The Aubrey-Maturin Series by Patrick O’ Brian.
My father was (and still is) a science fiction nut, and just generally a voracious reader. It took me years to appreciate the effort that someone of meagre resources in the Third World in the seventies would have to make in order to be such a voracious reader. Quite naturally, I have inherited his love for books. Possibly the best gift that a man can give his son/daughter. But I also inherited his tastes in reading. So, I grew up with the twin Gods of Asimov and Clarke. Took me years after leaving home to grow and develop my own taste in books. And I found that I gravitate to nautical fiction. The best, by far, in this category is the aforementioned Aubrey Maturin series. Patrick O’Brian has woven a beautiful and enormously detailed tapestry in his series of novels. They deal with Jack Aubrey, a young Captain in the Royal Navy, about to take on his command, a small brig named “Sophie”. He takes on a new ship’s doctor, Stephen Maturin. This doctor, Maturin, is part Irishman, part Catalan, a Catholic and also in the employ of British Naval Intelligence. He is, in a word, complicated - and thus, an excellent foil to the exuberant Aubrey. The setting is at the dawn of the Napoleonic Wars. We follow Aubrey and Maturin through the series as they become ever stronger friends. Their struggles echo the alternately waxing and waning fortunes of Britain herself through this tumultuous age. The style of writing is at times technical and detailed, at times humorous but always profoundly insightful. Jack Aubrey’s various commands, and this series are populated by a veritable army (sorry, navy) of memorable characters.
O’Brian has served as an inspiration for many later authors including the excellent Julian Stockwin (Kydd series) and, it is rumoured, also for the equally splendid Naomi Novik (gossip on the forums has it that the Temeraire series began life as Aubrey-Maturin fanfiction. With dragons.)
So there it is. A recommendation for a masterwork. Incidentally, you may also recall that part of this series found its way to the big screen in the form of "Master and Commander: the Far Side of the World". A very watchable cinema, directed by (if I am not mistaken), Peter Weir. I am intermittently thinking of starting the earlier Horatio Hornblower series by Forester. If I go through that, I will let you know how it holds up against O'Brian.
My father was (and still is) a science fiction nut, and just generally a voracious reader. It took me years to appreciate the effort that someone of meagre resources in the Third World in the seventies would have to make in order to be such a voracious reader. Quite naturally, I have inherited his love for books. Possibly the best gift that a man can give his son/daughter. But I also inherited his tastes in reading. So, I grew up with the twin Gods of Asimov and Clarke. Took me years after leaving home to grow and develop my own taste in books. And I found that I gravitate to nautical fiction. The best, by far, in this category is the aforementioned Aubrey Maturin series. Patrick O’Brian has woven a beautiful and enormously detailed tapestry in his series of novels. They deal with Jack Aubrey, a young Captain in the Royal Navy, about to take on his command, a small brig named “Sophie”. He takes on a new ship’s doctor, Stephen Maturin. This doctor, Maturin, is part Irishman, part Catalan, a Catholic and also in the employ of British Naval Intelligence. He is, in a word, complicated - and thus, an excellent foil to the exuberant Aubrey. The setting is at the dawn of the Napoleonic Wars. We follow Aubrey and Maturin through the series as they become ever stronger friends. Their struggles echo the alternately waxing and waning fortunes of Britain herself through this tumultuous age. The style of writing is at times technical and detailed, at times humorous but always profoundly insightful. Jack Aubrey’s various commands, and this series are populated by a veritable army (sorry, navy) of memorable characters.
O’Brian has served as an inspiration for many later authors including the excellent Julian Stockwin (Kydd series) and, it is rumoured, also for the equally splendid Naomi Novik (gossip on the forums has it that the Temeraire series began life as Aubrey-Maturin fanfiction. With dragons.)
So there it is. A recommendation for a masterwork. Incidentally, you may also recall that part of this series found its way to the big screen in the form of "Master and Commander: the Far Side of the World". A very watchable cinema, directed by (if I am not mistaken), Peter Weir. I am intermittently thinking of starting the earlier Horatio Hornblower series by Forester. If I go through that, I will let you know how it holds up against O'Brian.
