Rating: 
Summary: Can not go wrong here.
Review: The Aubrey/Maturin series starting with the Master and Commander has caused me to read the series over and over again. On occasion I have had to travel and my first inspiration is to find a good book at the airport bookstore. Well, on a recent trip I decided why take a chance buying a book that might be a dud. So I told myself I'll just read the first 4 or 5 books. Well I'm on The Hundred Days for the third time. I'm just as pleased now as I was the first time. Excellent series I just wish it could go on.
Rating: 
Summary: Good naval/historical details, but not a great story...
Review: This was my first Patrick O'Brian book, and I was quite sad to discover that I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped too. That said, I have to admit that I did have very high expectations, given the high praise that I've heard about the Aubrey-Maturin saga-- often given by folks whose tastes are similar to my own. It's quite possible that my disappointment is simply a function of the fact that my expectations had been raised so high...To be fair, there *are* many good things about this book, the first in the Aubrey-Maturin saga. Foremost among those, of course, is the impressive historical knowledge/research that went into this. This is true not only in terms of matters of nautical/naval/maratime history (which is, of course, the main focus of the novel), but also in terms of the broader political/social/international mileu. I particularly appreciate the fact that this book makes an effort to represent the less flashy aspects of naval life during the Napoleonic Wars-- the economic details of provisioning and outfitting a ship, the bureaucratic details of how a ships log was kept and the language of official naval correspondance, and even the complex web of social/personal 'politicking' that went on behind the scenes, on shore, and even on board. Compared to C.S. Forester's classic Hornblower series (which I do love), "Master and Commander" is much grittier and grubbier, with more emphasis on realism and less on individual heroics. So, what's wrong? Why am I giving this only 3 stars? Well, in spite of the books merits, the fact remains that-- and I know I'm going to ruffle a few feathers in saying this-- is that it's somewhat weak in terms of characters, plot, description, and general narrative structure. Put otherwise, it's well-researched and quite realistic-- but it's not really what I would call a well-written work of literature. While characters do have well-developed backgrounds/histories, they're interactions and development in the course of the novel seems quite flat and static-- and whenever changes or tensions exist, they just seem (to me) unconvincing. The very friendship between Aubrey and Maturin, for example, or the supposedly simmering tension between Aubrey and Dillon (for another example), just seemed .... well, unconvincing. Part of the problem here, I think, is that O'Brian too often commits the error of 'telling', rather than 'showing', when it comes to character feelings and interactions. In terms of the story, well, there really isn't all that much of a plot to tell the truth. Essentially, Aubrey, Maturin, and the crew of the "Sophie" just sail around, pull into port, and engage in a few conflicts, with no overarching plot, development, or theme. Often times transitions were abrupt, sudden, and unexpected-- and I often found myself needing to re-read sentences, paragraphs, or even whole sections to try and figure out what had changed and what new thing was happening. When all's said and done, this was still a pleasant enough read..... and I'm still willing to give O'Brian another try. But, I guess I'm just disappointed that this book falls a bit short in terms of its literariness, even if it excels in its historicity.
Rating: 
Summary: Where's my dictionary?
Review: This is a pretty neat book, especially for those people with an interest in 19th century happenings, sailing, naval operations, etc. There was more than one occasion when I needed to reach for a dictionary. The related "Sea of Words" book is a necessity to fully see the pictures O'Brian paints with his words. I have already ordered another 4 books in this series. Also, I have started collecting the artwork shown on the covers of the books - it is quite a discussion starter to have the artwork displayed just above the shelf or table with the book adorned with the art on its cover!
Rating:
Summary: Guilt by association
Review: The only thing I didn't like about these books is some of the people who also liked them. George Will--Mr. Unctious Right Winger--do you believe that that so-called baseball expert ever owned a bat, ball or glove when he was a kid. Then I saw that Bob Livingstone--disgraced speaker-elect of multiple extra-marital affairs. Livingstone to his mistress: "Well have to go and pilory Clinton my dear." I suppose I can see the the appeal of these books to right wing reactionaies. After all, they do take part 200 years ago. Will did say he liked the ordered universe of naval society, where everyone knew his place and duty. And they like the Tory politics--even though Aubrey was quite apolitical and saw politics purely as a way to get political interest. (They forget that Aubrey's father is a Radical.) They might also like that Maturin turned his back on the French. What they miss is that Maturin still supports independence for both Catalonia and Ireland. His attitude towards the French is one of bitter disappointment, both at Napoleon for betraying the ideals of the Revolution and becoming an autocrat; and at the Revolution itself for its excesses Someday someone ought to write a nuanced historical novel from the French point of view--if such does not already exist.
