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Having read C.S. Forester's "Hornblower" series, Dudley Pope's "Ramage", Alexander Kent's "Bolitho" and currently following Julian Stockwin's "Kydd" series, I have quite a few examples to which I can draw comparisons. I made the mistake of first picking up one the later books in this series, and was overwhelmed with O'Brain's style, and put the book down after the first one hundred pages, or so. I am glad I gave him another read by picking up and reading "Master and Commander", the first book in the "Jack Aubrey" series. One of the other reviewers here described his writings as a cross between Forester, and Jane Austen, to which I concur. Possibly, he dwells on too much introspection of the two main characters with three to four pages devoted to Dr. Maurtin's writings in his diary. That said, O'Brian created my favorite character in this genre. Once I was able to accustom myself to, and stick with O'Brian's cadence/prose, I have come think that maybe, in these earlier novels, at least, O'Brian was the best!Read full review
I started reading O'Brian's series on Jack Aubrey after seeing the movie "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World." If you're not familiar with nineteenth-century British nautical terms and other jargon, then you either have to resign yourself to the fact that you won't always entirely understand what's going on, or find yourself frequently running to the dictionary. Mostly, I chose the former strategy, and it has worked out very well. O'Brian does an excellent job of showing you what life was like in the British Navy and British society of that time. Sometimes the novel reads like Horatio Hornblower, and sometimes like a Jane Austin novel.
The exciting sea battles are historically accurate...taken from actual ship's logs and truth is stranger than fiction. It's so compelling I'm going to read the entire series.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Great story. Looking forward to the rest of the series which, all who have read say, is very very good
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I bought the book because I saw and enjoyed the movie. I'll reread a book more often than sitting down and watching a movie more than once.
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