A review by neilrcoulter
The Mauritius Command by Patrick O'Brian

5.0

[b:The Mauritius Command|77431|The Mauritius Command (Aubrey/Maturin, #4)|Patrick O'Brian|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389977562s/77431.jpg|2393986] opens with the now-expected introductory scenes of Aubrey's hard luck on land. He feels conflicted in what he most wants: the domestic family life that he dreamed of, or adventure on the high seas that he seems to be made for. Soon enough, of course, the decision is made for him and we find ourselves back on board, cruising for a mission to La Réunion, Rodriguez, and Mauritius, islands off the coast of Madagascar in southern Africa.

After the gradual build-up of Aubrey reaching post status, and the difficulties he always has in getting a ship to command even after attaining that status, I felt that his elevation to commodore in The Mauritius Command was almost too quick and easy. As he says, the only thing better than a commodore pendant is finally hoisting the admiral flag. So here, in book 4, he has achieved nearly as much as we can hope for him - and this when he is still near the bottom of the list of post captains, and when there are still a number of seniors who have grudges against the insubordination of his youth. I loved the story in this book and the complex situations Aubrey has to manage, but I felt a little cheated at first with what seemed like the too quick and unjustified promotion.

After the struggles Maturin has endured at the hands of Mrs. Villiers, it is refreshing that he gets a book to be apart from her—yet still working through the mental anguish from his dashed hopes.

Previous books in the series have had much more back-and-forth between life on ship and on land. Not so in The Mauritius Command. Once the guys are at sea, the narrative is more focused and driven than the previous volumes. I've enjoyed the variety of settings in the other books, and I especially like the interesting ways that [a:O'Brian|5600|Patrick O'Brian|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1212630063p2/5600.jpg] manipulates the time in his writing, but I also liked this change of pace. In the fourth volume of the series there is still much that is fresh, and much that surprises.

My reviews of the Aubrey/Maturin series:

Master and Commander
Post Captain
H.M.S. Surprise
The Mauritius Command
Desolation Island
The Fortune of War
The Surgeon's Mate
The Ionian Mission
Treason's Harbour
The Far Side of the World
The Reverse of the Medal
The Letter of Marque
The Thirteen-Gun Salute
The Nutmeg of Consolation
Clarissa Oakes
The Wine-Dark Sea
The Commodore
The Yellow Admiral
The Hundred Days
Blue at the Mizzen
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