Authority, by Jeff Vandermeer

[rachelmanija]

This sequel to Annihilation takes an unusual approach. Rather than returning to Area X, almost the entire book takes place outside of it, focusing on the scientific/government agency, the Southern Reach, which has been sending expeditions into it.

Most of the book is bureaucratic shenanigans with creeping horror undertones. The main character, unsubtly nicknamed Control, is slowly losing his mind trying to figure out what the hell happened to his predecessor and why she kept a live plant feeding off a dead mouse in her desk drawer, what is up with the bizarre incantatory literal writings on the wall, and what's up with the biologist, who has seemingly returned from Area X but says she's not the biologist and asks to be called Ghost Bird. There's parts that are interesting but also a lot of office satire which is not really what I was looking for in this series.

About 80% in, the book took a turn that got me suddenly very interested.



There is an absolutely terrifying scene in which Control goes into an attic. Never go into an attic if you're in a horror story, even if so far there has been a minimum of horror.

Then Area X abruptly overwhelms the Southern Reach! And maybe a lot more! Control and Ghost Bird literally jump into Area X! The end!



I kind of want to know what happens next but I'm not sure Vandermeer is interested in giving readers what they want.

Comments

[starlady]

This one is probably my favorite of the four, although I do really like Absolution. I found the office satire grimly hilarious and the scene when the Director comes back is indelible. Plus of course, Whitby. And Control is such a brave little toaster! He's trying so hard and he's already fucked and he doesn't know it!

I really like Acceptance too (I love all of them), I would urge you to continue because it also doesn't go where you might expect. Inasmuch as it's possible to have expectations for this series, which always confounds them.

[sovay]

I kind of want to know what happens next but I'm not sure Vandermeer is interested in giving readers what they want.

I really enjoyed the entire Southern Reach series, including the fourth book which was written a full decade after the rest and wraps temporally through them in a way that usually blows up a trilogy. Would recommend keeping reading.

[skygiants]

I had no idea the Annihilation books had office satire in! I assumed it was all surrealist semi-horror. I'd meant to read them anyway, but this bumps them higher on my list tbh.