Annihilation

This is the first book of the Southern Reach Trilogy. It's a dark, creepy, short novel about a group of explorers investigating a quarantined tract of land within which something rather catastrophic or apocalyptic may have occurred. It reminded me of "Hyperion", not for the "Canterbury Tales" aspect, but for the exploration of something horrifying. The writing is very uneven, but the mystery gripped through the end.

The story begins with four women, members of the twelfth expedition to investigate a land that has been off-limits for years. No one knows the results of the other expeditions. The women don't even know their own mission's expectations. By some unknown means, they are transported into this land, set up camp, and begin exploring. The first thing they find is a tower that seems to be shoved into the earth. Inside, the left wall is covered with some kind of mossy plant life, growing in the shape of words. Not just words, but Old Testament-ish prose of warnings and condemnation. This continues down into the dark depths, evoking fear and anxiety among the team. But of course, they have to find the writing's origin.

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