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孝械褉芯褉
袛械薪 小褨屑屑芯薪褋 /1948 褉. 薪./ 鈥� 胁褨写芯屑懈泄 邪屑械褉懈泻邪薪褋褜泻懈泄 锌懈褋褜屑械薪薪懈泻, 褟泻懈泄 褌胁芯褉懈褌褜 褍 褉褨蟹薪懈褏 卸邪薪褉邪褏 褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈泻懈, 蟹芯泻褉械屑邪 泻芯褋屑芯芯锌械褉懈, 谐芯褉芯褉褍, 屑褨褋褌懈褔薪芯谐芯 褌褉懈谢械褉褍, 邪 褌邪泻芯卸 褨褋褌芯褉懈褔薪芯谐芯 褉芯屑邪薪褍. 袛械薪 小褨屑屑芯薪褋 鈥� 邪胁褌芯褉 屑邪泄卸械 褌褉懈写褑褟褌懈 褉芯屑邪薪褨胁, 薪邪泄胁褨写芯屑褨褕懈屑懈 蟹 褟泻懈褏 褦 褑懈泻谢 芦袩褨褋薪褨 袚褨锌械褉褨芯薪邪禄 褌邪 褉芯屑邪薪 芦孝械褉芯褉禄, 褟泻懈泄 蟹 胁褉邪卸邪褞褔芯褞 褨褋褌芯褉懈褔薪芯褞 写芯褋褌芯胁褨褉薪褨褋褌褞 芯锌芯胁褨写邪褦 褨褋褌芯褉褨褞 械泻褋锌械写懈褑褨褩 袛卸芯薪邪 肖褉邪薪泻谢褨薪邪 薪邪 泻芯褉邪斜谢褟褏 芦袝褉械斜褍褋禄 褨 芦孝械褉芯褉禄, 褟泻褨 1845 褉芯泻褍 胁懈褉褍褕懈谢懈 薪邪 锌芯褕褍泻懈 袩褨胁薪褨褔薪芯-袟邪褏褨写薪芯谐芯 锌褉芯褏芯写褍 褍 袩褨胁薪褨褔薪芯屑褍 袥褜芯写芯胁懈褌芯屑褍 芯泻械邪薪褨.
小褜芯谐芯写薪褨 袛械薪 小褨屑屑芯薪褋 褦 芯写薪懈屑 褨蟹 薪邪泄锌芯褌褍卸薪褨褕懈褏 锌懈褋褜屑械薪薪懈泻褨胁 写芯胁泻芯谢邪褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈褔薪芯谐芯 薪邪锌褉褟屑褍 谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉懈. 袩芯褦写薪褍褞褔懈 褍 褋胁芯褩褏 褌胁芯褉邪褏 锌褉懈谐芯谢芯屑褕谢懈胁褨 褨写械褩 褌邪 锌褉懈锌褍褖械薪薪褟 蟹 褎褨谢褨谐褉邪薪薪懈屑 谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉薪懈屑 褋褌懈谢械屑, 胁褨薪 褋褌胁芯褉褞褦 锌芯-褋锌褉邪胁卸薪褜芯屑褍 械锌褨褔薪褨 褏褍写芯卸薪褨 锌芯谢芯褌薪邪, 谐褨写薪褨 泄芯谐芯 斜邪谐邪褌芯褉褨褔薪芯谐芯 写芯褋胁褨写褍 胁懈泻谢邪写邪褔邪 邪薪谐谢褨泄褋褜泻芯褩 谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉懈 褨 锌懈褋褜屑械薪薪懈褑褜泻芯谐芯 屑懈褋褌械褑褌胁邪, 邪 褌邪泻芯卸 锌芯褔械褋薪芯谐芯 蟹胁邪薪薪褟 写芯泻褌芯褉邪 谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉懈.
孝胁芯褉褔褨褋褌褜 袛械薪邪 小褨屑屑芯薪褋邪 薪械芯写薪芯褉邪蟹芯胁芯 斜褍谢邪 胁褨写蟹薪邪褔械薪邪 斜邪谐邪褌褜屑邪 胁邪谐芯屑懈屑懈 谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉薪懈屑懈 锌褉械屑褨褟屑懈, 褋械褉械写 褟泻懈褏 World Fantasy Award, Locus Award, Bram Stoker Awards, Hugo Award, British Science Fiction Association Award, Theodore Sturgeon Award, International Horror Guild Awards 褌邪 褨薪褕褨.
袛械薪 小褨屑屑芯薪褋 薪邪锌懈褋邪胁 褉芯屑邪薪 薪邪写蟹胁懈褔邪泄薪芯褩 械锌褨褔薪芯褩 褋懈谢懈 褍 锌褉懈蟹邪斜褍褌芯屑褍 薪懈薪褨 薪邪锌褉褟屑褨 谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉懈 锌褉芯 谐械褉芯褩褔薪械 锌褉芯褌懈褋褌芯褟薪薪褟 谢褞写懈薪懈 褨 褋谢褨锌芯褩, 屑芯谐褍褌薪褜芯褩 褌邪 卸芯褉褋褌芯泻芯褩 锌褉懈褉芯写懈. 啸褌芯褋褜 蟹薪邪泄写械 褌褍褌 邪薪邪谢芯谐褨褩 蟹 芦袦芯斜褨 袛褨泻芯屑禄 袚械褉屑邪薪邪 袦械谢胁褨谢谢邪, 泻芯屑褍褋褜 褑械泄 褌胁褨褉 薪邪谐邪写邪褦 卸芯褉褋褌泻褨褕褍 泄 锌芯褏屑褍褉褨褕褍 胁械褉褋褨褞 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪褜 袛卸械泻邪 袥芯薪写芯薪邪 锌褉芯 锌褨胁薪褨褔, 锌褉芯褌械 褑械 斜褍写褍褌褜 谢懈褕械 写芯褋懈褌褜 锌褉懈斜谢懈蟹薪褨 邪薪邪谢芯谐褨褩, 褟泻褨 褑褨谢泻芯胁懈褌芯 褉芯蟹胁褨褞褞褌褜褋褟 锌褉懈 锌械褉褕芯屑褍 卸 蟹薪邪泄芯屑褋褌胁褨 蟹 褑懈屑 褉芯屑邪薪芯屑. 校 锌褉芯褑械褋褨 褉芯斜芯褌懈 薪邪写 芦孝械褉芯褉芯屑禄 袛械薪 小褨屑屑芯薪褋 写芯胁谐芯 褌邪 褉械褌械谢褜薪芯 芯锌褉邪褑褜芯胁褍胁邪胁 邪褉褏褨胁懈, 褍 褉械蟹褍谢褜褌邪褌褨 褔芯谐芯 锌褨写 褔邪褋 褔懈褌邪薪薪褟 褉芯屑邪薪褍 胁懈薪懈泻邪褦 胁褨写褔褍褌褌褟 锌褉懈褋褍褌薪芯褋褌褨 褋械褉械写 谐械褉芯褩胁 褉械邪谢褜薪芯褩 械泻褋锌械写懈褑褨褩 写胁芯褏 泻芯褉邪斜谢褨胁 袣芯褉芯谢褨胁褋褜泻芯谐芯 褎谢芯褌褍 袙械谢懈泻芯斜褉懈褌邪薪褨褩 鈥� 芦袝褉械斜褍褋邪禄 褨 芦孝械褉芯褉褍禄, 褟泻褨 1845 褉芯泻褍 锌芯泻懈薪褍谢懈 褉褨写薪懈泄 锌芯褉褌 褍 锌芯褕褍泻邪褏 袩褨胁薪褨褔薪芯-袟邪褏褨写薪芯谐芯 锌褉芯褏芯写褍 褔械褉械蟹 袩褨胁薪褨褔薪懈泄 袥褜芯写芯胁懈褌懈泄 芯泻械邪薪. 袣芯褉邪斜谢褨 褌邪泻 褨 薪械 锌芯胁械褉薪褍谢懈褋褟, 褨 小褨屑屑芯薪褋 胁芯写薪芯褔邪褋 蟹 写械褌邪谢褜薪懈屑 芯锌懈褋芯屑 械泻褋锌械写懈褑褨褩 锌芯写邪褦 褋胁芯褦 斜邪褔械薪薪褟 锌褉懈褔懈薪 褩褩 褎褨邪褋泻芯.
袩褨胁薪褨褔, 谢褞褌懈泄 褏芯谢芯写 褨 薪械 屑械薪褕 写芯褕泻褍谢褜薪懈泄 谐芯谢芯写, 邪 褌邪泻芯卸 褋屑械褉褌褜 胁褨写 薪邪写锌褉懈褉芯写薪芯谐芯 褔芯谐芯褋褜, 褟泻邪 锌芯胁褋褟泻褔邪褋 褔邪褩褌褜褋褟 写械褋褜 锌芯褉褟写, 褉邪蟹 褍 褉邪蟹 蟹邪斜懈褉邪褞褔懈 卸懈褌褌褟 褍褔邪褋薪懈泻褨胁 械泻褋锌械写懈褑褨褩. 袧邪 褌谢褨 褍 斜褍泻胁邪谢褜薪芯屑褍 褋械薪褋褨 褋屑械褉褌械谢褜薪芯-锌褉械泻褉邪褋薪懈褏 锌械泄蟹邪卸褨胁 锌褨胁薪芯褔褨 胁褨写斜褍胁邪褦褌褜褋褟 斜芯褉芯褌褜斜邪 蟹 斜邪泄写褍卸芯褞 褨 卸芯褉褋褌芯泻芯褞 写芯 谢褞写懈薪懈 锌褉懈褉芯写芯褞, 斜芯褉芯褌褜斜邪 蟹 褔懈屑芯褋褜 薪械胁褨写芯屑懈屑, 褔芯谐芯 薪械 屑芯卸褍褌褜 褋锌懈薪懈褌懈 邪薪褨 褉褍褕薪懈褑褨, 邪薪褨 薪邪泄谢褞褌褨褕褨 斜褍褉褨 锌褨胁薪褨褔薪芯褩 蟹懈屑懈, 胁褉械褕褌褨-褉械褕褌, 斜芯褉芯褌褜斜邪 芯写薪械 蟹 芯写薪懈屑, 邪写卸械, 褟泻 胁褨写芯屑芯 蟹 写邪胁薪褨褏-写邪胁械薪, 谢褞写懈薪邪 鈥� 薪邪泄褋褌褉邪褕薪褨褕懈泄 褨 薪邪泄卸芯褉褋褌芯泻褨褕懈泄 蟹胁褨褉.
小褜芯谐芯写薪褨 袛械薪 小褨屑屑芯薪褋 褦 芯写薪懈屑 褨蟹 薪邪泄锌芯褌褍卸薪褨褕懈褏 锌懈褋褜屑械薪薪懈泻褨胁 写芯胁泻芯谢邪褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈褔薪芯谐芯 薪邪锌褉褟屑褍 谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉懈. 袩芯褦写薪褍褞褔懈 褍 褋胁芯褩褏 褌胁芯褉邪褏 锌褉懈谐芯谢芯屑褕谢懈胁褨 褨写械褩 褌邪 锌褉懈锌褍褖械薪薪褟 蟹 褎褨谢褨谐褉邪薪薪懈屑 谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉薪懈屑 褋褌懈谢械屑, 胁褨薪 褋褌胁芯褉褞褦 锌芯-褋锌褉邪胁卸薪褜芯屑褍 械锌褨褔薪褨 褏褍写芯卸薪褨 锌芯谢芯褌薪邪, 谐褨写薪褨 泄芯谐芯 斜邪谐邪褌芯褉褨褔薪芯谐芯 写芯褋胁褨写褍 胁懈泻谢邪写邪褔邪 邪薪谐谢褨泄褋褜泻芯褩 谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉懈 褨 锌懈褋褜屑械薪薪懈褑褜泻芯谐芯 屑懈褋褌械褑褌胁邪, 邪 褌邪泻芯卸 锌芯褔械褋薪芯谐芯 蟹胁邪薪薪褟 写芯泻褌芯褉邪 谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉懈.
孝胁芯褉褔褨褋褌褜 袛械薪邪 小褨屑屑芯薪褋邪 薪械芯写薪芯褉邪蟹芯胁芯 斜褍谢邪 胁褨写蟹薪邪褔械薪邪 斜邪谐邪褌褜屑邪 胁邪谐芯屑懈屑懈 谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉薪懈屑懈 锌褉械屑褨褟屑懈, 褋械褉械写 褟泻懈褏 World Fantasy Award, Locus Award, Bram Stoker Awards, Hugo Award, British Science Fiction Association Award, Theodore Sturgeon Award, International Horror Guild Awards 褌邪 褨薪褕褨.
袛械薪 小褨屑屑芯薪褋 薪邪锌懈褋邪胁 褉芯屑邪薪 薪邪写蟹胁懈褔邪泄薪芯褩 械锌褨褔薪芯褩 褋懈谢懈 褍 锌褉懈蟹邪斜褍褌芯屑褍 薪懈薪褨 薪邪锌褉褟屑褨 谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉懈 锌褉芯 谐械褉芯褩褔薪械 锌褉芯褌懈褋褌芯褟薪薪褟 谢褞写懈薪懈 褨 褋谢褨锌芯褩, 屑芯谐褍褌薪褜芯褩 褌邪 卸芯褉褋褌芯泻芯褩 锌褉懈褉芯写懈. 啸褌芯褋褜 蟹薪邪泄写械 褌褍褌 邪薪邪谢芯谐褨褩 蟹 芦袦芯斜褨 袛褨泻芯屑禄 袚械褉屑邪薪邪 袦械谢胁褨谢谢邪, 泻芯屑褍褋褜 褑械泄 褌胁褨褉 薪邪谐邪写邪褦 卸芯褉褋褌泻褨褕褍 泄 锌芯褏屑褍褉褨褕褍 胁械褉褋褨褞 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪褜 袛卸械泻邪 袥芯薪写芯薪邪 锌褉芯 锌褨胁薪褨褔, 锌褉芯褌械 褑械 斜褍写褍褌褜 谢懈褕械 写芯褋懈褌褜 锌褉懈斜谢懈蟹薪褨 邪薪邪谢芯谐褨褩, 褟泻褨 褑褨谢泻芯胁懈褌芯 褉芯蟹胁褨褞褞褌褜褋褟 锌褉懈 锌械褉褕芯屑褍 卸 蟹薪邪泄芯屑褋褌胁褨 蟹 褑懈屑 褉芯屑邪薪芯屑. 校 锌褉芯褑械褋褨 褉芯斜芯褌懈 薪邪写 芦孝械褉芯褉芯屑禄 袛械薪 小褨屑屑芯薪褋 写芯胁谐芯 褌邪 褉械褌械谢褜薪芯 芯锌褉邪褑褜芯胁褍胁邪胁 邪褉褏褨胁懈, 褍 褉械蟹褍谢褜褌邪褌褨 褔芯谐芯 锌褨写 褔邪褋 褔懈褌邪薪薪褟 褉芯屑邪薪褍 胁懈薪懈泻邪褦 胁褨写褔褍褌褌褟 锌褉懈褋褍褌薪芯褋褌褨 褋械褉械写 谐械褉芯褩胁 褉械邪谢褜薪芯褩 械泻褋锌械写懈褑褨褩 写胁芯褏 泻芯褉邪斜谢褨胁 袣芯褉芯谢褨胁褋褜泻芯谐芯 褎谢芯褌褍 袙械谢懈泻芯斜褉懈褌邪薪褨褩 鈥� 芦袝褉械斜褍褋邪禄 褨 芦孝械褉芯褉褍禄, 褟泻褨 1845 褉芯泻褍 锌芯泻懈薪褍谢懈 褉褨写薪懈泄 锌芯褉褌 褍 锌芯褕褍泻邪褏 袩褨胁薪褨褔薪芯-袟邪褏褨写薪芯谐芯 锌褉芯褏芯写褍 褔械褉械蟹 袩褨胁薪褨褔薪懈泄 袥褜芯写芯胁懈褌懈泄 芯泻械邪薪. 袣芯褉邪斜谢褨 褌邪泻 褨 薪械 锌芯胁械褉薪褍谢懈褋褟, 褨 小褨屑屑芯薪褋 胁芯写薪芯褔邪褋 蟹 写械褌邪谢褜薪懈屑 芯锌懈褋芯屑 械泻褋锌械写懈褑褨褩 锌芯写邪褦 褋胁芯褦 斜邪褔械薪薪褟 锌褉懈褔懈薪 褩褩 褎褨邪褋泻芯.
