The Terror

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. After reading these later chapters, how do you feel about the novel’s shift from historical survival narrative to mythological and spiritual transformation? Did this transition feel natural to you, or did it seem abrupt?

2. The story and the experiences of the men are presented through multiple perspectives. Which perspective felt more powerful or disturbing to you, and why?

3. Which image from the novel lingers most with you: The dreams, the starving men, the barren ice, or the stalking monster? How would you describe the book’s atmosphere as a whole?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Crozier finds Terror again and chooses to destroy it rather than let it linger. Have you ever had to let go of something from your past, even if it meant destroying or cutting it off completely?

2. Many of these chapters grapple with balancing darkness and light, both literal and symbolic. How do you see that struggle playing out in your own life?

3. The theme of isolation dominates the narrative ends of several of the characters, from Hickey to Crozier. Can you connect this to a time in your life when you felt utterly alone, and how you coped with it?

4. The men endure hunger, cold, and hopelessness, yet they continue moving. How do you personally respond to stories of endurance under impossible circumstances? Do they inspire you, disturb you, or both?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The story integrates Inuit tales of Sedna and Raven into the larger narrative. What does this inclusion suggest about cultural survival versus colonial erasure?

2. How does the novel reflect the brutal reality of the real Franklin Expedition and the consequences of their attempts to explore the Arctic? Which elements in the novel are adapted or fictionalized?

3. How does the novel highlight the differences between Western and Indigenous approaches to storytelling, history, and myth?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does the epistolary format for only Dr. Goodsir’s chapters impact his narration and characterization? What is the wider significance of this narrative choice?

2. How does the interplay of myth and history in the novel complicate its genre?

3. Simmons often juxtaposes detailed medical or scientific descriptions with scenes of horror. How does this tension between clinical precision and grotesque violence shape the atmosphere?

4. Is Hickey’s death framed as ironic justice, cosmic punishment, or simply the inevitable fate of all unprepared humans against the Arctic? Support your answer with textual details.

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine an alternate ending where Crozier chooses not to surrender to the Tuunbaq. How might the story have concluded differently?

2. Imagine a modern-day Arctic researcher uncovers fragments of the Terror after Crozier burned it. How might they interpret the evidence without knowing the full story?

3. Remove one of the disasters the men underwent in the story. How might their journey, and the story’s themes, change from that point forward?