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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
“Like Jane Austen, O'Brian is really happiest working on two or three inches of ivory and turning to art the daily lives of three or four families in a locality—except that this village happens to be a wooden ship of war at the apogee of a great Navy's world sea-power in the days of sail, and famous for the skill and discipline of its officers and men.” - from the afterward by John Bayley. I would observe that this is emphasised when the novel leaves the water, and spends (for me) too long in the mountains of South America, but then finally (and rewardingly) sets sail for home...
The espionage portion was mundane compared to previous episodes.
A series highlight. Stephen and Jack both right in their elements and some very clever misdirection around the big set-pieces.
Doctor Stephen Maturin, an intelligence agent of formidable powers, is dispatched to discomfit the Napoleonic French and their allies. With him comes his particular friend, naval captain Jack Aubrey. Each of them has some successes on this long voyage--Jack takes a truly ridiculous number of prizes--but are battered by their adventures and happy to head home.
I love this series so much. At this point,the continued travails of the Surprise's crew, captain, and surgeon are as comforting and interesting as hearing about my home town.
I love this series so much. At this point,the continued travails of the Surprise's crew, captain, and surgeon are as comforting and interesting as hearing about my home town.
Loveable characters:
Yes
“And jealous now of me, you gods, because I befriend a man, one I saved as he straddled the keel alone, when Zeus had blasted and shattered his swift ship with a bright lightning bolt, out on the wine-dark sea.”
—Homer, The Odyssey, Book V
—"oínopa pónton"
So, "wine-dark sea" is a phrase used quite a bit by Homer. And Homer was quite an author I guess. And he did some pretty damn good writing about boats and stuff. So, it is only natural that Patrick O'Brian would eventually get around to using the "Wine-Dark Sea" image in one of his books. In Book 16 to be specific. This book is actually book 4, of a 5-novel circumnavigation of the globe sieries within his greater 20 book (21 if you count his last unfinished novel) Aubrey-Maturin series. There is some nice sailing, and the wine-dark sea section happens to appear at a point when some volcanic activity is happening nearby (which given the location of most of Homer's sea stories, also ties the mysterious wine-dark colors together).
Anyway, there was some interesting sections dealing with South American politics, and Andes hiking. Some of my favorite new characters are the two little girls rescued from a South Asian island that was decimated with small-pox. They have attached themselves to Dr. Maturin and become a lovely feature on the Surprise. I'm starting to get that feeling one gets towards the last couple days of an amazing vacation. You still enjoy the country, beach, mountains, etc., but there is a sense of impending dread that this all will end too soon. One day, I'll reach to the table next to my bed and there won't be a new O'Brian novel to read. I'm already sad.
Here are a couple links to read if you want to read more about "wine-dark seas" and Homer:
http://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/20/science/homer-s-sea-wine-dark.html
https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/sea/winelike-sea
http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/hoffman_01_13/
—Homer, The Odyssey, Book V
—"oínopa pónton"
So, "wine-dark sea" is a phrase used quite a bit by Homer. And Homer was quite an author I guess. And he did some pretty damn good writing about boats and stuff. So, it is only natural that Patrick O'Brian would eventually get around to using the "Wine-Dark Sea" image in one of his books. In Book 16 to be specific. This book is actually book 4, of a 5-novel circumnavigation of the globe sieries within his greater 20 book (21 if you count his last unfinished novel) Aubrey-Maturin series. There is some nice sailing, and the wine-dark sea section happens to appear at a point when some volcanic activity is happening nearby (which given the location of most of Homer's sea stories, also ties the mysterious wine-dark colors together).
Anyway, there was some interesting sections dealing with South American politics, and Andes hiking. Some of my favorite new characters are the two little girls rescued from a South Asian island that was decimated with small-pox. They have attached themselves to Dr. Maturin and become a lovely feature on the Surprise. I'm starting to get that feeling one gets towards the last couple days of an amazing vacation. You still enjoy the country, beach, mountains, etc., but there is a sense of impending dread that this all will end too soon. One day, I'll reach to the table next to my bed and there won't be a new O'Brian novel to read. I'm already sad.
Here are a couple links to read if you want to read more about "wine-dark seas" and Homer:
http://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/20/science/homer-s-sea-wine-dark.html
https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/sea/winelike-sea
http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/hoffman_01_13/
First I encourage you to read the series in sequence. Where one book ends, the next starts.
This book is a novel in about three parts - a set of sea skirmishes, a land based battle, and hike/long journey across the Andes. Each was important to the book, but frankly the sea skirmishes and the journey across the Andes deserved more words, as did Mauturin's spy work. Much more.
I really appreciate the naturalism (being a naturalist) of Mauturin. I like the observations of plants, and animals, and observations of humans.
All in all, this is a dark book. Several deaths (remember it's a war book), some of the secondary charterers have a falling out, and strains on friendships
Triggers: violence, a lot, it is a war book at it's core. Sex, not much and it's all off camera. Lots of references to sins of the heart (lust). references to recreational drug use. Brief (and somewhat funny) reference to cannibalism
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
tense
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ok—still enjoying this series and would still—4th time through—give this book 4 stars, but I’m noticing a pattern of hubris and self-justification in Stephen Maturin that makes me roll my eyes. Example in this book: when Martin offers the opinion that prolonged drug use is not a good thing, Maturin does some preposterous moral and philosophical judo to declare HE has the moral high ground and Martin has committed a terrible affront and they both accept that alternative moral universe with Martin attempting to apologize and withdrawing and Maturin going into a prolonged pout. Much has been written of O’brians personal morality and Maturin as his “voice” in the books. I’d say this incident is an example of both.
As I stagger past the 3/4 mark of this enormous series of books I am struck by the observation that I am more interested in Maturin than Aubrey. Really though, it's being more interested in what's going on on land than on ship - which is the complete opposite of what I would have said in the first quarter of the series.
THIS REVIEW HAS BEEN CURTAILED IN PROTEST AT GOODREADS' CENSORSHIP POLICY
See the complete review here:
http://arbieroo.booklikes.com/post/897361/the-wine-dark-sea-patrick-o-brian
THIS REVIEW HAS BEEN CURTAILED IN PROTEST AT GOODREADS' CENSORSHIP POLICY
See the complete review here:
http://arbieroo.booklikes.com/post/897361/the-wine-dark-sea-patrick-o-brian