袩褨胁薪褨褔, 谢褞褌懈泄 褏芯谢芯写 褨 薪械 屑械薪褕 写芯褕泻褍谢褜薪懈泄 谐芯谢芯写, 邪 褌邪泻芯卸 褋屑械褉褌褜 胁褨写 薪邪写锌褉懈褉芯写薪芯谐芯 褔芯谐芯褋褜, 褟泻邪 锌芯胁褋褟泻褔邪褋 褔邪褩褌褜褋褟 写械褋褜 锌芯褉褟写, 褉邪蟹 褍 褉邪蟹 蟹邪斜懈褉邪褞褔懈 卸懈褌褌褟 褍褔邪褋薪懈泻褨胁 械泻褋锌械写懈褑褨褩. 袧邪 褌谢褨 褍 斜褍泻胁邪谢褜薪芯屑褍 褋械薪褋褨 褋屑械褉褌械谢褜薪芯-锌褉械泻褉邪褋薪懈褏 锌械泄蟹邪卸褨胁 锌褨胁薪芯褔褨 胁褨写斜褍胁邪褦褌褜褋褟 斜芯褉芯褌褜斜邪 蟹 斜邪泄写褍卸芯褞 褨 卸芯褉褋褌芯泻芯褞 写芯 谢褞写懈薪懈 锌褉懈褉芯写芯褞, 斜芯褉芯褌褜斜邪 蟹 褔懈屑芯褋褜 薪械胁褨写芯屑懈屑, 褔芯谐芯 薪械 屑芯卸褍褌褜 褋锌懈薪懈褌懈 邪薪褨 褉褍褕薪懈褑褨, 邪薪褨 薪邪泄谢褞褌褨褕褨 斜褍褉褨 锌褨胁薪褨褔薪芯褩 蟹懈屑懈, 胁褉械褕褌褨-褉械褕褌, 斜芯褉芯褌褜斜邪 芯写薪械 蟹 芯写薪懈屑, 邪写卸械, 褟泻 胁褨写芯屑芯 蟹 写邪胁薪褨褏-写邪胁械薪, 谢褞写懈薪邪 鈥� 薪邪泄褋褌褉邪褕薪褨褕懈泄 褨 薪邪泄卸芯褉褋褌芯泻褨褕懈泄 蟹胁褨褉.
672 pages, Hardcover
First published January 8, 2007
6596 people are currently reading
107456 people want to read
About the author
Dan Simmons
270听books13.1k听followersDan Simmons is an American science fiction and horror writer. He is the author of the Hyperion Cantos and the Ilium/Olympos cycles, among other works that span the science fiction, horror, and fantasy genres, sometimes within a single novel. Simmons's genre-intermingling Song of Kali (1985) won the World Fantasy Award. He also writes mysteries and thrillers, some of which feature the continuing character Joe Kurtz.
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September 10, 2016
To: Mr. Dan Simmons
From: Associated Publishing Industries Unlimited, Ltd.
Subject: Your Recent Submission The Terror
Thank you for your recent submission. Unfortunately, at this time, we do not see a fit between your product and our company's goals.
Although our senior staff appreciated your technical ability, we noted several serious issues with your submission that need to be resolved prior to your product finding placement. These include, but are not limited to:
1. Extensive and Excessive Length. A common error made by both the reading public and the writing community is that the modern novel must exceed 700 plus pages. The success of the Harry Potter series has only contributed to this misunderstanding. What many fail to understand is that this is simply the result of spacing and font size; the truth of the matter is that novels like those written by Ms. Rowling are no larger than any given novel by Beatrix Potter. Despite the fixation on what are basically large-print serials, our focus groups more frequently maintain that "The Shorter, The Better" - particularly given their short attention spans and addiction to pop culture media e.g. Us Magazine, Jersey Shore, Charlie Sheen, and the like.
2. Lack of Genre. Your product appears to include traits from the Historical Novel, the Horror Novel (specifically its subset, the Monster Novel), and the Metaphysical Odyssey. Associated Publishing Industries Unlimited, Ltd. products must strictly adhere to our "One Novel, One Genre" company philosophy. The general reading public is a busy public, and have no time for the perplexing muddiness of genre mixing-and-matching.
3. (a) Lack of Traditional Romance;
(b) Negative AND Positive Depictions of Homosexual Activity;
(c) Interracial Sexuality Not Resulting in Punishment and/or Death of Non-White Character by Novel's End.
Please understand that our editorial staff has no personal issues with any of the above-noted items (in fact, our marketing department actively supports the targeting of the lucrative Gay/Homosexual demographic within our Ghettoized Associated Publishing Industries Unlimited, Ltd. subset label). However, the presence of all three alternative lifestyle choices/options within a single novel - one intended for mainstream consumption - can only yield confused, 'buy-shy' reactions from our reading public.
4. (a) Lack of Resolution. Your novel does not have a solid ending. It only offers questions, not answers. Additionally, the "dreamlike tone" of the final pages were off-puttingly "poetic" "ambiguous" and "transcendent"... three adjectives that our focus groups vehemently reject when considering reading options. this Lack of Resolution would not necessarily be problematic if your submission was intended to be the first in a multi-novel saga; however it is quite clear from your ending that another issue is
(b) Lack of Potential for Sequel or Series.
5. Too Many Details. oh, and 6. Too Many Big Words.
We sincerely thank you for your time/effort.
Signed,
An Associated Publishing Industries Unlimited, Ltd. Representative
From: Associated Publishing Industries Unlimited, Ltd.
Subject: Your Recent Submission The Terror
Thank you for your recent submission. Unfortunately, at this time, we do not see a fit between your product and our company's goals.
Although our senior staff appreciated your technical ability, we noted several serious issues with your submission that need to be resolved prior to your product finding placement. These include, but are not limited to:
1. Extensive and Excessive Length. A common error made by both the reading public and the writing community is that the modern novel must exceed 700 plus pages. The success of the Harry Potter series has only contributed to this misunderstanding. What many fail to understand is that this is simply the result of spacing and font size; the truth of the matter is that novels like those written by Ms. Rowling are no larger than any given novel by Beatrix Potter. Despite the fixation on what are basically large-print serials, our focus groups more frequently maintain that "The Shorter, The Better" - particularly given their short attention spans and addiction to pop culture media e.g. Us Magazine, Jersey Shore, Charlie Sheen, and the like.
2. Lack of Genre. Your product appears to include traits from the Historical Novel, the Horror Novel (specifically its subset, the Monster Novel), and the Metaphysical Odyssey. Associated Publishing Industries Unlimited, Ltd. products must strictly adhere to our "One Novel, One Genre" company philosophy. The general reading public is a busy public, and have no time for the perplexing muddiness of genre mixing-and-matching.
3. (a) Lack of Traditional Romance;
(b) Negative AND Positive Depictions of Homosexual Activity;
(c) Interracial Sexuality Not Resulting in Punishment and/or Death of Non-White Character by Novel's End.
Please understand that our editorial staff has no personal issues with any of the above-noted items (in fact, our marketing department actively supports the targeting of the lucrative Gay/Homosexual demographic within our Ghettoized Associated Publishing Industries Unlimited, Ltd. subset label). However, the presence of all three alternative lifestyle choices/options within a single novel - one intended for mainstream consumption - can only yield confused, 'buy-shy' reactions from our reading public.
4. (a) Lack of Resolution. Your novel does not have a solid ending. It only offers questions, not answers. Additionally, the "dreamlike tone" of the final pages were off-puttingly "poetic" "ambiguous" and "transcendent"... three adjectives that our focus groups vehemently reject when considering reading options. this Lack of Resolution would not necessarily be problematic if your submission was intended to be the first in a multi-novel saga; however it is quite clear from your ending that another issue is
(b) Lack of Potential for Sequel or Series.
5. Too Many Details. oh, and 6. Too Many Big Words.
We sincerely thank you for your time/effort.
Signed,
An Associated Publishing Industries Unlimited, Ltd. Representative
June 8, 2013
September 7, 2010: I don't want to talk about it right now. It's too soon and the pain is still too fresh. I shall review on another day.
September 17, 2010: It's been well over a week since my encounter with The Terror and the thought of writing a review still exhausts me, but here it goes.
I have read many glowing reviews of The Terror. That is, in fact, why I bought it. I mean, check out this kick ass plot:
Two British ships, the Terror and the Erebus, are frozen in the polar sea for years, waiting in vain for a summer thaw. This is, of course, based upon the doomed Franklin expedition, so we have some serious history going on here. Now, add to that a dash of the supernatural--something is out there on the ice. It terrorizes the men, seeming to materialize from nowhere. It's three times the size of a polar bear and has the vicious, bloodthirsty nature of a predator, as well as the keen intelligence of a man. It's like a giant cat toying with the two ships as if they were terrified mice in a corner. There's nowhere to go, guns don't faze the the thing the men dub "The Terror", and, now, the food supply is running out.
That's some frightening shit. It's the arctic. That alone is frightening. It can drive a man insane. It's the nothingness. The whiteness. The endless-ness. Howard Moon and Vince Noir .
And that's part of what ruined the book in the beginning. All I could think as I read the first few chapters was "ice floe, nowhere to go." I think that might have taken away from the tone a bit.
But here are some other more text-based reasons for the seething black pit of hatred that I have for this book:
a) History or supernatural, Simmons needs to pick a side because the two storylines always seemed to run parallel to one another and never quite came together. It was like, "Okay, for 100 pages, I'm going to have the men fearing for their lives as this thing attacks them. I'm going to build tension and suspense and have my readers empathetically shitting down both legs! And then I'm going to flashback for 50 pages to boring nautical talk amongst stuffy British types before the expedition and then spend 150 pages talking about Welsh Wigs and Goldner food tins and building sledges and maybe I'll even talk about buggering, but no mention whatsoever of the monster for another 50 pages!" Simmons was at his best when describing the encounters between the men and the thing on the ice, but these moments were so few and far between that I just got to the point where I didn't care anymore.
b) Too much historical minutiae. The book should have been 300 pages shorter. There were entire sections that didn't add anything to the narrative. I like my history like I like my men: short and concise.
c) Scurvy is some wicked bad shite. A slow death by scurvy is undoubtedly one of the worst ways to die. But do you know what's worse? A slow death by reading endless accounts of the symptoms of scurvy.
d) There are no likeable characters. In fact, there is little to differentiate one man from another. If you left out the dialogue tags, it would have sounded like one man having a conversation with himself. The only character I like is Pangle, who, alas, appears in just a chapter or two of this 766 page behemoth.
e) I was really pissed when I finally found out what the thing was. The main reason? THAT'S what I wanted to read more about. And it took roughly 700 pages to get to a point where I was actually interested and intrigued and it cut me off.
There were some bright spots. When Simmons wrote about the thing attacking the men, leaving bait for them and taunting them, he evoked moments that were truly terrifying and suspenseful. However, there just weren't enough of them. Sure, the attempts to survive against cold, hunger, and disease should have been compelling stuff, but they made for anemic reading when pitted against a terrifying adversary without name or shape. Also, the chapter in which the men throw a carnivale and erect tents that mirror the rooms in Edgar Allan Poe's The Masque of the Red Death is admittedly brilliant.
When it comes right down to it, though, The Mighty Boosh did a far superior job of capturing the terror of the arctic. When Howard admonishes Vince that "The arctic is no respecter of fashion," I still get chills. The same cannot be said of my reaction to The Terror.
Cross posted at
September 17, 2010: It's been well over a week since my encounter with The Terror and the thought of writing a review still exhausts me, but here it goes.
I have read many glowing reviews of The Terror. That is, in fact, why I bought it. I mean, check out this kick ass plot:
Two British ships, the Terror and the Erebus, are frozen in the polar sea for years, waiting in vain for a summer thaw. This is, of course, based upon the doomed Franklin expedition, so we have some serious history going on here. Now, add to that a dash of the supernatural--something is out there on the ice. It terrorizes the men, seeming to materialize from nowhere. It's three times the size of a polar bear and has the vicious, bloodthirsty nature of a predator, as well as the keen intelligence of a man. It's like a giant cat toying with the two ships as if they were terrified mice in a corner. There's nowhere to go, guns don't faze the the thing the men dub "The Terror", and, now, the food supply is running out.
That's some frightening shit. It's the arctic. That alone is frightening. It can drive a man insane. It's the nothingness. The whiteness. The endless-ness. Howard Moon and Vince Noir .
And that's part of what ruined the book in the beginning. All I could think as I read the first few chapters was "ice floe, nowhere to go." I think that might have taken away from the tone a bit.
But here are some other more text-based reasons for the seething black pit of hatred that I have for this book:
a) History or supernatural, Simmons needs to pick a side because the two storylines always seemed to run parallel to one another and never quite came together. It was like, "Okay, for 100 pages, I'm going to have the men fearing for their lives as this thing attacks them. I'm going to build tension and suspense and have my readers empathetically shitting down both legs! And then I'm going to flashback for 50 pages to boring nautical talk amongst stuffy British types before the expedition and then spend 150 pages talking about Welsh Wigs and Goldner food tins and building sledges and maybe I'll even talk about buggering, but no mention whatsoever of the monster for another 50 pages!" Simmons was at his best when describing the encounters between the men and the thing on the ice, but these moments were so few and far between that I just got to the point where I didn't care anymore.
b) Too much historical minutiae. The book should have been 300 pages shorter. There were entire sections that didn't add anything to the narrative. I like my history like I like my men: short and concise.
c) Scurvy is some wicked bad shite. A slow death by scurvy is undoubtedly one of the worst ways to die. But do you know what's worse? A slow death by reading endless accounts of the symptoms of scurvy.
d) There are no likeable characters. In fact, there is little to differentiate one man from another. If you left out the dialogue tags, it would have sounded like one man having a conversation with himself. The only character I like is Pangle, who, alas, appears in just a chapter or two of this 766 page behemoth.
e) I was really pissed when I finally found out what the thing was. The main reason? THAT'S what I wanted to read more about. And it took roughly 700 pages to get to a point where I was actually interested and intrigued and it cut me off.
There were some bright spots. When Simmons wrote about the thing attacking the men, leaving bait for them and taunting them, he evoked moments that were truly terrifying and suspenseful. However, there just weren't enough of them. Sure, the attempts to survive against cold, hunger, and disease should have been compelling stuff, but they made for anemic reading when pitted against a terrifying adversary without name or shape. Also, the chapter in which the men throw a carnivale and erect tents that mirror the rooms in Edgar Allan Poe's The Masque of the Red Death is admittedly brilliant.
When it comes right down to it, though, The Mighty Boosh did a far superior job of capturing the terror of the arctic. When Howard admonishes Vince that "The arctic is no respecter of fashion," I still get chills. The same cannot be said of my reaction to The Terror.
