Book reviews for "O'Brian,_Jack" sorted by average review score:
Treason's Harbour
Published in Hardcover by Chivers (2002)
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Unfinished Business
Aubrey emulates Moses! (sort of)Captain Jack Aubrey was known in the Royal Navy as "Lucky Jack" in his earlier career, but he hasn't been so lucky of late. This ninth novel in the series, which continues immediately after _The Ionian Mission_ (and appears to be the middle installment of a mini-trilogy), is a satisfying mix of naval adventure, set mostly in the Red Sea, and spy story, set in Malta and revolving around Stephen Maturin's befriending of the young wife of a captured naval captain who is working, semi-unaware, for the French intelligence service. He's much better known to his enemies now than in times past, which has increased his personal danger greatly, and -- while we all know he's going to survive -- it's interesting to see how he does it. As always, O'Brian shows himself a master of early 19th century slang and jargon, and also of droll wit. The extra fillip this time is the pair's adventures crossing the desert between the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Suez, combined with Maturin's acquisition of a massive brass diving bell. And the account of the pellmell journey down the narrow passage in pursuit of a galley hopefully filled with French gold is one of the author's best extended scenes yet.
One of the most entertaining books in the series so farThis installment, like the rest of this series so far, is suspenseful, funny and populated with characters that seem very real. One new character, Laura Fielding, is admirably faithful to her imprisoned husband, and is, in general, a very likable character (and one that charms both Stephen and Jack). The Middle Eastern setting of this book is exotic and very vividly described. Stephen's adventures in his new scientific marvel, the diving bell, are both funny and interesting. Jack's encounters with Laura's massive dog Ponto are hilarious. The end of this book is very suspenseful because the reader has come to really care about the characters involved. The most notable thing about this book is what a great job O'Brian did of keeping this series fresh by bringing in new locations, characters and situations. O'brian did a great job of not letting this series fall into predictable formulas and repetition. The only failing of this book is that the very end is just a little disappointing and O'brian leaves the reader hanging much more than in the previous books.
The Yellow Admiral
Published in Hardcover by Wheeler Pub (1997)
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Plush often leads to folly . . .This eighteenth volume in the Aubrey-Mathurin saga is relatively action-less. For once, Jack has been assigned to routine post-captain's duty in the Brest blockade squadron, sailing back and forth for weeks on end. I don't believe the great guns are ever once fired in anger in this book. But, however (as they say), there's a lot here for the faithful reader of the series -- mostly domestic, with Jack being caught in an old adultery, as he says, "without a leg to stand on," but getting back with Sophie eventually. It's 1814, and with peace about to break out, Jack is very worried about his lack of a professional future, wholly expecting to be "yellowed" -- being made admiral in time but given no command -- having unfortunately crossed his admiral, whose nephew wants to enclose the common on Jack's manor. (Think agribusiness and economies of scale vs. the family farm). Perhaps he can increase his professional stock by hiring out to develop a new navy for revolutionary Chile. . . . Stephen spends a good deal of time ashore in France tending to intelligence matters, but we get no details. ...
Rivetting, yet the "happy ending" must come next bookIn typical O'Brian fashion, the current state of our heroes is reversed in this book. Here we find Aubrey on the downgrade, while Maturin is repairing the damage done him in the previous episode. Certainly a rivetting story that is a pleasure to read, yet the real "happy ending" is left 'til the next installment (we hope!) For those looking solely for naval action, this book is not the best of series. Most of the plot involves Aubrey's difficulties on land and admiralty politics. Personally, I couldn't put it down and am yearning for the next installment
The story continuesA reviewer of O'Brian's next book in the series wrote that the Aubrey books are really one 6000 page novel. I agree. This volume advances the story. It also deals more extensively with
domestic issues than previous books have. If you are reading
the Aubrey books, keep going. If not, don't start here, start at
the beginning.
domestic issues than previous books have. If you are reading
the Aubrey books, keep going. If not, don't start here, start at
the beginning.
Truelove (O'Brian, Patrick, Aubrey/Maturin Novels, 15.)
