The best way I can define Master and Commander is as a "lifestyle" book. It excels at describing the life of (Age of Sail) sailors primarily from the view of the officers. Doctor Maturin's fish-out-of-water viewpoint allows the seasoned veterans to explain the world to him and the reader. I felt that I was being educated as I read about the basics of sailing, provisioning, and running a King's Ship, and that may or may not be desirable.

Driving the plot is Captain Aubrey, and respecting this novel's origins, he is likely the archetype for all books of this ilk. You get the classic "lowborn" hard worker who is smart and skillful but lacking political patronage. Though courage, capability, and the ability to lead, he fights his way to the top of pecking order. The villains are almost always persons of rank and privilege. For the vast majority of us plebes, this is a fantasy we can all get behind.

So I love the setting and characters, but three stars? Well, the novel wanders too much. I believe it's a reflection of when the book was written. There's no overarching villain / plot that Aubrey is facing. In a way, the book has maybe 3 or 4 separate short, episodic stories within it. Often you wonder why the novel continues... all the plot threads had been tied up and the ship is sailing into the sunset. This means the book didn't keep me up at night. I didn't feel like the next chapter was a must read. It's just not thrilling. If you need constant action and the feeling of pressure on the main characters, and that horrible need to trade sleep for finishing a novel... this will not deliver.

In summary, I recommend this book to readers that like to "curl up with a good book". Just enjoy your time with Aubrey and Maturin. You'll love them and the setting.