The Terror
Saturday, February 23, 2008 at 09:32AM 
Every reader his book; every book its reader. S.R. Ranganathan
When the book opens, 120 officers and men of the HMS Terror and HMS Erebus have already been trapped in the Arctic ice of northern Canada for two years. Led by the incompetent Sir John Franklin in search of the Northwest Passage (and based on a mid 19th century historical event), the men are working in temperatures of -50 to -100 F, are running out of food, fuel and medicine, are suffering from the maritime discipline of the day, and are showing signs of scurvy along with their frostbite. There is no game to hunt and no hope of rescue. The ships' ironclad hulls are breaking up from the pressure of the ice floes. Oh, and there is a giant monster with fangs and claws out on the ice that is taking great pleasure in making man-sushi out of the crew one and two at a time.
And for the next 700 pages, things go downhill for the expedition.
The author of The Terror is Dan Simmons, one of my favorite science fiction writers. His Illium, Hyperion and Endymion series are about the best thing going on the sci-fi front. The Terror is a very well-written story told from multiple points of view. Simmons displays incredible research, provides great detail, and creates well-drawn characters (who for the most part are eaten soon after you get to know them.) This is compelling reading.
But it is grim, as I have been telling the LWW on nearly a daily basis, And she asks in rely why I keep reading the book. I think it might be because Minnesota has experienced 20+ consecutive days of below zero temperatures - and I am identifying.
I am watching for creatures on the lake ice. Just out the back door.
Middle Jefferson Lake, LeSueur County, MN, January 2008 - D. Johnson
Every book its reader... I guess.
Books 
Reader Comments (2)
I read about this incident when I read Resolute. Luckily, our weather hasn't been as bad as yours, but my VT relatives can certainly empathize!
Hi Lazy,
So far our supplies are holding up enough that rampant cannibalism has not yet been a problem. Hope it is the same with Vermont.
Doug