I recently “discovered” the AUBREY/MATURIN novels by Patrick O’Brian, after ignoring recommendations many times. Years ago, a group of co-workers became obsessed with them, and since then other friends sang their praises. My Dad too. However, I resisted all the urging to read the series. What could be so gripping about reading 20 books set on a boring old sailing boat during the boring old Napoleonic wars? After all, they weren’t set in outer space or anywhere “cool” like that.
So much for my good judgment… Thankfully, my pal Tony, who is always reading 10 things at the same time, thrust the first three books into my arms as I was getting ready to board a plane last month. Now I am well and truly on the hook.
With the help of an indispensable companion volume (that decodes the naval jargon and gives truly fascinating political and historical background detail) I read those first three novels in under two weeks. I actually looked forward to my commuting train ride, so that I could read. Then when I got home, I’d bolt down a perfunctory meal so that I could read more. Until passing out in the wee hours of the morning. I’m now almost at the end of the eighth book THE IONIAN MISSION.
The last time I enjoyed a series of books this much was the HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy, but sadly there were only 3 of those.. The AUBREY/MATURIN series has 20 novels to get through. So once you get the wheels on your obsession engine spinning you have some places to go driving it. So in that sense, the best comparison for me is my memory of hungrily reading BIGGLES or the WILLIAM books when I was a little kid… Except that now I get to do that in a GROWN UP kind of way.
The Aubrey/Maturin stories deal with the bond that grows between Captain Jack Aubrey and Dr Stephen Maturin. Two very different men, who nevertheless become inseparable friends throughout their intertwining naval careers. As much as I enjoyed the film adaptation, now that I’ve read the books I think this relationship is one area that the movie missed the mark. Captain Jack isn’t simply Captain Kirk on a sailing ship. Likewise there is much more to Dr Maturin than a cranky Bones McCoy in a wig. The relationship of these characters is complex, as they couldn’t be more different in their temperament or philosophies. Which is what gives the books a lot of their richness.
And of course there is also the issue of the Napoleonic wars, the war of 1812 and the life aboard ship to add a lot of excitement and adventure. So if you are (like I was) somewhat skeptical about the nautical, give these books a try. You may be surprised how little TV you will be watching over the next few months…
The saga of Aubrey & Maturin depicts the longest friendship of any two characters in all of fiction that I know of?
Have to take a break from re-reading the ‘Slow Horses’ saga and ship out for the high seas again!
Ha ha! Yeah, it has been great diving back into these again. I never got to read all of them the first time. I got to around book 14 or 15. So I hope to remedy that now.
Jamie, you and Julia might enjoy *A Sea of Words: A Lexicon and Companion to the Complete Seafaring Tales of Patrick O’Brian* by Dean King. It defines and expands upon the arcane and specialized terms and characters in the novels.
Yes! I used to have that book and it was an indispensable guide to reading the novels when I first encountered them. I’ll see if I can find a new copy, because I definitely find myself googling some terms & events. Thanks for reading & commenting!
I read them with Dad, James. Rich and captivating indeed!!
Aye, prodigious entertaining, my lady!
Following up my reply via email: I didn’t realize how old they were, the first six written back in the seventies. If you get hold of an original edition, they don’t look like they’re going be any good at all, based on the illustration and graphic design. Goes to show how misleading packaging can be and something of true quality can manage to come through, but takes time .Altho they did have fans from the beginning but the rest of the world didn’t really pay attention. Too many James Michener doorstop books in those days!
Yes, I believe that the very first book in the series was published in 1969. In the UK anyway. Not sure when the books launched in the US/Canada. I remember when I first got into the series, years ago, I read that the books took a while to build a following.
It reminds me that I recently read that the DUNE series likewise took a very long time to find an audience. In fact, it took ages to even find a publisher. Sometimes things take a while..