Erebus: The Story of a Ship

A biography of a ship and of Victorian heroism

Erebus: The Story of a Ship is a biography of the voyage that was mentioned in Conrad's book, Heart of Darkness. Launched in 1826, it vanished with her sister ship, The Terror, in 1846. They were trying to find a way through the Northwest Passage.129 men were on board. The book covers not only its loss in the Arctic, but its Antarctic exploration, and its construction in Milford Haven.

In September 2014, marine archaeologists discovered HMS Erebus, in the frozen wastes of the Canadian arctic. Palin starts there and works back. The book is a well researched account that examines the careers of the crew, particularly its captain John Franklin. Finally, the story covers the efforts of Lady Jane Franklin to dispatch rescue ships.

Palin writes a lively account which is strong on historical context. It reveals much about not only exploration but also life in the Royal Navy in the 19th century. It's certainly an evocative story of an extraordinary adventure. In the book we also learn how Palin came to love sea stories and how he became fascinated with the epic story of HMS Erebus.

In summary, Palin brings energy, wit and humanity to a remarkable and stirring tale. A tale that manages to bring ship back to life. It's an epic story, full of human suffering . While the crew didn't make their goal of the south magnetic pole, writes Palin:

“never again, in the annals of the sea, would a ship, under sail alone, come close to matching what she [Erebus] and Terror had achieved.”

Informative and engaging. Not my usual reading material but Palin writes in a way that is accessible to someone with very little knowledge of the subject.