The three previous books in the Southern Reach series were written and published within the span of a few months in 2014, and VanderMeer only started thinking about writing Absolution in 2017.

VanderMeer claims that the idea for Absolution's plot came to him almost fully formed on 31 July 2023, at which point he wrote continuously until 31 December.

The book then focuses on Old Jim, a local bar owner and a member of the Central agency, who is sent to investigate the expedition and a group of occultists performing experiments in the lighthouse.

[3][4] The Washington Post praised Absolution, stating that despite low expectations, it maintained the same quality as the original trilogy.

They note that the book managed to overcome the common issue of horror becoming less effective in longer works.