Rating: 
Summary: One of the most touching of these human dramas at sea.
Review: Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series is a special genre unto itself. I can only compare it to Jane Austen with sea legs and a jolt of testosterone! O'Brian offers a unique and realistic insight on human nature. In this book, Maturin's fruitless pursuit of love has brought his spirit to new lows. His friends fear for him; even he, as a physician, fears for himself. But his secret agent role brings a new lease on life. He is assigned to get the details of the newly fledged American intelligence service from a convicted American agent - who just happens to be a beautiful woman, strongly resembling Diana, the object of Maturin's hopeless love. In the course of this voyage, Captain Aubrey comes to a sudden realization of the true horrors of war, and Dr. Maturin finds the generosity of spirit to enjoy and mentor vicarious love. With a long and suspenseful chase on the water, a witch on board, and a "Jonah" to boot, this is one of the best yet.
Rating:
Summary: Joint Review of All Aubrey-Maturin Books
Review: Some critics have referred to the Aubrey/Maturin books as one long novel united not only by their historical setting but also by the central plot element of the Aubrey/Maturin friendship. Having read these fine books over a period of several years, I decided to evaluate their cumulative integrity by reading them consecutively in order of publication over a period of a few weeks. This turned out to be a rewarding enterprise. For readers unfamiliar with these books, they describe the experiences of a Royal Navy officer and his close friend and traveling companion, a naval surgeon. The experiences cover a broad swath of the Napoleonic Wars and virtually the whole globe.
Rereading all the books confirmed that O'Brian is a superb writer and that his ability to evoke the past is outstanding. O'Brian has numerous gifts as a writer. He is the master of the long, careful description, and the short, telling episode. His ability to construct ingenious but creditable plots is first-rate, probably because he based much of the action of his books on actual events. For example, some of the episodes of Jack Aubrey's career are based on the life of the famous frigate captain, Lord Cochrane. O'Brian excels also in his depiction of characters. His ability to develop psychologically creditable characters through a combination of dialogue, comments by other characters, and description is tremendous. O'Brien's interest in psychology went well beyond normal character development, some books contain excellent case studies of anxiety, depression, and mania.
Reading O'Brien gives vivid view of the early 19th century. The historian Bernard Bailyn, writing of colonial America, stated once that the 18th century world was not only pre-industrial but also pre-humanitarian (paraphrase). This is true as well for the early 19th century depicted by O'Brien. The casual and invariable presence of violence, brutality, and death is a theme running through all the books. The constant threats to life are the product not only of natural forces beyond human control, particularly the weather and disease, but also of relative human indifference to suffering. There is nothing particularly romantic about the world O'Brien describes but it also a certain grim grandeur. O'Brien also shows the somewhat transitional nature of the early 19th century. The British Navy and its vessals were the apogee of what could be achieved by pre-industrial technology. This is true both of the technology itself and the social organization needed to produce and use the massive sailing vessals. Aubrey's navy is an organization reflecting its society; an order based on deference, rigid hierarchy, primitive notions of honor, favoritism, and very, very corrupt. At the same time, it was one of the largest and most effective bureaucracies in human history to that time. The nature of service exacted great penalities for failure in a particularly environment, and great success was rewarded greatly. In some ways, it was a ruthless meritocracy whose structure and success anticipates the great expansion of government power and capacity seen in the rest of the 19th century.
O'Brian is also the great writer about male friendship. There are important female characters in these books but since most of the action takes place at sea, male characters predominate. The friendship between Aubrey and Maturin is the central armature of the books and is a brilliant creation. The position of women in these books is ambiguous. There are sympathetic characters, notably Aubrey's long suffering wife. Other women figures, notably Maturin's wife, leave a less positive impression. On board ship, women tend to have a disruptive, even malign influence.
How did O'Brian manage to sustain his achievement over 20 books? Beyond his technical abilities as a writer and the instrinsic interest of the subject, O'Brien made a series of very intelligent choices. He has not one but two major protagonists. The contrasting but equally interesting figures of Aubrey and Maturin allowed O'Brien to a particularly rich opportunity to expose different facets of character development and to vary plots carefully. This is quite difficult and I'm not aware of any other writer who has been able to accomplish such sustained development of two major protagonists for such a prolonged period. O'Brian's use of his historical setting is very creative. The scenes and events in the books literally span the whole globe as Aubrey and Maturin encounter numerous cultures and societies. The naval setting allowed him also to introduce numerous new and interesting characters. O'Brian was able to make his stories attractive to many audiences. Several of these stories can be enjoyed as psychological novels, as adventure stories, as suspense novels, and even one as a legal thriller. O'Brian was also a very funny writer, successful at both broad, low humor, and sophisticated wit. Finally, O'Brian made efforts to link some of the books together. While a number are complete in themselves, others form components of extended, multi-book narratives. Desolation Island, Fortune of War, and The Surgeon's Mate are one such grouping. Treason's Harbor, The Far Side of the World, and The Reverse of the Medal are another. The Letter of Marque and the ensuing 4 books, centered around a circumnavigation, are another.
