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Sunday, December 2. 2018

"The best historical fiction ever written."

That was the New York Times' opinion of Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey series of nautical novels, set during the Napoleonic wars. You might have seen the Russell Crowe movie about the first book of the series.


Royal Navy Master and Commander Aubrey and his ship's physician/spy Dr. Maturin are quite a pair. Maturin is the more interesting character, with his estate in Spain and his passion for natural history and for spying (for free). Aubrey is a skilled seaman and lucky warrior. The two men connect mostly by playing Handel on strings after dinner.


One theme of the series is that living on land is just too complex financially, romantically, socially, politically, and practically, while going to war at sea is comfortably simple with the possibility of becoming wealthy by seizing prizes. This series offers a similar delightful escape.


The sailing details are said to be remarkably accurate. You can learn a lot about topgallant sails. I had to look up quite a few antique nautical terms. I've never sailed on a square-rigger, but I would love to.


O'Brian died recently. We owe him many thanks for his efforts. Writing novels that anybody is willing to read, given limited free time to do so, is always remarkable.

Posted by Bird Dog in History at 12:52 | Comments (33) | Trackbacks (0)

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I have just finished reading this and am now reading the 2nd of the series. Very interesting and entertaining. I am not a sailor, so the manipulating of the sails occasionally got confusing. I highly recommend!
#1 Bill E. on 2018-12-02 12:58 (Reply)
These are indeed good books.
#2 feeblemind on 2018-12-02 13:02 (Reply)
Simply the finest series of historical fiction out there; I've read them all, more than once. Thank you for the reminder!
#3 Peter B. In Goshen (NH) on 2018-12-02 13:14 (Reply)
Agree that if I were on a desert island with only one fiction author, it would be O'Brian.

A quibble: the movie is not the first of the novels. It is the good bits from several novels, worked into one story. It is only, as the sage says, directionally accurate. Still a good fun time.
#4 Nobody Atall on 2018-12-02 13:34 (Reply)
The best scene from the movie:

https://youtu.be/j8BAlrOsTqM?t=64

(Boccherini)

Wonderful ending.
#4.1 Jim on 2018-12-02 17:51 (Reply)
I am a big fan of the Horatio Hornblower novels of CS Forrester but could never get into the O'Brien series.
#5 Mike K (Link) on 2018-12-02 13:50 (Reply)
I found O'Brien very unimpressive. Sure, he knows his Royal Navy and his square-rigged ships, but his stories are disjointed and his writing style is amazingly clunky. The obvious comparison is to CS Forester; much of the material is similar, and Forester is an incomparably better writer. Forester also did non-sea epics, such as his remarkable The Gun, the adventures of a obsolescent culverin pressed into service during the Peninsular War.

A peculiarity I noticed in O'Brien is that his ship names are often of actual historical ships. Is the reader supposed to catch that, and is there any significance to it? One of the ships he named was the Royal Navy ship which fired on the USS Chesapeake in 1807. The incident was, I think, the only time the Royal Navy impressed seamen from a US Navy ship, and it caused quite a stink. This coincidence, if such it is, plays no part in O'Brien's novel. Another ship O'Brien once named was (or had the same name as) the ship that Francis Scott Key's boat was tied up to when he witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry and composed the national anthem. Obviously not too many readers are likely to notice these . . . what, coincidences? Are they meant to be significant? An annoying puzzle.
#6 tom swift on 2018-12-02 15:06 (Reply)
You remind one of an old Italian saw, regarding opinions.

"Tutti gusti son gusti; ma mei gusti son giusti"
#6.1 Richard J. Torre on 2018-12-05 17:02 (Reply)
I have read all 18,or is it 19 books at least 3 times. Wonderful stuff. Something that should be mentioned, all the sea battles are taken from British Amiralty history, they are true, even the one where our Constitution hammers the Java, destroying Britain’s arrogance invincibility.
#7 Oldblood on 2018-12-02 15:06 (Reply)
You have not Handeled your reading assignment well.

It's Boccherini and Corelli, and especially the fictional "Corelli in C major".
#8 Fred Z on 2018-12-02 15:44 (Reply)
I was going to note that the soundtrack of the movie played Boccherini but I don't remember a mention in the text of the first book.

Still in context since Bocceherini was an Italian in the Madrid court.
#8.1 Whitehall on 2018-12-03 10:00 (Reply)
I found Bernard Cornwell's "Richard Sharpe" series to be more of a fun read.
#9 Anthony H. Janney (Link) on 2018-12-02 15:50 (Reply)
I like those novels as well and I listened to most of them on audio. The readers are so good that I have trouble with the accents. They switch from Scots, to English, to Indian in one sentence. I have also read his nonfiction book about Waterloo and used it as a guide when I v insisted Waterloo in 2015 on the 200th anniversary.
#9.1 Mike K (Link) on 2018-12-03 18:56 (Reply)
O'Brian "died RECENTLY"? He died over 20 years ago! Other than that "slight" error, these books are far better than Hornblower.
#10 Mark on 2018-12-02 17:47 (Reply)
O'Brian died in 2000 - 18 years ago
https://infogalactic.com/info/Patrick_O%27Brian
#10.1 nwblacksmith on 2018-12-02 22:44 (Reply)
This coincidence, if such it is, plays no part in O'Brien's novel.

