Today, we will be reviewing The Terror by Dan Simmons, a fictionalized account of a true expedition. Keep reading to find out what we thought of this novel and if you should read it too!
The Terror Summary
HMS Terror and HMS Erebus have been trapped in ice for more than a year because of colder than usual weather. Food and supplies are getting close to running out and there is little to no food to hunt. And on top of that, there seems to be a mysterious monster that is slowly killing all the crew members.
The monster resembles a large polar bear and shows signs of intelligence as it hunts the crewmembers. The crew members of HMS Terror and HMS Erebus have to decide how to go forward and what the monster truly is.
But with dwindling food and supplies, they may have to leave the comfort of their ships and trek across the ice and find civilization before they are all killed by the monster. Will they escape the monster that has invaded their lives or will they all become his prey?
Commentary
While the novel is fiction, it is based on the true voyage of the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror to the Arctic. Nobody knows what happened to the two ships.
Dan Simmons wrote this novel in 2007 and in 2014 and 2016, the wrecks of both ship were finally discovered. Even with this discovery, we still don’t know what actually happened to the ships and why they sunk.
I love novels like these where authors imagine what happened to the ships and crew and Simmons story is a fun take on it. Making it a horror novel was a brilliant idea and Simmons is in his element, making us as scared as the crew throughout the book.
It is hard to guess what direction a Simmons novel will go and I was very surprised at what unfolds. Even months after reading this novel, I find myself thinking about it which is why I am always eager to read any novel by Simmons.
Conclusion
Simmons has written some of the favorite books and The Terror lived up to my expectations. He is a brilliant storyteller and knows how to keep a reader hooked. The Terror is a novel that you won’t be able to put down even if you know the history behind the famous voyage. I definitely recommend it and can’t wait to read even more books by Simmons. Happy reading!
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This book fits in perfectly with my never-ending interest in explorations and expeditions and ships in peril. Thanks for telling us about it!
You’re welcome! It’s more horror than exploration so read with caution!
Good to know – thanks!
Pretty interesting read there