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gayle_g's review against another edition
4.0
Another good read by Patrick O'Brian. The books in this period where Jack has grown into middle age shows a less happy-go-lucky time. The adventures are still there, but there are the ever-present concerns about his finances at home. He loves sailing a good ship, the maneuvers of battle, good food and drink, playing music with Stephen, and having a good time with his friends. His love of being a sea captain is contagious and provides him with a good number of loyal men as his crew.
kentcryptid's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of my favourites of the Master and Commander series. The bit where Stephen falls in the sea, Jack instantly jumps in after him and they nearly drown because the ship sails on without them is a delight because it's so perfectly them.
rpmiller's review against another edition
3.0
The usual compliment of obscure nautical terms with an eventual change of setting to the south pacific. The transit below south America was most interesting, since it involved a continuation of the chase of the US Norfolk. Weather played a large part in the entire voyage, particularly towards the end. The side episode with the female Polynesian sailors added to the uniqueness of the story relative to other volumes. Of course, the war this time was Britain versus American around 1812 and the end of said war was ambiguous in several locations due to slow communications. It seems Britain warred with everyone during this period while establishing their empire.
daniel_wood's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
5.0
gitli57's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
reflective
4.0
One of the realities of historical fiction done well is that the attitudes and language on display will sometimes seem problematic for modern sensibilities. Nobody does historical fiction better than Patrick O'Brian. The setting for this magnificent series is the English Navy during the Napoleonic wars. His attention to period detail has been widely praised. It should also be noted that O'Brian is not a romantic or a sentimentalist. He does not shy away from the nastier social aspects of the time and place or from the brutalities of war. In this volume, descriptions of whaling, some racist characters, graphic depictions of war violence and other details may be challenging for some as they were for me. Certainly, none of his characters could be described as anachronistically woke. But his lead characters, Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, are thoughtful, sympathetic and progressive. Their friendship is one of the greatest in all of literature. And O'Brian writes beautifully, especially about the natural world and all the beings in it. I do not read much historical fiction and very little military historical fiction, but O'Brian remains a favorite for the consistent sheer immersive quality of his writing as well as the thoughtful development of his lead characters.
joshuarigsby's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
cauldhamer's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
hteph's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75