Annihilation
A group of women explores a mysterious, dangerous, reclaimed area of land.
Format:Paperback
Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers
Published:30th Jul '15
Should be back in stock very soon
In a secluded area known as Area X, a group of four women embark on a dangerous expedition to uncover its mysteries, facing psychological and environmental challenges in this eco-fiction masterpiece.
In Annihilation, the first book in Jeff VanderMeer's acclaimed Southern Reach trilogy, readers are introduced to Area X, a mysterious zone that has been isolated from the rest of the world for decades. Nature has reclaimed this area, erasing the remnants of human civilization. Numerous expeditions have attempted to explore Area X, but each has ended in failure, leaving behind more questions than answers about its enigmatic and potentially dangerous nature.
The story follows a twelfth expedition consisting of four women: an anthropologist, a surveyor, a psychologist, and the narrator, a biologist. Their mission is to map the terrain, document their observations, and, crucially, avoid contamination by the strange environment of Area X. As they delve deeper into this uncharted territory, the expedition members confront not only the surreal landscape but also their own fears and secrets, leading to a psychological unraveling that challenges their perceptions of reality.
VanderMeer's Annihilation is a thought-provoking work that blends ecological themes with cosmic horror, creating a narrative that resonates with contemporary issues. Its haunting atmosphere and intricate storytelling have earned it critical acclaim, including recognition as a New York Times bestseller and the Nebula Award for Best Novel. With its exploration of the unknown and the complexities of human nature, Annihilation remains a powerful and relevant piece of eco-fiction, captivating readers with its unsettling and unforgettable journey.
Praise for ANNIHILATION and the SOUTHERN REACH TRILOGY:
‘I’m loving the Southern Reach Trilogy … Creepy and fascinating’ Stephen King
‘Hauntingly weird and brilliantly new … These are contemporary masterpieces and career-defining novels’ Adam Robert, Books of the Year, Guardian
‘This trilogy is a modern mycological masterpiece … Remarkable … Tense, eerie and unsettling … VanderMeer writes much better prose than Poe ever did … This is genuinely potent and dream-haunting writing. VanderMeer has arrived’ Guardian
‘A teeming science fiction that draws on Conrad and Lovecraft alike … Annihilation shows signs of being the novel that will allow VanderMeer to break through to a new and larger audience’ Sunday Telegraph
‘A lasting monument to the uncanny … You find yourself afraid to turn the page’ Guardian
‘VanderMeer’s novel is a psycho-geographical tour de force, channelling Ballard and Lovecraft to instil the reader with a deep, delicious unease’ Financial Times
‘What a haunting book this is, lodging deep in the memory in similar fashion to otherworldly classics such as David Lindsay’s A Voyage To Arcturus … Annihilation is so disquietingly strange as to defy summarisation. Read it’ Daily Mail
‘Astonishing, frightening, spectacular … I hope the trilogy will come to be seen not only as the instant sci-fi classic it is, but also as Literature’ New Statesman
‘Immersive, insightful and often deeply bloody creepy, this is a startlingly good novel … A major work’ ***** SFX Magazine
‘A tense and chilling psychological thriller about an unravelling expedition and the strangeness within us. A little Kubrick, a lot of Lovecraft, the novel builds with an unbearable tension and claustrophobic dread that lingers long afterwards. I loved it’ Lauren Beukes
‘Original and beautiful, maddening and magnificent’ Warren Ellis
ISBN: 9780008139100
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 16mm
Weight: 200g
208 pages