Rating:
Summary: Not What I'd Hoped to Find
Review: Fascinated by the hoopla surrounding Mr. O'Brian's wildly successful series and being a lover of historical fiction myself, I was drawn to this one. I first picked up and tried THE WINE DARK SEA, which is much later in the series. But I was a little put off by its very dry style and slow-moving pace. Still, I figured that with all the excitement about these books there must be more to them than I found in WINE. So I tried this one, MASTER AND COMMANDER, which is the first in the series and the beckoning portal for all Aubrey/Maturin fans. Well, I found this one a bit better than WINE but, I must admit, I am still confused about all the fuss for these books. Here is a tale of two men who become friends aboard a small war ship in the shadow of the Napoleonic War. Neither individual is particularly vividly drawn though we do get a sense, albeit at some remove, of their very different personalities. We also see the very strained and formal aspects of interpersonal communications which O'Brian plainly saw as reflective of the tone of that day (though it is less clear to me that people were quite as stuffy and tightly drawn as he makes them out to be). The events recounted are mainly episodic, too, amidst lots of "period" social gatherings and somewhat stuffy conversations. The characters are indeed interesting . . . to a point. But the tale, in the end, is just not structured tightly enough to suit me -- not a criticism in itself, to be sure, but a lack which, in my opinion, ought to be offset by something else: the strong interplay of personalities, powerfully wrought scenic backdrops, brilliantly soaring prose, a deep cultural tension, etc, etc. A good book can be good for many reasons and all or any of the foregoing can provide such reasons. Unfortunately, this book has none of these to offset its loosely structured narrative. On the other hand, it does have a lot of nautical jargon, if you like that sort of thing, and a feel for the language of the period, though even this is rendered in a somewhat prosaic manner. And there are a few quite respectable battle scenes though these are not very clearly drawn either. In fact, there is very little sense here of the war at all. (Though this, alone, may be truest to the slower pacing of warfare on the high seas of that day.) In the end, this book, I suppose, gets its good name for the sense of authenticity it affords those who are fascinated by nineteenth century mores in war and peace and on the high seas. ... I want to say at once that I have the utmost respect for the man, as an author who was plainly dedicated to his art. And I also imagine that there must be more to these books than I am seeing since so many readers can't be so utterly wrong. But, frankly, I have concluded that these books are just not for me and that, just possibly, and I say this with great hesitation as I am an author myself, the emperor, in this case, may be in need of a new tailor. SWM
Rating:
Summary: Lots of fun. A quick read that's quite enjoyable
Review: I like historical fiction and this is my first venture into fiction involving the sea. It's the first book in a 20-odd book series about a commander of a British vessel during the Napoleonic Wars and his associate, the ship's doctor. This first book describes how Jack Aubrey becomes commander of a British vessel and the first battles he encounters. The book is interesting because there is so much detail about the Royal Navy. The food they eat is described as well as the frequent punishments handed out to sailors for offenses such as drinking on the job. It's a fictional book you can learn some naval history from too. I liked it and plan to read the others in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Sets the tone for an excellent series
Review: "Master and Commander" is the first of the Aubrey/Maturin series, which takes place on the high seas during the Napoleonic wars. While I loved this novel for its rich historical flavor, what really appealed to me was the dramatic conflict between the young master and commander, Aubrey and his second in command, Dillon. It is clear that Dillon hates Aubrey for a number of reasons that seem ineffable even to him. Both men are similar in age and it is not surprising that Dillon judges Aubrey with competitive criticism, frequently finding him too cautious or even cowardly. But Dillon is an even harsher judge of his own character. Like Maturin, Dillon participated in an ill-fated uprising in his native Ireland. He subsequently avoided capture and joined the Royal Navy where life would be perfectly suitable for him if his duties did not occasionally require him to search for and arrest Irish nationalists. The conflict between loyalty to his nation and loyalty to the Royal Navy instills Dillon with considerable self-hatred, which in turn manifests itself in his contempt for his commander. Aubrey, already a simple man by nature, senses Dillon's hatred but is incapable of probing the depths to understand its origin. To make matters more difficult, Aubrey has earned the hatred of his own commanding officer by having an affair with his wife. These matters are eventually resolved through a series of raids and sea battles and a few surprises for the reader. Exciting and worth reading-the series only gets better.
Rating:
Summary: Lots of flavor...BUT.
Review: The characters are well balanced, with good points and bad points. The setting is well studied and the book even comes with a picture of a square-rigged ship with a legend to help you know which sail is which. The problem comes when you get half-way through and find yourself lost, because there seems to be no plot. I have tried TWICE to read it from start to finish and always just give up about half-way. It does not seem to keep my interest after the first few chapters. In most cases Mr. O'Brian is able to do a MUCH better job than Mr. Forester, in all but one skill: Keeping Me Interested.
Rating:
Summary: A different world
Review: You don't have to be a navy buff, a sea buff or know anything about the Napoleonic war to appreciate this wonderful book. It's one of half a dozen I have totally lost myself in and craved the next one. The stars are the characters of Aubrey and Maturin, and you share their successes and blows to fortune. It would be a crime to miss this book. Your world will be richer for entering this one. READ THIS BOOK!
Rating:
Summary: Well worth the effort
Review: I read the first 100 pages and couldn't figure out if they were on land or at sea! It took me a while to get into it but having stuck with it I can't put the rest of the series down. If you like historical fiction this series is definitely deserving of all the hype.
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