The gross incompetence of the people who plan and provision the voyage is not the only problem encountered in this novel, either. I was pulled through the 766 pages by my morbid curiosity about the mysterious occurrences, unbelievable mistakes, and dire consequences that were revealed one after another throughout the book. I can't say that I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of reading The Terror, but I was fascinated and compelled to read it as quickly as possible, and I have to credit the quality of the writing for that. I recommend it, especially to anyone who is interested in history, exploration, ships, and incredibly freaking cold weather.
I'm definitely looking forward to reading more books by Dan Simmons, especially since I'm likely to meet him at Norwescon in March!