I awaited this books release with baited breath, for no reason other than I loved the cover! I did skim over the synopsis and thought, yep, that'll do me! And I wasn't at all disappointed!
I believe this is Henks debut horror story and I really do hope it's not his last!
With a great opening chapter, Henk reeled me in and didn't let me go through the whole book!
The whole story was like walking through your worst nightmare, strange, messed up anomalies appearing and happening all over the world, meant lots of blood, gore, puss, vomit and just about every other bodily excretion you can think of!! 😂
It was brutal, and it was also heart warming and humorous in places!!
I loved it! 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not only does this book have an incredible cover, it also contains a weird, twisted amalgamation of horror.

Anomalies appear around the world, affecting people, animals and objects. Some are harmless, some cause death and disaster. This tale follows a group of YouTubers who enter a hot spot of activity in South Africa.

I really wasn’t a fan of the characters, they were not the best people, and Chad was just awful. They felt a little stuck in their tropes, but it was a fairly short story, so not too much room to create more complex characters.

This was definitely a weird mix of cosmic/apocalyptic/body horror and it worked- I loved the encounters the group has. This is perfect for book fans of Elias Witherow’s “The Black Farm” and Dean Koontz’ “The Taking”. For movie goers, this gave me “Silent Hill”, “The Thing”, and “Event Horizon” vibes to name a few.

[Horror Bookworm Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horror Bookworm Reviews
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When the first anomalies began to appear around the world, reality-bending encounters gripped the population. These bizarre and disturbing occurrences happen without warning and in random fashion. Such morbid miracles include inexplicable species, gore ridden events and extreme biological creatures of flesh & bone. The small town of DeAar has become a hot spot for ultimate horrific aberrations of nightmare proportions. Enter a team of six brave souls ready to explore these intense paranormal occurrences all in the name of fortune, fame & glory.

With the ongoing speculations, hypotheses and theories, society has chosen to evacuate and fence off all defiled locations. Author Henk Wester drops the reader directly into one of these surreal areas of chaos. Written with a rogue style of found footage artistry, Wester’s decision to have the locale a desolate setting, pronounces the ambient threat of creatures, freaks and abominations roaming the streets.

The Cosmic Anomaly is a humanoid blend of the bizarre and cosmic horror. Using infestations that could only inhabit the dreams of Lovecraft, unnatural aberrations appear without reason or warning making author Henk Wester take root within his own disturbing creation of Cosmic Hell on Earth.

The illusion of purgatory that takes place between the front and back cover likens itself to flesh and bone from an unrecognizable dead carcass. There were numerous well written creepy moments that stayed with me long after reading. Prepare yourself for an extreme reading experience that reaches a “Category 5 Red Hotspot” of splatter fun filled abnormality.

[Christina Pfeiffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Next up is a book that broke my Top 5 of the year. TOP FIVE, PEOPLE. And you want to know what’s even more insane, it’s a debut author!

Henk Wester, step on up with your bad ass novella, The Cosmic Anomaly.

The Prologue sucks you the monkey farts in and doesn’t let go until the story is over. The world building blew me away! The characters are so flawed and that speaks to his writing that you hate them one second and beg the book God’s they survive the next second.

The creativity that went into this one… chef’s kiss. An unexplained plague like disease is spreading but it’s completely random. You could be sitting next to someone with it, they die in a horrific way, and you are just fine. I likened it to tornados and how they are erratic in behavior. A group of friends, YouTubers, set out to document a region that is a hot spot but even the government won’t go to tape it off. What happens makes you fear the dark, shows monsters are real, and covers you in mind gore.

I want to reread this ASAP! Usually when I finish a book, I’m glad to be out of that world to move on to another. But I have to go back, I have to reimmerse myself in this world. It is that amazing!

I can’t wait to see what else Henk puts out. He has a fangirl for life after this one.

