Jeff VanderMeer books in order
American writer
- Born
- 1968
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 33
- Series
- 1
Jeff VanderMeer has published 17 novels, 1 novella, 11 short story collections and 4 other books, beginning with City of Saints and Madmen (2001). The series is Southern Reach (4 books, starting with Annihilation). The best-known is Annihilation (2014). The latest is Absolution (2024).
Updated September 2026
Southern Reach books in order (4)Series page
Reading order: 1 Annihilation (2014) · 2 Authority (2014) · 3 Acceptance (2014) · 4 Absolution (2024)
- 1.
Annihilation (Feb 2014), also published as Borne
- 2.
Authority (May 2014), also published as Dead Astronauts
- 3.
Acceptance (Aug 2014), also published as Hummingbird Salamander
- 4.
Absolution (Oct 2024)
Where to start with Jeff VanderMeer
Start here
Annihilation
Jeff VanderMeer's most-read book and the first of the 4 Southern Reach books.
Newest
Absolution
Published October 2024.
Standalone novels in order
The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric & Discredited Diseases (2003)
Veniss Underground (Mar 2003)
Why Should I Cut Your Throat? (2004)
Shriek (2006)
Shriek: An Afterword (Jan 2006)
Best American Fantasy (2007)
South China Sea (2008)
Finch (Nov 2009)
The Steampunk Bible (2011)
Lost Transmissions (2019)
The Big Book of Classic Fantasy (2019)
A Peculiar Peril (2020)
The Big Book of Modern Fantasy (2020)
Novellas in order
The Strange Bird (2017)
Short story collections in order
City of Saints and Madmen (2001)
Secret Life (2004)
Strange Tales Of Secret Lives (2006)
Fast Ships Black Sails (2008)
The New Weird (2008)
Steampunk Ii: Steampunk Reloaded (2010)
The Third Bear (2010)
The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities (2011)
The Weird (2011)
Sisters of the Revolution: A Feminist Speculative Fiction Anthology (2015)
The Big Book of Science Fiction (2016)
Other books in order
The Day Dali Died (2003)
The Situation (2008)
The Three Quests of the Wizard Sarnod (2010)
This World Is Full of Monsters (2017)
Film and TV adaptations
- Annihilation (2018)Film · from Annihilation
About Jeff VanderMeer
Jeff VanderMeer is an American author and literary critic. Initially associated with the New Weird literary genre, before writing his Southern Reach Series. The series' first novel, Annihilation, won the Nebula and Shirley Jackson Awards, and was adapted into a Hollywood film by director Alex Garland. Among VanderMeer's other novels are Shriek: An Afterword and Borne. He has also edited with his wife Ann VanderMeer the anthologies The New Weird, The Weird, and The Big Book of Science Fiction.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Jeff VanderMeer FAQ
- How many books has Jeff VanderMeer written?
- Jeff VanderMeer has published 17 novels, 1 novella, 11 short story collections and 4 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Jeff VanderMeer's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Southern Reach with Annihilation. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Jeff VanderMeer's latest book?
- Absolution (2024).
- What is Jeff VanderMeer's most famous book?
- Annihilation (2014) is Jeff VanderMeer's most widely read book.
- Are Jeff VanderMeer's books connected?
- 4 books belong to 1 series (Southern Reach); the other 29 books stand alone.
- Which Jeff VanderMeer books have been adapted?
- 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including Annihilation (film, 2018).
Authors like Jeff VanderMeer
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Stephen King
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Cory Doctorow
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Neil Gaiman
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Robert E. Howard
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Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.