https://discord.com/invite/eTZuVZXycX https://www.facebook.com/Book.Reviews.by.Namsu https://www.instagram.com/namsu_corp https://www.pinterest.com/namsucorps https://www.reddit.com/r/Book_Reviews_by_Namsu https://alltop.com/my/Namsu https://twitter.com/NamsuCorp https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_pSnAi4ji3dx8HWMpHmYBQ

H. M. S. Surprise Review

H.M.S. Surprise

Published: 1973

Author: Patrick O'Brian

Book 3 of 21: Aubrey/Maturin Novels

Genres: Action, Adventure, British & Irish, Family Life, Fiction, Historical, Literary, Literature, Medical, Military, Navel, Saga, Sea, Suspense, Thriller, Travel, War


Check the summary of this book here:



The Review:

The third novel in Patrick O'Brien's series about the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, H.M.S. Surprise will thrill and educate you about the British Navy's sailing ships and the sailors and commanders' impressive technical ability.

While Patrick O'Brien does not minimize the British Navy's wrongdoings, he is definitely an admirer of the power, ships, and tactics but not the wrongdoings. If you don't want to read about a colonial power's exploits, this might not be the book for you. The storyline, on the other hand, is engaging, and there is enough information on flora and fauna in each of the ship's ports of call.

Maturin appears to be Patrick O'Brien's favorite character since he receives more attention in this novel than Aubrey, and I had the same impression in the previous book "Post Captain," when he was developed even further than he was in the first book "Master and Commander."

To convey the characters' inner thoughts, devices such as journals and letters are employed to great effect. It's a letter that has the finest description of Maturin to date, as well as a letter that ends with a serious blow.

H.M.S. Surprise continues ahead at a pleasant and engaging pace as O'Brian gains his groove as a storyteller. The plot is thrilling and enjoyable to read, and the characters are well-developed and engaging. This novel will appeal to anybody who is interested in 19th-century ships and naval history, or simply enjoy a good narrative but keep in mind that you'll need to read the preceding volumes to grasp some of the details and back stories of the characters and events.

If you're not used to the writing style and old navy terms, Patrick O'Brian's books can be difficult to get into at first, but once you do, you won't be able to put them down. They're full of historical action and are a must-read for those who enjoy books in the context of Bernard Cornwell, Angus Donald, or Steven A McKay because they all are a magnificent mash-up of reality and fascinating narrative.

It's difficult to add to Patrick O'Brian's list of accolades for the series. I doubt you could get any closer to the true narrative of life in the navy at the time; it highlights the changes that have occurred since then, particularly in terms of travel. A sailor's and officer's life aboard a wooden ship was difficult, and these brilliantly painted figures transport the reader back into that time a few centuries. I am confident that this and the other works will continue to be read with zeal in the future.

The novel is exceptionally well-researched, well-paced, and beautifully written, depicting the period of sail in exquisite detail, and there was yet another fantastic adventure. I wasn't expecting it to be as good as Master and Commander, but it needed to be given more credit. It was a good novel that made me want to start reading the series again, but time restrictions prohibited me from doing so.

Only one element that may irritate some readers is the amount of time spent on land, since it slows down the pace, and action oriented readers may become bored even if the story is not uninteresting. Basically, the speed at sea or on the water is as quick as the ship, but on land, it seems like you're reading a Jane Austen novel, but that's just how it feels, and it's still a fun read provided you understand that both sea and land are necessary for the story's forward motion.


Final Thoughts:

Anyone who enjoys a wonderful narrative with interesting characters, adventure, tension, and just the tiniest hint of romance should read every Patrick O'Brien novel, especially the Aubrey Maturin series. Add in the fact that they're based on the logbooks of RN captains who sailed during the period he's writing about, and you've got yourself a history lesson in the most entertaining way possible.

It's the best in its genre. Do yourself a favor and read Patrick O'Brian if you haven't already. Find the first book in the series, "Master and Commander," and embark on a fantastic voyage that will take a long time due to the series' 19 volumes.

You will not be reading about a period and amazing characters; you will be experiencing the time and meeting and knowing the characters because Patrick O'Brian was a real wordsmith and a creator of wonders.

If this is your first exposure to the world of Aubrey and Maturin, you are in for a magnificent adventure that will last a lifetime. In a lot of respects, these books are a treasure.


