By Patrick O'Brian
So I've gone nautical. I got a good deal on a set of Patrick O'brian books on ebay. As a bonus a few other of his books were included. Along with a biography and a book called A Sea of Words
, kind of a Patrick O'Brian specific dictionary of the terms used in the books or as the subtitle says, A Lexicon and Companion to the Complete Seafaring Tales of Patrick O'BrianWhy do I mention all this? The Jack Aubry/Stephen Mautrin story is 20 volumes, something like 7000+ pages! I've heard that it reads like one continuous story. Also, that you don't need to know anything about sailing or Brittan in the 19th Century before reading the books in order to understand what is going on. You just need to be able to appreciate a well told story (as well as have time and dedication.)
When looking into reviews of the books on Amazon, I've gathered that in some books there is a lot of action and in others the story moves along at a snail's pace. After reading the Author's note at the beginning of the 1st book, I was excited to learn that the battles are all taken from real accounts, with the names, times, locations changed to fit the story.
On last observation that I'll mention before I start is that the books are edited kind of differently. Conversations between different people are in the same paragraph. As opposed to a new line for each person. Also I have trouble following along with the story sometimes when the scene shifts between different characters points of view (esp. location wise) as there is no break between paragraphs, it just all runs together. I've gotten used to the style but it still takes me by surprise most of the time.
So what about the story? Well after reading the first two books, or some 900 pages, I can start by saying "Wow!" I'm looking forward to this series. It will probably take me about a year to finish. The story begins (and I gather will follow the career of) with Jack Aubry getting command of the first ship. Whilst celebrating he meets and befriends Stephen Mautrin (a physician) who Jack gets to join him on his ship. What follows is the story of Jack and the crew of the Sophie. They are patrolling the Mediterranean, fighting for the King's navy. The book isn't really a complete story but I'd say it's a complete book, if that makes any sense.
Post-Captain picks up right where Master and Commander ends. Jack and the crew are stuck on land due to losing their ship and the war ending. With Jack not made Post yet it's quite upsetting. To top it off a few of Jack's prizes are disallowed, after he has taken and spent money advanced to him by his prize agent, who runs off with the money from quite a few sailors. Jack ends up 11,000 pounds in debt and is forced for the rest of the book to avoid being nipped and taken to debtor's prison.
There is a lot of humor in this story. Both intended and as a result of the changes in knowledge from the books time to our own. What do I mean? Jack and Stephen go to France to escape Jack's debts only to be caught in France when war is again declared. Not only are they subject to arrest by the French but Jack can't get assigned to a ship being in France. So Stephen dresses Jack in a bear skin and he poses as a bear as they walk to Spain.
In another part of the book Stephen, the medical man mind you, finds fault with Jack always cleaning everything and keeping everything tidy. He tells him it's not natural.
The closest Jack comes to being caught on land for his debts is at a party. But his crew helps protect him from the men who come after him and a few of the men are "pressed" into service aboard the ship when they are knocked out by the crew members!
Quite a bit plot wise happens in this second book. I won't go into detail except to say that this was quite an engrossing story. I'm left with one nagging question. Just who is Stephen Mautrin? Besides being a doctor, is he also a spy and for whom? He has the pull to get Jack help (unbeknownst to Jack) from the upper levels of the Admiralty and has an unsettled duel with Jack. I look forward to the rest of the books.
