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A review by tristansreadingmania
Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian
4.0
“Never mind manoeuvres, always go at them.”
-Patrick O'Brian, Master and Commander
O'Brian's Master & Commander, the first of his impressively lengthy 21-volume Aubrey/Maturin series which takes place during the era of the Napoleonic Wars, surely must have one of the all-time great set-ups of a male friendship in all of literature. The meeting of our two protagonists - Jack Aubrey an impoverished lieutenant aching for command of a ship, Stephen Maturin a rather aimless surgeon with a deep love for natural philosophy - takes place during an intimate musical performance in the Governor's House at Port Mahon. Aubrey, not the most sophisticated nor cultured of men, lost in excitement manages to ruin the performance for his neighbour Maturin with his loud, improperly timed showings of appreciation.
The encounter, coming dangerously close to violence when the normally timid Maturin has to resort to delivering Aubrey a not so gentle elbow poke in the ribs, isn't a pleasant one to say the least. The two men dislike each other intensely, and part ways. This all changes when Aubrey, having unexpectedly been granted the position of captain of the HMS Sophie, is suddenly filled with a more genial, joyous spirit and, when seeing Maturin in the street, apologizes to him. The two share drink and food, and find common ground. A sense of mutual appreciation and respect quickly develops. Pretty soon, Maturin is asked by Aubrey to act as the ship's doctor, an offer which he gladly accepts, kicking off their first adventure on the high seas.
My initial exposure to the series, which then I didn't realize existed, was through the Peter Weir 2003 film Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World, which ranks very high on my list of pre-1914 historical war films. It really is a stupendous piece of filmmaking, with the utmost respect for historical accuracy in as much as is possible for a Hollywood product.
Approaching the book as a more seasoned reader of English prose was an absolute joy. It was wise of me to wait, in order to extract as much as possible from the experience. There is some pretty terrific stuff to be found here. O'Brian's characterisation is masterfully developed, his feel for the period spot on, and his precise use of authentic language mesmerizing. The many historical details and tidbits almost made me giddy, it is those that elevate a piece of historical fiction above all the rest. With all the nautical jargon, and period-specific sayings I grant it may take some time getting used to for a relative newcomer, but after a 100 pages or so you just course through it unimpeded. Quite dense, yet not heavy-handed, which is a delicate balance to maintain. I savoured every chapter, every page, every line.
The only reason I'm not going for a full 5 stars rating (I was tempted though), is that I very much desired to see more of Maturin. His observations of life aboard a man of war, of its crew from an outsider's perspective and his many investigations of the natural world and its denizens (it was the birth of the age of Enlightenment after all), were utterly compelling. But, I have 20 other novels to look forward to. The cumulative effect of having read all those I am certain will secure the series a spot in my private pantheon. The ship is ready, and the journey has only just begun..
-Patrick O'Brian, Master and Commander
O'Brian's Master & Commander, the first of his impressively lengthy 21-volume Aubrey/Maturin series which takes place during the era of the Napoleonic Wars, surely must have one of the all-time great set-ups of a male friendship in all of literature. The meeting of our two protagonists - Jack Aubrey an impoverished lieutenant aching for command of a ship, Stephen Maturin a rather aimless surgeon with a deep love for natural philosophy - takes place during an intimate musical performance in the Governor's House at Port Mahon. Aubrey, not the most sophisticated nor cultured of men, lost in excitement manages to ruin the performance for his neighbour Maturin with his loud, improperly timed showings of appreciation.
The encounter, coming dangerously close to violence when the normally timid Maturin has to resort to delivering Aubrey a not so gentle elbow poke in the ribs, isn't a pleasant one to say the least. The two men dislike each other intensely, and part ways. This all changes when Aubrey, having unexpectedly been granted the position of captain of the HMS Sophie, is suddenly filled with a more genial, joyous spirit and, when seeing Maturin in the street, apologizes to him. The two share drink and food, and find common ground. A sense of mutual appreciation and respect quickly develops. Pretty soon, Maturin is asked by Aubrey to act as the ship's doctor, an offer which he gladly accepts, kicking off their first adventure on the high seas.
My initial exposure to the series, which then I didn't realize existed, was through the Peter Weir 2003 film Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World, which ranks very high on my list of pre-1914 historical war films. It really is a stupendous piece of filmmaking, with the utmost respect for historical accuracy in as much as is possible for a Hollywood product.
Approaching the book as a more seasoned reader of English prose was an absolute joy. It was wise of me to wait, in order to extract as much as possible from the experience. There is some pretty terrific stuff to be found here. O'Brian's characterisation is masterfully developed, his feel for the period spot on, and his precise use of authentic language mesmerizing. The many historical details and tidbits almost made me giddy, it is those that elevate a piece of historical fiction above all the rest. With all the nautical jargon, and period-specific sayings I grant it may take some time getting used to for a relative newcomer, but after a 100 pages or so you just course through it unimpeded. Quite dense, yet not heavy-handed, which is a delicate balance to maintain. I savoured every chapter, every page, every line.
The only reason I'm not going for a full 5 stars rating (I was tempted though), is that I very much desired to see more of Maturin. His observations of life aboard a man of war, of its crew from an outsider's perspective and his many investigations of the natural world and its denizens (it was the birth of the age of Enlightenment after all), were utterly compelling. But, I have 20 other novels to look forward to. The cumulative effect of having read all those I am certain will secure the series a spot in my private pantheon. The ship is ready, and the journey has only just begun..