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aliceallenaz's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A HUGE book! Not to be undertaken lightly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Not a book for the light hearted! There is a lot of technical details regarding how the ships were built; a lot of time describing cold, ice, icebergs. This is mostly about the age of the British Empire, with very poor relations with anyone not of British pedigree.coethedragon's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
worst book ever horribly racist, sexist, and homophobic and just painfully slow and boring on top of everything else. there was no fucking need to go into details of every woman's [CENSORED] and [CENSORED]. no one wants to read that shit
"But when I count the scars, there's a moment of truth, there wouldn't be [AMC's The Terror] if there hadn't been [The Terror by Dan Simmons]."
"But when I count the scars, there's a moment of truth, there wouldn't be [AMC's The Terror] if there hadn't been [The Terror by Dan Simmons]."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide, Pregnancy, and War
emkawe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racial slurs, Terminal illness, and Vomit
calamitymeat's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Definitely glad I read this before watching the show. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting, I was honestly expecting something more along the lines of The Thing where there's just a lot more carnage and the fighting amongst the group is a lot more constant and heated, rather than being a constant looming threat in the background.
I had to put it down for a bit just because my library loan expired and it was put back on hold. I definitely would have enjoyed it more if I could have just listened to the whole thing uninterrupted.
I have some complicated feelings about the portrayal of the Inuit people in this book, but yknow I'm a white man, what do I know?The crew of the Terror are racist and this simply reflects the attitudes towards Indigenous people (and POC as a whole) of the time the book takes place, and we are very obviously supposed to think this is wrong. I don't necessarily have a problem with that, I am just not a fan of the idea that racism NEEDS to be included in fiction for the sake of realism. It's wrong to pretend it wasn't there, but it's also a little annoying that people of colour (and a lot of other different minority groups) don't get to enjoy period pieces the same way majority groups do. And multiple characters do make an effort to be decent to the Inuit characters, even if these efforts don't fully unpack the racist views like Inuit people being inherently violent savages. Again, I don't necessarily have a problem with this part. It's realistic, even today in the 21st century. It's just a little jarring to hear when I'm trying to have fun reading a horror novel.
HOWEVER,the book (especially the last five chapters or so) play pretty heavily into the "Indian mysticism" stereotype, which I do have more of an issue with. Again, I'm a white man so maybe I'm getting defensive over something that Indigenous fans of the book (and show) don't see an issue with. Maybe Simmons did extensive research on Inuit mythology and cultural practices and simply included them in the book because he genuinely thought it was respectful. And maybe Indigenous readers don't have an issue with it. I'll definitely look into this later when I have a chance and if this is the case, I will absolutely clarify. But given the reaction from Indigenous people to other tropes in film and literature, specifically the trope that Indigenous people are magical, incredibly superstitious beings who communicate through dreams and have spirit animals, I don't know if this is a great portrayal of Inuit people and culture. But of course, I will give Simmons the benefit of the doubt as this book was written in 2007 and even if these criticisms were present, they weren't necessarily listened to or treated with much respect.
But back to the actual story.
I was having a great time when the focus was on the monster. I had a good time when we were focusing on the tragedy of these people being lost on the ice and desperate, turning to cannibalism and having to reckon with the fact that your friends left you to die because you were too much of a burden for them to save. I just don't know if I feel like these two things meshed together as well near the end as I would have liked them to. Like I said, maybe it's because I put it down pretty much at the point this shift really started to occur. Maybe it's just too long. The book is separated almost in half with a supernatural element and then a more human element (and then an epilogue of sorts). I compared it to The Thing already, but The Thing does a great job of balancing the supernatural and human elements. They play directly into each other and it's the supernatural elements that highlight the pre-existing tension among the group in the first place. I don't think The Terror utilizes this type of story telling as well as it could have.
When I write long and critical reviews like this, I feel like I always need to reiterate that I did enjoy this! The writing style was engaging. I did care about the characters, even if I hated them. The story itself was interesting and kept me hooked enough to power through a 28 hour long audiobook that I could only borrow for two weeks at a time. And I still managed to return it early! I would like to watch the show because I did enjoy the book. I would love to see how the few things I disliked could potentially be fixed, and I do think part of this is easily fixed due to it just being a little less acceptable (and honestly, a lot more cliche and boring) by today's standards.
I've scrolled through other reviews quickly before I try looking for reviews or think pieces by Indigenous readers.
I'm seeing a lot of people say they find the timeline confusing because of the amount of flashbacks. Personally, I didn't have this issue. I tend to miss details when listening to audiobooks since I usually multitask when listening, but even if I was missing something being labelled as a flashback, I never felt lost or like I was having trouble putting together a timeline of events.
I'm also seeing a lot of people talk about the way women are treated in the book, and yeah. One could chalk it up to it being accurate to the attitudes white men had towards women at the time, but I don't know. It kind of falls flat when there's barely any positive to say about women at all in this book unless they're carrying a man's child.
EDIT
So after a very quick google, it seems that Dan Simmons is horribly racist and doesn't believe in climate change. I'm not trying to say that this proves that all of the offensive things in this book are glimpses into his psyche or reflect his true thoughts. But I do think it influences the way he writes his characters, both the ones we're supposed to disagree with and the minority groups themselves.
