Master and Commander

Rating:
Summary: What a surprise! A genre I never would've touched before.
Review: Oh come on! A novel about the British Navy during the Napoleonic wars, with main topgallant stays and other nautical terms on every other page - I'll hate it. But a friend who's taste I trusted recommended this book and I look forward to reading the whole series. O'Brian creates characters who feel real enough to sit down to dinner with - although not to the kinds of dinners served on these ships! Aubrey and Matalin are funny, quirky, human beings who gradually win your affection and support. The author gives a highly detailed sense of the life on board a Navy vessel and the life of a seaman

Rating:
Summary: "The best historical novels ever written." -NYT Book Review
Review: ~Misfortune has followed me so conscientiously, so inevitably each time I have stepped aboard any type of seagoing vessel that I am obliged to report at once to the captain of my next victim the certain doom that awaits our voyage. ~I have ruined no fewer than three watercraft; and though my confessional compulsion arises not from any real sense of moral duty, but rather hearty self-preservation, I should indulge it here, even from the sanctuary of good, dry land -- I should warn the reader that I am no sailing man, and that however accessible Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander is to a hopeless lubber (completely accessible), I insist that my sense of all things nautical remain suspect. ~Even if this were not the case, I still could not do justice to the first book (of 17) in O'Brian's internationally celebrated and, more, beloved series of the adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend and ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin. I could not do justice, and I would not: I have no intention of being anything near objective in expressing my pure, unalloyed delight for this enchanting book and series, other than to cite The New York Times Book Review ("The best historical novels ever written"), The Times of London ("O'Brian is astonishingly good"), and someone named Sir Lord Chesterton, who I nonetheless trust and respect immediately for calling Master and Commander "the best tale of the sea I have ever read." ~During the intermittent naval wars of the very early 1800s against Napoleon, Spain and often both, Officer Jack Aubrey is finally made master and commander of his own ship -- or of his own wretched, leaky sloop, I should say; and, as grand as the title sounds, it confers the rank of captain only in terms of control of the ship itself; he remains an unpensioned, "unmade" captain. (Post Captain is the title Jack and the second book in the series receive.) ~Nevertheless, Jack properly is quite taken with his promotion and with his first command, the Sophie -- like him, a little rough around the edges, but with lots of heart and potential. For with some new gear, the right crew, lots of practice at the cannon, and a bit of luck, he has the means and the commission to capture a juicy prize -- an enemy fighting ship, or perhaps a merchant full of valuable cargo, a large share to which he would be entitled. ~And Jack *is* lucky -- too lucky almost, in fact. The admiral who correctly suspects he has made him a cuckhold resents the brash young captain's success even as it helps to fill his own purse, and cunningly orders Jack into even greater danger than presented by the patrolling actions he has faced. ~The story flows naturally and engagingly; the characters are not overdrawn; the language is enchanting without being cloying, and somehow flawlessly manages to remain faithful to the age. Master and Commander is a must for anyone with the least interest in the sea, history or friendship.

Rating:
Summary: "The best historical novels ever written." -NYT Book Review
Review: ~Misfortune has followed me so conscientiously, so inevitably each time I have stepped aboard any type of seagoing vessel that I am obliged to report at once to the captain of my next victim the certain doom that awaits our voyage. ~I have ruined no fewer than three watercraft; and though my confessional compulsion arises not from any real sense of moral duty, but rather hearty self-preservation, I should indulge it here, even from the sanctuary of good, dry land -- I should warn the reader that I am no sailing man, and that however accessible Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander is to a hopeless lubber (completely accessible), I insist that my sense of all things nautical remain suspect. ~Even if this were not the case, I still could not do justice to the first book (of 17) in O'Brian's internationally celebrated and, more, beloved series of the adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend and ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin. I could not do justice, and I would not: I have no intention of being anything near objective in expressing my pure, unalloyed delight for this enchanting book and series, other than to cite The New York Times Book Review ("The best historical novels ever written"), The Times of London ("O'Brian is astonishingly good"), and someone named Sir Lord Chesterton, who I nonetheless trust and respect immediately for calling Master and Commander "the best tale of the sea I have ever read." ~During the intermittent naval wars of the very early 1800s against Napoleon, Spain and often both, Officer Jack Aubrey is finally made master and commander of his own ship -- or of his own wretched, leaky sloop, I should say; and, as grand as the title sounds, it confers the rank of captain only in terms of control of the ship itself; he remains an unpensioned, "unmade" captain. (Post Captain is the title Jack and the second book in the series receive.) ~Nevertheless, Jack properly is quite taken with his promotion and with his first command, the Sophie -- like him, a little rough around the edges, but with lots of heart and potential. For with some new gear, the right crew, lots of practice at the cannon, and a bit of luck, he has the means and the commission to capture a juicy prize -- an enemy fighting ship, or perhaps a merchant full of valuable cargo, a large share to which he would be entitled. ~And Jack *is* lucky -- too lucky almost, in fact. The admiral who correctly suspects he has made him a cuckhold resents the brash young captain's success even as it helps to fill his own purse, and cunningly orders Jack into even greater danger than presented by the patrolling actions he has faced. ~The story flows naturally and engagingly; the characters are not overdrawn; the language is enchanting without being cloying, and somehow flawlessly manages to remain faithful to the age. Master and Commander is a must for anyone with the least interest in the sea, history or friendship.