If it does indeed play no part in that novel, it does play a part in one or more subsequent novels.

An annoying puzzle.

O'Brian touches on this in the forward to the first novel in the series. Did you miss that?
#11 pst314 on 2018-12-02 17:53 (Reply)
Formatting failed on my previous comment, so will try again without HTML:

"This coincidence, if such it is, plays no part in O'Brien's novel."

If it does indeed play no part in that novel, it does play a part in one or more subsequent novels.

"An annoying puzzle."

O'Brian touches on this in the forward to the first novel in the series. Did you miss that?
#12 pst314 on 2018-12-02 17:56 (Reply)
Have read the entire series three times and love them.

That said, my choice for 'Best Historical Fiction Ever' is Herman Wouk's "The Winds of War"/"War and Remembrance". I'm a touched biased; Wouk, like my late father, served in the Pacific during WW2. But I consider them the definitive historical novels for the 20th Century.

Every time I read "War and Remembrance", I find myself weeping when Wouk pauses his fictional narrative and lists the names of the actual US pilots who died in the Battle of Midway. My own dad survived Pearl Harbor, the brutal Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (on board the USS San Francisco, no less, which had 77 sailors killed and 105 wounded), and the Invasion of Guam (he went ashore with the Marines to set up a Naval radio station). It is only by the grace of God that he survived and I exist.
#13 bfwebster (Link) on 2018-12-02 18:28 (Reply)
Hear, hear! I also love the Herman Wouk WW II novels and would gladly nominate them for “best historical fiction ever.” Herman Wouk is one of my favorite authors, beginning with “The Caine Mutiny” (also about WW II) which I read in high school.

Seemingly off-topic, Richard Feynman is one of my favorite scientists. I say “seemingly” because I learned in 2010 that the two knew each other! Wouk met Feynman when he (Wouk) was writing his WW II novels and researching the Manhattan Project. They became good friends. See Wouk’s nonfiction book “The Language God Talks” which is basically a debate with Feynman (long deceased) about the meaning of life. Wouk’s side of the debate (explained in "The Language God Talks") is contained in his WW II historical novels.
#13.1 The Switchel Blogger (Link) on 2018-12-03 07:14 (Reply)
Historical fiction is fun. I tried one of his books, but it didn't hook me.

I wanted it to, but it didn't.

I like Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series which is also set during the Napoleonic wars.

I think Cornwell's best work is his Saxon series which tells the tale of the Viking invasions from the Saxon point of view. My one caveat when recommending Cornwell is his attitude toward Christianity. His books are NOT for baby Christians.

If you want a tale of Aurthur's England, his trilogy on the period might be his best short series of books.
#14 Dangerous Dean on 2018-12-02 19:36 (Reply)
If you enjoy the Aubrey/Maturin series, you will probably enjoy his earler books, The Golden Ocean and The Unkown Shore. They both tell the story of the Anson expedition into the Pacific in the 1740s, from very different perspectives and experiences.
#15 Brian Swisher on 2018-12-02 20:17 (Reply)
Cornwell is the better author. Sharpe, Arthur and the Saxons are fantastic. Although I think his recent Saxon books are getting thin. Alred’s death kind of took the wind out of the storyline.

The reason I love O’Brian’s stuff is the detail. Real or not, it’s very evocative. I’m the type of reader who wants to know the air speed velocity of an unladen African swallow. Or the reason why Jack Aubrey fires his guns with matches because flintlock igniters often fail in a gun fight. I’ve read each book in the series at least twice. Granted I still get confused about ship handling but at least I know having the weather gauge is a tactical advantage.
#16 Steve C on 2018-12-02 21:56 (Reply)
It would be a very dull world if every one agreed on everything.
I'm a great fan of O'Brian, Forrester and Cornwell. Would not say a bad thing about any of their work. Julian Stockwin and Alexander Kent also provide me with many hours of pleasure.
I must confess that I could never cotton to Russell Crowe as Jack Aubrey. Paul Bettany also too handsome & healthy for Maturin. But movies are a bums on seats thing and not to be compared with literature.
#17 Confused Old Misfit on 2018-12-02 22:06 (Reply)
Another good read is the Nathaniel Drinkwater Series from Richard Woodman. Set in the same time period.

