The Terror

The Terror

2007 • 784 pages

Ratings116

Average rating4

15

I doubt I've ever read (or listened to) a book this long, but I enjoyed the experience a lot. It kept my attention easily at every moment. I don't know if I really recommend it, though, because I did have some problems with it. I'll say 2 or 3 stars for the themes of the book and 5 for my enjoyment level.

I would like to write a longer review but I'm just not up for typing it on my phone. And it's not like this is some obscure book. It was odd for me to spend so much time with such a mainstream work. But I was reading it for the adventure, and on that front, it delivered exactly what I wanted.

My main problem, then, was with the book's human villain, Hickey. I don't know why he was so evil. He was also gay, and a sexual predator. It felt like his only motivation was just a general rejection of authority. I couldn't see things from his perspective, which I think is a major flaw in a story.

The plot with Crozier was very strange, and I don't really know how I feel about it. It was easy for me to identify with him, and I think he's a very well-drawn character. I'll have to put more thought into that.

I was afraid this book would be in omniscient third-person, which I dislike, but it isn't. It's limited third-person, like ASoIaF, and if you like those books, you'll probably like this. It's similar in that it's often brutally gory and just brutal in general, and it has a cast of fascinating characters. Unlike in those books, there is no on-page sexual violence. It also reminded me quite a bit of the show Lost, but The Terror actually tells a coherent story.

Overall, this got me excited to read more books set mostly on ships. I don't know if I'll read this author again, but it was a very entertaining book.

January 15, 2020Report this review