Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin tales are widely acknowledged to be the greatest series of historical novels ever written. Now these evocative stories are being re-issued in paperback by Harper Perennial with stunning new jackets. Commissioned to rescue Governor Bligh of Bounty fame, Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend and surgeon, Stephen Maturin, sail the Leopard to Australia with a hold full of convicts. Among them is a beautiful and dangerous spy -- and a treacherous disease which decimates the crew. The ingredients of a wonderfully powerful and dramatic O'Brian novel are heightened by descriptive writing of rare quality. Nowhere in contemporary prose have the majesty and terror of the sea been more effectively rendered than in the thrilling chase through an Antarctic storm in which Jack's ship, under-manned and out-gunned, is the quarry not the hunter.
Desolation Island: Aubrey/Maturin series, book 5
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Product Description
From Amazon
Captain Bligh (yes, the guy from the Bounty) needs to be rescued, and the Royal Navy has the perfect man for the job: Captain Jack Aubrey. With his friend and cloak-and-dagger expert Stephen Maturin in tow, Aubrey sets off for Australia. Several factors, including an attractive spy and a small-scale epidemic, conspire to change his plans, and before long his frigate is being pursued into Antarctic waters by a Dutch man-of-war. Five installments into the series, the Aubrey-Maturin story remains (to quote The Observer) "the best thing afloat since Horatio Hornblower."
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Review
'Full of the energy that comes from a writer having struck a vein!Patrick O'Brian is unquestionably the Homer of the Napoleonic wars.' James Hamilton-Paterson 'You are in for the treat of your lives. Thank God for Patrick O'Brian: his genius illuminates the literature of the English language, and lightens the lives of those who read him.' Kevin Myers, Irish Times 'In a highly competitive field it goes straight to the top. A real first-rater.' Mary Renault 'I never enjoyed a novel about the sea more. It is not only that the author describes the handling of a ship of 1800 with an accuracy that is as comprehensible as it is detailed, a remarkable feat in itself. Mr O'Brian's three chief characters are drawn with no less depth of sympathy than the vessels he describes, a rare achievement save in the greatest writers of this genre. It deserves the widest readership.' Irish Times
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By Mark Nenadov
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
I've heard of Patrick O'Brian for many years, but not until now have I ventured into a book of his. Overall, I'd say this is pretty good historical fiction. I do have some complaints. The first half could use a little more action. And the pace gets rather erratic at times. However, by no means do I want to say that this severely denigrates the overall quality of the book. It's a fine book and you might very well enjoy it, especially if you are accustomed to old naval terminology.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The main narrative concerns a voyage from England to Australia with a 'cargo' of convicts.
Although the plot is interesting and the character are convincing, the nautical and seamanship issues are faulty, partly not feasible, partly pure fiction.
Just some topics:
- Some of the celestial navigation methods used by Cpt Jack were only invented thirty years later than the story ( Cpt Sumners LOP)
- it is said that the ship was heavily 'weeded' by seaweed and shells after drifting for weeks in the doldrums. But suddenly, without any labor by the crew she sails again like fresh out of the yard.
- The ship is heavily damaged by a collision with an iceberg. The pumps cannot hold the water. So they rig a sail to cover the leak from outside. These leak covers only work as long as a ship is dead in the water. By any substantial headway, say above 3kt they bulge and loose their attachment to the hull, the leak would draw full water again. But the ship later makes 'good speed' with the sail covering the leak.
Summary: Interesting but not a textbook on seamanship and navigation.
Although the plot is interesting and the character are convincing, the nautical and seamanship issues are faulty, partly not feasible, partly pure fiction.
Just some topics:
- Some of the celestial navigation methods used by Cpt Jack were only invented thirty years later than the story ( Cpt Sumners LOP)
- it is said that the ship was heavily 'weeded' by seaweed and shells after drifting for weeks in the doldrums. But suddenly, without any labor by the crew she sails again like fresh out of the yard.
- The ship is heavily damaged by a collision with an iceberg. The pumps cannot hold the water. So they rig a sail to cover the leak from outside. These leak covers only work as long as a ship is dead in the water. By any substantial headway, say above 3kt they bulge and loose their attachment to the hull, the leak would draw full water again. But the ship later makes 'good speed' with the sail covering the leak.
Summary: Interesting but not a textbook on seamanship and navigation.
