This Thing of Darkness
| Author | Harry Thompson |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Robert FitzRoy |
| Genre | Historical novel |
| Set in | 1828–1865 |
| Publisher | Headline Review |
Publication date | 6 June 2005 |
| Pages | 640 |
| ISBN | 978-0755302802 |
This Thing of Darkness (published in the United States as To the Edge of the World) was the debut novel of Harry Thompson, published in 2005 only months before his death in November of that year at the age of 45. Set in the period from 1828 to 1865, it is a historically fictionalised biography of Robert FitzRoy, who was given command of HMS Beagle halfway through its first voyage. He subsequently captained the vessel over its famous second voyage, during which Charles Darwin travelled as his companion.
The novel was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize.