Authority

Cover image and summary from Goodreads:

The bone-chilling, hair-raising second installment of the Southern Reach Trilogy

For thirty years, a secret agency called the Southern Reach has monitored expeditions into Area X—a remote and lush terrain mysteriously sequestered from civilization. After the twelfth expedition, the Southern Reach is in disarray, and John Rodriguez (aka “Control”) is the team’s newly appointed head. From a series of interrogations, a cache of hidden notes, and more than two hundred hours of profoundly troubling video footage, the secrets of Area X begin to reveal themselves—and what they expose pushes Control to confront disturbing truths about both himself and the agency he’s promised to serve.

Possible spoiler alert

This is the sequel to Annihilation, which I loved. I picked this book up as soon as possible after finishing book one.

So much of what I loved about the first book was missing from this sequel. The story followed new characters in a different setting, which was jarring at first because I wanted to be back in Area X with the biologist.

However, Authority answered many questions that I had while reading Annihilation – and then it raised more questions!

I’m really excited to read Acceptance and finish the series. This wasn’t a super satisfying read, because it raised as many questions as it answered, but it maintained the unsettling, tense feeling that I had while reading the first book. Now it’s time to finish the series!