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| ♥♥♥♥♥ | "I will survive." |
| Sometimes you learn just as much about a product when you read its negative reviews. The Terror is a shining example when its detractors say things like "It's too long", "It's too wordy", "It has too many characters", and much more. Of course, we should expect that in a society full of people who expect instant gratification. Heaven forbid that a novel should ever be written beyond a fifth grade level. Or that every page should make us feel bright and sunny inside.
As some of you now know, this novel takes place during the ill-fated 1845 Franklin Expedition; which was one of the most calamitous events in English Naval history that was not related to warfare. What made this all the more tragic was the fact that it could have been prevented. Two state of the art steamships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, set off to find the fabled Northwest Passage only to get caught in deadly 10 foot thick pack ice. Nearly 130 men needlessy died from disease, starvation, food poisoning, and many other horrible causes. 160 years later, this tragedy continues to fascinate historians. Here, Simmons expertly crafts a tale that combines meticulous research and fictitious supernatural elements based on Eskimo mythology. The Terror is not inaccurately marketed as a horror novel, but I feel a great sense of relutance labelling it as only that. To me it is a historical adventure novel with some supernatural horror thrown in. The plot is how all these men try to survive the weather, illness, starvation, tainted food, a twelve foot monster, and each other. When dealing with such extreme conditions, mediocrity is no longer an option. People are pushed to their very extremes - or they perish. To give you three examples of the better side of the moral spectrum. Captain Crozier starts out as a good, albeit alcohlic officer who when he runs out whiskey is forced to become a great officer. Dr. Goodsir starts out as a milquetoast who is unaccustomed to the rigorous work of the sailors, but as time marches on he lives up to his last name. And Ice Master Blanky continues to be overjoyed at the very fact that he is still alive when he loses a leg and part of the other. On the other side is Caulkers Mate Hickey, who tries to foment mutiny among the least educated and morally lax of the crew. In short, something like this brings out the best and worst in people. I have read several other fine books from Simmons such as his Stephen King-esque [[ASIN:0446362662 Summer of Night]] and his psychic vampire epic [[ASIN:0446359203 Carrion Comfort]]. Since so many of his books are vastly different from each other, but equally well-written, it's tremendously difficult to find a favorite. I don't know how it happened, but The Terror exceeded the high expectations I placed upon it. Now I'm eagerly anticipating Simmons' next epic book Drood, which deals with the last five years of Charles Dickens' life and his falling out with Wilkie Collins. I can't wait. |
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