Blue at the Mizzen Author:Patrick O'Brian This 20th volume in O'Brian's beloved Aubrey/Maturin series finds Jack back in command of his first ship, the Surprise. Faced with the desertion of half his crew, the frustrations of peacetime, and an accident at sea, he must also deal with the presence of a young aristocrat midshipman. Meanwhile, Stephen, newly widowed and in the midst of his n... more »aturalist pursuits, finds an unexpected second romance in a mangrove swamp. Finally, the two are off to Chile to help in the fight for independence from Spain.« less