The Terror

By: Dan Simmons

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

The men on board HMS Terror have every expectation of triumph. As part of the 1845 Franklin Expedition, the first steam-powered vessels ever to search for the legendary Northwest Passage, they are as scientifically supported an enterprise as has ever set forth. As they enter a second summer in the Arctic Circle without a thaw, though, they are stranded in a nightmarish landscape of encroaching ice and darkness.

Endlessly cold, with diminishing rations, 126 men fight to survive with poisonous food, a dwindling supply of coal, and ships buckling in the grip of crushing ice. But their real enemy is far more terrifying. There is something out there in the frigid darkness: an unseen predator stalking their ship, a monstrous terror constantly clawing to get in. When the expedition's leader, Sir John Franklin, meets a terrible death, Captain Francis Crozier takes command and leads his surviving crewmen on a last, desperate attempt to flee south across the ice. With them travels an Inuit woman who cannot speak and who may be the key to survival, or the harbinger of their deaths.

But as another winter approaches, as scurvy and starvation grow more terrible, and as the terror on the ice stalks them southward, Crozier and his men begin to fear that there is no escape. The Terror swells with the heart-stopping suspense and heroic adventure that have won Dan Simmons praise as "a writer who not only makes big promises but keeps them" (Seattle Post-Intelligencer). With a haunting and constantly surprising story based on actual historical events, The Terror is a novel that will chill you to your core.

©2007 Dan Simmons (P)2007 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Outstanding." (Booklist)
"Beautifully written." (Publishers Weekly)

Wonderful Story- but abridgement ruins it

If you read the book which is over 700 pages, you get the actual depth and purpose of this wonderful book. It actually makes you feel the cold and relate to the extreme hardships these men went through. The decision to abridge this book was a huge mistake- as it is with all abridged books - The one bright spot in this audio book is the narrator- Simon Vance who is superb!!

Historical Horror

One of my favorite books of the past few years (and I've never been a Simmons fan before, although I sure am now). A totally unique, compelling mix of historical fiction and horror, with some nautical adventure and shipboard life thrown into the pot for seasoning. Moves really fast, and the characters, events and even the scares are believable. I absolutely loved it --- give it a try, even if you don't usually like books in the historical fiction or horror genres. Simmons does such an amazing job creating a new, third genre out of the traditions of the other two, fans of NEITHER should love this book just as much as fans of either one (or both).

Good Naval Read... but abridged.. WTF?

Would you consider the audio edition of The Terror to be better than the print version?

why would anyone...ANYONE put up an abridged version of ANY book?

Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favorite?

Vance has a good voice.

its abridged.

Its a shame Simon Vance couldn't do an unabridged version. The full book is very interesting.

Pleasantly surprised

I've had this audiobook for a while. I made the mistake of watching part of the TV series based on it, which was severely drawn out and took forever to get anywhere, eventually causing me to abandon it. The book was a pleasant surprise, well worth the time. It moved well, with clear purpose and no wasted points. There's one section that drags a bit but ultimately has purpose to get you where you need to be.

Excellently written and narrated.

I've been listening to audiobooks for over 5 years, and this story is in my top 5.

This book is extremely well-written, with a narrative that moves you along like a good adventure story, but has elements of mythological tales, murder mystery, suspense drama, and historical fiction all worked in. The setting is fascinating - 1800's naval exploration of the NW Passage, and the characters are complex and interesting (though not all likable).

It's a dark tale, and doesn't necessarily all wrap up cleanly or as the reader would want, but it's nice to listen to a story that is not predictable.

I cannot say enough good things about the narrator. His style, cadence, characters, EVERYTHING is spot-on, and moves the story forward to where you more experience it than listen to it.

Overall, I highly recommend this book.

Historial novel with horror and Inuit mythology.

This book is based off two real ships exploring the Northwest Passage. It is basically a historical novel with Inuit mythology inserted. The book is written partially from a third-person narrative and partially from direct journal entries from several characters. This was necessary because seaman keep getting killed off and therefore their viewpoint then must disappear.

I enjoyed the mix of historical, horror, suspense, and science-fiction. The historical part definitely brought out the high risks of such an expedition in the form of mutiny, extreme cold, hunger, cannibalism, scurvy...it all makes you wonder why anyone would have gone on such a voyage!

I didn't find the novel to be too long as others expressed. It all, to me, felt important to building the ambiance. And this book, overall, is about giving you the feeling of what it was like, versus being action-packed. There is definitely some action, of course, but building horror is more Simmons' schtick. The monster reminded me of Simmons' treatment of the Lord of Pain in Hyperion. There is so much fear for the creature and for good reason, but as you go through the series, you find that he is an equalizer in some ways and can be helpful if on your side. I enjoyed how, in this novel, he uses the monster in a somewhat similar way - as a creature outside of our Western viewpoint. And the evil of the mortal humans is a foil for this philosophical discussion.

I can see that this book wouldn't be for everyone, but I think if you're a Simmons fan, like me, you'll find enjoyment in this novel. As always, I enjoyed the great Simon Vance narrating.

Worthwhile, but unexpected

Not an historic account of the proceedings of this failed expedition. Rather an indictment of industrial society from the perspective of the indigenous 'real people'.
Relevant in this era of climate change.

Fantastic read.

This is a riveting period peace that engrosses you from the very beginning. The narration really gives it a vivid life.

Interesting book

Although I enjoyed the story I did have a little trouble following it. I'm not really sure if it was due to the narration or the writing. It might also have something to due with the book being abridged. Not sorry I purchased it. And plan on listening to it again.