Cross posted at
June 27, 2018
**lo! i have made a readalike list for this book over on riffle!**
oh my god, let me never get scurvy.
i am glad i am such a grad-school overachiever. for both the horror/sci-fi and mystery portions of my readers' advisory class, i have read one extra title from the selection list, and both times, i have liked the extra title best. (i did not choose to read an extra romance title, so we will never know how that would have turned out, alas)
this book is a rare combination of to the lighthouse, and the thing, with hardy-esque occurrences of misunderstanding and some cannibalism thrown in for the kiddies. plus boats and ice and monster.
like , it is the supernatural elements of the story that end up being the least scary. nature is scary enough. cave-exploration, even for feisty extreme-sport doing, athletic-looking girls, becomes terrifying, even before any monsters show up. monsters are icing. for this book, scurvy, madness, murder, temperatures of 78 degrees below zero, starvation, frostbite, gangrene, botulism, did i mention scurvy??- i mean, isn't that enough without a giant monster stalking and eating your seamen?
but i am,to my great dismay, not easily scared.this, to me, was the most promising trailer in the world: but the movie was not scary, and in fact made me cross because of the ways in which it was not scary. i thought i had finally met my match, but i wound up being utterly disappointed. being scared is not too much to hope for, is it?? this book, while it is not going to keep me up tonight, has several really good "oh shit" moments. (and i hope that answers lori's question)
i love the cold, but this book made me pray for global warming to hurry up and save these poor men. (this feeling will last until one of you jokers sends me a picture of a sad polar bear - awwww) but seriously, shit is COLD!!
and i got so into the book that i took the wrong bus on monday and traveled a half hour in the wrong direction before looking up from the book to realize my mistake, and also skipped work (ostensibly because of residual bad-feeling from hellish customers yesterday and faulty alarm clock [both true:], but also because i wanted to finish this book before the ending could get ruined for me in class tonight)
it is an amazingly well-researched book, which may ruin it as horror genre-fiction for people who want their horror fast, cheap, and hard. there are tons of details about rigging and naval protocol and ice conditions and many repetitions of the survivor's names - there are echoes of moby dick here, in its dullish bits about whale anatomy that might be a staple of maritime fiction for all i know, but make the progress a little slower than the monstrous stephen king i read as the other horror title for this class. i think all the details add too much weight to the story to let it retain its status as genre fiction. for myself i would consider it historical fiction with some supernatural zazz.
but it remains totally absorbing, totally gripping, and despite all the questions i raised about the pacing, it is ultimately scarier than the king, whose characters remain cartoonish and too one-dimensional to be scary. except for large marge, cartoons are not scary. here, the danger seems imminent - there are incredible moments of tension and so many beloved characters having unfortunate things happen to them. do not become attached to any of them, because in the end, many seamen are swallowed, and several are spit out.
(that was unavoidable and you know it)
oh my god, let me never get scurvy.
i am glad i am such a grad-school overachiever. for both the horror/sci-fi and mystery portions of my readers' advisory class, i have read one extra title from the selection list, and both times, i have liked the extra title best. (i did not choose to read an extra romance title, so we will never know how that would have turned out, alas)
this book is a rare combination of to the lighthouse, and the thing, with hardy-esque occurrences of misunderstanding and some cannibalism thrown in for the kiddies. plus boats and ice and monster.
like , it is the supernatural elements of the story that end up being the least scary. nature is scary enough. cave-exploration, even for feisty extreme-sport doing, athletic-looking girls, becomes terrifying, even before any monsters show up. monsters are icing. for this book, scurvy, madness, murder, temperatures of 78 degrees below zero, starvation, frostbite, gangrene, botulism, did i mention scurvy??- i mean, isn't that enough without a giant monster stalking and eating your seamen?
but i am,to my great dismay, not easily scared.this, to me, was the most promising trailer in the world: but the movie was not scary, and in fact made me cross because of the ways in which it was not scary. i thought i had finally met my match, but i wound up being utterly disappointed. being scared is not too much to hope for, is it?? this book, while it is not going to keep me up tonight, has several really good "oh shit" moments. (and i hope that answers lori's question)
i love the cold, but this book made me pray for global warming to hurry up and save these poor men. (this feeling will last until one of you jokers sends me a picture of a sad polar bear - awwww) but seriously, shit is COLD!!
and i got so into the book that i took the wrong bus on monday and traveled a half hour in the wrong direction before looking up from the book to realize my mistake, and also skipped work (ostensibly because of residual bad-feeling from hellish customers yesterday and faulty alarm clock [both true:], but also because i wanted to finish this book before the ending could get ruined for me in class tonight)
it is an amazingly well-researched book, which may ruin it as horror genre-fiction for people who want their horror fast, cheap, and hard. there are tons of details about rigging and naval protocol and ice conditions and many repetitions of the survivor's names - there are echoes of moby dick here, in its dullish bits about whale anatomy that might be a staple of maritime fiction for all i know, but make the progress a little slower than the monstrous stephen king i read as the other horror title for this class. i think all the details add too much weight to the story to let it retain its status as genre fiction. for myself i would consider it historical fiction with some supernatural zazz.
but it remains totally absorbing, totally gripping, and despite all the questions i raised about the pacing, it is ultimately scarier than the king, whose characters remain cartoonish and too one-dimensional to be scary. except for large marge, cartoons are not scary. here, the danger seems imminent - there are incredible moments of tension and so many beloved characters having unfortunate things happen to them. do not become attached to any of them, because in the end, many seamen are swallowed, and several are spit out.
(that was unavoidable and you know it)
July 11, 2023
In 1845 Sir John Franklin lead an exhibition of two big ships and crews in search of the Arctic's fabled North West Passage - this splendidly created and surprisingly subversively horrific book is ' very detailed, and very believable, fictionalised version of what happened to the 129 men of this expedition; and it's a doozy of a story, another epic Simmons' piece of work. The killer thing is though, if you read about what has since been found from the Arctic and the wrecks, nearly all of Simmons' story is based on actual facts! 8.5 out of 12, frosty Four Stars.
And just to add... this is easily one of the most informative and interesting historical fiction books I have ever read! (It's the horror content that stops this getting Five Stars!)
2019 read
And just to add... this is easily one of the most informative and interesting historical fiction books I have ever read! (It's the horror content that stops this getting Five Stars!)
2019 read
April 13, 2022
Whew! I finished it. Wowza!
This is such a long book!!!!!!!
Don鈥檛 go into this one unless you enjoy big books, having the patience to let the story evolve and knowing that the pace can be slow at times.
I stuck in there from the beginning and the ending was well worth it! I was struggling in the beginning because the first 10 or so chapters in this book alternate between the present and the past when the Franklin expedition was started.
It also has different POV chapters with characters so know that going in as well. You'll figure out who everyone is if you just take the time to let the story develop.
While reading The Terror during winter, I always felt cold. This story sucks all the warmth from you from the below freezing temperatures in the book, the bleak surroundings, and the isolation that the Franklin expedition endured. The Arctic was its own character in this book with the constant darkness and freezing conditions.
Good grief, I now need to go on a vacation to a warm tropical island after reading this book!
This was a re-telling of the Franklin expedition from the details of the officers, seamen and the steps they took that got them stuck in the ice during the period of 1845-1848 near King William Island. The Royal Navy wanted to find a Northwest Passage from Britain to China and going through the Arctic was the steps they wanted to take to accomplish this.
In the Royal Navy鈥檚 mind, whether this expedition made it was another story.
Just keeping trying until they can get that Chinese tea and opium! It's gold I tell ya!
Dan Simmons not only used the real names of the crew from HMS Erebus and HMS Terror but he used historical details of the nautical life during that time and geographical locations to really give this book staying power. I kept thinking, is this non-fiction but then the white, monster-like Yeti would come into the next chapter and I would say, 鈥淣ope!鈥�.
The best part of this book was finding out that men can be more of a monster then the "demonthing" monster. Simmons writes this well and I experienced such hatred and despair while reading the last 25% of this book!
Jesus, I wanted to turn into the white, monster-like Yeti myself and kill some people!
I鈥檓 still not sure how to categorize this book. I鈥檓 guessing its a main dish of historical fiction, a side dish of some horror with a dessert of magical realism.
I really enjoyed the ending. It ended on a high note and I was satisfied with slogging through the Arctic and the slow beginning to get there!
This is such a long book!!!!!!!
Don鈥檛 go into this one unless you enjoy big books, having the patience to let the story evolve and knowing that the pace can be slow at times.
I stuck in there from the beginning and the ending was well worth it! I was struggling in the beginning because the first 10 or so chapters in this book alternate between the present and the past when the Franklin expedition was started.
It also has different POV chapters with characters so know that going in as well. You'll figure out who everyone is if you just take the time to let the story develop.
While reading The Terror during winter, I always felt cold. This story sucks all the warmth from you from the below freezing temperatures in the book, the bleak surroundings, and the isolation that the Franklin expedition endured. The Arctic was its own character in this book with the constant darkness and freezing conditions.
Good grief, I now need to go on a vacation to a warm tropical island after reading this book!
This was a re-telling of the Franklin expedition from the details of the officers, seamen and the steps they took that got them stuck in the ice during the period of 1845-1848 near King William Island. The Royal Navy wanted to find a Northwest Passage from Britain to China and going through the Arctic was the steps they wanted to take to accomplish this.
In the Royal Navy鈥檚 mind, whether this expedition made it was another story.
Just keeping trying until they can get that Chinese tea and opium! It's gold I tell ya!
Dan Simmons not only used the real names of the crew from HMS Erebus and HMS Terror but he used historical details of the nautical life during that time and geographical locations to really give this book staying power. I kept thinking, is this non-fiction but then the white, monster-like Yeti would come into the next chapter and I would say, 鈥淣ope!鈥�.
The best part of this book was finding out that men can be more of a monster then the "demonthing" monster. Simmons writes this well and I experienced such hatred and despair while reading the last 25% of this book!
Jesus, I wanted to turn into the white, monster-like Yeti myself and kill some people!
I鈥檓 still not sure how to categorize this book. I鈥檓 guessing its a main dish of historical fiction, a side dish of some horror with a dessert of magical realism.
I really enjoyed the ending. It ended on a high note and I was satisfied with slogging through the Arctic and the slow beginning to get there!
July 27, 2017
UPDATE: $2.99 on kindle US 7-27-17
People, just turn around and go home!
I probably shouldn't have went and read some facts about the history of this book because I might mess this review up. It's just so freaking interesting and I want to read about it. The author left a lot of resources for books at the end and there is one I'm going to try to get for sure.
The fact that Dan Simmons added an horror element to a historic novel is pretty awesome. And there are so many characters that I liked in the book and well. . . you know what happens if you read anything about the real story.
Some parts of the book had me confused because it would go back and forth at different times but I pretty much know what's going on. Captain Sir John Franklin and Captain Crozier take the HMS Terror and HMS Erebus out to try to go through the Northwest Passage, which was called the 1845 Franklin Expedition. And it's doomed!!!! Not only do they get stuck out there for a couple of years, they have some monster thing <---(I know what the monster thing is) killing them, along with scurvy, starvation, random stuff, etc.
I LOVE the cold weather and WINTER is my favorite, but not this kind of stuff. Not being stuck in the ice in the middle of no where land with minus a million degrees with food running out, disease running all around, oh and lets not forget the monster!
I liked Dr. Harry D. S. Goodsir, he is one of the surgeons on the ships and after awhile he has an epiphany:
鈥ne reason that Dr. Harry D. S. Goodsir had insisted on coming along on this exploration party was to prove that he was as strong and able a man as most of his crewmates. He soon realized that he wasn't.鈥�
He's a very good man and does all he can for the crew members. He also keeps a diary which I enjoyed reading because it gave his point of view on things.
There is an Esquimaux lady that is on the Terror. They call her Silence because something chewed off her tongue. Yeah! She was brought there with her father or husband, they are not sure and I will let you read about that little mystery. I was freaked out by Silence the whole book. But there was a lot more going on there than meets the eye.
One of my favorite crew members was Irving, he was such a nice guy and he was told by Captain Crozier to watch over Silence because he didn't trust her. Boy did he see some crazy stuff going on with her.
I also liked Captain Crozier, Fitzjams who took over for Sir John, Mr. Diggle and Blanky. I loathed a man named Hickey. He was more evil than the monster I do believe and I wish he would have had some great torture befall him! Trust me, you won't like him either!
The story isn't just about the monster, this is a big tome of a book at almost 1000 pages but the monster isn't in it a whole lot. The story is about other horrible things that happen. The worries of what the crew is going to do when they are running out of food and find out that food is tainted (true story about the tainted food), running low on coal, people catching scurvy and dying a slow horrendous death, the cold, don't forget the cold. Some really nasty stuff happens that had to do with the cold.
But that monster does some crazy stuff. It's almost like he has a sick sense of humor!
鈥�"It?" snaps Crozier. "One body? Back on the ship?" This makes no sense at all to the Terror's captain. "I thought you said both Strong and Evans were back."
Third Lieutenant Irving's entire face is frostbite white now. "They are, Captain. Or at least half of them. When we went to look at the body propped up there at the stern, it fell over and . . . well . . . came apart. As best we can tell, it's Billy Strong from the waist up. Tommy Evans from the waist down."
Crozier and Fitzjames can only look at each other.鈥�
You never know what you will find in the never ending night!
鈥n a Tuesday dogwatch in the third week of November, the thing from the ice came aboard the Erebus and took the well-liked bosun, Mr. Thomas Terry, snatching him from his post near the stern, leaving only the man's head on the railing.鈥�
I thought this was a really good book. I did think it was a bit long as a few parts dragged for me. And that's not because it's a tome, I have a few favorite tomes that are bigger than this one. Either way, I still very much enjoyed it and the ending and finding things out was so cool. Of course at one part you start to get an idea of what it's going to be about. And it took a turn I didn't see coming!
I will leave you with a picture of the Erebus they found in 2014/2015, I forget what the article said now but you can google it. They still haven't found Terror. They also found mummified corpses and stuff so be prepared when you google!
MY BLOG:
People, just turn around and go home!
I probably shouldn't have went and read some facts about the history of this book because I might mess this review up. It's just so freaking interesting and I want to read about it. The author left a lot of resources for books at the end and there is one I'm going to try to get for sure.
The fact that Dan Simmons added an horror element to a historic novel is pretty awesome. And there are so many characters that I liked in the book and well. . . you know what happens if you read anything about the real story.
Some parts of the book had me confused because it would go back and forth at different times but I pretty much know what's going on. Captain Sir John Franklin and Captain Crozier take the HMS Terror and HMS Erebus out to try to go through the Northwest Passage, which was called the 1845 Franklin Expedition. And it's doomed!!!! Not only do they get stuck out there for a couple of years, they have some monster thing <---(I know what the monster thing is) killing them, along with scurvy, starvation, random stuff, etc.
I LOVE the cold weather and WINTER is my favorite, but not this kind of stuff. Not being stuck in the ice in the middle of no where land with minus a million degrees with food running out, disease running all around, oh and lets not forget the monster!
I liked Dr. Harry D. S. Goodsir, he is one of the surgeons on the ships and after awhile he has an epiphany:
鈥ne reason that Dr. Harry D. S. Goodsir had insisted on coming along on this exploration party was to prove that he was as strong and able a man as most of his crewmates. He soon realized that he wasn't.鈥�
He's a very good man and does all he can for the crew members. He also keeps a diary which I enjoyed reading because it gave his point of view on things.
There is an Esquimaux lady that is on the Terror. They call her Silence because something chewed off her tongue. Yeah! She was brought there with her father or husband, they are not sure and I will let you read about that little mystery. I was freaked out by Silence the whole book. But there was a lot more going on there than meets the eye.
