Alien infestation is a minor genre but there have been some outstanding works chronicling the infection of Earth. I’m a big fan of Stephen King’s “The Mist.” The Brits have a knack for this sort of tale. John Wyndham’s Day of the Triffids and J. G. Ballard’s The Crystal World are good examples. Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation and Authority are two-thirds of his “Southern Reach Trilogy.” The final book, Acceptance will be published in September.
Annihilation is told in the first person by a woman identified as “the biologist.” She and three other women–“the psychologist,” “the surveyor,” and “anthropologist”–are the 12th expedition into Area X. Physical and psychological changes abound in Area X. The first expedition returned with totally false reports of a pristine setting. The second expedition ended in a mass suicide. The third expedition ended in a gun battle where all the members died. Electronic instruments fail quickly in Area X. Annihilation is the harrowing account of a doomed expedition. Jeff VanderMeer changes gears in Authority, told in the third person, as he has the new director of the Southern Reach government agency charged with investigating Area X confront the mysteries surrounding it. I found Authority less compelling than Annihilation. I’ll be reviewing the final book as soon as it’s published. ANNIHILATION: GRADE: B+; AUTHORITY: GRADE: B
I had the first book from the library a while ago but had to return it because of shelf overload but I will be trying to get to it soon. I loved DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS.
Your description of Annihilation puts me in mind of the Strugatsky brothers’ 1970s sci-fi Roadside Picnic: aliens have come (and gone), littering the Earth with their debris which must be contained in “Forbidden Zones,” which means, of course, everyone is trying to sneak in there.
Jeff, the first book was very intense.
Deb, you’re right. ROADSIDE PICNIC is a kissing-cousin of ANNIHILATION. And alien is really alien!
Lots o people seem to really like these; not sure when or if I’ll get to them.
Rick, I’m still on the bubble about this Southern Reach trilogy. I’ll read the third volume when it’s published in September.
The one I’m really waiting for is the third in Ben H. Winters’ “Last Policeman” trilogy, WORLD OF TROUBLE. I need to know what happens after the asteroid hits the Earth!
The second book (COUNTDOWN CITY) won the Philip K. Dick Award last year.
Jeff, the “Last Policeman” books are in my Read Real Soon stack.