Annihilation is a 2014 novel by jeff vandermeerit is the first in a series of three books called the southern reach trilogythe book describes a team of four women a biologist an anthropologist a psychologist and a surveyor who set out into an area known as area xthe area is abandoned and cut off from the rest of civilization they are the 12th expedition. Annihilation the first book in the southern reach trilogy is weird with a capital w with its roots in hp lovecraft and algernon blackwood it has a post modern mindfuck vibe as well reminiscent of house of leaves that is to. Now earth is targeted for total annihilation by 50000 warships in this epic story saxon andrew takes us into the future and the lives of human and nonhuman characters some we can easily relate to and others who are a bit different along with a he more. Now a major motion picture from alex garland starring natalie portman and oscar isaacthe southern reach trilogy begins with this nebula award winning novel that reads as if verne or wellsian adventurers exploring a mysterious island had warped through into a kafkaesque nightmare world kim stanley robinsonarea x has been cut off from the rest of the continent for decades