One of my favorite crew members was Irving, he was such a nice guy and he was told by Captain Crozier to watch over Silence because he didn't trust her. Boy did he see some crazy stuff going on with her.
I also liked Captain Crozier, Fitzjams who took over for Sir John, Mr. Diggle and Blanky. I loathed a man named Hickey. He was more evil than the monster I do believe and I wish he would have had some great torture befall him! Trust me, you won't like him either!
The story isn't just about the monster, this is a big tome of a book at almost 1000 pages but the monster isn't in it a whole lot. The story is about other horrible things that happen. The worries of what the crew is going to do when they are running out of food and find out that food is tainted (true story about the tainted food), running low on coal, people catching scurvy and dying a slow horrendous death, the cold, don't forget the cold. Some really nasty stuff happens that had to do with the cold.
But that monster does some crazy stuff. It's almost like he has a sick sense of humor!
鈥�"It?" snaps Crozier. "One body? Back on the ship?" This makes no sense at all to the Terror's captain. "I thought you said both Strong and Evans were back."
Third Lieutenant Irving's entire face is frostbite white now. "They are, Captain. Or at least half of them. When we went to look at the body propped up there at the stern, it fell over and . . . well . . . came apart. As best we can tell, it's Billy Strong from the waist up. Tommy Evans from the waist down."
Crozier and Fitzjames can only look at each other.鈥�
You never know what you will find in the never ending night!
鈥n a Tuesday dogwatch in the third week of November, the thing from the ice came aboard the Erebus and took the well-liked bosun, Mr. Thomas Terry, snatching him from his post near the stern, leaving only the man's head on the railing.鈥�
I thought this was a really good book. I did think it was a bit long as a few parts dragged for me. And that's not because it's a tome, I have a few favorite tomes that are bigger than this one. Either way, I still very much enjoyed it and the ending and finding things out was so cool. Of course at one part you start to get an idea of what it's going to be about. And it took a turn I didn't see coming!
I will leave you with a picture of the Erebus they found in 2014/2015, I forget what the article said now but you can google it. They still haven't found Terror. They also found mummified corpses and stuff so be prepared when you google!
MY BLOG:
November 17, 2019
This is so good!!!!!!!! What took me so long to read this?????
The men aboard the HHS Terror believe they will be the ones to successfully search for the Northwest Passage. The year is 1845 and the Franklin Expedition is steam-powered and after spending another a second summer in the arctic circle, their rations begin to dwindle, men's spirits begin to plummet and there is no end to the ice, cold and darkness. As the men begin to show signs of scurvy, they also are confronted by poisonous food, crushing ice, and an unseen "terror" on the ice which seems to be plucking them off one by one.
Plus, there is the Inuit/Esquimaux woman who cannot speak but who has survival skills that leave the men in awe and frightened at the same time. She seems to be able to hunt and thrive in a harsh environment. Is she a witch? Can she be trusted? and how is she able to slip away without notice?
When Sir John Franklin meets a gruesome death, Captain Francais Crozier takes charge and leads the men on a last-ditch effort to take their chances and flee on the ice. Will they survive? Will they starve to death? Will scurvy be their downfall or will the real "terror" on the ice be the death of them all?
This is a monster of a book. It's HUGE and cannot be read fast. It is to be savored and read slowly. There are many characters with stories to tell. The first 5--70 pages were a little slow for me but as the story builds, I found my heart racing in fear for the characters (especially when Blanky was desperately trying to get away by climbing higher and higher through the ropes to survive).
Whew!
The men aboard the HHS Terror believe they will be the ones to successfully search for the Northwest Passage. The year is 1845 and the Franklin Expedition is steam-powered and after spending another a second summer in the arctic circle, their rations begin to dwindle, men's spirits begin to plummet and there is no end to the ice, cold and darkness. As the men begin to show signs of scurvy, they also are confronted by poisonous food, crushing ice, and an unseen "terror" on the ice which seems to be plucking them off one by one.
Plus, there is the Inuit/Esquimaux woman who cannot speak but who has survival skills that leave the men in awe and frightened at the same time. She seems to be able to hunt and thrive in a harsh environment. Is she a witch? Can she be trusted? and how is she able to slip away without notice?
When Sir John Franklin meets a gruesome death, Captain Francais Crozier takes charge and leads the men on a last-ditch effort to take their chances and flee on the ice. Will they survive? Will they starve to death? Will scurvy be their downfall or will the real "terror" on the ice be the death of them all?
This is a monster of a book. It's HUGE and cannot be read fast. It is to be savored and read slowly. There are many characters with stories to tell. The first 5--70 pages were a little slow for me but as the story builds, I found my heart racing in fear for the characters (especially when Blanky was desperately trying to get away by climbing higher and higher through the ropes to survive).
Whew!
February 5, 2011
Without getting into any spoilers: this is a fictionalized account of the doomed Franklin expedition to find the Northwest Passage in 1845. It is about hubris, greed, strength during unspeakable adversity, and possibly redemption.
Oh, there's also a terrifying monster that they call The Thing on The Ice which is slowly killing everyone aboard the two ships.
It's , so he takes his time getting into the meat of the story (my dad said that he was telling three stories when he could have told one) but I consider that to be a feature of his writing, rather than a bug.
I absolutely loved this novel. In fact, I loved it so much, I read most of it during JoCoCruiseCrazy in the beginning of 2011, because I just couldn't put it down, even though I was in the middle of the Caribbean on an amazing cruise.
Oh, there's also a terrifying monster that they call The Thing on The Ice which is slowly killing everyone aboard the two ships.
It's , so he takes his time getting into the meat of the story (my dad said that he was telling three stories when he could have told one) but I consider that to be a feature of his writing, rather than a bug.
I absolutely loved this novel. In fact, I loved it so much, I read most of it during JoCoCruiseCrazy in the beginning of 2011, because I just couldn't put it down, even though I was in the middle of the Caribbean on an amazing cruise.
July 17, 2022
鈥淭hey crossed the Great Ice Barrier separating the pack ice from land sometime after 1:00 a.m. The wind stayed low but the temperature continued to drop. During one pause to rerig ropes for the lifting of the sledges over a thirty-foot wall of ice鈥ieutenant Little took another temperature reading. It was 鈥�82 degrees. [Captain] Crozier had been working and giving commands from within a deep trench of exhaustion for many hours. At sunset, when he'd last looked to the south at the distant creature loping ahead of them now 鈥� it was already crossing the sea ice barrier in easy leaps 鈥� he had made the mistake of taking his mittens and gloves off for a moment so as to write some position notes in his log. He had forgotten to don the gloves before lifting the telescope again and his fingertips and one palm had instantly frozen to the metal. In pulling his hands away quickly, he had ripped a layer of skin and some flesh off his right thumb and three fingers on one hand, and lifted a swath off his left palm鈥︹€�
- Dan Simmons, The Terror
The first time I read Dan Simmons鈥檚 The Terror, it was during the worst breakup of my life. It was one of those breakups that completely re-alter your perceptions, so that all sense of balance and scope is gone. It was a breakup like the one Jack Kerouac wrote about at the beginning of On the Road, and it left me with the 鈥渇eeling that everything was dead.鈥� Fifteen years, one marriage, and four kids later, the whipsawing emotional lability I experienced as a young adult is a distant memory, barely kept alive by some truly embarrassing journal entries I really should destroy.
In any event, as I pushed through those unforgiving days, when minutes felt like hours, and each week an eternity, I sought something to take my mind off my troubles. The Terror perked my interest because it was about unimaginable suffering. In my hyperemotional state, this greatly appealed to me.
The suffering in The Terror comes from a multitude of sources. There is the cold weather, the dark nights, and a ship locked in the ice. There is poisoned food, scurvy, and potentially mutinous shipmates. Above all, casting a shapeless shadow, is a voracious, mythical-seeming creature that is tearing men apart out on the ice.
By the end, my original need had been satisfied. Love 鈥� as they say 鈥� hurts, but no more than your teeth falling from your gums, or your limbs turning black with frostbite, or some nameless land shark ripping out your intestines for no apparent purpose.
***
Despite its supernatural horror roots, The Terror is actually based upon historical events. Indeed, as far as the record exists 鈥� and to be honest, there鈥檚 not much record to speak of 鈥� it is pretty accurate.
The nonfiction baseline is John Franklin鈥檚 1845 expedition to the Arctic Circle to find the fabled Northwest Passage, a water route that is only now being revealed by a warming earth. Franklin was a famed explorer in his day, and had survived earlier brushes with death by eating his shoes. This expedition was the first with steam-powered ships. Even with that extra oomph, however, his two vessels 鈥� the HMS Terror and the HMS Erebus 鈥� got themselves stuck fast in the ice.
***
Simmons actually starts things in 1847, two years into the expedition. The opening scene hauntingly captures the beauty, wonder, and severity of the far north, with Captain Francis Crozier, the commander of HMS Terror, coming out on deck in 鈥�50 degree weather to see the Northern Lights reaching toward him.
Though being icebound is not ideal, the Expedition had been provisioned for this eventuality. Unfortunately, due to unscrupulous merchants, most of their tinned food has gone bad, a real-life theory that has both supporters and detractors in the robust literature surrounding Franklin鈥檚 mission.
The hunger and the scurvy would be bad enough, accentuated by the cold and darkness, but Simmons鈥檚 clever twist is to add another lethal variable in the guise of a murderous bear-thing.
***
One of my life principles is that history is not a spoiler. The events of the past, often involving the deaths of real people, should not be treated as though they are a last-act reveal or a narrative twist. I have learned, of course, that not everyone on the internet agrees with this premise. Accordingly, if you don鈥檛 know about the Franklin Expedition, and prefer to learn its specifics elsewhere, please skip the next two paragraphs.
For those still here, I will note that no member of the historical Franklin Expedition ever returned home. Rescue ships pieced together some of the mystery. Two different messages 鈥� both on the same piece of paper, and tucked into a rock cairn 鈥� provide tantalizing clues, but no full account. There is also some Inuit testimony of white men trying to cross the ice. This has led to a consensus that a portion of the crew tried to escape the ships and travel over-ice, pulling heavy sledges behind them. This proved incredibly difficult, as the ice was not slippery and flat, but a semi-mountainous terrain created by pack ice crashing together and forming jagged up-flows. Within the past few years, both Terror and Erebus have been found underwater, though they鈥檝e been slow to disclose any secrets.
In any event, Simmons has chosen a marvelously spooky canvas upon which to paint his tale, cleverly interspersing the known with the unknown, the spare facts and his informed speculation, and then adding a relentless, unknowable killer to the mix.
***
Simmons tells the story in alternating third-person chapters told from the points-of-view of a handful of different characters. Chief among them is Captain Crozier, an alcoholic running out of booze, and mourning the lingering remnants of a failed romance. Other chapters center on overall expedition leader Sir John Franklin himself, shipmates Blanky and Peglar, and Dr. Goodsir, whose chapters mainly consist of journal excerpts, which give Simmons the opportunity to unload historical information without trying to interweave it into the main storylines. In a bit of tongue-in-cheek verisimilitude, each chapter heading includes the latitude, longitude, and date.
This is not really a character study. Aside from Crozier, none of the crew leaps out as a great literary creation. For the most part, they are sturdy archetypes, which frankly works just fine. The addition of Silence, an Inuit woman without a tongue, is a bit more unfortunate, approaching as she does the mystical indigenous stereotype.
***
At 766 pages, this is a long, dense novel, filled with details. The plot itself is not important, save for Simmons鈥檚 ability to use it to modulate tension. Ultimately, B-story elements such as a burgeoning mutiny feel a bit like filler, but they serve the purpose of marking time till the freaky-scary thing out on the ice attacks again.
And boy, does Simmons nail those scenes. There is some truly taut moments of waiting, thrilling chases through the odd moonscapes of the ice, and brutal collisions of man and teeth.
At times, The Terror can be exhausting, repetitively hitting the same notes over and over. Perhaps that is partially the point, a way of demonstrating 鈥� in a very minor way 鈥� what it would have been like to be trapped for so long. The climax is debatable. Depending on your mood, it can be either silly or disappointing or creepy or provoking. I鈥檓 not sure I liked it, but I didn鈥檛 forget it, because it is a bit bonkers.
***
We are in a spot right now, and not a good one. There is a pandemic that keeps flaring, even though we are trying to pretend it鈥檚 over. The actual temperature of the United States is rising, while the figurative temperatures of the body politic are past boiling. The economy looks ready to collapse, along with democracy, and if you are thinking of escaping, you should avoid Eastern Europe, because there鈥檚 a war.
In trying moments, it is nice to plunge into a book that takes you away from your troubles. A book where everyone is good looking, the income is disposable, and every problem can be solved by the time the sun sets on the beach.
Or you can read The Terror and simply embrace the suck.
- Dan Simmons, The Terror
The first time I read Dan Simmons鈥檚 The Terror, it was during the worst breakup of my life. It was one of those breakups that completely re-alter your perceptions, so that all sense of balance and scope is gone. It was a breakup like the one Jack Kerouac wrote about at the beginning of On the Road, and it left me with the 鈥渇eeling that everything was dead.鈥� Fifteen years, one marriage, and four kids later, the whipsawing emotional lability I experienced as a young adult is a distant memory, barely kept alive by some truly embarrassing journal entries I really should destroy.
In any event, as I pushed through those unforgiving days, when minutes felt like hours, and each week an eternity, I sought something to take my mind off my troubles. The Terror perked my interest because it was about unimaginable suffering. In my hyperemotional state, this greatly appealed to me.
The suffering in The Terror comes from a multitude of sources. There is the cold weather, the dark nights, and a ship locked in the ice. There is poisoned food, scurvy, and potentially mutinous shipmates. Above all, casting a shapeless shadow, is a voracious, mythical-seeming creature that is tearing men apart out on the ice.
By the end, my original need had been satisfied. Love 鈥� as they say 鈥� hurts, but no more than your teeth falling from your gums, or your limbs turning black with frostbite, or some nameless land shark ripping out your intestines for no apparent purpose.
***
Despite its supernatural horror roots, The Terror is actually based upon historical events. Indeed, as far as the record exists 鈥� and to be honest, there鈥檚 not much record to speak of 鈥� it is pretty accurate.
The nonfiction baseline is John Franklin鈥檚 1845 expedition to the Arctic Circle to find the fabled Northwest Passage, a water route that is only now being revealed by a warming earth. Franklin was a famed explorer in his day, and had survived earlier brushes with death by eating his shoes. This expedition was the first with steam-powered ships. Even with that extra oomph, however, his two vessels 鈥� the HMS Terror and the HMS Erebus 鈥� got themselves stuck fast in the ice.
***
Simmons actually starts things in 1847, two years into the expedition. The opening scene hauntingly captures the beauty, wonder, and severity of the far north, with Captain Francis Crozier, the commander of HMS Terror, coming out on deck in 鈥�50 degree weather to see the Northern Lights reaching toward him.
Though being icebound is not ideal, the Expedition had been provisioned for this eventuality. Unfortunately, due to unscrupulous merchants, most of their tinned food has gone bad, a real-life theory that has both supporters and detractors in the robust literature surrounding Franklin鈥檚 mission.
The hunger and the scurvy would be bad enough, accentuated by the cold and darkness, but Simmons鈥檚 clever twist is to add another lethal variable in the guise of a murderous bear-thing.
***
One of my life principles is that history is not a spoiler. The events of the past, often involving the deaths of real people, should not be treated as though they are a last-act reveal or a narrative twist. I have learned, of course, that not everyone on the internet agrees with this premise. Accordingly, if you don鈥檛 know about the Franklin Expedition, and prefer to learn its specifics elsewhere, please skip the next two paragraphs.
