Reviews

This, the 8th installment of the Aubrey/Maturin series of naval adventures set during the Napoleonic wars, felt slightly different than many of its predecessors. The middle, say, 50% of the book was s l o w, but arguably that is as it should be since it's about holding a blockade against the French and Jack is in a long-term terrible mood (for good reason) and nothing much happened. It was a bit dampening of the spirits to read, especially after the beginning of the novel with Stephen and Diana married (!) and the typically hilarious situations with family life on shore for Jack. Then I slogged through the middle 150 pages or so of dreariness to finally emerge into the mission of the novel's title. A mission which was super funny and exciting and great; I just loved the whole crosscultural East-vs-West thing. And I COULD NOT believe how edge-of-your-seat thrillingly and intensely and yet abruptly this book ended; O'Brian is so, so skillful.

greybeard49's review

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5.0

I am rereading O’Brian’s superb series and each book is just as brilliant the first time round. I will not wax lyrical again about these books as I have said it all before.

Whoever you are, whatever your interests, age or gender you will forgo an extraordinary experience if you do not read these books.