Format:Paperback
I've been reading the Aubrey-Maturin series straight through, from the first volume. While it has one of the most exciting battle scenes and some of the absorbing problems to be solved I've yet
encountered, this is also, untimately, the most frustrating of the first five volumes. Jack Aubrey, having given up his commodore's pendant at the end of the Mauritius campaign, is back to being a post captain, this time commanding the slow, aging _Leopard_ on a voyage to relieve the embattled Gov. William Bligh in Australia. For reasons of state security, he must also transport a batch of convicted felons, among whom is an American women strongly suspected of spying for the United States, and he must deal with an intellectual young man who has stowed away aboard to be close to Mrs. Wogan. Virtually the whole story takes place aboard the one ship, so the author has the opportunity to investigate his characters in great depth -- always one of his strongest points. The only real naval action, a prolonged stern chase in horrible weather, in which _Leopard_ must flee from the much stronger _Waakzaamheid,_ a Dutch 72-gun ship, is absolutely riveting, as is its sudden and tragic resolution. Then there are the icebergs. But when the book ends, _Leopard_ is still a thusand miles or more from New South Wales and Bligh is nowhere in sight. "Ah," I thought, "it's a two-parter." But it isn't, because I peeked at the next volume. I don't believe O'Brian has enitirely played fair with the reader this time, and it annoys me not to know what happened in the rest of Aubrey's commission.
encountered, this is also, untimately, the most frustrating of the first five volumes. Jack Aubrey, having given up his commodore's pendant at the end of the Mauritius campaign, is back to being a post captain, this time commanding the slow, aging _Leopard_ on a voyage to relieve the embattled Gov. William Bligh in Australia. For reasons of state security, he must also transport a batch of convicted felons, among whom is an American women strongly suspected of spying for the United States, and he must deal with an intellectual young man who has stowed away aboard to be close to Mrs. Wogan. Virtually the whole story takes place aboard the one ship, so the author has the opportunity to investigate his characters in great depth -- always one of his strongest points. The only real naval action, a prolonged stern chase in horrible weather, in which _Leopard_ must flee from the much stronger _Waakzaamheid,_ a Dutch 72-gun ship, is absolutely riveting, as is its sudden and tragic resolution. Then there are the icebergs. But when the book ends, _Leopard_ is still a thusand miles or more from New South Wales and Bligh is nowhere in sight. "Ah," I thought, "it's a two-parter." But it isn't, because I peeked at the next volume. I don't believe O'Brian has enitirely played fair with the reader this time, and it annoys me not to know what happened in the rest of Aubrey's commission.
Want to see more reviews on this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 80 reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A solid installment in the series
After the disjointed Mauritius Command, I found Desolation Island a refreshing change to the plot devices that maked this series worthwhile. Read more
Published on Aug 3 2002 by J. Mullin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Patrick O'Brian's Finest Moment
When fans of the master gather to discuss his works, there are two or three pieces of writing that are recalled with fondness and admiration. Read more
Published on May 25 2002 by Peter Mackay
5.0 out of 5 stars
Aubrey's and Maturin's Desperate South Seas Voyage
Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin return in "Desolation Island", Patrick O'Brian's fifth installment in his critically acclaimed Aubrey/Maturin series of novels, on a... Read more
Published on Mar 28 2002 by John Kwok
3.0 out of 5 stars
Elegant writing, short on action
As with the previous four Aubrey-Maturin books, this one is well-written. Humor abounds, and the richness of character is beautifully done. Read more
Published on Mar 2 2002 by Scott Blake
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply matchless
Volume 5 is O'Brian at his most adventurous and thrilling. In blessed escape from shore duty, Capt. Aubrey is tasked to carry convicts and a captured spy to the penal colony of... Read more
Published on July 28 2001 by tertius3
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Best Yet
O'Brian has warmed up to his characters in Desolation Island, especially Dr Maturin. Maturin's fascination with exotic creatures, both animal and human, his addiction to opium, his... Read more
Published on April 6 2001 by Susan E. Hallander
5.0 out of 5 stars
LeCarre in the South Atlantic
Aubrey and Maturin are back at it again in a combination period piece, sea chase and spy story. As usual action is subordinated to the use of language and period detail although... Read more
Published on Jan 5 2001 by Bill Mac
5.0 out of 5 stars
Riveting Action
In the fifth in Patrick O'Brian's brilliant nautical series, old friends Captain Jack Aubrey and ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin are aboard the Leopard sailing the Atlantic bound... Read more
Published on Dec 22 2000 by richard_t
5.0 out of 5 stars
The high point of the Aubrey-Maturin series
A really gripping read. O'Brian's books are best when there's tension among the crew, and that's definitely the case here. Read more
Published on Dec 16 2000 by T. Dahm
4.0 out of 5 stars
O'Brian's height
Desolation Island is one of the richest, and at the same time most easily approached, titles in the Aubrey Maturin series. Read more
Published on Dec 1 2000 by I. Westray
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
