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A review by kynan
The Mauritius Command by Patrick O'Brian
4.0
Another fantastic story from [Mr O'Brian|5600]'s Aubrey/Maturin series! I'm lingering on reading these because I really don't want to run out of them, even though there are twenty volumes to savour.
This time around we experience the battle for Mauritius between 1809 and 1811, incredibly closely based upon the real campaign (as are most of the subjects of this series I believe). I use the term "incredibly" because the nature of this campaign, the contrast between the immense dangers and interminable boredom (suitably glossed over or enlivened for the reader with brilliant descriptions of the amazing vessels that made up the French and British naval fleets) requisite due to the vast tracts of time that travel to anywhere required when travelling by sail.
These books are so well written that you get dragged in from the opening pages and sucked along in the wake of the story constantly marveling at the way things used be. As well as the expected (and thoroughly detailed) marine elements of the story there are brief forays into the science of the time, a social commentary mostly based on the thoughts of Mr Maturin and other members of the supporting cast - it's a riveting window into the time that gave birth to the fabled English "stiff upper lip".
Enough gushing. It's a great read and I'd heartily recommend it to all!
Oh, one more thing. I read the audio version of this book narrated by Patrick Tull. Never was there a more suitable marriage of narrator and subject matter. Everything about this collaboration is perfect.
This time around we experience the battle for Mauritius between 1809 and 1811, incredibly closely based upon the real campaign (as are most of the subjects of this series I believe). I use the term "incredibly" because the nature of this campaign, the contrast between the immense dangers and interminable boredom (suitably glossed over or enlivened for the reader with brilliant descriptions of the amazing vessels that made up the French and British naval fleets) requisite due to the vast tracts of time that travel to anywhere required when travelling by sail.
These books are so well written that you get dragged in from the opening pages and sucked along in the wake of the story constantly marveling at the way things used be. As well as the expected (and thoroughly detailed) marine elements of the story there are brief forays into the science of the time, a social commentary mostly based on the thoughts of Mr Maturin and other members of the supporting cast - it's a riveting window into the time that gave birth to the fabled English "stiff upper lip".
Enough gushing. It's a great read and I'd heartily recommend it to all!
Oh, one more thing. I read the audio version of this book narrated by Patrick Tull. Never was there a more suitable marriage of narrator and subject matter. Everything about this collaboration is perfect.