For those still here, I will note that no member of the historical Franklin Expedition ever returned home. Rescue ships pieced together some of the mystery. Two different messages 鈥� both on the same piece of paper, and tucked into a rock cairn 鈥� provide tantalizing clues, but no full account. There is also some Inuit testimony of white men trying to cross the ice. This has led to a consensus that a portion of the crew tried to escape the ships and travel over-ice, pulling heavy sledges behind them. This proved incredibly difficult, as the ice was not slippery and flat, but a semi-mountainous terrain created by pack ice crashing together and forming jagged up-flows. Within the past few years, both Terror and Erebus have been found underwater, though they鈥檝e been slow to disclose any secrets.
In any event, Simmons has chosen a marvelously spooky canvas upon which to paint his tale, cleverly interspersing the known with the unknown, the spare facts and his informed speculation, and then adding a relentless, unknowable killer to the mix.
***
Simmons tells the story in alternating third-person chapters told from the points-of-view of a handful of different characters. Chief among them is Captain Crozier, an alcoholic running out of booze, and mourning the lingering remnants of a failed romance. Other chapters center on overall expedition leader Sir John Franklin himself, shipmates Blanky and Peglar, and Dr. Goodsir, whose chapters mainly consist of journal excerpts, which give Simmons the opportunity to unload historical information without trying to interweave it into the main storylines. In a bit of tongue-in-cheek verisimilitude, each chapter heading includes the latitude, longitude, and date.
This is not really a character study. Aside from Crozier, none of the crew leaps out as a great literary creation. For the most part, they are sturdy archetypes, which frankly works just fine. The addition of Silence, an Inuit woman without a tongue, is a bit more unfortunate, approaching as she does the mystical indigenous stereotype.
***
At 766 pages, this is a long, dense novel, filled with details. The plot itself is not important, save for Simmons鈥檚 ability to use it to modulate tension. Ultimately, B-story elements such as a burgeoning mutiny feel a bit like filler, but they serve the purpose of marking time till the freaky-scary thing out on the ice attacks again.
And boy, does Simmons nail those scenes. There is some truly taut moments of waiting, thrilling chases through the odd moonscapes of the ice, and brutal collisions of man and teeth.
At times, The Terror can be exhausting, repetitively hitting the same notes over and over. Perhaps that is partially the point, a way of demonstrating 鈥� in a very minor way 鈥� what it would have been like to be trapped for so long. The climax is debatable. Depending on your mood, it can be either silly or disappointing or creepy or provoking. I鈥檓 not sure I liked it, but I didn鈥檛 forget it, because it is a bit bonkers.
***
We are in a spot right now, and not a good one. There is a pandemic that keeps flaring, even though we are trying to pretend it鈥檚 over. The actual temperature of the United States is rising, while the figurative temperatures of the body politic are past boiling. The economy looks ready to collapse, along with democracy, and if you are thinking of escaping, you should avoid Eastern Europe, because there鈥檚 a war.
In trying moments, it is nice to plunge into a book that takes you away from your troubles. A book where everyone is good looking, the income is disposable, and every problem can be solved by the time the sun sets on the beach.
Or you can read The Terror and simply embrace the suck.
September 30, 2018
is a fictional tale based on the real life experience of the notoriously doomed John Franklin Expedition.
These brave men journeyed hundreds of miles by sea voyage in the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, part of the British Naval fleet sent to the Arctic to force the Northwest Passage in 1845鈥�1848, and then travelled the rest on foot into the desolate, below-freezing temperatures of the Arctic wasteland.
All died or were never seen or heard from ever again.
imaginative story explains how and why.
is a book drawn from a historical background so deep and so thoroughly well-researched that I'm quite sure I've never heard of any other writer of fiction attempting to do so at this level ever before.
For those that like to pick apart every bit of a story with a goal in mind to repute the validity of the facts given, you won't find much to work with here.
Set in the harshest conditions, with handfuls of men that may be hard to discern not only which side of the fence they're on, but just who is who for a ways, these characters aren't so much as enjoyable as they are absorbing. As their living conditions become more severe and their hardships grow more intense, good decision-making is made less and less often. Way below freezing temperatures, sparse food supplies, sickness, soreness, etc., would be tragic for even the most stalwart of men.
, providentially, is more than all this. What is it exactly? ~ This is a horror book, right? Yes. Even though it didn't have to be. could have left out all the fantastical elements in his historical tale and it would've been enough to cringe to and have nightmares about and be fascinated by all the same. But, he didn't stop there, thankfully.
So what is The Terror exactly? Is it a man? Is it natural, man-made, myth or legend? The word Tuunbaq comes up. Is it a living creature, a guardian spirit, or an evil elder monster from eons past, or maybe something from another world?
~ Is it the Wendigo? Or possibly a Yeti? ~
~ A Polar Bear gone mad with frenzy? ~
~ Is it the mythical Tuunbaq, maybe? ~
I can't say.
The story itself is very long, a bit heavy, hopeless, and as can only be expected, if you don't stay on it you will probably confuse a few of the officers with eachother which could result in you wanting to forget the whole thing altogether.
This book cannot be compared to previous novels in any shape or form. This book is not science-fiction nor does it have the framework or set-up of a traditional horror tale either.
For anyone fascinated with historical adventures and cryptid horror and for readers who crave oldschool antiquated storytelling.
It takes an investment of time and patience beyond the norm that should be very rewarding if you stay with it until the end. I thought it was truly great and really enjoyed all the finer details that breached to the surface.
If you are a modern reader and you only like *page-turners*, this is certainly not for you. If you have a million and one things going on at once, just say no for now. If you are into comic book type action of super-heroic proportions, not for you. If you like quick answers and are impatient in any way I suggest reading something else. If you are somebody who needs happy American-style endings to your movie, where you finally get the girl and there's a big smooch in the end with sunlight or fireworks streaming in the background, don't even touch this book for fear you might be infected by the dreadful truth of reality.
There are many reasons why you should want to read this though. In this book you will share and feel the experience the crew are feeling: the cold, the despair, the loneliness, the dread and terror of the unknown, unstoppable creature, and the tragic understanding of, what inevitably feels to be, a hopeless outcome. You might feel the need to put on layers and layers of clothing, and stand so close to a fire you may be tempted to put your hands and feet right into it. You will feel like you are living this book.
I believe it is magnum opus. I give it 5 stars not because I'm necesarily going to return and re-read it again anytime soon but because, other than being a tad too long, it is flawless. It doesn't fall into modern traps or pitfalls of always trying to please the reader nor does it have the feeling of a Hollywood movie where you know your main characters are going to survive to the end, regardless of any other surprises.
This is the real deal. Live it. Experience it. Draw from it.
Then pick up some fluffy fun read you can rollercoaster through for 2 days straight to a walloping climax so you can recuperate and recover.
* For fans of the book, you will be glad to know AMC is bringing it to television in the form of a tv series and if that news isn't good enough, is purportedly producing it and my guess is he may even direct an episode or two.
** There have been several releases of this book, even a few just recently. I prefer the standard-sized 2009 paperback release. It has a little better cover art than some of the others, having distinct yellow and white embossed lettering, and inside and on the back, a lot of cool quotes and kudo's by reviewers and other notable authors.
Kind of fun to read what others have to say about this extraordinary novel.
Highly recommended!!!!!
June 4, 2022
The words that immediately come to mind in regards to Dan Simmons' are 'Horrendously overrated' and 'Incredibly repetitive'. Unfortunately, this book for me is the equivalent to how I feel about aubergines, and for the majority of this reading experience, I was willing for it to come to an end, and as a prior warning fellow readers, I'm definitely not going to hold back here.
After reading SO many positive reviews about this, I was expecting to be completely bowled over. (That doesn't happen to me often around here) and before buying this, I did my adequate research. I already knew that this book was based on the fascinating "John Franklin Arctic expedition" which personally interests me, and that is probably the primary reason for me purchasing this. I wanted history, and plenty of it, but instead, I was met with the unrealistic theme of the supernatural. I was obviously aware of this, but I found it completely swallowed any enjoyment that could be had from the historic side of things.
That was one of the prominent issues with this book; the two themes that never really gelled together. For a couple of chapters there was a monster out there to devour the men on the ice, then we abruptly jump back years to another scene, that has no real impact on the plot. It caused a detached feeling, and really, it knackered up my mind. I like to think I have patience, but this, this was abysmal.
I quickly discovered that scurvy is one of the main culprits for a long, painful death in "The Terror" and fair enough, I appreciated the detailed description of this, but when it is repeated constantly throughout the book, it becomes painstakingly tiring. Dan Simmons likes his scurvy, I guess.
I can't say I liked any of the characters, as all of them were kind of lifeless beings, and sometimes it was difficult to differentiate who Simmons was referring to.
I think the only notable scene which brought a smirk and and a swift eye roll from me, was the sex scene that occurred in the water. The fact that the male in question had no idea that his sexual partner was able to orgasm (due to being female, obviously) humoured me somewhat. We're all just in it for the male pleasure, you see.
This book might have been better if say, 400 pages were knocked off, which means I would have finished it quicker, and therefore, that would have enabled me to get on with my life at haste.
After reading SO many positive reviews about this, I was expecting to be completely bowled over. (That doesn't happen to me often around here) and before buying this, I did my adequate research. I already knew that this book was based on the fascinating "John Franklin Arctic expedition" which personally interests me, and that is probably the primary reason for me purchasing this. I wanted history, and plenty of it, but instead, I was met with the unrealistic theme of the supernatural. I was obviously aware of this, but I found it completely swallowed any enjoyment that could be had from the historic side of things.
That was one of the prominent issues with this book; the two themes that never really gelled together. For a couple of chapters there was a monster out there to devour the men on the ice, then we abruptly jump back years to another scene, that has no real impact on the plot. It caused a detached feeling, and really, it knackered up my mind. I like to think I have patience, but this, this was abysmal.
I quickly discovered that scurvy is one of the main culprits for a long, painful death in "The Terror" and fair enough, I appreciated the detailed description of this, but when it is repeated constantly throughout the book, it becomes painstakingly tiring. Dan Simmons likes his scurvy, I guess.
I can't say I liked any of the characters, as all of them were kind of lifeless beings, and sometimes it was difficult to differentiate who Simmons was referring to.
I think the only notable scene which brought a smirk and and a swift eye roll from me, was the sex scene that occurred in the water. The fact that the male in question had no idea that his sexual partner was able to orgasm (due to being female, obviously) humoured me somewhat. We're all just in it for the male pleasure, you see.
This book might have been better if say, 400 pages were knocked off, which means I would have finished it quicker, and therefore, that would have enabled me to get on with my life at haste.
December 16, 2018
Dan Simmons is an author's author.
Every time I read something by him that is either A: not quite in my interest zone, or B: reads workmanlike but nothing particularly brilliant, he SQUASHES my expectations.
HMS Terror and Erebus are out to find the Northwest Passage. In the meantime, I am tricked into caring about every one of the men on the ships. This is not a Darwin Award I'm reading, even though a few characters WERE on the Beagle.
This is a harrowing and perfectly period descent into an icy hell. Enjoy murder, scurvy, madness, a monster on the ice, wicked dreams, withdrawal, and... of course... SOYLENT GREEN.
Oh, wait, wrong book.
I'll leave it for posterity. :)
At least I never ate human flesh. At least I never ate human flesh.
Just keep telling yourself that, buddy.
I was lukewarm going into this, but it turned out to be one hell of a brilliant frozen horror. :)
Every time I read something by him that is either A: not quite in my interest zone, or B: reads workmanlike but nothing particularly brilliant, he SQUASHES my expectations.
HMS Terror and Erebus are out to find the Northwest Passage. In the meantime, I am tricked into caring about every one of the men on the ships. This is not a Darwin Award I'm reading, even though a few characters WERE on the Beagle.
This is a harrowing and perfectly period descent into an icy hell. Enjoy murder, scurvy, madness, a monster on the ice, wicked dreams, withdrawal, and... of course... SOYLENT GREEN.
Oh, wait, wrong book.
I'll leave it for posterity. :)
At least I never ate human flesh. At least I never ate human flesh.
Just keep telling yourself that, buddy.
I was lukewarm going into this, but it turned out to be one hell of a brilliant frozen horror. :)
September 12, 2024
The Terror was absolutely riveting, and like no other audiobook I have heard to date. Amazed by how the storyline manages to simultaneously be terrifying and mesmerizing for the entire 28+ hours of running time. This is one of those rare books which I will revisit often, as I am certain to discover a new takeaway perspective and/or insight(s) each time.
John Lee did a wonderful job as the lone narrative voice for this epic tome.
John Lee did a wonderful job as the lone narrative voice for this epic tome.
January 10, 2018
Why am I reading so many books about the cold? Maybe because it's freezing here in Chicago!
This is a buddy read with Cristina, and I'll review as I go.
The first couple of hundred pages were surprisingly slow-going. There was very little propulsion about the plot--just occasional glimpses of the "terror" along with long passages of backstory that I didn't really find compelling. I don't know why I reacted like that. Maybe it was because I'd just read Crime and Punishment, another (and very different) tome that managed to be fascinating throughout. Or maybe it was the prose, which isn't terribly stylish. I'm always a sucker for great prose, and I miss it when it isn't there. At that point, I would have given the book two or maybe three stars.
Then, at some point, things brightened up--the plot started shifting into gear, with all the various elements (the terror, the ice, scurvy, boredom, and inter-character conflict) starting to come together. I still think it took too long for that to happen, but boy, I'm glad it did!
[Some spoilers follow]
***
I love the scene of the Carnival, no doubt because it self-consciously replicates Poe's The Masque of the Red Death. You just knew, given that setup, that the creature would strike, but it was quite well-done all the same. And the scene where Irving watches the creature and Lady Silence together was just magical. It deepened the sense of the creature as not merely being a source of terror, but also perhaps something more.
Of course, against the backdrop of the creature striking, we have the "ticking clock" in the form of scurvy and running out of food. The sailors need to do something to escape, and their ice-bound ships will not suffice. What can they do? It's a terrific source of tension.
***
In the end they make an ill-fated attempt to cross the ice by foot, and here is where the interpersonal tensions come to a head. It's also where we see, in shocking terms, just what the cold does to a human body. The creature recedes somewhat into the background as the elements take over. I may have wished for more of a confrontation with the creature, as it seems to emerge at times conveniently, only to fade away when its presence is inconvenient, but this is a minor quibble.
In the end, the group splinters, and a new source of evil in the form of Cornelius Hickey comes to the front of the stage. The pages here are quite gripping, even as the moral valence isn't terribly complicated.
What does become complicated, and what ultimately elevates this book, is the relationship between Captain Crozier and "Lady Silence" that emerges after Crozier is left for dead by Hickey and his band. What's interesting is how Crozier changes and becomes like an Eskimo himself--how he becomes a different person. The climax is when the creature emerges and cuts out his tongue just as it had Lady Silence's, and while this is never really explained, I took it as a metaphor for the limits of language itself--how they had to free themselves from language to see beyond its obscuring haze of words. In the end, much of the final part of the book is interwoven with songs and language taken from the Eskimo, and while I couldn't understand it, it nonetheless had a certain power. Like a Latin Mass, the sounds themselves conveyed a certain meaning beyond the rational, which may have been part of the point--that all that British rationalism only got the men killed, while the liturgical melding of Crozier and Lady Silence and the landscape itself was what saved him.
This is a buddy read with Cristina, and I'll review as I go.
