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The Anomaly Quartet #4
The Ends
Years ago, a vast object called the Anomaly was discovered moving through space. Missions were sent to explore it – they found that anyone entering the Anomaly was unable to die. Now, the Anomaly has enveloped Earth.
On the West Coast of the US, Theo hears that his wife, who disappeared from their home without a word, has been sighted – in London. He sets out on a huge journey to find her.
Making his way through a transformed world, Theo will encounter bandits, artists, and cultists, see humanity at its best and its worst, and develop a unique bond with a teenage girl, just returned from death and discovering this world anew.
On the West Coast of the US, Theo hears that his wife, who disappeared from their home without a word, has been sighted – in London. He sets out on a huge journey to find her.
Making his way through a transformed world, Theo will encounter bandits, artists, and cultists, see humanity at its best and its worst, and develop a unique bond with a teenage girl, just returned from death and discovering this world anew.
- GenresScience Fiction
328 pages, Paperback
Published July 7, 2022
1 person is currently reading
572 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 7, 2023
As I gradually progressed through the Anomaly Quartet, I started to realise that one of James Smythe's aims with this series was to critically engage with a specific genre or sub-genre in each of the books. The two strongest entries in the quartet, The Explorer and The Echo, are both takes on different kinds of SF, with a big helping of horror. The Explorer plays with classic SF tropes like the bootstrap, the brave astronaut, the manly space mission; The Echo picks up on the idea of the troubled scientist and the mysterious, abandoned ship. Given this, I found it unsurprising that I struggled with the third instalment,
The Edge,
which rewrites the psychological thriller: I'm so done with this genre, and so this one inevitably felt less fresh and original to me than the earlier novels. My problems with The Ends were slightly different. This one is post-apocalyptic. The Anomaly has now enveloped the Earth and people can no longer die; they simply follow their own time loops round again. Smythe, again, piles on the tropes: we have a global pandemic, a road trip, a suicide cult. And although The Ends engages intelligently with this source material, these are things that I just don't find interesting in fiction (I do like a pandemic novel, but that's not really the focus here) and so there was a limit to how well this book was going to work for me. The treatment of the cult, in particular, felt a bit morally simplistic, and I wondered if there was more Smythe could have done with the brilliant concept of a society that has lost the threat, and release, of death. I will return to the first two Anomaly novels - I already have done - but I'm not sure the second two added much for me. 3.5 stars.
July 26, 2022
Stylistically this last installment to the series is very different from the first three books, and unlike the others it's also Earth-bound, which made me a bit leery to start with. But what do you know, the author managed to wrap the story up very well, and even gave it an ending I (for once) have nothing to complain about.
July 30, 2022
SPOILERS? Tricky question. This review doesn’t really contain spoilers for The Ends, but as the final novel in the Anomaly Quartet, there are naturally some plot developments baked in by this stage. So my advice is, if you want to read the full series (and you really should), don’t read this review and go read The Explorer. If instead you’re only interested in reading a single novel and need some convincing, read on…
So, given the above, I should start by stating emphatically that, despite being the last in a series of novels, this book does stand on its own and doesn’t require knowledge of prior parts. Personally, I read the quartet in series, so I’m not the best judge of this, but Smythe does a great job of telling you just enough about what happened previously through discovery and plot/character development.
I’d describe this novel as a concept-driven post-(mid?)-apocalyptic journey across a world where nobody can truly die - instead, they find themselves “reset” to the point when the anomaly engulfed the planet and, crucially, with no memory of what happened in their last “loop”. Our protagonist, Theo, sets off on a seemingly ill-advised odyssey across America and Europe - heartbroken, terminally ill, grieving the loss of his daughter - to seek out his wife to simply ask why she left. On the way, he encounters the different types of horror and salvation made possible by the effects of the anomaly, meets a woman/girl (you’ll see) who helps him on his journey, and they save each other in different ways. I don’t really want to be any more descriptive than that; in brief, it’s about this person in unique circumstances navigating a strange world in search of answers but finding instead companionship and salvation. If that sounds like a familiar trope (likely due to my oversimplification) then rest assured that Smythe’s unique ideas and quality of writing gives a fresh perspective.
