“This book was recommended to me by a customer. And I LOVED it! This fantastical re-imagining of Sir John Franklin’s ill-fated final search for the Northwest Passage reads pretty accurately based on the little I know. It uses the same dates, locations, names, even down to the wording of real-life messages recovered by rescue efforts. Yeah, it’s pretty dead on…
…EXCEPT FOR THE GIANT MONSTER!!!
That’s right, a vicious monster haunts the ice where Franklin and his men are trapped, killing and maiming with abandon. But as the novel and the expedition spiral into disarray, the sailors have a lot more to worry about than one itty-bitty monster. Disease and starvation, crushing ice, brutal blizzards, endless night, and ultimately their own shipmates.
But surprisingly, there is a lot more to this epic. Mysticism, hope, adventure, loyalty. I know you’re thinking, “how ridiculous, a monster.” But in the end it makes so much sense. Trust me, just suspend your disbelief and push on. It’s worth it. It also sports one of the best developed characters I’ve encountered in a long time.
I had one awful nightmare while reading this book. I also almost vomited on the bus while reading about the effects of scurvy (I actually had to skip a few paragraphs…I’ve never done that). But I also had one peaceful dream about solitude and the Northern Lights (I actually had that dream the night after I finished the book). I was more than a little preoccupied with this one.
My only small complaint is the length, but even then, the slow pacing and endless pages added to the chilling, creeping, anticipation of violence, gore, and salvation.” —Erin, Ravenna Third Place Books, Seattle. Buy The Terror from Third Place Books (then maybe avoid sleep and the bus).