After an island mysteriously appears in the South Pacific, a scatterbrained anthropologist must uncover its origins and investigate its inhabitants, who appear to be living in the wrong century. 

Synopsis:

Seventy-two hours ago, NASA scientists detected the sudden appearance of an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There's been no evidence of volcanic activity or earthquakes in the region. Whatever this is, it isn't natural. But that’s not it. People live on this island, but they appear to be living in the wrong century. 

On a mission to investigate, the military recruits leading anthropologist, and our protagonist, Dr. Avery Walker, who specializes in the study of uncontacted peoples. But there’s something Avery hasn’t told them – he’s been having hallucinatory visions of this very island since his childhood. Now that it’s appeared in real life, Avery must finally confront his visions and how they’ve warped his identity. 

Avery reunites with his lost love, another leading anthropologist named Dr. Amanda Palmer. The two have clashing anthropological philosophies, debating the best way to advocate for uncontacted persons, if they even need our help at all. 

Avery, Amanda, and the military travel to the island only to find that the indigenous society is a conglomerate of geographically disparate peoples with an array of unique ethnic and cultural origins. Despite their differences, everyone on the island lives in peace. A far cry from the rest of our world. 

Everything changes when a sacrificial ceremony reveals that a god-like entity controls the island and has been using telepathic visions to summon people to this hidden place for hundreds of years. After accidentally poising a sick child with modern medicine, Avery is captured and forced to confront the true nature of the island and his relationship to its inhabitants. Avery is then faced with a choice: leave the island as he found it or change its fate forever.

This epic adventure explores the themes of modernity vs traditional living, control vs trust, and confronting your world view. It deconstructs the white savior trope and shows that the best way to help uncontacted persons is to leave them alone.