As part of the broader series, the book is a satisfying conclusion to the Anomaly Quartet, with the “anomaly” being the constant running through the series, along with other key elements such as the family line of the protagonists, and Pettersen and The Knot’s manipulative religious cult as a distant but growing antagonist. I also liked to see a nod to The Machine in this series, as this was the novel that brought Smythe’s work to my attention (also a great novel - go read it). I’d say there’s also a filmic quality to the writing – I’m aware that Smythe writes for television and film, though I’m not sure how recent a development this is, and though I doubt he wrote the series with this in mind I’d love to see this adapted to, well, any size of screen. Also, given the different (sub?)genres chosen for each novel, it would lend itself well to different directors with different styles (let’s start with Duncan Jones for The Explorer, agreed?). I’ll also repeat my regular request here for a boxed set edition of the series.
All in all, a great standalone novel and a great ending to a highly enjoyable series that it doesn’t feel enough people are aware of. Do you part to put that right, folks.
So, given the above, I should start by stating emphatically that, despite being the last in a series of novels, this book does stand on its own and doesn’t require knowledge of prior parts. Personally, I read the quartet in series, so I’m not the best judge of this, but Smythe does a great job of telling you just enough about what happened previously through discovery and plot/character development.
I’d describe this novel as a concept-driven post-(mid?)-apocalyptic journey across a world where nobody can truly die - instead, they find themselves “reset” to the point when the anomaly engulfed the planet and, crucially, with no memory of what happened in their last “loop”. Our protagonist, Theo, sets off on a seemingly ill-advised odyssey across America and Europe - heartbroken, terminally ill, grieving the loss of his daughter - to seek out his wife to simply ask why she left. On the way, he encounters the different types of horror and salvation made possible by the effects of the anomaly, meets a woman/girl (you’ll see) who helps him on his journey, and they save each other in different ways. I don’t really want to be any more descriptive than that; in brief, it’s about this person in unique circumstances navigating a strange world in search of answers but finding instead companionship and salvation. If that sounds like a familiar trope (likely due to my oversimplification) then rest assured that Smythe’s unique ideas and quality of writing gives a fresh perspective.
As part of the broader series, the book is a satisfying conclusion to the Anomaly Quartet, with the “anomaly” being the constant running through the series, along with other key elements such as the family line of the protagonists, and Pettersen and The Knot’s manipulative religious cult as a distant but growing antagonist. I also liked to see a nod to The Machine in this series, as this was the novel that brought Smythe’s work to my attention (also a great novel - go read it). I’d say there’s also a filmic quality to the writing – I’m aware that Smythe writes for television and film, though I’m not sure how recent a development this is, and though I doubt he wrote the series with this in mind I’d love to see this adapted to, well, any size of screen. Also, given the different (sub?)genres chosen for each novel, it would lend itself well to different directors with different styles (let’s start with Duncan Jones for The Explorer, agreed?). I’ll also repeat my regular request here for a boxed set edition of the series.
All in all, a great standalone novel and a great ending to a highly enjoyable series that it doesn’t feel enough people are aware of. Do you part to put that right, folks.
August 5, 2022
Originally posted on josbookblog.co.uk.
The Ends is the final instalment in the absolutely superb Anomaly Quartet. I’m a huge fan of the series and have been eagerly awaiting this novel to see the events that began in The Explorer brought to a close. As it is the last one in the series, I do recommend reading the preceding three novels (The Explorer, The Echo, and The Edge) first, although it’s not essential. There’s enough information in this novel that the reader will understand the situation without reading the first three books, but I do think that you’d be missing out on some of the backstory. And fair warning, this is the last in the series so while I always try to avoid spoilers in my reviews, if you don’t want to know about the Anomaly, I suggest you stop reading this review now and catch up with the series first. Don’t worry, I’ll still be here when you get back.
Having been discovered and gradually tracked closer to Earth, the Anomaly has arrived and enveloped our planet. This understandably causes a shift in the world order, and The Ends invites the reader into an apocalyptic America where death is no longer the end that it once was. Rather, the Anomaly causes a person to return to where they were when the Anomaly arrived, to repeat their life, potentially multiple times over. I like the way in which Smythe explores how different people might react to such a situation. Some see the Anomaly as something akin to a god that should be worshipped and they become fanatical in their devotion to it. Some take advantage of the possibility of eternal youth and choose to live in hedonistic bliss, knowing that they can start over if needed. Many just try to muddle through as they did before.