Synopsis:

“"Few, very few books have made my heart thud with excitement. H.M.S. Surprise managed it." —Helen Lucy Burke, Irish Press

In H.M.S. Surprise, British naval officer Jack Aubrey and surgeon Stephen Maturin face near-death and tumultuous romance in the distant waters ploughed by the ships of the East India Company. Tasked with ferrying a British ambassador to the Sultan of Kampong, they find themselves on a prolonged voyage aboard a Royal Navy frigate en route to the Malay Peninsula. In this new sphere, Aubrey is on the defensive, pitting wits and seamanship against an enemy who enjoys overwhelming local superiority. But somewhere in the Indian Ocean lies the prize that could secure him a marriage to his beloved Sophie and make him rich beyond his wildest dreams: the ships sent by Napoleon to attack the China Fleet.”


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

Action, Aubrey And Maturin, Billy Boyd, Botany Bay, British Navy, Character Development, Desolation Island, Drama, Diana Villiers, Early 19th Century, Fortune Of War, High Seas, Historical Fiction, HMS Surprise, Horrible Old, Indian Ocean, Jack And Stephen, Jack Aubrey, Jane Austen, Lucky Jack, Master And Commander, Maturin Series, Mauritius Command, Napoleonic Wars, Nautical Terms, Old Leopard, Patrick Brian, Patrick O’Brian, Patrick Obrian, Patrick O Brian, Paul Bettany, Peter Weir, Post Captain, Royal Navy, Russell Crowe, Stephen Maturin, United States, Uss Constitution, Well Written, Years Ago


Rating: 95/100
Recommended: 95/100 Yes.

Buy The Kindle Version Here:


Free With Free Audible Trial:


The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels (Hardcover):


Master and Commander (2003) (PG+):


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Any kind of support, even a simple 'like, thumbs up or a small comment' is enough and helps me grow, create and freely do more stuff and work on projects for the benefit of many.
Help me grow into a global force: https://www.patreon.com/namsu
Support with crypto coins/tokens: https://cointr.ee/namsu
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

No comments:

Post Captain Review

Post Captain

Published: 1972

Author: Patrick O'Brian

Book 2 of 21: Aubrey/Maturin Novels

Genres: Action, Adventure, British & Irish, Family Life, Fiction, Historical, Literary, Literature, Medical, Military, Navel, Saga, Sea, Suspense, Thriller, Travel, War


Check the summary of this book here:



The Review:

Patrick O'Brian's Post Captain is a powerful novel with strong memorable characters and a great feeling of heroic adventure. A reader may need to get used to Patrick O'Brian's writing style, in which he jumps from one dialogue and scene to the next without the normal cues like a page break or the beginning of a new chapter.

The text, written in a conversational manner from the early 1800s, may need some acclimating to get into a comfortable reading pace.

The novel features a lot of technical jargon about nineteenth-century sailing methods, phrases, and sail configurations that aren't commonly used nowadays, and as I said in my review of Master And Commander, you may easily take these words for Star Wars or Star Trek techno babble.

These characteristics aren't always negative because reading these fantastic novels may teach a reader about language and history.

Despite this, Mr. Patrick O'Brian's maritime conflicts are written with such intensity, desperation, peril, and courage that you may find yourself holding your breath as you read.

This second volume in the series has a different tone than the first, but it's still a fascinating historical tale set during the Napoleonic Wars, with action so realistic that you can smell the smoke and hear the cannons thunder. This is a series for anyone who likes early-eighteenth-century naval history.

Patrick O'Brian has written a fantastic novel that includes not only action, but also political viewpoints of the time, natural history as it was known at the time, philosophy, and intriguing details of the daily lives of both commanders and regular seamen.

Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin are complicated characters that exhibit the highest nobility and, at times, the lowest of conduct, transforming them into larger-than-life heroes with clay feet that we can all relate to.

There's also a fantastic ensemble of supporting characters, many of whom will feature in his subsequent works. Overall, Patrick O'Brian is unquestionably one of the greatest historical authors of his time.

Let's discuss the book's language and its terminology once more. If you're the type of reader who wants to know everything, a dictionary or a search engine close by will come in handy when reading these stories. They are, in my opinion, a necessity. Not to mention the attention to detail when reading; miss a word or two and you're back at the start of the paragraph. However, as a plot, it was captivating and a throwback to the days at sea when England commanded the waters with her wooden fortifications.

Here I would like to share something about the main heroes; Maturin is like the classic onion in that the more layers you peel away, the more you understand about him. Jack is an ancient salt with seawater running through his veins. Plus in this book, one of them is evolving.

Some readers may be dissatisfied with this book since it focuses a bit on the land and courting the ladies. On the other hand, I thought it was a wonderful framework for the series. Man cannot subsist just by sailing, and the concerns of the shore are an important element of even seamen's existence. It was a lot of fun once you get the hang of it.


Final Thoughts:

This book is part of one of those series that will keep you up all night. You will be plunged into a different era, with situations and happenings that are unfamiliar and unusual to you. You'll have a hero to think about and consider his life and reactions to circumstances. Honor, courage, and integrity in the face of huge barriers posed by nature, other men and women, finances, authority, organizations, events, and a man against himself are the moral qualities that define a true hero and you are going to find him in this series.

