Jeff VanderMeer is set to release a new prequel titled 'Absolution', marking his return to the Southern Reach saga after a decade.

He expressed a sense of liberation from the decade-long demand for this installment, as readers have deeply engaged with the ambiguous themes of the original trilogy.

The Southern Reach trilogy, which includes 'Annihilation', 'Authority', and 'Acceptance', delves into the eerie Area X, an abandoned coastal region altered by a mysterious phenomenon and the secret agency attempting to comprehend it.

The original trilogy gained significant acclaim, becoming a bestseller and was even adapted into a Hollywood film directed by Alex Garland.

In 'Absolution', the narrative follows two characters from the original trilogy: Old Jim, a local resident, and Lowry, the sole survivor of the first expedition into Area X.

VanderMeer emphasizes that every word in 'Absolution' is carefully chosen, aiming to create a reading experience that is both disorienting and comprehensible.

While he believes 'Absolution' may serve as a conclusion to the Southern Reach series, VanderMeer remains open to future projects that are rich in detail and experience.

VanderMeer maintains a flexible writing approach, often revisiting unfinished works and allowing inspiration to guide his creative process.

He completed 'Absolution' in just six months, crafting a substantial 150,000-word draft following a burst of inspiration, making it his first novel since 'Hummingbird Salamander' in 2020.

VanderMeer began contemplating a new book in the series back in 2017, but it wasn't until July 31, 2022, that the concept for 'Absolution' fully crystallized.