Honest Book Reviews by Namsu

The Mauritius Command

Published: 1977

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 is like a magnificent guide into another time and place in The Mauritius Command, and his writing abilities are fascinating to experience. His ability to depict a former age both perplexes and befuddles the reader because the reader has no way of knowing whether the sophisticated terminologies he deploys in his conversations and descriptions are the result of painstaking study or are masterfully made up out of thin air.

I know enough about battle sailing during the Napoleonic era to know that the maritime descriptions are spot-on, leading me to imagine that the dialogues are as accurate, but this is not the case, and this portion is simply coming from the author's brilliant story-telling intellect and it confuses the reader as I mentioned in the previous paragraph.

As is customary for Patrick O’Brian, he draws heavily on history, and this novel is based on a little-known operation against the French in the Indian Ocean, which provides both action and tension to the storyline. As always, Commodore Aubrey and Dr. Maturin's illustrations of all things navel are a wonderful contribution to the readers’ continuous love for this book series and the sea.

This is one of the most action-packed books in the series. One of the many reasons I read this book series is because I adore the idea of living aboard a sailboat, and having at least one 65-foot catamaran, ideally a trimaran, is one of my life goals. Most individuals started reading these books after seeing the film "Master & Commander."

But after reading the first 200 pages of Master & Commander, many of them realized that the action wasn't quite as close as it would be in the subsequent novels. Captain Aubrey and a fleet face French naval off the coast of Mauritius in this one, which is action-packed. It's thrilling and really creative!

But for Patrick O’Brian, it's all about the language. You'll be referring to literature (or websites) to better grasp the various antique terms and phrases his characters use, whether nautical, medicinal, and zoological or gourmet. Context allows for a basic understanding, but a better comprehension necessitates a deeper study.

The same caution applies to the reader's understanding of sail-powered naval fighting – Patrick O’Brian provides a basic introduction, but further understanding and enjoyment may be gained with a little exploration. After all, the Internet is always there at your disposal!

His writings will not only delight you, but they will also make you think and work a bit. These aren't the books for you if you find this an irritation or an inconvenience – Only inquisitive minds will like and want more of these fantastic novels.

Although the series is set on the sea, you don't need to be a sailor or have a lot of nautical expertise to appreciate it. As I previously stated, this is the fourth book in the Aubrey-Maturin series, but it can be enjoyed on its own or as part of the series. However, I strongly advise reading all of the previous books in the series before reading this one so you can get a sense of what is going on in the lives of all of the characters involved, as well as all of the back stories that may be useful in future reads, including this one.

I'm assuming that the readers have read at least the previous three novels, which is why I'm using certain keywords that may be considered spoilers, so just in case, skip this paragraph... okay, moving on, so Captain Jack Aubrey is a talented sailor who has been given instructions to lead a frigate to the Cape of Good Hope with two other captains under his command, and Stephen Maturin is a medical companion who serves as the ship's doctor/surgeon and is also an intelligence operative.

Whether reading the book or listening to the Audiobook version, the narrative is intriguing and difficult to put down. Rick Jerrom skillfully narrates the Audiobook from beginning to end, perfectly capturing the mood, pacing, and characters.

Final Thoughts:

These novels may appear to be simple naval battle stories, but they are much more, and they immerse the reader in unexpected events around every turn.

He's a fantastic storyteller with a knack for both inside and outside discourse. His stories are full of flawed human beings that you'll grow to love and adore over the course of the series. The concept of books as time machines is embodied perfectly in this series.

If you enjoy one Patrick O'Brian book, you'll want to read the rest of the series. It's atmospheric, humorous, and tragic all at the same time. The discourse is enthralling and feels historically accurate. Every book has social history, naval technology, navigational science, and a rip-roaring excellent tale.

I haven't had such a good time since Ken Follett’s epic "Pillars of the Earth," but while Follett’s sequels failed to live up to the original, O'Brian did, and now I want to reread Captain Sinbad by Graham Diamond, even though these books are unrelated except that they remind me of the sea and sailing.

Synopsis:

“"Jack's assignment: to capture the Indian Ocean islands of Réunion and Mauritius from the French. That campaign forms the narrative thread of this rollicking sea saga. But its substance is more beguiling still." —Elizabeth Peer, Newsweek

Captain Jack Aubrey is ashore on half pay without a command—until Stephen Maturin arrives with secret orders for Aubrey to take a frigate to the Cape of Good Hope under a commodore's pennant, there to mount an expedition against the French-held islands of Mauritius and La Réunion. But the difficulties of carrying out his orders are compounded by two of his own captains—Lord Clonfert, a pleasure-seeking dilettante, and Captain Corbett, whose severity pushes his crew to the verge of mutiny.”

Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

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Rating: 95/100

Recommended: 95/100 Yes.

Buy The Kindle Version Here:

https://amzn.to/3ogbpxU

Free With Free Audible Trial:

https://amzn.to/3EicqLN

The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels (Hardcover):

https://amzn.to/3xCFZVv

Master and Commander (2003) (PG+):

https://amzn.to/3I7yZos

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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:

H.M.S. Surprise Summary

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.”

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Rating: 95/100

Recommended: 95/100 Yes.

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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:

Post Captain Summary

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:

Rating: 90/100

Recommended: 95/100 Yes.

Buy The Kindle Version Here:

https://amzn.to/3FZtB4Z

Free With Free Audible Trial:

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The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels (Hardcover):

https://amzn.to/3xCFZVv

Master and Commander (2003) (PG+):

https://amzn.to/3I7yZos

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Honest Book Reviews by Namsu

Pages

The Mauritius Command Review

The Mauritius Command

Author: Patrick O'Brian

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:

Final Thoughts:

Synopsis:

Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

H. M. S. Surprise Review

H.M.S. Surprise

Author: Patrick O'Brian

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:

Final Thoughts:

Synopsis:

Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

Buy The Kindle Version Here:

Free With Free Audible Trial:

The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels (Hardcover):

Master and Commander (2003) (PG+):

Post Captain Review

Post Captain

Author: Patrick O'Brian

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:

Final Thoughts:

Synopsis:

Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

Buy The Kindle Version Here:

Free With Free Audible Trial:

The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels (Hardcover):

Master and Commander (2003) (PG+):

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