From the Bookshelf of Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy…

Annihilation (Southern Reach, #1)

Jeff VanderMeer

Start date: August 23, 2017

Finish date: August 23, 2017

Discussion: Buddy Reads

Why we're reading this: Buddy-read August 2017
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What Members Thought

Apr 10, 2018 seak rated it liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, audio, 2018

Reminiscent of Dan Simmons' Hyperion. Good read if short and less than satisfying ending.

3.5 out of 5 Stars (recommended) ...more

17 likes · Like · see review

May 17, 2023 Netanella rated it really liked it

Shelves: weird, 2023-may-reading-challenges, horror-aficionados, science-fiction, 2023-ha-mount-tbr, dystopian

"We all live in a kind of continuous dream," I told him. "When we wake, it is because something, some event, some pinprick even, disturbs the edges of what we've taken as reality."

What a strange and disturbing story this is, chosen for the monthly read at Horror Aficionados. Definitely not horror, more along the lines of environmental sci-fi psychological mindfuck. The author does a great job in creating a sense of unease and dread throughout the story - the main characters are not named, are ev ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

May 23, 2017 Dea rated it it was ok

You know those straight to DVD horror movies, where a group of young 20-somethings travel to a remote location, discover something terrifying, and spend the rest of the movie dying? This is what this book felt like.

There was no emotional connection to any of the characters, even the protagonist spent time ensuring us that we don’t need a connection. I didn’t care about the protagonist or her history. I didn’t care when or how anybody died. And towards the end I didn’t even care about the big m ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 05, 2018 Andrea rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction-scifi, read-sorted

I think I wouldn’t have enjoyed Annihilation nearly as much if I hadn’t seen the film early this year. Thanks to that I now have a visual point of reference, where understanding of Area X becomes somewhat easier. The novel itself creates a dizzying sense of confusion on par with that experienced by the main characters who are thrust into a world that is ours, yet alien at the same time. Definitely not for everyone, but great for lovers of unique and obscure.

3 likes · Like · see review

Aug 29, 2014 Kivrin rated it it was ok

Very odd little book. I found the lack of character names very distracting and strange, but maybe that was the point. It was all a little too obscure for me. At the end of the book, I still had no clue exactly what the heck was going on, and I had no real interest in the main character. Not sure I'll continue the trilogy. ...more

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Jan 22, 2015 Tatiana rated it really liked it

I loved this book. I enjoy the slow, eerie buildup of tension and creatively weird science. The archaeologist in me wanted to go to this world and document everything…but I doubt that would end well. I can’t wait to get to the next two books!

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