Authority by Jeff VanderMeer
“You didn’t think about it every day or it would rise up and consume you. It just remained there, nameless: a sad, dark thing that weighed you down only some of the time. When the memory became too faint, too abstract, it would transform itself into an old rotator cuff injury, a pain so thin yet so sharp that he could trace the line of it all the way across his shoulder blade and down his back.”
In the second book of The Southern Reach Trilogy, VanderMeer’s protagonist, John Rodriguez aka “Control,” becomes the new director of The Southern Reach, an organization studying the abnormal stretch of land known as Area X. Control essentially takes on the role of investigator and tries to unravel the mysterious behavior of his new colleagues in hopes it will shed light on the anomalies in Area X. As he tries to get a sense of Area X and the hidden motives of the previous director, Control becomes more confused and uncertain, not only about the institution’s future, but his as well. Rodriguez even develops an uncanny fascination with the biologist from the first book in the series, Annihilation.
What I love about Jeff VandeerMeer is his ability to capture an otherworldly atmosphere full of mystery and uncertainty, which works well in a story concerned with the relationship between history and memory. While working at The Southern Reach, Control often reflects on his childhood and familial relationships with his grandfather and parents. These moments of reflection provide a base for Control’s motives and his overall transformation by the end of the novel.
“If someone seems to have changed from one session to another, make sure you haven’t changed instead.”
The first book in the series hones in on the idea of transformation, and not only what motivates characters, but how a reflection of their pasts leads them to undergo drastic changes in the future. I think a similar process is happening with Control as his interest in Area X peaks. Overall, VanderMeer’s plots are character-driven, creating strong character identities that help move events forward.
There are interesting moments that take place throughout the novel, but I didn’t enjoy Authority as much as I enjoyed Annihilation. It is true that Authority is an interlude between the first and third books, but the pacing of the plot did not leave me as engaged as I should have been. I’m not someone who looks for action at every step, and I often enjoy the slower moments within a narrative, but the middle of the story did drag on. The concluding events were also too fast-paced and abrupt compared to the rest of the book. Nevertheless, Authority still has interesting conversations about memory, superstition, reality, and the importance of individual experience which are worth taking a look into.