'Master and Commander' by Patrick O'Brian is the first book in the Aubrey & Maturin series, set in the British Navy during the early 19th century. The story follows Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend, ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin, as they navigate naval warfare, battles, and adventures in the Age of Sail. The writing style is rich in historical detail, particularly focusing on nautical terminology, naval battles, and life aboard a warship, providing an authentic portrayal of the era.
The plot of 'Master and Commander' revolves around the friendship between Aubrey and Maturin, their interactions, and their respective roles on the ship. The book offers a mix of action-packed sequences, character development, and insights into the dynamics of naval life during the Napoleonic era. While some readers appreciate the historical accuracy and detailed descriptions, others find the heavy focus on nautical terms and lack of a clear overarching plot challenging to engage with.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include depictions of violence and warfare, references to death, and some instances of morality debates concerning colonialism and societal norms.
From The Publisher:
This, the first in the splendid series of Jack Aubrey novels, establishes the friendship between Captain Aubrey, R.N., and Stephen Maturin, ship's surgeon and intelligence agent, against a thrilling backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. Details of a life aboard a man-of-war are faultless rendered: the conversational idiom of the officers in the ward room and the men on the lower deck, the food, the floggings, the mysteries of the wind and the rigging, and the roar of broadsides as the great ships close in battle.
Ratings (29)
Incredible (5) | |
Loved It (10) | |
Liked It (7) | |
It Was OK (5) | |
Did Not Like (1) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (78):
Read It (31) | |
Want To Read (28) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
Not Interested (18) |
1 comment(s)
When I was a teenager, I went through a period in which I passionately read adventure and marine novels (who didn’t have such a period!). At that time, of course, I heard about Patrick O'Brian and his series, but somehow I never gathered to read it. And maybe it's a pity, because although I liked this book now, I think I would like it even more when I was younger.
Of course, I also saw a movie with Russell Crowe. Although I admit that I don't remember much of it. I also feel like the film was rather loosely based on the book. Or maybe it was based on one of the later books in the series. Anyway, it did not bother me in reading the book. Maybe except that I had the thought about the actors playing Audrey and Maturin the whole time.
Even though I like this book, I'm still a bit disappointed. I thought I would fall in love with it. I believed that as soon as I finish this book I would have to reach for the next one. But this did not happen, unfortunately. Maybe I chose the wrong moment to read this book, or maybe just a few small issues did not allow me to fully enjoy it.
For some reason I had a serious problem with getting involved in the characters. I am not even sure what is going on and how to explain it. It seems to me that they are not fully developed, then again this is probably not entirely true. I try to find the right words to describe my thoughts and find it difficult. I even wonder if I haven't remembered more from the movie than I think, and in some way I notice the inconsistency between the characters in the movie and the book. Or maybe I just didn't like Audrey and Maturin and I really wanted to like them. Either way, it affects my general feelings about this book.
Now, when I think about it, I also feel like, despite the obvious action, this book lacks a bit of a more complex plotline. This does not mean that there is no plot at all, because of course it is. But this whole book is more a capture of a moment in the life of Jack Aubrey when he commanded "Sophie". Subsequent events are related to each other, but you can not say that there is one thread that appears at the beginning and finds its solution at the end. I'm not sure I explained it right. Again, this is not a big problem for me but it affects my general thoughts about this novel.
Some readers claimed they had trouble understanding all maritime terms, which wasn't a big problem for me after all. I mean, I don't know many of these things either, but it didn't bother me that much and I could follow the story most of the time without mayor glitches. The author indeed has a great deal of knowledge about shipbuilding at the time and the functioning of the fleet. Sometimes it's actually a bit overwhelming.
To sum up, I haven't fallen in love with this book and I can't quite tell why. I hope that I will be able to better describe my feelings in some time. Maybe I will write this review again. For now, I give this book a strong 3.5 stars.
What can you read after
Master and Commander?
About the Author:
In addition to twenty volumes in the highly respected Aubrey/Maturin series, Patrick O'Brian's many books include "Testimonies," "The Golden Ocean," and "The Unknown Shore". O'Brian also wrote acclaimed biographies of Pablo Picasso and Sir Joseph Banks and translated many works from the French, among them the novels and memoirs of Simone de Beauvoir and Jean Lacouture's biographies of Charles de Gaulle. He passed away in January 2000 at the age of 85
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