“That’s how the madness of the world tries to colonize you: from the outside in, forcing you to live in its reality.”
If Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer left you hooked by its eerie atmosphere, mysterious environments, and thought-provoking exploration of the unknown, you’re not alone. This atmospheric, mind-bending novel is a standout in the world of apocalyptic sci-fi, offering readers a gripping mix of survival, existential dread, and the uncanny. Whether you’re pulled in by the strange, unexplained forces of nature or the psychological depth of its character, Annihilation has set the stage for a subgenre that blends dystopia with a deeper, often darker sense of discovery. If you’re looking for more books that push the boundaries of science fiction with similar apocalyptic, weird, or environmental themes, you’ve landed in the right place. Join us today at What We Reading as we present the best apocalyptic sci-books like Annihilation that capture the haunting, immersive essence of VanderMeer’s masterpiece.
Annihilation Summary
In Annihilation, the first book of the Southern Reach Trilogy, a team of scientists is sent to explore Area X, a mysterious and increasingly dangerous zone where the usual rules of nature do not apply. The expedition’s leader, known only as the biologist, begins to unravel the bizarre, unsettling forces at work, as her fellow team members succumb to the strange, often terrifying effects of the environment. With vivid descriptions and a gnawing sense of dread, Annihilation explores themes of isolation, the unknown, and the fine line between discovery and madness, leaving readers with a haunting sense of mystery and ambiguity.
The Southern Reach Trilogy – Jeff VanderMeer
If you loved Annihilation, where better to kick off a list of books like it than with the rest of Jeff VanderMeer’s original bestselling series? The first trilogy naturally begins with Annihilation, where a team of scientists is sent to explore Area X, an enigmatic zone where the laws of nature seem to break down. As they delve deeper into the wilderness, they encounter bizarre creatures, strange phenomena, and the chilling sense that something far bigger and far more sinister is at play.
The trilogy continues with Authority, which shifts focus to the Southern Reach, the secretive government agency tasked with studying Area X, and Acceptance, which brings the full scope of the mystery to light. Blending psychological horror, ecological themes, and existential dread, the series explores the unknown, human frailty, and the limits of understanding.
The Road – Cormac McCarthy
One of the most timeless apocalyptic novels and best books like Annihilation, The Road by Cormac McCarthy is a haunting, minimalist tale of survival in a ravaged world. A father and his young son traverse a bleak and desolate landscape, their journey marked by the constant threat of starvation, violence and the end of human civilisation. The world they inhabit is ravaged by an unspecified catastrophe, with the environment destroyed and the remnants of humanity reduced to brutality and despair.
As the pair struggles to find food and shelter, they hold onto a flicker of hope that guides them – a sense of love and protection between father and son that endures even in the darkest of circumstances. The Road is a raw depiction of the human will to survive, the bond between parent and child, and the essential need for compassion in a world devoid of everything else.
Check Out The Best Books Like The Road
The Water Knife – Paolo Bacigalupi
In a future hammered by climate change and drought, mountain snows have turned to rain, and rain now evaporates before it hits the ground. In a fragmenting United States, the cities of Phoenix and Las Vegas jostle for a sliver of the once-mighty Colorado River. But it is the Las Vegas water knives – assassins, terrorists, and spies – who are renowned for protecting Las Vegas’ water supplies, and ensuring Phoenix’s ruin.
When rumours of a game-changing water source surface, Las Vegas dispatches elite water knife Angel Velasquez to Phoenix to investigate. There, he discovers hardened journalist Lucy Monroe, who holds the secret to the water source Angel is on the hunt for. But Angel isn’t the only one hunting for water; Lucy is no pushover, and the death of a much-loathed water knife is a small price to pay in return for the life-giving flow of a river. Similar to Annihilation, The Water Knife is a dystopian tale brimming with commentaries about water scarcity, environmental collapse and the human cost of ecological disaster.
The Book Of M – Peng Shepherd
One afternoon at an outdoor market in India, a man’s shadow disappears – an occurrence that no part of the scientific world can explain. Soon, the phenomenon is spreading like a plague. While those affected gain a strange new power, it comes at a horrifying price: the loss of their memories. Ory and his wife, Max, have escaped “the Forgetting” so far by hiding in an abandoned hotel buried deep in the woods. Their new life almost begins to feel normal, until the day Max’s own shadow disappears too.