Published in Hardcover by W.W. Norton & Company (1992)
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Not at all his best . . .This fifteenth novel in the series is not one of the author's better efforts, I'm afraid. The SURPRISE has just left Sidney Cove when a female stowaway is discovered in the cable tier. She turns out to be Clarissa, a transported convict under the protection of Midshipman Oakes (for which almost no explanation is given), to whom she is quickly married. ("Clarissa Oakes," in fact, was the English title of this volume, and I hve no idea why they changed it.) Most of the remainder of the book is taken up with the ship's progress across the South Seas and, although there is a land battle at the very end (and even that experienced at one remove), the bulk of the story is an exploration of Clarissa's character and how it was formed, as well as the extremely divisive effect of her somewhat warped personality on the ship's officers and company. As usual, O'Brian shows great skill in narrating a plethora of overlapping subplots, both supporting and complementary, most of them depending on the shifting relationships among the inhabitants of a closed universe -- a ship at sea for weeks and months at a time out of sight of land -- and for that reason the book is certainly worth reading. But if you're in search of a more usual naval adventure, this isn't quite it.
Grumpy Old Seafarers Fall for Stowaway [Woman]This is, in my estimation, the funniest of OBrian's Aubrey-Maturin series. The American title is itself one of O'Brian's punning jokes; even though it refers to a vessel encountered late in the volume, the over-riding subject here is the changeable nature of human desire, the effects on aging to a dashing captain's self esteem, what "women really want," and the cures for long-voyage constipation. The plot is just a good excuse to get around to the dialogue. The arts of conversation are most prized about the long voyages, and these are some of the best of the entire series. While by itself, this quote won't mean much, but in context, it's the biggest laugh of the entire series; Stephen answers Jack's vociferous, self-pitying, multi-paged diatribe against the bad luck brought to sea-going vessels by the on-board presense of women with, "I think, my dear, your animosity toward women is largely theoretical." Jack's retort is excruciatingly tortured and sidesplittingly true. A true gem.
Another gripping narrative by Patrick O'BrianThe late Patrick O'Brian had no peer when it came to sea stories. This is another in his series with Captain Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin as his protagonists. The two, although dissimilar in every way, are great friends and sail together, Aubrey as commander, and Maturin as ship's physician--and intelligence agent for the Admiralty.
The period is the Napoleonic wars, the ship is His Majesty's hired vessel, the Surprise, a brig, and this story begins in Australian waters, having just left the penal colony there. Shortly after leaving, the Surprise is overhauled by a packet with orders to proceed to the Hawaiian (Sandwich) Islands, to protect British whaling interests there. Oh, and an ex-convict stowaway (Clarissa Harvill) is discovered in the cable-tier, hiding in the anchor rope. It takes Stephen Maturin to discover her past.
Thus the story begins, and O'Brian, with his usual brisk narrative pace maintains your interest throughout.
Patrick O'Brian had few, if any equals when it came to knowledge of square-rigged vessels and their history in battle. Many of his stories reflect actual actions, taken directly from British Admiralty history. Not only is his nautical terminology accurate, but he also uses period expressions that lend reality to his tales. I cannot find it in my heart to award anything he has written with less than 5 stars.
Let me suggest that the reader would do well to start with the first book in the series, Master and Commander, and take them in order. The series is a saga that provides untold hours of pleasure.
Joseph H. Pierre
Author of The Road to Damascus, Our Journey Through Eternity
The fire that Jack built
Published in Unknown Binding by Chicago Spectrum Press ()
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Jack Aubrey Commands: An Historical Companion to the Naval World of Patrick O'Brian
Published in Hardcover by United States Naval Inst. (2003)
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Jack O' Lent: Headpieces
Published in Hardcover by Stride Publications (1991)
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Jack O'Lent
Published in Paperback by Stride Publications (01 September, 1997)
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Kilmichael: the False Surrender in the Irish War of Independence: Why the Ballot (of 1918) Was Followed by the Bullet (in 1919)
Published in Ring-bound by Athol Books (1999)
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Monologues from Contemporary Literature (Monologue Audition Series)
Published in Paperback by Smith & Kraus (1992)
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Survive: Stories of Castaways and Cannibals
Published in Audio Cassette by Listen & Live Audio (2002)
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Two-thirds of the way into "Treason's Harbour", readers will finally hear about the capitulation of the town of Marga, which Aubrey's crew was besieging in "Ionian Mission". Similarly, in this book we never learn the fate of the Fieldings, he a naval officer escaped from a French prison to return to his wife and she with reputation ruined by Maturin's espionage machinations. This is a letdown, because we've spent so much time learning about them and watching Maturin considering their fates. We never learn the denouement of the Zambra mission but are left hanging after Aubrey has confronted three French vessels, this too is disappointing because the naval actions in this book are subdued, far less gripping than in other installments.
"Treason's Harbour" is a good book, skipping along with O'Brian's intelligent prose and complete ease with maritime matters, but is not wholly self-contained. The diving bell is fun, but this reader is still wishing to know about the Fieldings. The plot bobs and eddies but never quite runs out before the pages do.