The main protagonist in this novel is Theo. Theo is an unusually calm individual who seems to take everything in his stride, even as he gets caught up in situations over which he has no control. Many people have become blasé about death, and so this attitude may be related to that, although it’s clear that Theo has no desire to “loop” back and start again. Rather, he is determined to keep going, despite the virus that is slowly claiming him. I think that part of it is also a determination to get some answers from his wife, Birdie, who left several years ago with no explanation. It’s something that’s troubled him through the years, and after a sighting of her in London, he sets out to find her.
Theo’s journey from LA to New York and on to Europe and ultimately London provides the reader with ample opportunity to explore and experience this brave new world. As an apocalyptic novel, you’d be forgiven for expecting a bleak and harrowing journey for Theo. And while he does encounter some of the worst aspects of human nature in those who seek to take advantage of those weaker than themselves, he’s met with far more kindness that you might expect. Even those who understand that Theo is ill treat him with kindness, albeit from a distance in many cases. I love this message that most of humanity is good and still willing to help others even as the world goes to shit around them. It’s a more optimistic outlook than I was expecting and an unusual and refreshing take on an end of the world scenario. I think that it’s also a testament to human resilience, in that people find ways to keep going (some with more community spirit than others) despite the relatively lawless state in which they find themselves, and there are many who continue to help others with utter selflessness.
The Ends explores the way in which a person’s memories and experiences shape who they are. While people may now loop back upon their death, their memories aren’t taken with them, and they lose the person they’ve become in the intervening years. For some, this is an attractive proposition – I think that most of have at some point considered what it would be like to rewind the clock to undo past mistakes or take the road untravelled. But that’s only beneficial if you remember what action or decision it is that you want to amend. Many leave notes and journals to remind themselves of their experiences for this reason, and yet it’s not the same. I think it adds weight to Theo’s determination to survive – he wants answers, not to go back and live through it all again but still not knowing why his wife left him.
I’ve hugely enjoyed the Anomaly Quartet and I found The Ends to be a fitting finale. I’ve liked that each novel has a different vibe to it having explored elements of sci fi, thriller, horror, as well as the apocalyptic nature of this most recent novel. It’s a series that's deserving of a wider audience – I can’t recommend it enough.
The Ends is the final instalment in the absolutely superb Anomaly Quartet. I’m a huge fan of the series and have been eagerly awaiting this novel to see the events that began in The Explorer brought to a close. As it is the last one in the series, I do recommend reading the preceding three novels (The Explorer, The Echo, and The Edge) first, although it’s not essential. There’s enough information in this novel that the reader will understand the situation without reading the first three books, but I do think that you’d be missing out on some of the backstory. And fair warning, this is the last in the series so while I always try to avoid spoilers in my reviews, if you don’t want to know about the Anomaly, I suggest you stop reading this review now and catch up with the series first. Don’t worry, I’ll still be here when you get back.
Having been discovered and gradually tracked closer to Earth, the Anomaly has arrived and enveloped our planet. This understandably causes a shift in the world order, and The Ends invites the reader into an apocalyptic America where death is no longer the end that it once was. Rather, the Anomaly causes a person to return to where they were when the Anomaly arrived, to repeat their life, potentially multiple times over. I like the way in which Smythe explores how different people might react to such a situation. Some see the Anomaly as something akin to a god that should be worshipped and they become fanatical in their devotion to it. Some take advantage of the possibility of eternal youth and choose to live in hedonistic bliss, knowing that they can start over if needed. Many just try to muddle through as they did before.
The main protagonist in this novel is Theo. Theo is an unusually calm individual who seems to take everything in his stride, even as he gets caught up in situations over which he has no control. Many people have become blasé about death, and so this attitude may be related to that, although it’s clear that Theo has no desire to “loop” back and start again. Rather, he is determined to keep going, despite the virus that is slowly claiming him. I think that part of it is also a determination to get some answers from his wife, Birdie, who left several years ago with no explanation. It’s something that’s troubled him through the years, and after a sighting of her in London, he sets out to find her.
