I applaud the author for bringing out a book to give answers to questions raised in previous novels. However, the style was not to my liking - subjective I know. I found the prose sometimes difficult to follow and I couldn't keep track of what was happening..
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book

I have not read the Southern Reach Trilogy but as this is a prequel I thought it would be interesting. I found the opening chapters extremely boring, like reading a manual or a text book about something uninteresting. I found the writing hard going and stopped early on. This was a DNF for me and so my wife said she would read it. I will not be reading the trilogy. Teresa's review: I have not read the trilogy either so lacked context. I found it slow and confusing. It was in three parts. The first two parts from Old Jim's POV and the third from Lowry. I kept reading hoping it would come together and make sense but it didn't. The third section was disjointed with hundreds of F-bombs everywhere and was probably the worst published prose I have ever read. Overall very disappointing. This book was not to our taste but may be better if the trilogy is read first. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

The fourth novel in the Southern Reach/Area X trilogy is actually a prequel, apparently written because VanderMeer still had ideas or things to say about the conditions of Area X's establishment. I don't hate the idea in principle, but in practice it's resulted in a book that resists being read much of the time, and when it does let you in, often drags. This might be a structural issue—Absolution is a three-parter, and might have worked much better if released as a series of three novellas. Part one deals with a biological research trip to the Forgotten Coast before it becomes Area X, which ends in something called the Dead Town Disaster; part two, very reminiscent of Authority (book two in the series), is about Old Jim, who works for Central and moves to the area to try and identify the "foreign agent or entity" that caused the disaster twenty years ago; part three follows Lowry, a member of the very first expedition to cross into Area X after the Border comes down. All three stories have moments of great interest and great beauty, but they are exhausting to read one after the other. Old Jim's section is probably the easiest to read through current genre protocols—it's a twisted spy story—but Lowry's voice is impossibly irritating, obviously on purpose (he's on drugs most of the time, says "fuck" literally every sentence, and thinks far too highly of himself) but nevertheless unappealing.

VanderMeer all but demands to be read through the lenses of literary theory and eco-criticism; his books are philosophical in an academic, post-post-modern sort of way, and at its best his writing is also creepily beautiful, capable of producing vividly memorable images (a muddy field of charred rabbits; a monstrous alligator pulling a green boat by a rope in its jaws; the smell of delicious roast turkey rising from a human corpse). But when not at its best, his writing can be frustratingly oblique: you're putting in so much time and energy to figuring out what's going on, and for what? In the case of Absolution, we already have a sense of how these peoples' stories end. I'm convinced that VanderMeer is going to be one of the few literary authors who survives the current moment and continues to be read and studied far into the future, but this is not the most accessible or accomplished of his books. Again: published as three novellas, it would have been more digestible.

A unique and lauded series and author Absolution is a terrifying exploration of a grim future and possibilities.

I’ve just finished Absolution by Jeff VanderMeer, the unexpected 4th book in his Southern Reach series. It’s 3 different stories, set in 3 differing stages of Area X and if you enjoyed the preceding books, then you’ll enjoy this. One section was quite reminiscent of the style and setting of the videogame Control with the machinations of a secret organisation at the heart of is part; one section was heavy on the body horror and the alien nature of Area X and this was really well realised, unsettling and otherworldly throughout. There’s an uneasy edge throughout the book which makes it really unpredictable. I felt the final section was the weakest and went on too long but a decent addition to the series. There are some returning characters, places and events, although I’m sure you could read the book without prior knowledge and enjoy it. However, this is best read after having read the other books in the series.

This book, to me, is either like a telling of my worst nightmare, or telling me that life is turning into my worst nightmare.
I realise that this is the fourth part of the Southern Reach Trilogy, and apparently answers the questions posed in the trilogy.
Fantasy is not my favourite genre.
Reading fantasy I try to pull out the parts that might be true, and enjoy them for what they are. Sometimes I love the result, but this time I like this remnant, but not a lot.
I just could not imagine imagining that the story was true.
The shortening of words as is common in todays teen speak did not add anything to the book for me.
Regarding the high percentage of swear words and references to sex reminded me of how my mind used to function when I was twelve years old.
I guess that lots of people will love this book, and it would appear that if the reader has read the trilogy then this is absoltely necessary reading.
I suspect that some old geezer pulling it to pieces will make the fantasy addict love it even more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Absolution is a story told in three parts, following three different expeditions into Area X, before it was known as that. It is effectively a prequel to the Southern Reach trilogy.

