The TerrorDan Simmons
I’ve been told there are two types of people in the world: those who read the whale parts of Moby Dick, and those who skip them. I proudly admit to being among the latter, even though the above maxim omits a larger section of the population: those who don’t read Melville’s masterpiece at all. Whale parts notwithstanding, I’m proud I managed even 85% of it, and for one very simple reason: boats confuse the shit out of me.
First, there’s the terminology. What the hell’s wrong with saying “front, “back,” and “side”? Start throwing around terms like aft and starboard and god only knows what and my eyes immediately glaze over like a lonely nerd viewing his first Playboy. Considering Moby Dick is about 800 pages of such boat-ness, I’m just pleased I even minimally understood what I read, even though I probably imagined things happening all kinds of wrong. Oh well.
I discuss my literary psychology to explain my initial hesitation regarding The Terror. Despite glowing reviews from many people, several words loomed in my mind’s eye, inciting a growing terror of my own. Boats. Explorers. History. Boats.
Boats? History? BOATS? For how many pages, exactly???
What the hell kinda snoozefest is this?
Nevertheless, my bookish destiny intervened yet again, throwing The Terror into my path at every opportunity. Needless to say, I bowed to my fates, praying that it wouldn’t be too painful.
Surprisingly enough, The Terror was one of the best books I HAVE EVER READ. I’m not sure anything I can say will come close to describing its excellence.
First, I'll start with what history calls its own: In 1845, two ships (Erebus and Terror) sailed from England. Sir John Franklin, the leader of the expedition, was determined to find the Northwest Passage, the passage above Canada that connects the Atlantic and the Pacific.
Right: Sir John Franklin, leader of the expedition
Unfortunately, the pack ice (great expanses of extremely thick ice) was especially problematic this year, and the ships – and their crews – were frozen in for a period of three years. What happens then is not exactly known, but for the final outcome: ALL perish. There were no survivors, but whether the men succumbed to frigid temperatures (at times reaching -50F), starvation, mutiny, or cannibalism is anyone’s guess.
Left: Francis Rawdon Moira Crozier, the expedition's second-in-command
Enter Dan Simmons to fill in history’s gaps. He fleshes out characters whose real-life personalities have been sacrificed to history’s cold memory, creating Franklin (an idealistic fool), Crozier (an able and determined yet emotionally weak captain), and Goodsir (an inexperienced yet reliable doctor) in addition to countless other characters, from stewards to officers and everyone in between. The use of multiple voices contribute to our understanding of what happens both in their souls and on the ice.
Unfortunately for these men, they are not alone on the treacherous ice that shifts and cracks continuously around them. Something on the ice is stalking them, something intelligent enough to taunt and torture them.
First, there’s the terminology. What the hell’s wrong with saying “front, “back,” and “side”? Start throwing around terms like aft and starboard and god only knows what and my eyes immediately glaze over like a lonely nerd viewing his first Playboy. Considering Moby Dick is about 800 pages of such boat-ness, I’m just pleased I even minimally understood what I read, even though I probably imagined things happening all kinds of wrong. Oh well.
I discuss my literary psychology to explain my initial hesitation regarding The Terror. Despite glowing reviews from many people, several words loomed in my mind’s eye, inciting a growing terror of my own. Boats. Explorers. History. Boats.
Boats? History? BOATS? For how many pages, exactly???
What the hell kinda snoozefest is this?
Nevertheless, my bookish destiny intervened yet again, throwing The Terror into my path at every opportunity. Needless to say, I bowed to my fates, praying that it wouldn’t be too painful.
Surprisingly enough, The Terror was one of the best books I HAVE EVER READ. I’m not sure anything I can say will come close to describing its excellence.
First, I'll start with what history calls its own: In 1845, two ships (Erebus and Terror) sailed from England. Sir John Franklin, the leader of the expedition, was determined to find the Northwest Passage, the passage above Canada that connects the Atlantic and the Pacific.Right: Sir John Franklin, leader of the expedition
Unfortunately, the pack ice (great expanses of extremely thick ice) was especially problematic this year, and the ships – and their crews – were frozen in for a period of three years. What happens then is not exactly known, but for the final outcome: ALL perish. There were no survivors, but whether the men succumbed to frigid temperatures (at times reaching -50F), starvation, mutiny, or cannibalism is anyone’s guess.
Left: Francis Rawdon Moira Crozier, the expedition's second-in-command
Enter Dan Simmons to fill in history’s gaps. He fleshes out characters whose real-life personalities have been sacrificed to history’s cold memory, creating Franklin (an idealistic fool), Crozier (an able and determined yet emotionally weak captain), and Goodsir (an inexperienced yet reliable doctor) in addition to countless other characters, from stewards to officers and everyone in between. The use of multiple voices contribute to our understanding of what happens both in their souls and on the ice.
Unfortunately for these men, they are not alone on the treacherous ice that shifts and cracks continuously around them. Something on the ice is stalking them, something intelligent enough to taunt and torture them.
Sometimes I can be quite juvenile, I know
As these men are stuck on the ice for months upon months, their food stores slowly dwindling and madness closing in, they soon realize that there is no escape. Not from the ice, from the thing, or from themselves. And while we know these men are doomed from the opening pages, Simmons is still able to inject both suspense and hope into this chilling novel. The end, as much as it can be, is uplifting.
Finally, I'd like to debunk the biggest criticism levied against The Terror. A few have argued that it is too long, too filled with back story, that Simmons should have excised chunks of text to create more suspense or cohesion.
To that I say: DON’T BE DAFT.
Not a single chapter detracts from the story. At almost 800 pages long, The Terror neither relents nor descends into dullness. If his other works are even half as good as this one, I'll definitely be happy to read more of him.
In a nutshell: Chilling, heartbreaking, uplifting ... perfect. I didn't even mind the boat parts.
Bibliolatry Scale: 6 out of 6 stars
Finally, I'd like to debunk the biggest criticism levied against The Terror. A few have argued that it is too long, too filled with back story, that Simmons should have excised chunks of text to create more suspense or cohesion.To that I say: DON’T BE DAFT.
Not a single chapter detracts from the story. At almost 800 pages long, The Terror neither relents nor descends into dullness. If his other works are even half as good as this one, I'll definitely be happy to read more of him.
In a nutshell: Chilling, heartbreaking, uplifting ... perfect. I didn't even mind the boat parts.
Bibliolatry Scale: 6 out of 6 stars
5 comments:
What did you think of the ending and Crozier's fate? I liked his character a lot, so I was glad, but at the same time kind of surprised by the turn the book took.
I loved it, because it saved me from feeling such despair over everything that happened -- and I absoluted loved Crozier's character, so I was glad to see it end the way it did.
Thanks for the support on my blog with the rude comment man. And also, I am glad I am not the only one who kinda hated White Noise... I finished it and then I did a search of your blog and was relieved!
Wow, with that review I'm definately going to have to add this to my to-read list. Plus, I'm sort of obsessed with really long books - I hardly ever read them, but I like the IDEA of reading them :)
I've picked this up, put it down. Picked it up, put it down. Each and every time I go to the bookshop. I'm like you, boats don't exactly make me an avid fan but I am curious about it. Thanks for the review...it's now on my TBR pile. Not near the top but it's in there. :-)
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