First Lines of Jeff VanderMeer's "Annihilation"

"The tower, which was not supposed to be there, plunges into the earth in a place just before the black pine forest begins to give way to swamp and then the reeds and wind-gnarled trees of the marsh flats. Beyond the marsh flats and the natural canals lies the ocean and, a little farther down the coast, a derelict lighthouse. All of this part of the country had been abandoned for decades, for reasons that are not easy to relate."

- Jeff VanderMeer's "Annihilation" 

A bizarre but fascinating read. A group of women, all without names - just titles like "Psychologist" or "Anthropologist" - are part of an expedition into Area X, a mysterious region of land cut off from reality for unexplained reasons. The book is filled with mystery and conspiratorial thinking, but in the end appears to be about the ways that we make - or don't make! - meaning in the face of a universe that may not have an underlying purpose. I can't say I understood it all but found myself extremely engaged with story despite the deliberate depersonation of the characters and the lack of explanation of just about anything in Area X. Recommended for those who like to ponder the unknown.

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• First Lines of Jeff Vandermeer's "Authority"
• First Lines of Jeff Vandermeer's "Annihilation"