Author: Jeff VanderMeer –
Publisher: Fourth Estate, Harper Audio –
Genre: Horror, Science Fiction –
Overall rating: 1/5 –
Writing: 1/5 –
Duration: medium –
Narrators: Bronson Pinchot, Carolyn McCormick, Xe Sands –
Narrator/performance: 1/5 –
Impressions: 2/5 –
Performance errors: 0/5 –
Complexity/reading level: 1/5 –
Audience: Adult
Commentary/review
“The Southern Reach” is a strange trilogy. “Annihilation” is very interesting, coherent and easy to finish. “Authority” is decently engaging and has an interesting ending. “Acceptance”, however, is easily among the worst books I have ever read. “Acceptance” as an audiobook is – without a doubt – the very worst piece of an audio file I have ever listened to.
The trilogy begins as a successful homage to H.P. Lovecraft. There is an abundance of nature, mystery and deadly peril. The main character is a scientist with a hyper-rational inner dialogue. Given that H.P. Lovecraft lore is a classic and rightfully so, following his structure can only result in a resounding success. Whatever happened in this initial bout of genius, by the third part it was long-forgotten. “Acceptance” is an erratic conglomerate of ramblings of sick drunks, detailed descriptions of murder and torture, silly references without follow-up or meaning, glitter paste and Christmas lights. In an audio format, it is just a lot of noise, made even worse by a lascivious tone of a burlesque made without plan or style. It is your nightmare unlucky journey in bad weather, forcing you to stay in an undesirable hotel that smells bad and makes you ill. As a trilogy, the books are not worth anyone’s time. However, “Annihilation” as audiobook would probably get a high mark, both in terms of rendition and story-writing.
It is a shame that a story about the beauty of nature and the danger of pollution became itself polluted and sick. I do not believe this was an artistic choice. I suspect that it was just the trap of trying to explain. Someone probably forgot that, in horror and humor, explaining destroys the fabric of your medium. This time, it rotted and died. Why the Author bothers with plans to publish the fourth part – “Absolution” – is beyond me.
If you must read it, perhaps it is better to finish with the first part.
All of these covers are quite good. The second and third parts – probably better than the first, odd one. I only wish the books deserved these interesting graphics
Cover Photo by Mitchel Lensink on Unsplash