THE TERROR BY DAN SIMMONS | Review of the first of my 'Quarterly Chonk' reads...

For the first three months of 2024 I've been working my way through The Terror by Dan Simmons - time to tell you what I thought of it!
Let me know your thoughts in the comments, as always!
Thanks for watching folks :-)
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[@Christine-jg2ch]

I read The Terror a while ago and really enjoyed it, although I had similar feelings toward the ending as you. The only other Simmons I’ve read is Drood, which I thoroughly enjoyed

[@alex_unabridged]

Glad it wasn't just me! Still a great book though, despite my feelings about the end. I'm sure I'll read Drood at some point, I've heard great reports of it before. I'm REALLY not a Dickens fan though, do you think could affect my enjoyment of it? I've just bought The Abominable in my birthday book haul though, and I'm really looking forward to that one! There's so much of Simmons' work that attracts me, not just the historical fiction/horror, but also his science fiction (Hyperion). Many thanks for watching and commenting! ☺

[@Christine-jg2ch]

@@alex_unabridged I don’t think you have to like Dickens to enjoy it, or be a fan of Wilkie Collins (who narrates it). I hadn’t read any Dickens when I read Drood - it’s more about him as a person and London. Hope you will give it a go at some point in the future 😊

[@alex_unabridged]

@@Christine-jg2ch Ah, that's great - I won't be put off then! I'll give it a go, the setting of Victorian London definitely interests me. Thanks! ☺

[@troytradup]

I'm surprised there weren't sources -- Dan Simmons seems to write as much about his books as the books themselves. I'll recommend Summer of Night, which feels pretty consciously like his "Stephen King book." So, successful as a novel ... but is it successful as a horror novel?

[@alex_unabridged]

There were sources for a lot of stuff, like the historical information on the Erebus and Terror expeditions, the crew etc, and there were some books referenced for the Inuit culture/language elements, but I could have done with more. It's probably just me being demanding 😉 I think The Terror is successful as a horror novel, but it's a different sort of horror novel. It's a slow burn and the horror isn't pulse-pounding at any point but a constant tension and feeling of threat that comes from everywhere. Was definitely a chilling read for me! Chilling and chilly! 🥶

[@troytradup]

@@alex_unabridged I want you to know, it took all of my control not to mention a certain author who writes fantastic historical detail about the late 1800s, albeit not usually maritime in nature. 😁

[@alex_unabridged]

@@troytradup 😂 That doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. Well done on resisting temptation, I know it must have taken a superhuman effort 😜. I must be frustrating - you’ve heard me celebrate writers with styles not dissimilar to your man, and must wonder why I can’t get on board with his stuff. I don’t have a good answer for that, just that something doesn’t ‘gel’ for me. And that there’s perhaps such a thing as too much detail…

[@troytradup]

@@alex_unabridged To be fair, I have similar problems with one of your favorites writers, Robert Macfarlane. I find much of his writing beautiful but sometimes too beautiful, if you know what I mean. It's like, bring it back to earth, Bob. Ah well, I can live with our differences. 🤷

[@alex_unabridged]

@@troytradup lol, that’s fair enough! I do know what you mean, he can be quite erm, ‘elaborate’ with his prose! Differences are good, man - makes for lively and interesting discussion! 😀