The first couple of hundred pages were surprisingly slow-going. There was very little propulsion about the plot--just occasional glimpses of the "terror" along with long passages of backstory that I didn't really find compelling. I don't know why I reacted like that. Maybe it was because I'd just read Crime and Punishment, another (and very different) tome that managed to be fascinating throughout. Or maybe it was the prose, which isn't terribly stylish. I'm always a sucker for great prose, and I miss it when it isn't there. At that point, I would have given the book two or maybe three stars.
Then, at some point, things brightened up--the plot started shifting into gear, with all the various elements (the terror, the ice, scurvy, boredom, and inter-character conflict) starting to come together. I still think it took too long for that to happen, but boy, I'm glad it did!
[Some spoilers follow]
***
I love the scene of the Carnival, no doubt because it self-consciously replicates Poe's The Masque of the Red Death. You just knew, given that setup, that the creature would strike, but it was quite well-done all the same. And the scene where Irving watches the creature and Lady Silence together was just magical. It deepened the sense of the creature as not merely being a source of terror, but also perhaps something more.
Of course, against the backdrop of the creature striking, we have the "ticking clock" in the form of scurvy and running out of food. The sailors need to do something to escape, and their ice-bound ships will not suffice. What can they do? It's a terrific source of tension.
***
In the end they make an ill-fated attempt to cross the ice by foot, and here is where the interpersonal tensions come to a head. It's also where we see, in shocking terms, just what the cold does to a human body. The creature recedes somewhat into the background as the elements take over. I may have wished for more of a confrontation with the creature, as it seems to emerge at times conveniently, only to fade away when its presence is inconvenient, but this is a minor quibble.
In the end, the group splinters, and a new source of evil in the form of Cornelius Hickey comes to the front of the stage. The pages here are quite gripping, even as the moral valence isn't terribly complicated.
What does become complicated, and what ultimately elevates this book, is the relationship between Captain Crozier and "Lady Silence" that emerges after Crozier is left for dead by Hickey and his band. What's interesting is how Crozier changes and becomes like an Eskimo himself--how he becomes a different person. The climax is when the creature emerges and cuts out his tongue just as it had Lady Silence's, and while this is never really explained, I took it as a metaphor for the limits of language itself--how they had to free themselves from language to see beyond its obscuring haze of words. In the end, much of the final part of the book is interwoven with songs and language taken from the Eskimo, and while I couldn't understand it, it nonetheless had a certain power. Like a Latin Mass, the sounds themselves conveyed a certain meaning beyond the rational, which may have been part of the point--that all that British rationalism only got the men killed, while the liturgical melding of Crozier and Lady Silence and the landscape itself was what saved him.
February 8, 2022
This is the only book that I've ever read and finished, then turned back to the beginning to read again! This is the book that started me on my quest to read any and all things Arctic.
If they've explored it? I've since read it.
I am a proud armchair arctic explorer!
If they've explored it? I've since read it.
I am a proud armchair arctic explorer!
Read
June 23, 2022This book hit oddly a little close to home. I was re-cataloguing for the military collection at a museum for several years before someone discovered that the large wooden block sitting at the edge of the collection was actually the long lost anvil block from either the Erebus or the Terror. It was placed by the military collection because it had been augmented with a variety of metal nails and other objects, including a spearpoint jammed in its top. It looks like as the survivors had set out they hauled it with them (for dubious reasons, as they were probably fairly ill by then and a large wooden block meant to elevate a heavy anvil for blacksmithing wasn鈥檛 likely to be terribly useful) and then abandoned it along the way. It was an odd feeling to find out that this mystery artefact I鈥檇 spent so much time around was actually a lost piece of the Franklin Expedition. If anyone is interested in seeing the anvil block, here is a brief look:
April 8, 2018
See this review and more like it at !
_______
I'm late to the party with this read, I know, but The Terror just came onto my radar when I realized that AMC was turning it into a television show. I'm a book-over-movie/tv adaptation purist. So many details end up falling to the wayside in an adaptation - for example, I've watched one episode of the show, and already spotted a major difference from the book. I knew I'd want to experience this story as Dan Simmons originally told it, so I ran out and got myself a copy.
I knew going in that this would be a book that would challenge me on a number of fronts. I enjoy horror, but historical fiction is not exactly my purview so to a mix of both is definitely something I'd not experienced before. I'm happy to report that this book far and away exceeded my expectations. This book is as dark and desolate as its setting, packed with perfect atmospheric horror at its greatest.
Inspired by real events, The Terror is a fictionalized account of Sir John Franklin's lost expedition of the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror into the artic seas in 1845-1848, to force the Northwest Passage. Dan Simmons weaves together a fictionalized possible explanation to what happened to the men aboard both these sister ships, incorporating both real and supernatural horrors that fill the story with a limitless supply of dread.
Some of the best horror is borne out of that same sense of isolation that proliferates this novel. Trapped on the artic ice, in sub-zero temperatures, with a murderous beast hot on their trail, the men of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror already had enough on their plate for me to feel disturbed by. Couple all that with failing food supplies and the gloomy prospect of what must come next when the food runs out, things get even scarier.
I spent pretty much the entire second half of the story aghast at the levels certain characters are forced to sink to. Make no mistake about it, when people say this book is dark, it is seriously dark. Just when you think things cannot get worse for these characters, they do. Horror fans in general are curtained to be delighted by it, so if you enjoy bleak and existential dread in your horror, you must give this a try.
One other aspect I really enjoyed about this was the characters. I went into this novel hoping to be impressed by the supernatural bear-demon hunting a trapped crew in the artic and came away feeling like the depth and actions of certain characters really blew that out of the water. I was more compelled by a desire to see how certain characters stories would turn out than I was in the supernatural elements by the end of the novel.
Keep in mind that there are a lot of characters here. You've got a cast of 100+ characters counting all the men on both ships, and though many cycle to the forefront of the story only to be excised by death, a few frontrunners who stick around for the long count ended up really capturing my heart. Crozier, Irving, Peglar and Bridgens in particular were three side characters that are so well developed and written that I found myself the most greatly invested in their outcomes.
The level of detail and attention paid to historical accuracy is staggering, though perhaps a little overwhelming to readers who aren't expecting it. I was never bored for a moment and was very pleasantly surprised to encounter a properly scary and well written adventure encapsulated in this horror novel.
4.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up for 欧宝娱乐!
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_______
I'm late to the party with this read, I know, but The Terror just came onto my radar when I realized that AMC was turning it into a television show. I'm a book-over-movie/tv adaptation purist. So many details end up falling to the wayside in an adaptation - for example, I've watched one episode of the show, and already spotted a major difference from the book. I knew I'd want to experience this story as Dan Simmons originally told it, so I ran out and got myself a copy.
I knew going in that this would be a book that would challenge me on a number of fronts. I enjoy horror, but historical fiction is not exactly my purview so to a mix of both is definitely something I'd not experienced before. I'm happy to report that this book far and away exceeded my expectations. This book is as dark and desolate as its setting, packed with perfect atmospheric horror at its greatest.
Inspired by real events, The Terror is a fictionalized account of Sir John Franklin's lost expedition of the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror into the artic seas in 1845-1848, to force the Northwest Passage. Dan Simmons weaves together a fictionalized possible explanation to what happened to the men aboard both these sister ships, incorporating both real and supernatural horrors that fill the story with a limitless supply of dread.
Some of the best horror is borne out of that same sense of isolation that proliferates this novel. Trapped on the artic ice, in sub-zero temperatures, with a murderous beast hot on their trail, the men of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror already had enough on their plate for me to feel disturbed by. Couple all that with failing food supplies and the gloomy prospect of what must come next when the food runs out, things get even scarier.
I spent pretty much the entire second half of the story aghast at the levels certain characters are forced to sink to. Make no mistake about it, when people say this book is dark, it is seriously dark. Just when you think things cannot get worse for these characters, they do. Horror fans in general are curtained to be delighted by it, so if you enjoy bleak and existential dread in your horror, you must give this a try.
One other aspect I really enjoyed about this was the characters. I went into this novel hoping to be impressed by the supernatural bear-demon hunting a trapped crew in the artic and came away feeling like the depth and actions of certain characters really blew that out of the water. I was more compelled by a desire to see how certain characters stories would turn out than I was in the supernatural elements by the end of the novel.
Keep in mind that there are a lot of characters here. You've got a cast of 100+ characters counting all the men on both ships, and though many cycle to the forefront of the story only to be excised by death, a few frontrunners who stick around for the long count ended up really capturing my heart. Crozier, Irving, Peglar and Bridgens in particular were three side characters that are so well developed and written that I found myself the most greatly invested in their outcomes.
The level of detail and attention paid to historical accuracy is staggering, though perhaps a little overwhelming to readers who aren't expecting it. I was never bored for a moment and was very pleasantly surprised to encounter a properly scary and well written adventure encapsulated in this horror novel.
4.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up for 欧宝娱乐!
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February 7, 2017
Wow...
I absolutely loved this book.
Don't let the page length stop you from reading it! Despite its length, the story moves quickly and there's incredible tension throughout. There are a ton of characters to keep you interested (but not too many that you lose track) and who you'll want to scream at for doing the wrong thing or an incredibly awful thing. Some parts were breathtakingly tense and some parts were frightening. Don't think of this as a horror book with a monster... This is so much more. The last 200 pages were a triumph IMO...
Simply one of the best books I have ever read!
PS: The actual ship was just found this past September. SO COOL!
I absolutely loved this book.
Don't let the page length stop you from reading it! Despite its length, the story moves quickly and there's incredible tension throughout. There are a ton of characters to keep you interested (but not too many that you lose track) and who you'll want to scream at for doing the wrong thing or an incredibly awful thing. Some parts were breathtakingly tense and some parts were frightening. Don't think of this as a horror book with a monster... This is so much more. The last 200 pages were a triumph IMO...
Simply one of the best books I have ever read!
PS: The actual ship was just found this past September. SO COOL!
March 4, 2025
Review on English, followed by the Bulgarian one. 袪械胁褞褌芯 薪邪 邪薪谐谢懈泄褋泻懈 械 锌褗褉胁芯, 褋谢械写胁邪 褌芯胁邪 薪邪 斜褗谢谐邪褉褋泻懈.
I don't know if you will ever read this but anyway - thank you for the great book Mr. Simmons!!!
What a novel - simply epic!
With a smooth, almost somnolent start, a surprise rise of the tension to the finish that far exceeded my expectations!
Simmons is familiar to us mainly with his science fiction books, but this is pure adventurous novel with unheard-of scope, at least for me.
The atmosphere and the problems of a lost arctic expedition have been skillfully recreated. But the real treasure in this book are the all of the expedition memebers, through Hickey and Manson, Dr. Goodsir, Captain of the Foretop Harry Pegler and Subordinate Officers' Steward John Bridges, ice boson Thomas Blanks, Captain Crosier and Lady Silence. Their fates and actions made me a direct participant in the events and brought me an incredible emotion.
And it is not granted to anyone that he will remain a human by the end!
Descriptions of the lives, customs, and beliefs of the Inuit were very interesting for me I will look for other sources in order to learn more.
Those who grew up like me with the novels and stories of Jack London will probably like this book very much. To the others I say - give it a chance. It鈥檚 worthy, and I strongly recommend it.
Is Tuunbaq still wandering today through the melting Arctic ice in search of souls to swallow...?
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌�
袣邪泻褗胁 褉芯屑邪薪!!!
小 锌谢邪胁薪芯, 锌芯褔褌懈 锌褉懈褋锌懈胁薪芯 薪邪褔邪谢芯, 褋褌褉械屑懈褌械谢薪芯 锌芯泻邪褔胁邪薪械 薪邪 薪邪锌褉械卸械薪懈械褌芯 懈 褎懈薪邪谢, 写邪谢械褔 薪邪写屑懈薪邪谢 芯褔邪泻胁邪薪懈褟褌邪 屑懈!
小懈屑褗薪褋 械 锌芯蟹薪邪褌 褍 薪邪褋 芯褋薪芯胁薪芯 褋 褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈泻邪褌邪 褋懈, 薪芯 褌芯胁邪 械 锌褉懈泻谢褞褔械薪褋泻懈 褉芯屑邪薪 褋 薪械褔褍胁邪薪 锌芯薪械 蟹邪 屑械薪 褉邪蟹屑邪褏.
校屑械谢芯 褋邪 锌褉械褋褗蟹写邪写械薪懈 邪褌屑芯褋褎械褉邪褌邪 懈 锌褉芯斜谢械屑懈褌械 薪邪 械写薪邪 懈蟹谐褍斜械薪邪 邪褉泻褌懈褔械褋泻邪 械泻褋锌械写懈褑懈褟. 袧芯 懈褋褌懈薪褋泻芯褌芯 褋褗泻褉芯胁懈褖械 胁 褌邪蟹懈 泻薪锟斤拷谐邪 褋邪 谐械褉芯懈褌械 褲, 芯褌 锌褉芯褋褌懈褌械 屑芯褉褟褑懈, 褋锌芯屑械薪邪褌懈 褋邪屑芯 褌褍泻 褌邪屑, 锌褉械蟹 啸懈泻懈 懈 袦邪薪褋褗薪, 写芯泻褌芯褉 袚褍写褋褗褉, 褋褌褞邪褉写懈褌械 啸邪褉懈 袩械谐谢褗褉 懈 袛卸芯薪 袘褉懈写卸械褋, 谢械写芯胁懈褟 斜芯褑屑邪薪 孝芯屑邪褋 袘谢邪薪泻懈, 褌邪 写芯 泻邪锌懈褌邪薪 袣褉芯蟹懈褗褉 懈 械褋褌械褋褌胁械薪芯 袘械蟹屑褗谢胁薪邪褌邪 写邪屑邪. 小褗写斜懈褌械 懈 写械泄褋褌胁懈褟褌邪 懈屑 屑械 薪邪锌褉邪胁懈褏邪 锌褉褟泻 褍褔邪褋褌薪懈泻 胁 褋褗斜懈褌懈褟褌邪 懈 屑懈 写芯薪械褋芯褏邪 薪械胁械褉芯褟褌薪邪 械屑芯褑懈褟.
袠 薪械 械 谐邪褉邪薪褌懈褉邪薪芯 薪邪 薪懈泻芯泄, 褔械 褖械 芯褋褌邪薪械 褔芯胁械泻 写芯 泻褉邪褟!
袨锌懈褋邪薪懈褟褌邪 薪邪 卸懈胁芯褌邪, 芯斜懈褔邪懈褌械 懈 胁褟褉胁邪薪懈褟褌邪 薪邪 懈薪褍懈褌懈褌械 斜褟褏邪 屑薪芯谐芯 懈薪褌械褉械褋薪懈 蟹邪 屑械薪, 褖械 锌芯褌褗褉褋褟 懈 写褉褍谐懈 懈蟹褌芯褔薪懈褑懈 芯锌懈褋胁邪褖懈 谐懈.
袧邪 褌械蟹懈, 懈蟹褉邪褋薪邪谢懈 泻邪褌芯 屑械薪 褋 褉芯屑邪薪懈褌械 懈 褉邪蟹泻邪蟹懈褌械 薪邪 袛卸械泻 袥芯薪写芯薪, 褌邪蟹懈 泻薪懈谐邪 薪邪泄-胁械褉芯褟褌薪芯 屑薪芯谐芯 褖械 褋械 褏邪褉械褋邪. 袧邪 芯褋褌邪薪邪谢懈褌械 泻邪蟹胁邪屑 - 写邪泄褌械 懈 褕邪薪褋. 小褌褉褍胁邪 褋懈 懈 邪蟹 谐芯褉械褖芯 褟 锌褉械锌芯褉褗褔胁邪屑.