The conversation is fantastic, and parts of the narration have a vintage feel to them. It all adds to the overall atmosphere. The conflicts at sea are very exciting. Even if you've never sailed at sea before, you'll be lured into these thrilling experiences. After being enthralled by this narrative, all readers will undoubtedly want to read the third. A lot of nice dialogs, I know I've said it before, but this is one of the things that makes the narrative so good. The speech is exactly as one could expect individuals of that era to speak. I had the impression that I was there. Walking around the old port towns and paying visits to the well-to-do. Some of these sections of the narrative reminded me of Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austin. The descriptions of personnel at sea and the workings of such great ships are fascinating.

I really suggest Post Captain for its characters, plot, and experiences, and if you've already read the first book in the series, Master And Commander, then I doesn’t think I need to persuade or encourage you to read this one since you already know you should.


Synopsis:

““If Jane Austen had written rousing sea yarns, she would have produced something very close to the prose of Patrick O'Brian.” —Time

It’s 1802. The Treaty of Amiens has brought an end to the hostilities between Great Britain and France. Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend, naval surgeon Stephen Maturin, are enjoying the respite in the English countryside, besotted with two beautiful cousins, Sophie Williams and Diana Villiers—until Aubrey loses his fortune and they flee to France to escape his creditors. While in France, Napoleon smashes the Peace of Amiens and war begins anew. Aubrey and Maturin, now finding themselves behind enemy lines, make their way back to England. Maturin is sent to Spain on an intelligence-gathering mission and the now-solvent Aubrey assumes command of a strange warship, pursuing his quarry straight into the mouth of a French-held harbor. Amidst the rollicking adventures at sea and mishaps on land, Aubrey and Maturin’s friendship is tested by their romantic entanglements with the cousins in this brilliant second installment of the epic series.”


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

Action, Aubrey And Maturin, Billy Boyd, Botany Bay, British Navy, Character Development, Desolation Island, Drama, Diana Villiers, Early 19th Century, Fortune Of War, High Seas, Historical Fiction, HMS Surprise, Horrible Old, Indian Ocean, Jack And Stephen, Jack Aubrey, Jane Austen, Lucky Jack, Master And Commander, Maturin Series, Mauritius Command, Napoleonic Wars, Nautical Terms, Old Leopard, Patrick Brian, Patrick O’Brian, Patrick Obrian, Patrick O Brian, Paul Bettany, Peter Weir, Post Captain, Royal Navy, Russell Crowe, Stephen Maturin, United States, Uss Constitution, Well Written, Years Ago

      
Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 95/100 Yes.

Buy The Kindle Version Here:


Free With Free Audible Trial:


The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels (Hardcover):


Master and Commander (2003) (PG+):


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Any kind of support, even a simple 'like, thumbs up or a small comment' is enough and helps me grow, create and freely do more stuff and work on projects for the benefit of many.
Help me grow into a global force: https://www.patreon.com/namsu
Support with crypto coins/tokens: https://cointr.ee/namsu
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
No comments:

Master and Commander Review

Master and Commander Review

Master and Commander

Published: 1969

Author: Patrick O'Brian

Book 1 of 21: Aubrey/Maturin Novels

Genres: Action, Adventure, British & Irish, Family Life, Fiction, Historical, Literary, Literature, Medical, Military, Navel, Saga, Sea, Suspense, Thriller, Travel, War


Check the summary of this book here:



The Review:

Patrick O'Brian writes on the life and living in his novel Master and Commander. That is the simplest explanation I can provide for how he writes his novels. It's a mistake to think of him as history or sea-story enthusiast. He writes about friendships and hatred, optimism and fear, and all of the causes and ways we suffer and exult in small and large events. If you haven't read any of his works, you should simply understand what he's all about and why he's such a brilliant author.

There are storyline aspects that are both unexpected and foretold in advance. Parts of the novel are lighthearted and uplifting, but others are somewhat gloomy. The pace is both sluggish and quick, and it all depends on where you are in the plot at any particular point. You're practically in slow motion at times, but it's not the book that's sluggish; it's your brain that's producing all the action and movement by changing words into reality.

This is the first book in Patrick O'Brian's great series about Jack Aubrey's life and career, as well as his friend and companion Stephen Maturin, a physician and spy who accompanies him on his very first command, the Sophie.

It's a little sluggish at first since there are so many people to introduce, as well as some history to give them context and a lot of historical material required for the reader to grasp the period and area in which the book takes place.

Once the setting is established and the action begins, it's a fast-paced runaway that you won't want to put down, so put up with the introduction and get to the excitement.

