Patrick O’Brian

By Patrick O’Brian.
The Far Side of the World: begun 31 Mar 2007; finished 03 Apr.
The Reverse of the Medal: begun 07 Apr 2007; finished 10 Apr.

Vega has finally crossed the equator (that is, the halfway mark) of Patrick O’Brian’s majestic Aubrey-Maturin series! The Far Side of the World and The Reverse of the Medal are my latest conquests.

In these latest stories, Jack Aubrey, Stephen Maturin and their comrades pursue an American ship to The Far Side of the World: across the Atlantic, around Cape Horn into the Pacific, and up the west coast of Latin America. This novel is jam-packed with the usual adventures, but is notable in that, unlike many of the previous novels, it doesn’t end in a straightforward sea-battle. O’Brian weaves a web of deceit and uncertainty and tension into the last few chapters, which crescendos into an explosive climax. No novel in the series so far has built up such tension and excitement in me as The Far Side of the World. The climax was literally the last paragraph of the novel — I was compelled to continue straight into The Reverse of the Medal to find out the aftermath and conclusion. And in doing so, was drawn in to another story. In that novel, Jack and Stephen return to England from the far side of the world, discover that much has transpired since they were last ashore (much indeed, especially on Stephen’s side), and struggle to catch up and pick up the threads of their affairs; Jack soon finds himself in trouble with the law, the ending is indeed exciting, a bittersweet triumph that hints at future troubles and adventures to come. Two thoroughly engrossing novels.

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By Patrick O’Brian.
The Ionian Mission: begun 13 Sep 2006; finished 22 Sep.
Treason’s Harbour: begun 30 Sep 2006; finished 09 Oct.

The Ionian Mission and Treason’s Harbour, while neat and autonomous stories individually, are best read together since they take place in the same region, the same secondary and minor characters make appearances in both, events in the former novel have direct impact upon the latter. They are the latest two books in my continuing voyage through Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin series.

As usual, wonderful stories. Without giving too much away: we follow Jack and his friends to the Mediterranean, where much action against the French and Near Eastern forces take place. Jack is drafted into some tricky politics; Tom Pullings leaves Jack’s service; Jack’s old ship the Surprise makes an appearance (and Jack sails in her for a spell); Stephen sees much wildlife and is called back into espionage and counterintelligence; the ship’s crew forms a choir and sing Handel’s Messiah; Jack’s lieutenants and budding poets — Mowett and Rowan — spar against each other in verse; a host of new and old characters pass through their world, amongst them… a traitor. Most of all, both novels give a wonderfully detailed account of life aboard a ship, from the conversations at the captain’s dinner table to the pasttimes and entertainments of the crew.

The most memorable tales were the landing of migratory quail on the ships during The Ionian Mission, and how Stephen, with the aid of the ship’s chaplain, successfully(!) persuaded the crew to let them go free; and in Treason’s Harbour, a diving bell — a proto-submarine, which I didn’t realize existed and worked in the early 19th century! — that Stephen had many adventures in. Of course, the narrative if full of wry humour, brilliant descriptions and endearing encounters of people and places.

Once again, Patrick O’Brian writes wonderful stories about his two main characters and their world. I’m not much of a reader of series, but the Aubrey-Maturin series is one that I’m faithfully following, for the characters, the saga, and the delightfully satisfying writing.

By Patrick O’Brian.
Begun 21 Apr 2006; finished 27 Apr.

The Surgeon’s Mate follows directly from The Fortune of War, charting Jack and Stephen’s return to England from America, their mission to the Baltic, and brief incarceration in Paris. Like the immediately preceding tale, it is primarily an adventure story, told with similar excitement and intensity. The reader is but a spectator watching Jack and Stephen’s lives unfold on the canvas of warfare and espionage, yet it is such a delight to be that spectator of these colourful and vibrant lives.

Patrick O’Brian’s writing just gets better with each book: characters are painted in bright and lively colours, wit and humour lie within every scene, and the story, despite oblique references and occasional meanderings (which are all structurally significant), is quite easy to follow. The fact that the many simultaneous plotlines are each easy to recall and integrate into the global story, demonstrates the quality of O’Brian’s storytelling. New characters are introduced in every book, many of which appear in later novels, but I’ve never had need to keep a cast of characters. Though the story is primarily of adventure and exploits, there are scenes of contemplation, and those too are masterfully handled. This novel’s title had me wondering who Stephen’s “mate” was, but at the end it became clear. Very interesting! I wonder how that will eventually turn out.

It seems that each book review I write for the Aubrey-Maturin series is simply a paean to Patrick O’Brian, talking very little about the story or its meaning. But I haven’t stopped being amazed by O’Brian’s masterful storytelling, and the series is simply a very good yarn, no more, no less. Jack and Stephen have become two of my very favourite literary characters, and to be able to enjoy this piece of historical fiction is good enough for me.

By Patrick O’Brian.
Begun 23 Mar 2006; finished 29 Mar.

Some time ago I read The Fortune of War, the sixth book of Patrick O’Brian’s Jack Aubrey-Stephen Maturin series.

I suppose it’s good fortune that I resumed the Aubrey-Maturin series at this book, because it gives a nice run-down on the events that immediately preceded it in Desolation Island, and briefly summarized the characters. The setting is mostly on land in America, and Stephen has more of the spotlight than Jack this time. The story hits the ground running and doesn’t let up, and indeed is all about the fortunes of war — good and bad — that come onto these two friends in their adventures.

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By Patrick O’Brian.

Had my Patrick O’Brian fix while flying home: this time it was The Golden Ocean, apparently the first book that O’Brian wrote about the sea. It charts the journey of Irish midshipman Peter Palafox from England around Cape Horn in South America, and across the Pacific to the Orient. A very different tale to the Aubrey-Maturin books, mostly because it’s from a midshipman’s point of view. One doesn’t know much of the realm of battle tactics and commanding a fleet at that level, so there’s little talk of that, and the Commodore is but a distant, godlike figure, not an intimately familiar character like Jack Aubrey. But the reader gets a fascinating view into the life of a junior officer, through Peter’s development from a greenhorn to a tried and true midshipman. It’s the same ship from a different perspective. That’s what I enjoyed about the book. It’s familiar O’Brian writing (even though the Irish tone was a bit alien at first) about completely different characters.

So that was a good book.

By Patrick O’Brian.

Preview on 12 Sep 2004:
Maybe it was because I read HMS Surprise late into the night — past midnight, at least, that is quite late for me — and was indeed transported away, within “a breath of heavy air off the land, with a thousand unknown scents, the green smell of damp vegetation, palms, close-packed humanity, another world.” Walking in his feet, seeing through his eyes, becoming Stephen Maturin himself; carried on the Surprise into Bombay: “a striving, avid and worldly civilization … these huge and eager markets, this incessant buying and selling … filth, stench, disease, ‘gross superstition’ … extreme poverty … Great warmth, an infinite variety of smells and colours, the bray of conchs, deep hooting trumpets, countless people…” A land exotic, timeless, where lives are played out and snuffed out, day by day, age by age — brutal, cold, beautiful, eternal.

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By Patrick O’Brian.

Preview on 30 June 2004:
I’ve been reading Master and Commander: finished it in a day and a half. It was such a rollicking splendid story that I went to the library and borrowed Post Captain. More about Patrick O’Brian later…

Reading Patrick O’Brian brings me back to the time when I read Herman Melville, Stephen Crane, Nicholas Montserrat, and even Victor Hugo if I stretch my mind a bit. All I have to say about Master and Commander and Post Captain is: They’re magnificent. Read the rest of this entry »