袛邪谢懈 懈 写芯 写薪械褋 孝褍褍薪斜邪泻 褋泻懈褌邪 锌褉械蟹 褌芯锌褟褖懈褟 褋械 邪褉泻褌懈褔械褋泻懈 谢械写, 胁 褌褗褉褋械薪械 薪邪 写褍褕懈 蟹邪 锌芯谐谢褗褖邪薪械?
I don't know if you will ever read this but anyway - thank you for the great book Mr. Simmons!!!
What a novel - simply epic!
With a smooth, almost somnolent start, a surprise rise of the tension to the finish that far exceeded my expectations!
Simmons is familiar to us mainly with his science fiction books, but this is pure adventurous novel with unheard-of scope, at least for me.
The atmosphere and the problems of a lost arctic expedition have been skillfully recreated. But the real treasure in this book are the all of the expedition memebers, through Hickey and Manson, Dr. Goodsir, Captain of the Foretop Harry Pegler and Subordinate Officers' Steward John Bridges, ice boson Thomas Blanks, Captain Crosier and Lady Silence. Their fates and actions made me a direct participant in the events and brought me an incredible emotion.
And it is not granted to anyone that he will remain a human by the end!
Descriptions of the lives, customs, and beliefs of the Inuit were very interesting for me I will look for other sources in order to learn more.
Those who grew up like me with the novels and stories of Jack London will probably like this book very much. To the others I say - give it a chance. It鈥檚 worthy, and I strongly recommend it.
Is Tuunbaq still wandering today through the melting Arctic ice in search of souls to swallow...?
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌�
袣邪泻褗胁 褉芯屑邪薪!!!
小 锌谢邪胁薪芯, 锌芯褔褌懈 锌褉懈褋锌懈胁薪芯 薪邪褔邪谢芯, 褋褌褉械屑懈褌械谢薪芯 锌芯泻邪褔胁邪薪械 薪邪 薪邪锌褉械卸械薪懈械褌芯 懈 褎懈薪邪谢, 写邪谢械褔 薪邪写屑懈薪邪谢 芯褔邪泻胁邪薪懈褟褌邪 屑懈!
小懈屑褗薪褋 械 锌芯蟹薪邪褌 褍 薪邪褋 芯褋薪芯胁薪芯 褋 褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈泻邪褌邪 褋懈, 薪芯 褌芯胁邪 械 锌褉懈泻谢褞褔械薪褋泻懈 褉芯屑邪薪 褋 薪械褔褍胁邪薪 锌芯薪械 蟹邪 屑械薪 褉邪蟹屑邪褏.
校屑械谢芯 褋邪 锌褉械褋褗蟹写邪写械薪懈 邪褌屑芯褋褎械褉邪褌邪 懈 锌褉芯斜谢械屑懈褌械 薪邪 械写薪邪 懈蟹谐褍斜械薪邪 邪褉泻褌懈褔械褋泻邪 械泻褋锌械写懈褑懈褟. 袧芯 懈褋褌懈薪褋泻芯褌芯 褋褗泻褉芯胁懈褖械 胁 褌邪蟹懈 泻薪锟斤拷谐邪 褋邪 谐械褉芯懈褌械 褲, 芯褌 锌褉芯褋褌懈褌械 屑芯褉褟褑懈, 褋锌芯屑械薪邪褌懈 褋邪屑芯 褌褍泻 褌邪屑, 锌褉械蟹 啸懈泻懈 懈 袦邪薪褋褗薪, 写芯泻褌芯褉 袚褍写褋褗褉, 褋褌褞邪褉写懈褌械 啸邪褉懈 袩械谐谢褗褉 懈 袛卸芯薪 袘褉懈写卸械褋, 谢械写芯胁懈褟 斜芯褑屑邪薪 孝芯屑邪褋 袘谢邪薪泻懈, 褌邪 写芯 泻邪锌懈褌邪薪 袣褉芯蟹懈褗褉 懈 械褋褌械褋褌胁械薪芯 袘械蟹屑褗谢胁薪邪褌邪 写邪屑邪. 小褗写斜懈褌械 懈 写械泄褋褌胁懈褟褌邪 懈屑 屑械 薪邪锌褉邪胁懈褏邪 锌褉褟泻 褍褔邪褋褌薪懈泻 胁 褋褗斜懈褌懈褟褌邪 懈 屑懈 写芯薪械褋芯褏邪 薪械胁械褉芯褟褌薪邪 械屑芯褑懈褟.
袠 薪械 械 谐邪褉邪薪褌懈褉邪薪芯 薪邪 薪懈泻芯泄, 褔械 褖械 芯褋褌邪薪械 褔芯胁械泻 写芯 泻褉邪褟!
袨锌懈褋邪薪懈褟褌邪 薪邪 卸懈胁芯褌邪, 芯斜懈褔邪懈褌械 懈 胁褟褉胁邪薪懈褟褌邪 薪邪 懈薪褍懈褌懈褌械 斜褟褏邪 屑薪芯谐芯 懈薪褌械褉械褋薪懈 蟹邪 屑械薪, 褖械 锌芯褌褗褉褋褟 懈 写褉褍谐懈 懈蟹褌芯褔薪懈褑懈 芯锌懈褋胁邪褖懈 谐懈.
袧邪 褌械蟹懈, 懈蟹褉邪褋薪邪谢懈 泻邪褌芯 屑械薪 褋 褉芯屑邪薪懈褌械 懈 褉邪蟹泻邪蟹懈褌械 薪邪 袛卸械泻 袥芯薪写芯薪, 褌邪蟹懈 泻薪懈谐邪 薪邪泄-胁械褉芯褟褌薪芯 屑薪芯谐芯 褖械 褋械 褏邪褉械褋邪. 袧邪 芯褋褌邪薪邪谢懈褌械 泻邪蟹胁邪屑 - 写邪泄褌械 懈 褕邪薪褋. 小褌褉褍胁邪 褋懈 懈 邪蟹 谐芯褉械褖芯 褟 锌褉械锌芯褉褗褔胁邪屑.
袛邪谢懈 懈 写芯 写薪械褋 孝褍褍薪斜邪泻 褋泻懈褌邪 锌褉械蟹 褌芯锌褟褖懈褟 褋械 邪褉泻褌懈褔械褋泻懈 谢械写, 胁 褌褗褉褋械薪械 薪邪 写褍褕懈 蟹邪 锌芯谐谢褗褖邪薪械?
May 9, 2021
"Why does our species always have to take our full measure of God-given misery and terror and mortality and then make it worse?"
The Terror by Dan Simmons. A fantastic and quite frankly breathtaking feat of writing that takes the historical events of the ill-fated Franklin expedition into the Arctic and adds a unique horror spin. The amount of research that must have went into this one is staggering.
But how does it actually read? Well I've read three books by Dan Simmons so far and they have all been comfortable five star reads. He is without doubt a consummate story teller and up there alongside the very best in the business. I'm talking Robert McCammon and Stephen King. This one however is the pick of the bunch. For such a huge novel, it moves very well. Definitely a lot better than the HMS Terror from which this book takes it's name.
Theres some fantastic characters on show in this one and the turn of events are truly harrowing as the limits of human endeavour are pushed to the very limit. Each character is very realistic, likeable yet fantastically flawed or just downright nasty pieces of work. All are placed in the most dire of circumstances and we get to see just how human they actually are. The reader is constantly pondering what the true horror is in this one. Is it the supernatural, the harsh environment our heroes find themselves in or each other.
"Francis Crozier believes in nothing.听Life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. It has no plan, no point, no hidden mysteries that make up for the oh-so-obvious miseries and banalities."
The way Simmons packages and presents this story is fantastic with a narrative stream, mixed with journal and diary entries. Word of warning though. The timeline jumps about a bit at the beginning so remember to check them dates. The story is initially slow-moving, with many scenes heavy on exposition and detail. But this all helps to build the picture and tension, while heightening the realism. If you can hang in there you reap the reward as the story unfolds.
All in all I was left in awe of this one and it's going down as the number one horror novel I've tackled in 2020. Dan Simmons, take a bow. Not to be confused with the bow of a ship...I'm now fully informed of all those nautical terms. So I've gained an education to boot!
March 17, 2019
WOW! This historic tale of a doomed arctic expedition set in 1845 aboard the HMS TERROR is based on true events and one horrific adventure complete with unbelievably brutal sub-zero temperatures, and a terrifying monster from hell. Loaded with great characters including the mysterious 'Lady Silence' and a unique and surprising ending to say the least. While sometimes descriptively gruesome, an engaging story and thrilling read!
June 1, 2020
鈥淲e are all eaters of souls.鈥�
You know those books that you absolutely love, yet wouldn鈥檛 blindly recommend them to everyone? That鈥檚 me with The Terror. Absolutely LOVED it, but I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 suited to every reader.
Incase you didn鈥檛 know, The Terror is based on the Franklin Expedition, when two steam-powered vessels set out in 1845 on a mission to traverse the Northwest Passage. So think big ships and lots of snow and ice. But of course, Simmons puts his own spin on it and also throws in another threat that is hunting and killing the men. As if the threat of scurvy and hunger isn鈥檛 enough!
It is clear from the outset that this book is impeccably researched and so it became a learning experience for me as well as being a damn good story! However this is also where I would warn to proceed with caution, as not everyone will enjoy the extreme level of detail given. Some parts of the story are so bloody engrossing and you simply cannot stop turning the pages, but equally you get the lulls where there鈥檚 a lot of discussion over how the mission should proceed and so forth. But hey, I loved it all!
I truly felt like I embarked on a journey with these men and, boy, was it an emotionally exhausting one. The cast of characters is huge, but you quickly learn who to cheer on, and those you should wish a painful death for. It was horrifying, exhilarating and gut-wrenching. All of the adjectives!!
My one minor qualm is the ending - I obviously won鈥檛 give away much, but the last 70 pages were so beyond what I was expecting. But this book is all about the journey, so it really didn鈥檛 hamper my experience that much! Oh, and some of the detailed descriptions of pubic hair was just... ick.
However, I LOOOOOOOVED this! But again, it鈥檚 not gonna be for everyone! 4.5 stars.
You know those books that you absolutely love, yet wouldn鈥檛 blindly recommend them to everyone? That鈥檚 me with The Terror. Absolutely LOVED it, but I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 suited to every reader.
Incase you didn鈥檛 know, The Terror is based on the Franklin Expedition, when two steam-powered vessels set out in 1845 on a mission to traverse the Northwest Passage. So think big ships and lots of snow and ice. But of course, Simmons puts his own spin on it and also throws in another threat that is hunting and killing the men. As if the threat of scurvy and hunger isn鈥檛 enough!
It is clear from the outset that this book is impeccably researched and so it became a learning experience for me as well as being a damn good story! However this is also where I would warn to proceed with caution, as not everyone will enjoy the extreme level of detail given. Some parts of the story are so bloody engrossing and you simply cannot stop turning the pages, but equally you get the lulls where there鈥檚 a lot of discussion over how the mission should proceed and so forth. But hey, I loved it all!
I truly felt like I embarked on a journey with these men and, boy, was it an emotionally exhausting one. The cast of characters is huge, but you quickly learn who to cheer on, and those you should wish a painful death for. It was horrifying, exhilarating and gut-wrenching. All of the adjectives!!
My one minor qualm is the ending - I obviously won鈥檛 give away much, but the last 70 pages were so beyond what I was expecting. But this book is all about the journey, so it really didn鈥檛 hamper my experience that much! Oh, and some of the detailed descriptions of pubic hair was just... ick.
However, I LOOOOOOOVED this! But again, it鈥檚 not gonna be for everyone! 4.5 stars.
August 8, 2018
A perfect book for the hot weather as it's -50 set in Antarctica circle near Baffin Island & on King William Land in 1845-1848 in locked ships The Terror & The Erebus this has been made into AMC TV series From Sir Ridley Scott of Alien fame .
Set in between 1843-48 this book about two ships locked in the ice & it's also about man's fight with the cold but worse still there is something in the dark hunting them, something from old times pure evil.
What makes this so good is the descriptions 'His pale , lumpy face & stubbled jowls remind Crozier of a rotten white peeled potato stuffed under a Welsh wig' p57 if that doesn't sum up fantastic image I don't know what does .He has all craft of Dickens.
Made into a Ten part TV series
This book is difficult to explain it has the haunting atmosphere of John Carpenter's The Fog with its unexpected ghostly eeriness & The Monkey's Paw twists it is really Bloody horrible in parts .The things people will eat when you are starving .Even Polar bears but not as book says their liver as it's deadly; I have heard that before .But even eating shoes or boiled Leather but worst of all each other.
If want book that give the willies this it. The most interesting person is Lady Silence the Eskimo with no tongue she is classed by the crew as a witch & a Johan because the all the trouble starts is the day she arrives she is young erotic sexual haunting & mystic .She gives the story an extra twist.
This the paperback version with TV cover & is more pages 936 & really good print .Also the map at front of this book helps to make it easier to read because see where they are.
I had relies that the ordinary Sailor of low ranks are 拢60 a year,the Carpenter's 拢70 & Skilled Blacksmiths & the engineers at 拢80 over per years over 3-4 that's huge amount & it's puree profit as it's full board & lodgings as they are on the ships. Wow ! in 1840s is hell of a wage no wonder they went & then all the huge amounts of food, coal & ships were hell did get all that money they must been very very rich into it would. be like Richard Branson doing a Virgin tour.
An erotic love flashback also to brake up the ice .This what makes this book so good it's not just the The Leviathan but it also has other thinks in it like the disgusting Opium Wars in China which lot of people may not know was not about stopping Opium been sold but selling it. The British wanted Chinese Tea but to buy tea we need something to Trade with but the Chinese had Gunpowder, silks,spices & lot more but only thing we had to Trade was Opium but when The Emperor saw what did to his people he tried to ban it so we went to war over Tea & selling Opium to make people into druggies .We won
.At same time the green tea plants were rare & explores classed as spy's under pain of Death if caught got the rare Tea plants out to India & they created the Black tea thus the East India Tea company was founded. A cup PG tea is founded with the blood of the Chinese Opium druggies. Bet did not know that sad is not that that's what Britain great in the early Victorian times Opium .
This book also talks about Naughty naked swimming & it gives a glims of sex in 1840s .It also talks about religion but most of its the Terror make you wet your self as cold shivers creep down as read & more erotica. An extra even a juice murder
The biggest thing about this book is that it is like Melmoth The Wander, Moby Dick, Poe it has both Lovecraft & other classical fiction influence but is a modern horror like It by. Stephen King, Savage or UK authors such as Shaun Hutson or Kim Newman this the sort of book 20years from now you will remember it its like Lord of the Ring or as said Moby Dick because they are sort of books that stand out also because of it been a historical book it never date even 1000 years from now.
Some books are to good to forget this one of them.
WINNER OF THE TOP LIBRARY BOOK
2018.WINNER OF TOP HISTORICAL BOOK 2018.
THE MOBY. DICK AWARD 2018
TOP HORROR MALE BOOK 2018 TOP BOOK 2018鉁斥湷鉁斥湷鉁斥湷鉁斥湷鉁斥湷
Set in between 1843-48 this book about two ships locked in the ice & it's also about man's fight with the cold but worse still there is something in the dark hunting them, something from old times pure evil.
What makes this so good is the descriptions 'His pale , lumpy face & stubbled jowls remind Crozier of a rotten white peeled potato stuffed under a Welsh wig' p57 if that doesn't sum up fantastic image I don't know what does .He has all craft of Dickens.