Knowing that the more she forgets, the more dangerous she will become to Ory, Max runs away. Yet Ory refuses to give up the time they have left together. Desperate to find his wife before her memory vanishes entirely, he follows her trail across a hazardous new world, braving the threat of roaming bandits, the war being waged across a ravaged capital, and the rise of a sinister cult that worships the shadowless. Like Annihilation, The Book of M examines the fragility of the mind and the power of storytelling, as the characters are forced to grapple with their own shifting realities in a world teetering on the edge of oblivion.
Oryx And Crake – Margaret Atwood
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood is a dystopian novel set in a future shaped by genetic engineering and corporate control. The story follows Snowman, the last surviving human in a post-apocalyptic world, as he reflects on the events that led to the downfall of humanity. Through his memories, readers learn of his close relationship with two pivotal figures: Oryx, a mysterious and enigmatic woman, and Crake, a brilliant but disturbed scientist. Crake’s radical vision for humanity’s future culminates in a catastrophic experiment that erases much of human life.
As Snowman struggles to survive in the ruins of civilisation, he wrestles with the fallout of Crake’s actions and the ethical implications of bioengineering. With Atwood’s trademark social commentary, Oryx and Crake is one of the best books like Annihilation for exploring scientific hubris, the manipulation of nature, and the fragility of human existence.
Check Out The Best Speculative Fiction Books
The Three-Body Problem – Liu Cixin
Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body Problem begins during China’s Cultural Revolution, where physicist Ye Wenjie is recruited to work on a top-secret military project. She unwittingly makes contact with an alien civilisation on a distant star system, the Trisolarans, whose own home planet is doomed to collapse thanks to a chaotic three-body gravitational system. This contact sets in motion a series of events that span decades as the Trisolarans prepare to invade Earth.
In the present day, nanomaterials research Wang Miao becomes embroiled in a mysterious game that simulates the Trisolaran world and soon discovers that humanity is under threat from an alien force. The novel explores the consequences of first contact, the fragility of human civilisation, and the vast scale of the universe. With its intricate plotting, exploration of science and technology, and philosophical depth, The Three-Body Problem is an epic narrative that challenges our understanding of both science and humanity’s future in the cosmos.
A Canticle For Leibowitz – Walter M. Miller Jr.
A Canticle for Leibowitz is another classic dystopian novel like Annihilation that unfolds in three parts, each separated by centuries, exploring the cyclical nature of history and the persistence of human folly. The novel orbits around the efforts of a group of monks in a remote abbey dedicated to preserving the knowledge after the “Flame Deluge” has almost wiped out humanity. The monks follow the teachings of the fictional Saint Leibowitz, a scientist who was executed for his role in the creation of destructive technology.
As they attempt to save what little knowledge remains, they are caught in the tension between faith, science, and the dangers of repeating past mistakes. With its exploration of religious themes, the ethics of scientific discovery, and the trapdoor that is human arrogance, A Canticle for Leibowitz raises questions about the role of knowledge and power in shaping the future. The novel’s richly detailed world and thought-provoking narrative make it a poignant meditation on the fragility of civilisation and the enduring impact of history.
The Fisherman – John Langan
John Langan’s The Fisherman is a haunting and atmospheric Lovecraftian horror novel that blends folklore, grief, and the supernatural. The story centres around two widowers, Abe and Dan, who take up fishing as a way of coping with their respective losses. They discover an idyllic, peaceful spot known as Dutchman’s Creek, a place rumoured to be cursed. As they return to fish, they encounter strange and unsettling occurrences, and the boundary between reality and myth soon begins to blur.
The novel weaves a disturbing narrative that explores the power of grief and the human desire to confront and overcome loss. Langan deftly ties elements of cosmic horror and folklore, as the men unravel the dark history tied to the land, which has long been the site of tragedies and sinister events. The Fisherman is a story all about the pull of the unknown and the terrifying forces lurking just beyond human understanding, making it one of the best weird fiction books for anyone who loves the dread present in Annihilation.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
