: Jeff VanderMeer noted that the idea came from a nightmare about "living words" on the walls of a subterranean staircase.

This is the best free and legal option. If you have a library card, download the app. Search for Annihilation . The library will loan you an Epub file for 14-21 days. It works perfectly on all e-readers and phones. This is 100% legal, supports the author (via library licensing), and costs nothing.

– Many platforms offer free samples of the first few chapters.