Theo’s journey from LA to New York and on to Europe and ultimately London provides the reader with ample opportunity to explore and experience this brave new world. As an apocalyptic novel, you’d be forgiven for expecting a bleak and harrowing journey for Theo. And while he does encounter some of the worst aspects of human nature in those who seek to take advantage of those weaker than themselves, he’s met with far more kindness that you might expect. Even those who understand that Theo is ill treat him with kindness, albeit from a distance in many cases. I love this message that most of humanity is good and still willing to help others even as the world goes to shit around them. It’s a more optimistic outlook than I was expecting and an unusual and refreshing take on an end of the world scenario. I think that it’s also a testament to human resilience, in that people find ways to keep going (some with more community spirit than others) despite the relatively lawless state in which they find themselves, and there are many who continue to help others with utter selflessness.
The Ends explores the way in which a person’s memories and experiences shape who they are. While people may now loop back upon their death, their memories aren’t taken with them, and they lose the person they’ve become in the intervening years. For some, this is an attractive proposition – I think that most of have at some point considered what it would be like to rewind the clock to undo past mistakes or take the road untravelled. But that’s only beneficial if you remember what action or decision it is that you want to amend. Many leave notes and journals to remind themselves of their experiences for this reason, and yet it’s not the same. I think it adds weight to Theo’s determination to survive – he wants answers, not to go back and live through it all again but still not knowing why his wife left him.
I’ve hugely enjoyed the Anomaly Quartet and I found The Ends to be a fitting finale. I’ve liked that each novel has a different vibe to it having explored elements of sci fi, thriller, horror, as well as the apocalyptic nature of this most recent novel. It’s a series that's deserving of a wider audience – I can’t recommend it enough.
August 18, 2022
You should never anticipate an uplifting and empowering novel from this author. Again, this isn’t, but it is so much more positive and less darkly horrendous in tone when compared to previous work.
Similar in tone to The Road, this post apocalyptic Anomaly is still wrecking and ruining people and worlds. This time though, the scope is more expansive and ambitious and it’s a more enjoyable read as a result. The author is still adroit and agile and turns and forms content around brilliantly created characters as always.
Similar in tone to The Road, this post apocalyptic Anomaly is still wrecking and ruining people and worlds. This time though, the scope is more expansive and ambitious and it’s a more enjoyable read as a result. The author is still adroit and agile and turns and forms content around brilliantly created characters as always.
December 8, 2022
Audible version. I dropped straight into this one, having not read the previous 3 books but you pick it up easily and it’s is a compelling and in places gruesome post-apocalypse story. I don’t know how much was written during the current pandemic but it’s impossible not to have some chilling echoes of the recent past.
October 1, 2023
https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/the-ends-by-james-smythe-brief-note/
I quite liked it, and in particular it’s a rare case of the fourth book in a series where I didn’t feel it mattered too much that I had not read the other three.
I quite liked it, and in particular it’s a rare case of the fourth book in a series where I didn’t feel it mattered too much that I had not read the other three.
July 20, 2022
That was a great end to the series. I wasn’t really sure how it would work when the anomaly reached Earth but it was so satisfying. The journey was a fantastic insight into how it affected so many communities. Just loved it
April 30, 2023
Epic storytelling
A great ending to a great series of books. Thoroughly enjoyed the whole set, and the finale definitely didn't disappoint. Smythe really is a great writer, can't wait to see what he comes out with next.
A great ending to a great series of books. Thoroughly enjoyed the whole set, and the finale definitely didn't disappoint. Smythe really is a great writer, can't wait to see what he comes out with next.
December 26, 2022
Read all four of the Anomaly Quartet if you haven’t - they are haunting and wonderful.
January 2, 2023
A very satisfying ending to an excellent series.
May 16, 2023
This has been a hell of a series. Whilst flawed in strange ways, overall a hell of a experience and I am glad I came across it.
May 20, 2023
I don't remember how long ago I first read The Explorer, but I finally, finally got to finish the series! What an amazing ride.
March 21, 2025
The perfect ending to a wonderful quartet.
April 2, 2025
Huge disappointment to end the series. It was difficult to finish, very dry and boring.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews