Considering there can't be many primary sources to read to support writing such a book on an-almost-half-millennium-old set of voyages, this is a great story. Some of the winter parts can get slightly repetitious "and then there was a storm, and then they ate another fox, and then.." but I'm sure that exactly reflects the dull nature of being icebound. William Barents himself isn't known too well in the sources, as he was mythologised a while after.

The author also adds variety by interleaving in explanations of scurvy or technology and trade levels, which helps.