Though the average quality of the books is remarkably high, some are better than others. I suspect that different readers will have different favorites. I personally prefer some of the books with greater psychological elements. The first book, Master and Commander, is one of my favorites. The last 2 or 3, while good, are not as strong as earlier books. I suspect O'Brian's stream of invention was beginning to diminish. All can be read profitably as stand alone works though there is definitely something to be gained by reading in consecutive order.
Rating:
Summary: Joint Review of All Aubrey-Maturin Books
Review: Some critics have referred to the Aubrey/Maturin books as one long novel united not only by their historical setting but also by the central plot element of the Aubrey/Maturin friendship. Having read these fine books over a period of several years, I decided to evaluate their cumulative integrity by reading them consecutively in order of publication over a period of a few weeks. This turned out to be a rewarding enterprise. For readers unfamiliar with these books, they describe the experiences of a Royal Navy officer and his close friend and traveling companion, a naval surgeon. The experiences cover a broad swath of the Napoleonic Wars and virtually the whole globe.
Rereading all the books confirmed that O'Brian is a superb writer and that his ability to evoke the past is outstanding. O'Brian has numerous gifts as a writer. He is the master of the long, careful description, and the short, telling episode. His ability to construct ingenious but creditable plots is first-rate, probably because he based much of the action of his books on actual events. For example, some of the episodes of Jack Aubrey's career are based on the life of the famous frigate captain, Lord Cochrane. O'Brian excels also in his depiction of characters. His ability to develop psychologically creditable characters through a combination of dialogue, comments by other characters, and description is tremendous. O'Brien's interest in psychology went well beyond normal character development, some books contain excellent case studies of anxiety, depression, and mania.
Reading O'Brien gives vivid view of the early 19th century. The historian Bernard Bailyn, writing of colonial America, stated once that the 18th century world was not only pre-industrial but also pre-humanitarian (paraphrase). This is true as well for the early 19th century depicted by O'Brien. The casual and invariable presence of violence, brutality, and death is a theme running through all the books. The constant threats to life are the product not only of natural forces beyond human control, particularly the weather and disease, but also of relative human indifference to suffering. There is nothing particularly romantic about the world O'Brien describes but it also a certain grim grandeur. O'Brien also shows the somewhat transitional nature of the early 19th century. The British Navy and its vessals were the apogee of what could be achieved by pre-industrial technology. This is true both of the technology itself and the social organization needed to produce and use the massive sailing vessals. Aubrey's navy is an organization reflecting its society; an order based on deference, rigid hierarchy, primitive notions of honor, favoritism, and very, very corrupt. At the same time, it was one of the largest and most effective bureaucracies in human history to that time. The nature of service exacted great penalities for failure in a particularly environment, and great success was rewarded greatly. In some ways, it was a ruthless meritocracy whose structure and success anticipates the great expansion of government power and capacity seen in the rest of the 19th century.
O'Brian is also the great writer about male friendship. There are important female characters in these books but since most of the action takes place at sea, male characters predominate. The friendship between Aubrey and Maturin is the central armature of the books and is a brilliant creation. The position of women in these books is ambiguous. There are sympathetic characters, notably Aubrey's long suffering wife. Other women figures, notably Maturin's wife, leave a less positive impression. On board ship, women tend to have a disruptive, even malign influence.
How did O'Brian manage to sustain his achievement over 20 books? Beyond his technical abilities as a writer and the instrinsic interest of the subject, O'Brien made a series of very intelligent choices. He has not one but two major protagonists. The contrasting but equally interesting figures of Aubrey and Maturin allowed O'Brien to a particularly rich opportunity to expose different facets of character development and to vary plots carefully. This is quite difficult and I'm not aware of any other writer who has been able to accomplish such sustained development of two major protagonists for such a prolonged period. O'Brian's use of his historical setting is very creative. The scenes and events in the books literally span the whole globe as Aubrey and Maturin encounter numerous cultures and societies. The naval setting allowed him also to introduce numerous new and interesting characters. O'Brian was able to make his stories attractive to many audiences. Several of these stories can be enjoyed as psychological novels, as adventure stories, as suspense novels, and even one as a legal thriller. O'Brian was also a very funny writer, successful at both broad, low humor, and sophisticated wit. Finally, O'Brian made efforts to link some of the books together. While a number are complete in themselves, others form components of extended, multi-book narratives. Desolation Island, Fortune of War, and The Surgeon's Mate are one such grouping. Treason's Harbor, The Far Side of the World, and The Reverse of the Medal are another. The Letter of Marque and the ensuing 4 books, centered around a circumnavigation, are another.
