The Terror: Booktrack Edition characters

Appears from the start

Captain of HMS Terror and second-in-command of the Franklin expedition. An experienced polar officer and skilled navigator, he is burdened by alcoholism, disappointment, and the knowledge that the expedition's position is becoming untenable.

First appears in chapter 2

Commander of the expedition and captain of HMS Erebus. He is confident that modern ships, ample provisions, and British discipline will carry the expedition through the Northwest Passage.

First appears in chapter 2

Captain of Erebus after serving as Franklin's energetic second. Sociable, ambitious, and attentive to appearances, he gradually assumes heavier responsibility as the expedition's condition worsens.

Also known as Silence

First appears in chapter 9

A young Inuit woman encountered by the expedition after an older hunter is wounded. The sailors call her Silence because she has no tongue. She remains watchful and largely separate from the crews, who understand little of her language or purpose.

First appears in chapter 3

An assistant surgeon aboard Erebus with a serious interest in natural history. Thoughtful and humane, he studies the men's illnesses and tries to understand the Inuit people and the strange animal stalking the ships.

First appears in chapter 4

A caulker's mate aboard Terror. Clever, resentful of authority, and unusually alert to shifts in power, he gathers influence among crewmen who distrust their officers.

Appears from the start

Terror's ice master, a veteran sailor with deep practical knowledge of frozen seas. Direct and resourceful, he is one of Crozier's most dependable advisers when ordinary naval procedure proves inadequate.

First appears in chapter 4

Crozier's young steward aboard Terror. Quietly competent and devoted to his captain, he manages Crozier's cabin and increasingly assists him through illness and crisis.

First appears in chapter 5

A lieutenant on Terror whose duties bring him into contact with both officers and ordinary seamen. Earnest and observant, he becomes involved in efforts to communicate with nearby Inuit families.

First appears in chapter 5

Erebus's senior surgeon. Severe in manner and increasingly unstable under the pressure of cold, sickness, and confinement, he takes a far bleaker view of the expedition than Goodsir does.

First appears in chapter 12

An older, educated seaman serving on Erebus. He shares a private and tender bond with the younger sailor Harry Peglar and provides steadiness as the expedition's social order frays.

First appears in chapter 12

Captain of the foretop on Terror, valued for his seamanship. He keeps personal writings that reveal a thoughtful inner life and his close attachment to John Bridgens.

First appears in chapter 8

A huge pale creature that moves across the ice and attacks members of the expedition. It resembles a bear but displays size, endurance, and apparent purpose beyond any animal the sailors know.

First appears in chapter 6

A young officer chosen to lead an early sledge journey beyond the trapped ships. His expedition is intended to survey the route and seek signs of open water or help.