I had to put it down for a bit just because my library loan expired and it was put back on hold. I definitely would have enjoyed it more if I could have just listened to the whole thing uninterrupted.
I have some complicated feelings about the portrayal of the Inuit people in this book, but yknow I'm a white man, what do I know?
HOWEVER,
But back to the actual story.
When I write long and critical reviews like this, I feel like I always need to reiterate that I did enjoy this! The writing style was engaging. I did care about the characters, even if I hated them. The story itself was interesting and kept me hooked enough to power through a 28 hour long audiobook that I could only borrow for two weeks at a time. And I still managed to return it early! I would like to watch the show because I did enjoy the book. I would love to see how the few things I disliked could potentially be fixed, and I do think part of this is easily fixed due to it just being a little less acceptable (and honestly, a lot more cliche and boring) by today's standards.
I've scrolled through other reviews quickly before I try looking for reviews or think pieces by Indigenous readers.
I'm seeing a lot of people say they find the timeline confusing because of the amount of flashbacks. Personally, I didn't have this issue. I tend to miss details when listening to audiobooks since I usually multitask when listening, but even if I was missing something being labelled as a flashback, I never felt lost or like I was having trouble putting together a timeline of events.
I'm also seeing a lot of people talk about the way women are treated in the book, and yeah. One could chalk it up to it being accurate to the attitudes white men had towards women at the time, but I don't know. It kind of falls flat when there's barely any positive to say about women at all in this book unless they're carrying a man's child.
EDIT
So after a very quick google, it seems that Dan Simmons is horribly racist and doesn't believe in climate change. I'm not trying to say that this proves that all of the offensive things in this book are glimpses into his psyche or reflect his true thoughts. But I do think it influences the way he writes his characters, both the ones we're supposed to disagree with and the minority groups themselves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Vomit
vikhasread's review
Not for me, even in audiobook format. I must admit I am biased as I prefer non-fiction, but the portrayal of the characters is rather one dimensional overall, and the book lingers on graphic details about women's bodies more than I would like (no problem with this type of content per se, just not what I am looking for in this type of book). The audiobook version has a lot of artistic choices (such as the many accents by the same narrator) that may be beloved by many, but didn't work for me. Worth checking out overall, just not my thing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia
msiebz's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
What a weird book… and not because of the horror parts. The horror parts were expected.
I understand it’s set in the Victorian era and there’s rampant racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. but this is like mark twain levels of racial expletives. Also you’re telling me that on these two ships stranded with hundreds of men, the author still manages to put in some very explicit straight sex scenes and not a single explicit gay sex scene. There are some gay moments but they’re are all implied and left to the imagination… and of course he made the main antagonist a gay person. It feels homophobic in a way that isn’t because of the Victorian setting but because the author is lazy and a coward.
I appreciate that the novel has more information about the characters’ backgrounds and motivations -as that’s usually the case with a novel vs a tv series- but I also appreciate the changes the showrunners made to make this story less… clunky? awkward? I don’t know. Some parts are enjoyable and some very much are not.
I understand it’s set in the Victorian era and there’s rampant racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. but this is like mark twain levels of racial expletives. Also you’re telling me that on these two ships stranded with hundreds of men, the author still manages to put in some very explicit straight sex scenes and not a single explicit gay sex scene. There are some gay moments but they’re are all implied and left to the imagination… and of course he made the main antagonist a gay person. It feels homophobic in a way that isn’t because of the Victorian setting but because the author is lazy and a coward.
I appreciate that the novel has more information about the characters’ backgrounds and motivations -as that’s usually the case with a novel vs a tv series- but I also appreciate the changes the showrunners made to make this story less… clunky? awkward? I don’t know. Some parts are enjoyable and some very much are not.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Medical content, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
casparquarius's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
franceshh's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Racial slurs
bookmunchr's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The Terror was a beautiful and Grim book.
The writing is elegant and evocative, but somehow brutish and unflinching.
I felt completely immersed in the tortured minds of the crew. If it wasn't the beast on the ice, danger lurked in the land itself, in the Food, in the wind, in the fog, even in the breast of their fellow mates. Where one obstacle was overcome, another rose in it's place.
The pure unrelenting desolation feels like it will never end. Simmons had me feeling like I was a member of the crew, which is the highest compliment. But it is not easy to be a sailor aboard HMS Terror or Erebus.
I highly reccommend this book to horror lovers. Read at your own risk 😁
The writing is elegant and evocative, but somehow brutish and unflinching.
I felt completely immersed in the tortured minds of the crew. If it wasn't the beast on the ice, danger lurked in the land itself, in the Food, in the wind, in the fog, even in the breast of their fellow mates. Where one obstacle was overcome, another rose in it's place.
The pure unrelenting desolation feels like it will never end. Simmons had me feeling like I was a member of the crew, which is the highest compliment. But it is not easy to be a sailor aboard HMS Terror or Erebus.
I highly reccommend this book to horror lovers. Read at your own risk 😁
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
nyxlikesbook's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Mental illness, Racial slurs, and Fire/Fire injury