Rating:
Summary: The history is top notch, the people are better.
Review: Unlike the Hornblower series, the protagonists of the Aubrey/Maturin novels are replete with faults and foibles that make their downfalls believable, and their triumphs exceptional. If you happen to be snowbound in northern Alaska, this is just the series to make your winter bearable.

Rating:
Summary: A Novel and a Series for people who like to read.
Review: Rated 9 only because I lacked the courage to rate it 10. If you like to read books you will probably be swept away by this novel, the first of a thankfully long series by Patrick O'Brian. The subjects are the British Navy of the Napoleonic Wars and two men: Aubrey -- a naval officer and (one quickly assumes) one of the best sailors who has ever lived and Maturin -- a physician and "agent extraordinaire" who seems to be bent on giving Thomas Jefferson a run for his money as the man who knows the most of everything that could be known. O.K. so you don't like war, sailing, or the early 19th century. After a few minutes reading this book, you will. Even lazy readers (myself for example) will suddenly develop a great interest in the rigging of three-masted sailing vessels of the era. And did I mention, color, romance, and character development? A lot of natural science as well. The publisher offers the whole set of Aubrey/Maturin novels in hardback for a package price because many who read the first will be tempted to just buy them all and avoid any waits in between. I'm certainly tempted.

Rating:
Summary: Good, tough reading
Review: When you first read it, it may be difficult to follow--- unless you happen to be a 19th-century naval officer. Slog your way through impossibly complex action sequences described in arcane language, and I promise you will be well rewarded. The astonishing thing is the deep psycho- logical nature of the (seemingly) blood-and-guts narrative.

Rating:
Summary: Time Travel exists - read O'Brian and enter the 18th century
Review: This is the first of the Aubrey/Maturin series of novels. Patrick O'Brian recreates the world of 18th century British sailing vessels so wonderfully that within a few pages you will find yourself swaying to and fro along with the captain and crew of the Sloop "Sophie". O'Brian brings in many elements of successful genre novels: * references to historical events and personalities; * strong characters, fully developed as complex human beings; * plenty of conflict, tension, and action; * variations of narrative style; * specialized jargon of the sea -- at first you'll be running to the dictionary, but after a while you will become an initiate and member of the crew; * big issues in life -- identity, community, honor, love, etc.; * costumes and romance;

Rating:
Summary: Literary and heart thumping adventures set in Napoleonic wars
Review: This is the first of a dozen or so (may there be many, many more) novels that center on two characters and their adventures in the British navy during the Napoleonic wars. The writing is top notch and the historical, geographical, medical, scientific, and idiomatic details are dazzlingly accurate. The common reaction to the fist novel is to go out and buy the rest of the series and read them all to see what happens next

Rating:
Summary: mind-blowingly good
Review: Sparked by a belated viewing of the movie, I've also come late to the novels--which is unfortunate, because after reading through this first installment, I was blown away. Jack Aubrey's world at first seems foreign and strange: all the nautical terms, the sails, the masts. As well it probably should to a twenty-first-century landlubber like me. But by the end of the book, the world seems familiar, even if the sails and masts don't exactly fall into place in the mind yet (I've still got plenty of novels in which to pick that up). Aubrey and Maturin are amazingly crafted characters, whom O'Brian sketches brilliantly--even while leaving some areas mysterious for later revelations. O'Brian's writing sparkles. To wit: "the grey stench of a crapulous dawn" or "the indefinable frontier between personal animosity and anonymous warfare." The stern shipboard discipline, the confinement of the ship, the camraderie among the crew, the uncertainty of combat, the exploits of shoreleave--it's all here. My heart leapt during the first engagement, when the crew spied cannon flashes across the open sea, followed by the boom of the firing. This is simply a thrill to read. I look forward to more drama and excitement in the rest of the series.

Rating:
Summary: Do yourself a favor..also buy "A Sea of Words" by Dean King
Review: I saw the movie and loved it. Then purchased "Master and Commander" and settled in for a nice read. I had heard of the "Sea of Words" book and seen it in the stores but was resistant to purchasing anything unecessary. In this case it was a mistake.

After about 100 pages, I stopped reading the book until I actually had the Sea of Words in hand (Christmas). I realized that skipping over terms and phrases which I didn't completely understand was becoming too frustrating; one of the joys of reading the book is the 'forgotten' words and history.

I think its safe to assume that anyone even considering the book will probably purchase it regardless of any review; my only recommendation is that if you have the money, just go ahead and get the "Sea of Words" book at the same time; that way its there for reference right from the start.