Passage: A Novel

by Angus Wardlaw

'PASSAGE' is the shocking account of the tragic John Franklin Expedition, brilliantly told in a new novel by Angus Wardlaw, descendant of Captain Francis Crozier who commanded the HMS Terror, sister ship to the HMS Erebus. Wardlaw dramatically unveils the spine-tingling true story of this ambitious but ultimately fated expedition, that ended in death and cannibalism. Meticulously researched, drawing on all that is known about the fate of this ambitious expedition, 'PASSAGE' relates the history, horror and extreme challenges to human fortitude faced by the crews of the two ships; familiar to many from 'The Terror' - the chilling Ridley Scott produced TV series.On 19th May 1845 the Royal Navy launches its most technologically advanced Arctic expedition ever in the hope of finding the fabled Northwest a direct trade route to the Far East that could bring untold wealth to the British Empire.But, just as the expedition is on the brink of astonishing success, nature cruelly threatens to crush the ships and stretch the crews of Erebus and Terror to the limits of human endurance. With the temperature plummeting, the body count rising and little hope of rescue, their troubled leader has no option but to abandon ships with his freezing, sick and starving men and begin a brutal 500-mile death march across the High Arctic. This is the true, epic story of the brotherhood and heroism of 129 souls who must pass through the very darkest of places in their struggle to survive as told by the great-great-great-great nephew of Francis Crozier, captain of HMS Terror.

408 pages, Hardcover

Published October 27, 2023

Reviews

[Stace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book that I was reluctant to read because we tried to watch the Ridley Scott dramatization of Dan Simmons The Terror. Although we were interested in the venture we stopped watching after a few episodes because we found it slow, dull and so, so depressing. I was persuaded to give Angus Wardlaw’s book a chance and I’m delighted that I did. It is a tense and informative read.

Of course we will never fully know what happened on that trip but it seems to me that Wardlaw has thoroughly researched the known events. He gives full details of the crews, equipment and supplies. He has also included through the book, the instructions from the Admiralty to Sir John Franklin which I found particularly interesting. Yes, they hoped that he would find a passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific but they also expected full mapping of the route and the collection of a lot of scientific data, whilst following strict British Naval procedures that may be appropriate in the Channel on a nice summer’s day but not for the frozen north.

I know that the Dan Simmons version was published in 2007 but I don’t know whether Wardlaw had started his book before that. What I do know is that to produce a tough adventure story, Simmons did not need to introduce the monster and horror aspects to create a good novel because all the elements were already there: the battles against extreme weather, the boredom of being locked in the ice for months/years, the lack of food, the strengths and weaknesses of the sailors, the physical demands all taking officers and men to the limits and beyond.

The book ends with details of some of the searches for the missing ships and crews followed by a substantial Author’s Note by Wardlaw giving further relevant facts and opinions about the trip. All are personal for him as Captain Crozier’s great-great-great-great nephew.

Passage is currently available in hardback and paperback versions but as far as I can see it is not yet on sale as an e-book.

The world celebrates winners such as Columbus, Magellan, Amundsen and Hillary but easily forgets those that are unsuccessful. The captains and crews of Terror and Erebus were given a hopeless task, hampered by Naval Lords who failed to give them the right tools. In writing Passage Angus, Wardlaw gives rightful credit to those brave men. I have awarded four and a half stars.

[Toby J · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Passage' is a great read for fans of historical fiction

It is the story of the John Franklin Expedition of the 19th century that set out from England to find the Northwest Passage route in the polar area above Canada.
Much is known of the first part of this tragic expedition and I had seen 'The Terror', a very Gothic, Ridley Scott-produced series on BBC that portrayed this spine-tingling tale. Angus Wardlaw tells the story until its tragic end. He is a descendant of the captain of the HMS Terror, one of the two ships that set out from Britain and has clearly thoroughly researched all the sources about the fate of the 129 men who died.
At times it reads like a thriller and then occasionally has a touch of horror and macabre. Either way it grips you throughout, even though you know that it comes to a sad end. The characters are well-drawn and I found myself rooting for their survival against the odds.
When I did a bit or research about the story it is interesting to see that they have found the wrecks on the sea bed and many attempts have been made over the years to uncover the true fate of the crews, with much information forming part of Inuit oral history. Also 14 daguerrotype images of the crew that have been in storage for 178 years have just sold at Sotheby's in London for over $500,000!
This book is not your usual history novel and well worth getting caught up in!

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This was a fascinating story, based on true events. It’s clear Wardlaw has done a lot of research, and does an excellent job of bringing history to life on the page. Although this is a novelized accounting of the journey, it really brings the events and setting to life. The imagery is vivid, from those sitting around a table drinking, making decisions that would change so many lives, to the icy expedition that ended in so much tragedy. I have to admit, I didn’t know a lot about the expedition before (only a passing mention in a history book years ago), but it’s definitely piqued my interest in the history of arctic exploration.

[Steven Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific historical fiction, written with expertise by Angus Wardlaw. The setting, period and atmosphere are vividly evoked. Some of the dialogue is a little flowery, but broadly representative of the time. Highly recommended to anyone who is interested in the Franklin Expedition or historical novels in general.