All three parts were very different. The first part was boring, but it did build up to the much more interesting second part. In the second part it felt like there was a mystery to be solved, and whilst eerie and weird as always, there was some progress towards unravelling and understanding secrets. Old Jim was a likeable, intriguing protagonist. The third part, however, was almost unreadable to me. The main character liked to say the word 'fuck'... a lot! Out of curiosity I searched my kindle afterwards which found 1025 instances of the word fuck and I swear almost all of them are crammed into the last third. I am not opposed to swearing, but reading an internal monologue from an unlikeable character that is that overfilled with fucks was just uninteresting and, honestly, hard work. The first two parts were a three star read for me. The final part was a one star read (I don't think I've ever said that before!) that I had to force myself through, skimming at times.

Absolution is creepy, weird, and messy, just like the other books in the Southern Reach trilogy. If you are a die hard fan who loves to analyse every little confusing detail and enjoys speculating endlessly, then you may enjoy this. But for me, I found Acceptance to be a disappointing, but fine, end to the trilogy. Absolution I found much worse. It could only have been partially redeemed by a satisfying ending, which it definitely did not have. Not worth the time for a casual reader who enjoyed the novelty and peculiarity of Annihilation. Save yourself the effort and pretend this ended as a trilogy!

I really had my doubts about requesting this book. My reaction to the first three books was a bit mixed, some great parts, some very slow and a lot of downright weird and confusing. This book was in the same vein but did fill in a few answers about what had happened before. Still not sure this series is for me but glad I read this episode.

Annihilation was one of the most incredible Sci fi that I've ever read. Its following two novels were good, but felt slightly weaker, and I feel like Absolution also falls into this second category. It didn't hold the same tension as I loved in Annihilation and the fourth instalment did not seem to add anything spectacular to the series.

I was so excited to read this unexpected addition to the Southern Reach trilogy (quartet now I suppose) but it was rather disappointing. The original trilogy had a weaker middle instalment, 'Authority', and unfortunately 'Absolution' has the same faults as that book and few of its saving graces.

The novel is divided into three sections. The first covers the first ever expedition into the area that was later called 'Area X', before it had transformed. This is the strongest section and is compelling to read, full of the sort of weirdness you expect from this series -think eldritch rabbits, subliminal messaging from a power generator, and a sinister ghostly presence. Then things go downhill in the second section, which is from the perspective of a secret agent known as 'Old Jim'. He's been sent into the precursor to Area X in the year before it became Area X, to oversee the 'Séance and Science Brigade' and investigate the truth behind what happened to the first mission. The final section is from the perspective of Lowry, a member of the first mission to enter the newly created Area X.

The second section is incredibly slow and overwritten, full of naval gazing and internal monologue, and the sort of political infighting that was so irritating in 'Authority'. I had to skim sections in the end, and reading felt like a chore. However there was kernel within it of a story I cared about - Jim's relationship with his 'fake daughter' Cass. The other thing that frustrated me was the lack of clarity - everything is weird and unreliable and no one can be trusted. A bit of that can be edgy and intriguing, but overdo it and I'm inclined to switch off. If you can't rely on anything you are told then why bother read at all - certainly you wouldn't for the quality of the writing I'm afraid. I felt like I never understood what was going on, and increasingly I didn't care that I didn't.

The weakest section though is the final one, which consists of stream-of-consciousness style monologues of utter tedium. Through this chaff you might try to sift out one or two facts about the fate of Old Jim and some of the other characters. But it really isn't worth it. I loathe stream of consciousness, and it's one of the few literary devices I've never found an exception and actually liked.

I really wouldn't recommend this book, to fans of the original series, or to new readers. 'Annihilation', first in the original Southern Reach series, is a great book and I'd certainly recommend that. But this fourth instalment confirms what I'd often felt about the second and third books - VanderMeer should have quit whilst he was ahead and stopping adding volumes.

I’m giving this a four…..I think it deserves it though this wasn’t a good read for me. Let me explain…this is the forth book in the Southern Reach series. I’ve not read the other three books (though X is on my tbr list), but as it goes back to before everything happened and answers some questions left unanswered, I thought it would be ok to start there.

It’s not….I enjoyed reading it but I constantly felt like I was missing something, and that I lacked context, so whilst the story and characters were fantastic, I did feel like I’d missed the reason why what was happening? Like I’d been dumped…well…slap bang in the middle of a series…

So, it’s a four from me because it’s excellent- I just need to actually start at the very beginning as they say.

My thanks to Netgalley and 4th Estate for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was the most abstract book in the Southern Reach series and also the most ambitious. I really enjoyed the three part structure. There were laugh out loud bits and moments that were gripping and harrowing. It was a great way to conclude a phenomenal series.

A great addition to the series that was needed. As atmospheric and horrific as the rest, VanderMeer has clung on to the story and boosted it to new heights.