In a long series, this is one of the better books. I thought the love between Maturin and Diane was over, but here we go again as Aubrey / Maturin live through wild times, having no obstacles in their way until fire breaks out, they travel with the cutter, get picked up, get into a battle in US-british war of 1812, become prisoners in Boston and so on.
Here the story continues in an arc of misfortune for our heroes and this volume has everything: spy plots, at sea action, Americans, everything. And all the while O'Brian sets his epic story apart from other genre works with incredibly well crafted prose, and vulnerable characters the reader has gotten to know well from the start of the series.
Here the story continues in an arc of misfortune for our heroes and this volume has everything: spy plots, at sea action, Americans, everything. And all the while O'Brian sets his epic story apart from other genre works with incredibly well crafted prose, and vulnerable characters the reader has gotten to know well from the start of the series.
I think I got a little bit too eager about this one--not that it was bad, not in the slightest, but more that I was slightly disappointed that it wasn't quite as fantabulous as I was hoping.
There was some great Stephen mileage, to be sure, but not nearly enough Jack. Part of this of course has to be attributed to the fact that Jack spends most of the book wounded and ill, and O'Brian seems to shunt a lot of that kind of thing off-camera. Even when we get some good Jack mileage, it's only passingly touched upon. for example, the bits where he starts playing along with the delusions of the patients where he's recovering, mistakes actual visiting American agents for more insane patients, and very nearly gets himself in very deep trouble as a result would have been very entertaining in more detail--or some elaboration on how …
I think I got a little bit too eager about this one--not that it was bad, not in the slightest, but more that I was slightly disappointed that it wasn't quite as fantabulous as I was hoping.
There was some great Stephen mileage, to be sure, but not nearly enough Jack. Part of this of course has to be attributed to the fact that Jack spends most of the book wounded and ill, and O'Brian seems to shunt a lot of that kind of thing off-camera. Even when we get some good Jack mileage, it's only passingly touched upon. for example, the bits where he starts playing along with the delusions of the patients where he's recovering, mistakes actual visiting American agents for more insane patients, and very nearly gets himself in very deep trouble as a result would have been very entertaining in more detail--or some elaboration on how Jack was perceived with quite a bit of hostility among the Americans for his connection to the Leopard.
Also, I have to admit to a bit of reader whiplash when the Java catches on fire. I mean, one minute Stephen's retiring for the night, and the next HOLY SHIT THE SHIP'S ON FIRE WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE. It certainly led into some harrowing descriptions of what the men on the raft had to go through, but it was an awfully abrupt transition nonetheless.
And no musical scenes between Jack and Stephen at all. Sniff. I mean, not like they really had access to any instruments, but it would have been nice if they could have at least borrowed instruments while they were in Boston. Given how freely Stephen was wandering around Boston, it certainly could have been possible for him to have picked up some instruments somewhere. (And, I might add, Stephen was the freest-wandering prisoner of war I've ever read about EVER.)
However, I did finally get to see the Weevil Joke in print, and lo, it was Good.
Repeated from review of Book 1
That Patrick O'Brian chose to place his characters on the sea in the not so distant past just raised the hurdle I had to leap to get to know this wonderful author.
I had never been enamored with sea stories, didn't much care for European history, and yet was wonderfully taken with this series. The sea is a major character, but history is not greatly illuminated, almost a backdrop to the specific circumstance the characters find themselves in. Which perhaps reflects the author's view, while the wide sweep of Europe's history progresses, men are left to deal with far smaller local problems.
And it is in men that O'Brian shines. O'Brian creates characters flawed enough to be human, without becoming base. Not the best of men, but rising to better as circumstance demands.
And while the author leaves the great sweep of history largely …
Repeated from review of Book 1
That Patrick O'Brian chose to place his characters on the sea in the not so distant past just raised the hurdle I had to leap to get to know this wonderful author.
I had never been enamored with sea stories, didn't much care for European history, and yet was wonderfully taken with this series. The sea is a major character, but history is not greatly illuminated, almost a backdrop to the specific circumstance the characters find themselves in. Which perhaps reflects the author's view, while the wide sweep of Europe's history progresses, men are left to deal with far smaller local problems.
And it is in men that O'Brian shines. O'Brian creates characters flawed enough to be human, without becoming base. Not the best of men, but rising to better as circumstance demands.
And while the author leaves the great sweep of history largely aside, the detailed history of these men's lives, the sacrifices, the conditions of life at sea are truly fascinating.