Though the average quality of the books is remarkably high, some are better than others. I suspect that different readers will have different favorites. I personally prefer some of the books with greater psychological elements. The first book, Master and Commander, is one of my favorites. The last 2 or 3, while good, are not as strong as earlier books. I suspect O'Brian's stream of invention was beginning to diminish. All can be read profitably as stand alone works though there is definitely something to be gained by reading in consecutive order.
Rating:
Summary: High adventure and peril on the seas
Review: The Aubrey-Maturin novels are an incredible achievement, a chronicle of adventure during the Napoleonic Wars that also manages to be a continuing, dense, and complex novel of character. This is in my opinion one of the best in the series, with Captain Aubrey facing not only hostile ships but also the dangers of the Southern seas, including Antarctic storms, icebergs, a near mutiny, and a shipwreck on the deserted island of the title. His colleague Stephen Maturin, spy and naturalist, is at his best, alternately humorous (in the old meaning of the word) and quietly courageous. Highly recommended
Rating:
Summary: Thrilling
Review: The Aubrey/Maturin books aren't the easiest in the world to read. O'Brian doesn't baby the reader -- you just have to plunge in (sometimes with a dictionary at your side) and immerse yourself in the language of these novels. But if you stick with the series, Desolation Island (along the book immediately following it, The Fortune of War) offers a thrilling payoff. By the time you're through with this book, you'll resolve to read every book in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Can it get any better?
Review: There are many unforgettable passages in the Aubry / Maturin series - and this book contains some of the best! This is a beautiful story and much more than just a great escape (but you won't be able to put it down). This is a great tale of survival, humanity, and ingenuity.
Rating:
Summary: This is the quintessential Aubrey-Marutin novel
Review: There is a sense in which this is the quintessential novel in Patrick O'Brian series. Jack and Stephen are sent off to Australia to come to the aid of Captain Bligh, which is a pretty good hook for a sea-faring novel. But you have to remember this is O'Brian, which means that you should never be surprised if the boys never get around to completing their mission or take a half-dozen books to do so. The only constants are that Jack wants to practice with his guns and Stephen is distracted by every opportunity to be a naturalist. "Desolation Island" also provides one of the most thrilling sea battle in the entire series with the Waakzamheid relentlessly pursuing the Leopard. Finally, there is the title location itself, which only serves to remind us that shipwrecked can mean many different things depending on what corner of the world you are when it happens. As always, you are reminded that this is not Horatio Hornblower, which means you must read these novels in order (for the record, I like both, but they are definitely apples and oranges).
Rating:
Summary: A superior outing
Review: This is the fifth of the Aubrey-Maturin sea novels, and the first I've read that I felt really lived up to the great things I've heard about this series.
Jack Aubrey has been ordered to transport some convicts to Australia, one of whom is a beautiful spy who Stephen Maturin seeks to gain information from. On the way, his new command encounters a deadly breakout of infectious disease, then is driven deep into southern seas trying to escape from a more heavily armed Dutch vessel.
More than in the previous books I've read, this one gets the balance right, with plot elements of naval warfare, Maturin's spying, the troubled personal lives of the main characters, and interesting new characters brought into the mix, all working together to make a tense, exciting story. O'Brian's description of the difficult sailing conditions in the seas of the far south is memorable, and the main naval action was easier to follow than in earlier volumes.
This story doesn't much rely on knowledge of the earlier volumes, so it could work as an introduction to the entire series.
Rating:
Summary: An accurate look at life aboard a British "Man-O-War"
Review: Total terror when dealing with the "Waakzaamheid". Sudden death for over 900 men. The best of intrigue while on the island tempered with a little romance. O'Brian does turn of the century life (1799-1800) aboard a ship with accuracy.
Rating:
Summary: Simply matchless
Review: Volume 5 is O'Brian at his most adventurous and thrilling. In blessed escape from shore duty, Capt. Aubrey is tasked to carry convicts and a captured spy to the penal colony of Australia in the old Leopard. This story (the first in the long Pacific voyage sub-series) contains what I think is the most memorable and thrilling chapter in the Aubrey-Maturin saga. It's an exhausting stern chase by a "Flying Dutchman" that reaches a nightmarish peak through monstrous gale-wracked waves in an iceberg-laden sea, the Leopard threatening at any moment to be pooped or to broach to at the slightest error of judgment or chance. The cover painting hardly catches the terror of this episode, prodigiously evoked by O'Brian. The rest of the story isn't too shabby, either, as we see life ashore at home and shipwrecked, with Maturin pursuing love and his best natural studies. You must, of course, start with Volume 1 (Master and Commander) or even the two earlier and pre-Aubrey sea novels (Golden Ocean and Unknown Shore). The first five Aubrey-Maturin novels may also contain the onshore romance and domesticity matters of keenest interest to readers of historical novels who are not enamored of heroic seafaring and salty sailors. I get these books in hardcover because I plan on reading them again, but the pb seem good quality, too, and both printed in an attractively antique typeface.
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