Scan barcode
A review by kynan
Desolation Island by Patrick O'Brian
4.0
The next chapter in the spectacular Aubrey/Maturin series. I love these books and I could probably just line all of my superlatives up and be done with it. I don't quite know why I love them so much. I think it's a combination of the attention to detail in the sea-going portions of the books (plus the piquing of interest from the references and allusions to actual historical events) and, since I'm listening to the series rather than visually ingesting it, the marvelous reading that Patrick Tull performs.
Many a better reviewer has reviewed this series and its component parts so I'll just mention the bits that I loved and be done with it.
Desolation Island has a few passing allusions to Australia since the penal colony at Botany Bay is the ultimate destination of the voyage that this book describes. This leads to references such as "Think of the opportunities, Stephen - thousands of miles of almost unknown sea and coastline - wombats on shore for those that like them...". My Australian heritage and subsequent prolonged absence therefrom make me a sucker for anything Aussie and it was fun to hear ye olde Australia referenced like that.
The chase scene in this story is also fantastic. I don't want to mention any specifics but the description of the participants (including the weather), the general drama leading up to the final conclusion really was top notch.
Stephen's intelligence work plays a reasonably central part in this story and his machinations are interestingly examined and explained as the story progresses.
Finally, as previously mentioned, the minutiae of historical shipboard life, the details of the convict transportation, the food, the medical treatments of the time, it's an awesome (in both the old and new senses of the word) reminder of what people used to take for granted and of how lucky we are today.
In conclusion, go read it now, great fun!
Many a better reviewer has reviewed this series and its component parts so I'll just mention the bits that I loved and be done with it.
Desolation Island has a few passing allusions to Australia since the penal colony at Botany Bay is the ultimate destination of the voyage that this book describes. This leads to references such as "Think of the opportunities, Stephen - thousands of miles of almost unknown sea and coastline - wombats on shore for those that like them...". My Australian heritage and subsequent prolonged absence therefrom make me a sucker for anything Aussie and it was fun to hear ye olde Australia referenced like that.
The chase scene in this story is also fantastic. I don't want to mention any specifics but the description of the participants (including the weather), the general drama leading up to the final conclusion really was top notch.
Stephen's intelligence work plays a reasonably central part in this story and his machinations are interestingly examined and explained as the story progresses.
Finally, as previously mentioned, the minutiae of historical shipboard life, the details of the convict transportation, the food, the medical treatments of the time, it's an awesome (in both the old and new senses of the word) reminder of what people used to take for granted and of how lucky we are today.
In conclusion, go read it now, great fun!