After the chilling nihilism of Annihilation, I had pretty high expectations for this sequel. Unfortunately, it was a novel of a different kind and felt as though it was lacking something fundamental. Gone is the sinister and surreal high wilderness of Area X. Instead, we are given a glimpse of what life is like for the people who work at the Southern Reach, 15 miles from the border. This is all told from the perspective of John (aka Control) who has just been assigned as its new director and knows very little about Area X himself.
Here in lies my problem. If the reader has read Annihilation, then the reader already knows more than John. The reader has seen the lighthouse and the tower/tunnel. The reader knows how Area X can change people. The reader probably has a decent stab at guessing who (or what) Ghost Bird is. However, this is all new to Control and therefore must be explained to him at a painful pace.
The primary issue with Authority is its pacing. Although it does carry an echo of the first book's tension, it takes a long time to find its feet. Many of the twists mirror things that happened in Annihilation and so are easy to see coming, and its not until the climax that things become especially odd. It can still be creepy - incredibly so - but it largely felt a bit lifeless.
It also doesn't really give an concrete answers. While a few new connections are implied and a hypothesis about the nature of Area X is exposited, the novel is still very vague, steeped in metaphor and open to the reader's interpretation. It certainly won't appeal to everyone.
For obvious reasons, the book also contains a largely new cast and these are actually very well rounded. We get to know them all a bit better than the Biologist and her largely unnamed team and they are all certainly curious. From Grace's devotion to the former director to Whitby's increasing strangeness as the story progresses, they are certainly unforgettable. In fact, Control was the least interesting character for me. He's a bit of a blank slate and didn't really interest me as a protagonist until close to the end of the story.
Anyhow, that's about all I have to say. I will probably read Acceptance at some point for closure, but I hope that it's a stronger novel than this one.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer - no Kindle device required. Learn more.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle Cloud Reader.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Enter your mobile phone or email address
Processing your request...
By pressing ‘Send link’, you agree to Amazon's Conditions of Use.
You consent to receive an automated text message from or on behalf of Amazon about the Kindle App at your mobile number above. Consent is not a condition of any purchase. Message and data rates may apply.
![Authority (The Southern Reach Trilogy, Book 2) by [Jeff VanderMeer]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/412gJEYvZFL._SY346_.jpg)
Follow the author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
| Amazon Price | New from | Used from |
|
Audible Audiobooks, Unabridged
"Please retry" |
£0.00
| Free with your Audible trial | |
|
Paperback, Abridged, Audiobook, Box set
"Please retry" | £6.65 | £3.58 |
|
Audio CD, Audiobook, Unabridged
"Please retry" | £29.08 | £25.72 |
From the Publisher
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Customers who read this book also read
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
