The Ionian Mission
Published: 1981
Author: Patrick O'Brian
Book 8 of 21: Aubrey/Maturin Novels
Genres: Action, Adventure, British & Irish, Contemporary, Family Life, Fiction, Historical, Literary, Literature, Medical, Military, Navel, Saga, Sea, Suspense, Thriller, Travel, War
Check the summary of this book here:
The Ionian Mission Summary
The Review:
A big part of Patrick O'Brian's "The Ionian Mission" takes place in the western Mediterranean, and despite Patrick O'Brian's considerable skill at writing, it was sometimes difficult to read because the monotony of the duty was punctuated by tantalizing opportunities for action, both at sea with Aubrey and ashore with Maturin's espionage, both of which ended without real satisfaction. The fact that I felt for the crew as they battled with the lack of action speaks something great about Patrick O'Brian's ability as a nautical writer.
Readers may become bored while reading this novel even if it is not boring, but this is simply due to the way the author wrote it perfectly as if he has been strictly consistent and totally honest in his portrayal of life in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, and blockade duty was as much a part of life at the time as outright action. The portrayal of Boredom is so superb that it makes the reader as restless and hungry for a confrontation as the crew is. To be honest, the fighting he portrays is as much a part of the plot as the battle he recounts in his brilliant way.
With a passion for both history and science, it's amusing to see Dr. Maturin's dissatisfaction with old salt beliefs and snake oil treatment, even if his own understanding of science, medicine, and natural history would be considered antiquated and primitive by modern standards when readers of this time read it.
One of the finest elements of this series is the contrast between the large life-loving, extremely gregarious, though occasionally naive Jack Aubrey and his quiet, private, highly observant, and frequently sang-froid companion. We get to see each of them at their best and worst, bolstered and dragged down by the other's best and worse.
This episode seemed a little slow and looked to be filler. But, as I already stated, it is not sluggish. The writing is excellent, as it usually is, but there is very little action until about halfway through the novel. Although recounting week after week of everyday repetition would stretch any writer's creativity, but it is not possible with Patrick O'Brian because I can clearly see what he did with this story and made it an example of how a writer can make our brains think in slow and fast moods to the point where we start to feel exactly as the characters we are reading about.
I enjoyed it, as I am sure any dedicated fan of the Aubrey/Maturin novels will, as will anyone who is reading the series in order, beginning with Master And Commander.
As always, I must caution readers not to read this book if they have not previously read the books in the series.
Final Thoughts:
I read Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series over the course of a few months. It was never boring. Dr. Maturin is a complete nautical beginner, and Patrick O'Brian skillfully informs you facts of 18th-19th century British naval life by having the experienced individuals, who would never need to explain this to each other, explain it to him. There's a lot of contrast between personalities who have known each other for a long time, some as close friends or family members, and the intriguing and often untrustworthy strangers they meet, all set against the backdrop of major historical events.
What a wonderful tale! Aubrey gets in difficulty both on land and at sea as a result of poor judgments, yet he is superb at sea when it comes to sailoring and war tactics, and Patrick O'Brian has never moved in his opinion of the captain. Aubrey has endeared himself to me as a reader because he is clever, but he doesn't know it or dwell on it because he is in his environment. He realizes and concentrates on the fact that he is the exact opposite of bright in personal affairs. What a beautiful balance in storytelling because I, as a reader, worry for Aubrey every time he steps ashore and I'm anxious about him at sea, but I also believe that every sea encounter will end as well as it can, which doesn't always mean well. This is another excellent episode by Patrick O'Brien, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Synopsis:
“"Patrick O'Brian is one author who can put a spark of character into the sawdust of time, and The Ionian Mission is another rattling good yarn." —Stephen Vaughan, The Observer
Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, veterans now of many battles, return in this novel to the seas where they first sailed as shipmates. But Jack is now a senior captain commanding a line-of-battle ship in the Royal Navy's blockade of Toulon, and this is a longer, harder, colder war than the dashing frigate actions of his early days. A sudden turn of events takes him and Stephen off on a hazardous mission to the Greek Islands, where all his old skills of seamanship and his proverbial luck when fighting against odds come triumphantly into their own.”
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Rating: 95/100
Recommended: 95/100 Yes.
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