Its naval history brought to life by an author whose commitment to detail and authenticity is unrivaled and matched only by a few. Combine that with his ability to immerse you in the plot to the point that you have difficulty returning to reality when you put the book down, and you can't go wrong with Patrick O’Brian.

This is, without a doubt, one of the best historical fiction series ever created in the twentieth century. It owes a tribute to the authors of previous Royal Navy-themed novels, but it easily outshines them all. The trick, according to Patrick O’Brian, was focusing on his characters' lives, hobbies, and surroundings rather than subjecting them to mechanical story mechanisms. Port Mahon, April 1, 1800, alone sets the tone for one of the greatest literary friendships of all time.

I had no idea I was fond of navel or spaceship stories, which may sound boring to others, but I was introduced to them by Star Trek and without realizing it, I began reading novels that were not even science fiction. This reminds me of how many people gripe about Patrick O’Brian's nautical vocabulary and other phrases. I found it helpful to think of it as akin to Star Trek or Star Wars techno-babble, however, most of the terminology in the series are actual and can be found on the internet if needed.

It's so well written that you understand the sense of what's going on without knowing what a cross jack yard, quoin, or orlop is. None of this was an issue in Moby Dick, and it isn't an issue here either. Indeed, the language has a poetic quality to it that develops as you read, until you're swaying on the swell within the shipping prediction. I soon became invested in the protagonists and was enthralled by the depiction of both the naval and larger realms. Patrick O’Brian knows everything there is to know about his time period and topic area.

The writing is usually straightforward and sparse; although there are some beautiful poetic sparks, for example, describing the lay of the water, the set of the wind, or the quality of light. Captain Aubrey's friendship with Maturin the physician is brilliantly shown, in terms of mutual affection, consideration, and respect for differences, tensions, and concerns, and the profound understanding each acquires for the better angels in the other's character.


Final Thoughts:

True, I enjoy watching and reading things happen, but it isn't really narrative. In fact, while I was reading this, I realized that the book's characters are the most significant.

I tend not to discuss storylines or provide spoilers, but I felt compelled to add a few things because I want to review all of the novels in this series shortly.

The plot, inasmuch as it exists, is quite straightforward. When Britain is at war with Spain and France in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Jack Aubrey is granted command of a ship - He befriends Stephen Maturin, a surgeon, and encourages him to join them. Despite capturing a Spanish ship far larger than his own and other daring exploits, Jack's romance with his superior's wife prevents him from embarking on further ambitious endeavors with larger ships.


Synopsis:

“The classic first novel of the epic Aubrey/Maturin series, widely considered “the best historical novels ever written” (Richard Snow, New York Times).

Ardent, gregarious British naval officer Jack Aubrey is elated to be given his first appointment as commander: the fourteen-gun ship HMS Sophie. Meanwhile—after a heated first encounter that nearly comes to a duel—Aubrey and a brilliant but down-on-his-luck physician, Stephen Maturin, strike up an unlikely rapport. On a whim, Aubrey invites Maturin to join his crew as the Sophie’s surgeon. And so begins the legendary friendship that anchors this beloved saga set against the thrilling backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars.

Through every ensuing adventure on which Aubrey and Maturin embark, from the witty parley of their lovers and enemies to the roar of broadsides as great ships close in battle around them, Patrick O’Brian “provides endlessly varying shocks and surprises—comic, grim, farcical and tragic.… [A] whole, solidly living world for the imagination to inhabit” (A. S. Byatt).”


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

Action, Aubrey And Maturin, Billy Boyd, Botany Bay, British Navy, Character Development, Desolation Island, Drama, Diana Villiers, Early 19th Century, Fortune Of War, High Seas, Historical Fiction, HMS Surprise, Horrible Old, Indian Ocean, Jack And Stephen, Jack Aubrey, Jane Austen, Lucky Jack, Master And Commander, Maturin Series, Mauritius Command, Napoleonic Wars, Nautical Terms, Old Leopard, Patrick Brian, Patrick O’Brian, Patrick Obrian, Patrick O Brian, Paul Bettany, Peter Weir, Post Captain, Royal Navy, Russell Crowe, Stephen Maturin, United States, Uss Constitution, Well Written, Years Ago


Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 95/100 Yes.

Buy The Kindle Version Here:


Free With Free Audible Trial:


The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels (Hardcover):


Master and Commander (2003) (PG+):


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Any kind of support, even a simple 'like, thumbs up or a small comment' is enough and helps me grow, create and freely do more stuff and work on projects for the benefit of many.
Help me grow into a global force: https://www.patreon.com/namsu
Support with crypto coins/tokens: https://cointr.ee/namsu
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Follow This Blog