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| Fiction Reviews |
| Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian (First book in the Aubrey/Maturin series) |
| Like the movie? Well you'll LOVE the book! One of the two books that the recent movie Master And Commander: The Far Side of the World is based upon, this first installment of the tale of the two friends Jack Aubrey and Stepehen Maturin made Patrick O'Brian's mark as one of the premier writers of high seas adventure. Set in the British Royal Navy in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the story opens with the hero Jack Aubrey recieving his first command, a sloop called the Sophie. He meets and befriends an idealistic doctor and naturalist, Stephen Maturin shortly before the Sophie's first voyage, and Jack persuades Stephen to become his ship's surgeon. From the first setting of the sails, adventure seems to follow this unlikely pair wherever they roam. The character's are interesting and many-faceted, the robust and daring Captain Aubrey, the sensitive and practical Dr. Maturin, and a host of other fascinating and engauging characters all help to take the reader along in the adventure while imparting a realistic portrayal of the sights, sounds and emotions aboard a cramped warship. Due to the writing's historical accuracy and faithfulness to all aspects of the Royal Navy of the early 19th century, the reader may feel overburdened with the unfamiliar jargon and traditions of the Navy of tall ships. And although the writer seems to assume too much knowledge of the subject on the part of the reader and does not go to great lengths to familiarize one with the concepts peculiar to sailing vessels of that era, with a little study the reader can obtain a greater understanding of the life aboard a ship of His Majesty's Navy and will come to appreciate the authenticity of the storytelling. I recommend this book to history buffs, lovers of naval adventure, and anyone curious to see the genesis of the motion picture version. |
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| 4 of 5 stars |
| Nolanbuc's rating: |
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