Made into a Ten part TV series
This book is difficult to explain it has the haunting atmosphere of John Carpenter's The Fog with its unexpected ghostly eeriness & The Monkey's Paw twists it is really Bloody horrible in parts .The things people will eat when you are starving .Even Polar bears but not as book says their liver as it's deadly; I have heard that before .But even eating shoes or boiled Leather but worst of all each other.
If want book that give the willies this it. The most interesting person is Lady Silence the Eskimo with no tongue she is classed by the crew as a witch & a Johan because the all the trouble starts is the day she arrives she is young erotic sexual haunting & mystic .She gives the story an extra twist.
This the paperback version with TV cover & is more pages 936 & really good print .Also the map at front of this book helps to make it easier to read because see where they are.
I had relies that the ordinary Sailor of low ranks are 拢60 a year,the Carpenter's 拢70 & Skilled Blacksmiths & the engineers at 拢80 over per years over 3-4 that's huge amount & it's puree profit as it's full board & lodgings as they are on the ships. Wow ! in 1840s is hell of a wage no wonder they went & then all the huge amounts of food, coal & ships were hell did get all that money they must been very very rich into it would. be like Richard Branson doing a Virgin tour.
An erotic love flashback also to brake up the ice .This what makes this book so good it's not just the The Leviathan but it also has other thinks in it like the disgusting Opium Wars in China which lot of people may not know was not about stopping Opium been sold but selling it. The British wanted Chinese Tea but to buy tea we need something to Trade with but the Chinese had Gunpowder, silks,spices & lot more but only thing we had to Trade was Opium but when The Emperor saw what did to his people he tried to ban it so we went to war over Tea & selling Opium to make people into druggies .We won
.At same time the green tea plants were rare & explores classed as spy's under pain of Death if caught got the rare Tea plants out to India & they created the Black tea thus the East India Tea company was founded. A cup PG tea is founded with the blood of the Chinese Opium druggies. Bet did not know that sad is not that that's what Britain great in the early Victorian times Opium .
This book also talks about Naughty naked swimming & it gives a glims of sex in 1840s .It also talks about religion but most of its the Terror make you wet your self as cold shivers creep down as read & more erotica. An extra even a juice murder
The biggest thing about this book is that it is like Melmoth The Wander, Moby Dick, Poe it has both Lovecraft & other classical fiction influence but is a modern horror like It by. Stephen King, Savage or UK authors such as Shaun Hutson or Kim Newman this the sort of book 20years from now you will remember it its like Lord of the Ring or as said Moby Dick because they are sort of books that stand out also because of it been a historical book it never date even 1000 years from now.
Some books are to good to forget this one of them.
WINNER OF THE TOP LIBRARY BOOK
2018.WINNER OF TOP HISTORICAL BOOK 2018.
THE MOBY. DICK AWARD 2018
TOP HORROR MALE BOOK 2018 TOP BOOK 2018鉁斥湷鉁斥湷鉁斥湷鉁斥湷鉁斥湷
October 17, 2019
Just re-read this deeply atmospheric gem of a novel and loved it just as much as the first time I read it! Probably even more since I have been thinking about this book for more than a year and couldn鈥檛 wait to get my hands on it again. I am absolutely gobsmacked by this riveting blend of historical fiction, adventure, horror and the folklore/myths of the Inuit people of the arctic circle. This was especially interesting to me since the long lost Northwest Passage expedition ship The Terror was just recently found in pristine condition under the freezing waters off Northern Canada - not even ten years after this book was written. This is one of those books that has you falling down all sorts of fascinating rabbit holes, researching and sorting fact from fiction. Simmons really did his homework on this spooky maritime tale.
It鈥檚 a door stopper at almost 800 pages, but you鈥檙e not going to be able to put it down. Grab a blanket, a cup of steaming hot tea and settle down in front of that fireplace for the journey of a lifetime. What a story! Highly recommend, one of my all-time favorite books ever.
Link to a recent article about the discovery of The Terror:
This was awesome! (April 2018)
It鈥檚 a door stopper at almost 800 pages, but you鈥檙e not going to be able to put it down. Grab a blanket, a cup of steaming hot tea and settle down in front of that fireplace for the journey of a lifetime. What a story! Highly recommend, one of my all-time favorite books ever.
Link to a recent article about the discovery of The Terror:
This was awesome! (April 2018)
October 14, 2021
This one is a fictionalized account of听Captain John Franklin's lost expedition of听HMS听Erebus听& HMS听Terror听to the听Arctic, in 1845鈥�1848, to locate the听Northwest Passage.
In the novel, Franklin and his crew are plagued by starvation and illness, and forced to contend with听mutiny, cannibalism and they're stalked across the Arctic landscape by a monster.
A long book, maybe not for the impatient, lots of character building, very atmospheric and the writing is just incredible.
My first Dan Simmons read and I loved it!
A good book to read in an igloo during winter lol! :O
In the novel, Franklin and his crew are plagued by starvation and illness, and forced to contend with听mutiny, cannibalism and they're stalked across the Arctic landscape by a monster.
A long book, maybe not for the impatient, lots of character building, very atmospheric and the writing is just incredible.
My first Dan Simmons read and I loved it!
A good book to read in an igloo during winter lol! :O
May 13, 2011
Is the Terror a mythical beast in the Arctic? The Tuunbaq?
Is the Terror Her Majesty鈥檚 Ship of the same name?
Is the Terror nights that never end?
Is the Terror a Ripper style murderer and his penchant for mutilation?
Is the Terror knowledge?
Is the Terror sodomy?
Is the Terror a silent Esqimaux?
Is the Terror scurvy?
Is the Terror unrelenting ice floes?
Is the Terror belief?
Is the Terror remembrance?
Is the Terror dreams?
Is the Terror the past?
Is the Terror cannibalism?
Is the Terror doubt?
Is the Terror hope?
Is the Terror ignorance?
Is the Terror magic?
Is the Terror misunderstanding?
Is the Terror fire?
Is the Terror interminable cycles?
Is the Terror hubris?
Is the Terror hate?
Is the Terror capitalism?
Is the Terror 鈥渃颈惫颈濒颈锄补迟颈辞苍鈥�?
Is the Terror humanity?
Is the Terror the unknown?
Is the Terror failure?
Is the Terror duty?
Is the Terror ego?
Is the Terror alcohol?
Is the Terror visions and hallucinations?
Is the Terror death?
Is the Terror suffering?
Is the Terror starvation?
Is the Terror ice?
Is the Terror morality?
Is the Terror shame?
Is the Terror foolishness?
Is the Terror delusion?
Is the Terror love?
Is the Terror life?
Is the Terror solitude?
Is the Terror Her Majesty鈥檚 Ship of the same name?
Is the Terror nights that never end?
Is the Terror a Ripper style murderer and his penchant for mutilation?
Is the Terror knowledge?
Is the Terror sodomy?
Is the Terror a silent Esqimaux?
Is the Terror scurvy?
Is the Terror unrelenting ice floes?
Is the Terror belief?
Is the Terror remembrance?
Is the Terror dreams?
Is the Terror the past?
Is the Terror cannibalism?
Is the Terror doubt?
Is the Terror hope?
Is the Terror ignorance?
Is the Terror magic?
Is the Terror misunderstanding?
Is the Terror fire?
Is the Terror interminable cycles?
Is the Terror hubris?
Is the Terror hate?
Is the Terror capitalism?
Is the Terror 鈥渃颈惫颈濒颈锄补迟颈辞苍鈥�?
Is the Terror humanity?
Is the Terror the unknown?
Is the Terror failure?
Is the Terror duty?
Is the Terror ego?
Is the Terror alcohol?
Is the Terror visions and hallucinations?
Is the Terror death?
Is the Terror suffering?
Is the Terror starvation?
Is the Terror ice?
Is the Terror morality?
Is the Terror shame?
Is the Terror foolishness?
Is the Terror delusion?
Is the Terror love?
Is the Terror life?
Is the Terror solitude?
April 26, 2008
I'm a big Dan Simmons fan, but at several points during this book, I found myself thinking, "will someone get this man an editor?"
There's a great horror tale in here. Unfortunately it's buried under layers of fat. Ironic, since lengthy descriptions of starvation and scurvy take up so much space in the book.
There's a great horror tale in here. Unfortunately it's buried under layers of fat. Ironic, since lengthy descriptions of starvation and scurvy take up so much space in the book.
November 14, 2023
El terror
Magn铆fica novela que trata sobre la expedici贸n de sir John Franklin en 1845 que buscaba encontrar un paso por el noroeste del 脕rtico.
En esta misi贸n con los barcos HSM Erebus y HSM Terror, veteranos de exploraciones en la Ant谩rtida la ruta que tomaron para encontrar el paso era zona desconocida. Se desconoc铆a el territorio, no sab铆an si navegaban al borde de tierra firme o islas. Lo cierto es que fueron navegando por donde les dejaba el hielo hasta quedar atrapados en la isla del rey Guillermo al norte de Canad谩 por encima del c铆rculo polar 谩rtico.
A mediados del siglo XIX, sin posibilidad de solicitar ayuda, con unas condiciones clim谩ticas horribles con unas temperaturas de -50 潞 e incluso m谩s, la supervivencia se antojaba imposible.
La novela est谩 basada en hechos reales, pero no todo es real aqu铆. Simmons coge la base y crea una historia ficticia de aventuras con elementos fant谩sticos. Durante a帽os se han recopilado datos de esta expedici贸n los cuales han servido para crear una simulaci贸n de lo que pudo ocurrir. El resto lo incorpora el autor haciendo una historia con grandes personajes que van evolucionando a medida que la supervivencia se hace m谩s y m谩s dif铆cil.
La parte fant谩stica est谩 muy bien integrada, creo que a帽ade la parte de leyenda y las alucinaciones que tuvieron que sufrir esta gente mientras dur贸 su terrible calvario. La integraci贸n de los Inuit en la trama es necesaria y viene muy bien porque adem谩s algo tuvieron que ver.
Si la historia de la expedici贸n de estos barcos ya es un caramelo para cualquier escritor para escribir una novela con buena parte del trabajo hecho, Simmons ha llenado su libro de grandes personajes como el capit谩n Crozier, verdadero protagonista de lo que se cuenta. El capit谩n John Franklin, jefe de la expedici贸n o el tambi茅n capit谩n James Fitzjames, sin olvidar otros m谩s secundarios, pero importantes como el bueno de Irving, la inuit Lady Silenciosa, el m茅dico Goodsir, el maligno Hickey o el patr贸n del hielo Tom Blanky que protagoniza una de las escenas de la novela en la persecuci贸n a que es sometido por los palos del barco y por el hielo. Espero que en la serie que hay sobre este libro aparezca este momento.
En resumen, una gran novela de Dan Simmons con muchas p谩ginas para desarrollar todo lo que ten铆a en la cabeza sobre lo que pudo ocurrir en el hielo, no se hace larga por el n煤mero de p谩ginas, m谩s bien por desear que se acabe el suplicio de esta gente.
Magn铆fica novela que trata sobre la expedici贸n de sir John Franklin en 1845 que buscaba encontrar un paso por el noroeste del 脕rtico.
En esta misi贸n con los barcos HSM Erebus y HSM Terror, veteranos de exploraciones en la Ant谩rtida la ruta que tomaron para encontrar el paso era zona desconocida. Se desconoc铆a el territorio, no sab铆an si navegaban al borde de tierra firme o islas. Lo cierto es que fueron navegando por donde les dejaba el hielo hasta quedar atrapados en la isla del rey Guillermo al norte de Canad谩 por encima del c铆rculo polar 谩rtico.
A mediados del siglo XIX, sin posibilidad de solicitar ayuda, con unas condiciones clim谩ticas horribles con unas temperaturas de -50 潞 e incluso m谩s, la supervivencia se antojaba imposible.
La novela est谩 basada en hechos reales, pero no todo es real aqu铆. Simmons coge la base y crea una historia ficticia de aventuras con elementos fant谩sticos. Durante a帽os se han recopilado datos de esta expedici贸n los cuales han servido para crear una simulaci贸n de lo que pudo ocurrir. El resto lo incorpora el autor haciendo una historia con grandes personajes que van evolucionando a medida que la supervivencia se hace m谩s y m谩s dif铆cil.
La parte fant谩stica est谩 muy bien integrada, creo que a帽ade la parte de leyenda y las alucinaciones que tuvieron que sufrir esta gente mientras dur贸 su terrible calvario. La integraci贸n de los Inuit en la trama es necesaria y viene muy bien porque adem谩s algo tuvieron que ver.
Si la historia de la expedici贸n de estos barcos ya es un caramelo para cualquier escritor para escribir una novela con buena parte del trabajo hecho, Simmons ha llenado su libro de grandes personajes como el capit谩n Crozier, verdadero protagonista de lo que se cuenta. El capit谩n John Franklin, jefe de la expedici贸n o el tambi茅n capit谩n James Fitzjames, sin olvidar otros m谩s secundarios, pero importantes como el bueno de Irving, la inuit Lady Silenciosa, el m茅dico Goodsir, el maligno Hickey o el patr贸n del hielo Tom Blanky que protagoniza una de las escenas de la novela en la persecuci贸n a que es sometido por los palos del barco y por el hielo. Espero que en la serie que hay sobre este libro aparezca este momento.
En resumen, una gran novela de Dan Simmons con muchas p谩ginas para desarrollar todo lo que ten铆a en la cabeza sobre lo que pudo ocurrir en el hielo, no se hace larga por el n煤mero de p谩ginas, m谩s bien por desear que se acabe el suplicio de esta gente.
May 10, 2018
Dan Simmons nos ofrece un relato de ficci贸n basado en la fallida expedici贸n de los buques de la Royal Navy HMS Terror y HMS Erebus, en busca del llamado paso del Noroeste, en la Ant谩rtida, entre los a帽os 1845 y 1848. Esta expedici贸n fracas贸 en su empe帽o, y de los barcos nunca m谩s se supo. Por supuesto no hubo supervivientes, y desaparecieron 129 almas. Recientemente la marina Canadiense ha encontrado los restos del Terror, y parece ser que tambi茅n los del Erebus, a unos 100 kms de donde se supon铆an que hab铆an quedado encallados.
La novela, de casi 800 p谩ginas, me ha parecido magn铆fica, aunque yo no la considerar铆a de terror, (el nombre del barco se aprovecha para el t铆tulo). Es una historia de aventuras, de desgracias sin cuento, de desesperanza, de traici贸n, de supervivencia, y sobre todo, de mucho, mucho, mucho fr铆o.
AMC acaba de estrenar la serie basada en esta novela, con Jared Harris y Ciar谩n Hinds de protagonistas. Veremos si est谩 a la altura.
La novela, de casi 800 p谩ginas, me ha parecido magn铆fica, aunque yo no la considerar铆a de terror, (el nombre del barco se aprovecha para el t铆tulo). Es una historia de aventuras, de desgracias sin cuento, de desesperanza, de traici贸n, de supervivencia, y sobre todo, de mucho, mucho, mucho fr铆o.
AMC acaba de estrenar la serie basada en esta novela, con Jared Harris y Ciar谩n Hinds de protagonistas. Veremos si est谩 a la altura.
January 20, 2022
Wow, what an epic tale!
The Terror is a horror re-telling of the lost Franklin Expedition in the 1840s. The audiobook was 28 hours long but I wasn't bored for one second of it. Part was due to the amazing writing and storytelling by Dan Simmons; while the other part was due to the excellent narration by Tom Sellwood. I can't recommend enough!
The Terror is a horror re-telling of the lost Franklin Expedition in the 1840s. The audiobook was 28 hours long but I wasn't bored for one second of it. Part was due to the amazing writing and storytelling by Dan Simmons; while the other part was due to the excellent narration by Tom Sellwood. I can't recommend enough!
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