5/5 Time Warps

Available on Godless.com

[Tara Losacano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! It was so original, like nothing I've read before and it was so hard to put down. The anomalies were super creepy and brutal and just fucking awesome! I read this book compulsively just bc I needed to see what would happen next or how it would turn out for our characters. I'm really hoping for a Cosmic Anomoly sequel or maybe a prequel? Definitely 5/5 anomalistic skulls 💀

[Kevin Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

How many of you are fans of the SCP Foundation wiki? If you're not, unfuck that situation right now and get over there... though you're going to need to put aside a good few days to get into it properly. But if you are already on board with the Foundation's work (or if you don't have the time needed to fully immerse yourself because of stupid shit like work or family) then you need to read The Cosmic Anomaly by Henk Wester; it's like a distillation of everything that makes that shared world so much fucking fun. That said, I have no idea if Henk Wester is aware of the SCP Foundation, and I don't wish to make it sound like his book is derivative in any way; I mean nothing but the highest compliment by making the comparison, as The Cosmic Anomaly is one of the most fun stories I've read in a while, with great "monsters" and set-pieces on almost every page. Bravo!

[Lisa Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is important to understand that The Cosmic Anomaly is Extreme Horror as well as Cosmic Horror. Basically, Cosmic Extreme Horror. This means it is brash, brutal, and graphic, as well as being a good story.
It's also important to understand that Henk is not an American, he is South African. His presentation of South Africa and the way they speak there comes from a life of personal experience.
The author cleverly uses alternating first person chapters to tell the story, providing each character's perspective on events as well as on themselves. You learn a lot about the characters by having their presentation of themselves in addition to how the other perceive them. Made it real easy to despise one of them, but that's just me.

This is a unique and entertaining cosmic horror story with a lot of graphic content and language. It speaks about people and society without being philosophical ... or maybe the action and premise were just too engrossing for me to see any philosophical bent. Read it and see what you think.
But Extreme Horror Fans only, please.

[Nikolas Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It begins in 2005, with the unforeseen devastation of a college student’s head in the back of a Japanese classroom. Split down the center, with a sudden burst of blood and gore, the other students don’t have a chance to react before tentacles begin emerging from the space now present between the two halves of the boy’s head. This horrific experience is the first of the anomalies on record.
With that graphic, visually potent scene, Henk Wester drags the reader into his unfolding novella, The Cosmic Anomaly. If you don’t consider that a tantalizing first glimpse of the world he’s preparing to show us, I don’t know what else you’d be looking for.
Wester provides the reader with a brief overview of the succeeding years, as anomalies become increasingly common, ranging from the simply peculiar to the utterly horrific before introducing us to Anton, Irma, Bernie, and the other Splenmalies creators. A South African YouTube channel focused on exploration and exploitation of anomalies, the Splendmalies crew exclusively provides their massive viewership with fraudulent cases, banking on the–largely American and European–subscribers knowing little to nothing about what’s going on in Africa. That is until Bernie decides they need to go big or go home. By venturing into De Aar, a town abandoned by the residents who managed to survive the high rate and destructive level of anomalous activity there, Bernie sees nothing but dollar signs and fame in their futures.
As the story races toward its gripping conclusion, Wester displays great imagination and dedication to bringing the conditions in De Aar to surreal, terrible life. Hellraiser meets Silent Hill is perhaps the best way I can conceive of describing what the reader is in for, and that only provides the bare minimum of preparation.
As Henk Wester introduces us to his native South Africa in a form that, thankfully, should never exist, we realize just how much smaller the world has gotten over recent decades. College students and young adults are the same worldwide, or so it would seem–that is to say, stupid and short-sighted.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up ⭐️
This book was a rollercoaster! By all means, it isn't the best horror story, but it has you hooked at eating up the pages from the first page!!

This story could have been fleshed out so much more, but it was straight to the point and straight in throwing plot twists and gore at the reader.

The descriptive language used throughout has the reader on the edge of their seat feeling uneasy and with a sense of dread right to the very end. I would have loved to learn more about the anomalies and the lore and system around them. The cover is also unbelievably pretty and creepy, I'm obsessed!