Like O'Brien, it is strongly chronological so you need to start at #1 - An Eye of the Fleet

14 books in all.

https://www.goodreads.com/series/42597-nathaniel-drinkwater
#18 nwblacksmith on 2018-12-02 22:47 (Reply)
I've been reading these books, now for 30 years... Again and again, it would be hard for me to say how many times I've re-read them. The bookshelf in my boat has a complete set as well as the set in my 'dirt house'.

In fact, I also have all of them 'on tape' (CD now), read by, in my opinion, the very best voice actor ever: Patrick Tull. All 19 books. Whenever I travel anywhere by car, I have my set of these books with me.

Here is a review the year 2000. The writer is Ken Ringle, if you have read the books, you will recognize the name Ringle as the name of Jack's tender.

http://www.hmssurprise.org/aubrey-maturin-books-literature

Some here do not agree that O'Brian has written, perhaps, 'the best historical fiction ever', and I say, 'to each his own'.

Do yourself a favor if you have an interest in audio books, try to find the Borders Audio versions of any of O'Brian's novels read by Patrick Tull - Audible probably has them. Other companies used other readers, but Tull is far and away the very best.

Glad to see you like them so much Birddog.

Fair Winds and Following Seas,

Cap'n Jan
#19 Cap'n Jan on 2018-12-02 23:26 (Reply)
Wonderful series. I've read through twice. For added fun, cook a few recipes from "Lobscouse and Spotted Dog" available at: https://www.amazon.com/Lobscouse-Spotted-Dog-Gastronomic-Companion/dp/0393320944
#20 Random Walk on 2018-12-02 23:57 (Reply)
I have read Hornblower and Sharpe, too, but not a lot. O'Brien's books are much more satisfying to me, at least.

What I especially like about the Aubrey/Maturin books is that each one includes a sea-scene that is powerfully invocative of the sea. On a par with the night-time rendering scene in Moby Dick.
#21 bob sykes (Link) on 2018-12-03 08:12 (Reply)
For those who enjoy this genre of fiction...

I highly recommend Nicholas Montserat's Master Mariner serues of two books.

He died while the second book was being written. His wife, kindly, published the second book, anyway, in its unfinished form.

It not only brings the narrative to completion, but it provides a wonderful window into the author's process.
#22 Steve on 2018-12-03 08:49 (Reply)
They bear re-reading repeatedly. The movie took considerable liberties by making a pastiche of several of the books and even frankly adding a lot of material that wasn't in the books at all, but still felt very true to them. Excellent movie.
#23 Texan99 on 2018-12-03 10:08 (Reply)
Thank you for this thread! I just requested Richard Woodward's "Eye of the Fleet" from ILL. Hoping for a good new series read.
I vastly prefer Cornwell to all the others. Agree that with the most recent book, Uhtred's story needs some direction. For a very welcome change of pace, try David Black's series- first book "Gone to Sea in a Bucket (A Harry Gilmour Novel)". WWII British submarines. Oddly this David Black cannot be found on my favorite go-to overview book site: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/. However, easily found on Amazon with its wonderful 'Look Inside' feature.
#24 DavidB (Link) on 2018-12-03 11:14 (Reply)
By the way...

In my zeal to sing praises of Montsaratt, I may have neglected to include some of his other excellent historical fiction.

The Kapillan of Malta is centered around the WW II seige of Malta, but it delved deeply into Maltese history, and its history of being conquered, going back centuries.

Also The Cruel Sea, for a compelling story of WW II convoy escort duty.
#25 steve on 2018-12-03 11:52 (Reply)
Well you got a number of recommendations out of this. Since I have not read O'Brian I cannot say that he is the best at historical fiction but if you have not yet read James Alexander Thom it will be well worth your time. From my perspective it is absolutely the best historic fiction that I've read. From Sea to Shining Sea, Panther in the Sky, The Children of First Man, Follow the River, Long Knife to get you started. All phenomenal reads, you can't go wrong with any of them but if I had to recommend a place to start would be From Sea to Shining Sea. It's the story of Lewis and Clark.
#26 Zaggner (Link) on 2018-12-03 12:31 (Reply)
I have an extra copy of Master and Commander (first in the series) to loan as needed.

I always say when I loan it out, "Try this. If you like it, there are 19 more ahead of you. If you don't like it, think of the time you're saving..."

Cornwell's Richard Sharpe series is good also, as is his non-fic book on Waterloo.

Forester's Hownblower series, to me, now seems sort of dated, although they are good stories. Also Parkinson's "biography" of the Horatio, Lord Hornblower of Smallbridge, is delightful.

Going back on land, I recommend Allan Mallinson's series on the post-Napoleonic British cavalry. (Yes, it turns out there's a lot to write about, post Waterloo: it didn't all end with the charge of the Scots Greys.) But it helps to know something of horses and tack — which I don't, but enjoyed the series anyway.
#27 PubliusII on 2018-12-04 19:11 (Reply)

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