A wonderful, quick and eerie read for any horror fanatic!

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need MORE.

[Slim Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I'll say the artwork for this book is superb!

My first read from Mr. Henk. Unfortunately for me, this book read very sterile and clinical. Almost like reading a documentary. I had trouble feeling the characters.

The first 'chad' portion of the book was really trigger point for me personally. I've read a LOT of extreme horror and I think there is a way to do an extreme scene like that, this just wasnt it.. This just felt disjointed. Almost like putting it in there for just total shock. It didn't fit in the story for me.

The creatures were great! Think Silent Hill/ Clive Barker ish.

Keep writing! Look forward to your other stuff.

Cheers

[Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the way the story was set up even though there were quite a few grammatical and punctuation errors. Otherwise I thought it was a great horror novel. Novelette?
There were parts that literally made me nauseous. The town they go to was a mix of a really crazy dream, a terrible acid trip, and hell.

[Jason Nickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very strange and interesting piece of Bizarro fiction. I really liked it.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I would have liked it more had there been less grammatical errors 😭

[Steve Stred · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tapping out at the 15% mark.
I tried. I was going to dnf when a random N-word slang was tossed out, but wanted to try and carry on. Then the inexplicable sex scene that started 'Chad's' chapter came off a bit underwhelming, followed by a penthouse letter/juvenile described rape scene. Just couldn't carry on. Normally I'd try not to be as harsh sounding in a review bit here, but it completely went left field from them trying to film content for a Youtube channel to suddenly there's anal sex with feces involved and then a guy finds a girl asleep, pulls out his (of course) monstrously large cock and has sex with her against her will.

Too bad, the synopsis of this sounded intriguing.

[James Malik · Rating 1 out of 5]

Full disclosure, I bought this just because of the cover. The website I purchased this from should really offer samples, I'm not even disappointed. I'm baffled, I've read Middle-grade horror books that are written better than this, I've read Tumblr posts that are better than this. At first, I thought this book was satirical, maybe intentionally funny? Were the reviews on here sarcastic? Were they pulling my leg and messing with me? I legitimately thought that this book was written by someone on the spectrum or by a child, English isn't my first language as well so maybe that's it. Turns out Henk is pursuing a PhD in South Africa, I'm sorry but this is just truly godawful. I don't like being harsh like this on a review but I kinda resent all the praise this book is getting from other reviews. I thought I was missing something, How can literally everyone enjoy something while I can't find a single redeeming quality? There must've been a twist. I'm actually kinda inspired to write something myself now, I'm also being extra harsh because I've just finished reading another self-published horror title that's actually competently if not beautifully written and actually Lovecraftian: Negative Space. This feels like a Newgrounds text-based sex game from 2005, unbelievable amount of typos, and worse of all: Boring.

[John Raptor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book opens in Kyoto, Japan, so already, I'm in! And then a tentacle monster bursts out of a Japanese student's head! Now I'm fully in!

There's plenty more Lovecraftian-horror from there--but without the purple-prose. The story is told through the unique point of view of 5 characters, the worst one being a guy named Chad. These guys are YouTubers and while they fake most of their videos, they are trying to capture a real life Lovecraftian horror on film.

It's not surprising this book was published post-Covid. Many of its themes seem to reflect the uneasiness and upheaval of society during the pandemic, and the trauma it left behind. Except in this book it's not Covid that plagues humanity, but strange otherworldly horrors called anomalies. And each anomaly we witness is more horrific than the last! A scary, fun, and even humorous read!

[Camille N. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly have no idea how this book got the ratings it has. I was drawn in by the beautiful cover art and the concept. The concept was great, the delivery however was not it. The writing was stilted, clunky and felt very unbelievable. Some of the characters were so cringe, like Chad who maybe that was what the author was going for but we just had to continuously be reminded that this man was a “fearless asshole” and he knew it. He was absolutely unbearable. I just feel like the concept was there, but the writing needed a proofreader and editor to run through a couple of times before it made it on paper. I’ll probably still check out the others in this series, however.