Helpful Score: 3
As with all of the Aubrey Maturin series, I finished this and was hungry for the next. I devoted most of a year reading the whole series and wish it could have gone on and on.
Helpful Score: 2
Fantastic read and a history lesson combined
Helpful Score: 1
Husband's book. He loved it.
http://miasbooklist.blogspot.com/2007/11/post-captain-by-patrick-o-rating-5.html
Excellent book to follow-up his first one. Great read.
My second reading was as enjoyable as the first. Wonderful novel of how life was aboard a British naval ship in the late 18th century
Known for writing naval adventures, Patrick O'Brian writes about 2 characters named Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin during the Napoleonic Wars.
The story line is good and his characters are likeable. However, his transition from scene to scene is choppy.
Unlike a couple of other authors who write in the same time period, he does not add any of the real day-to-day minutia.
The story line is good and his characters are likeable. However, his transition from scene to scene is choppy.
Unlike a couple of other authors who write in the same time period, he does not add any of the real day-to-day minutia.
The second in the phenomenal series of books by O'Brian. A wonderful report of Captain Aubrey on land and at sea. This book sets the stage for so many of the future adventures. The book stands alone, but is also essential to those who are embarking on the series. Careful, O'Brian and his Maturin/Aubrey books are addicting.
Fantastic reading and wonderful history!
Fantastic reading and wonderful history!
Another excellent romp by O'Brian, expanding Jack and Stephen's experiences on-shore.
Well I picked up the next book (#3) without hesitation after reading this one. This second book is clearly laying the groundwork for the future of the story. Aubrey and Maturin find love interests and get themselves into some pickles. There's a bit of sailing as well, plus exercising of the great guns and a fine cutting-out adventure or two.
O'Brian at his best. For those who love Admiral Nelson and the shiplore of the Napoleonic era.
Compelling story, better than the first book, I can see why people love this series.
This, the second book in the series is much better than the first. Mostly its in the writing style. The author switched from the old/older style of incredibly long paragraphs to the more modern style of shorter paragraphs that have a specific lede. This book (the second, not the series) is focused on character development mostly, including love interest for the two principals (Aubrey and Maturin). There were several parts that were really funny escaping from France after war is declared, Martin smuggles Aubrey out as a dancing bear or the bit about the drunk midshipman.
What didnt I like it? There was too much time and energy on stuff that (I think) didnt matter much, the courting of love interests and a lot of background filler. Essentially 200 to 300 pages out of 500 were, to me, filler.
So far I have only read books one and two of around 20 in the series. The stories are compelling and the author is gifted in writing battle scenes.
Triggers: Its a book about naval warfare in the 18th century; the bodies stack up. Its all violence, no sex, per se. Colorful language from time to time.
Incredibly engaging story, when the book is good, the story is fantastic. The series is definitely getting better.
This, the second book in the series is much better than the first. Mostly its in the writing style. The author switched from the old/older style of incredibly long paragraphs to the more modern style of shorter paragraphs that have a specific lede. This book (the second, not the series) is focused on character development mostly, including love interest for the two principals (Aubrey and Maturin). There were several parts that were really funny escaping from France after war is declared, Martin smuggles Aubrey out as a dancing bear or the bit about the drunk midshipman.
What didnt I like it? There was too much time and energy on stuff that (I think) didnt matter much, the courting of love interests and a lot of background filler. Essentially 200 to 300 pages out of 500 were, to me, filler.
So far I have only read books one and two of around 20 in the series. The stories are compelling and the author is gifted in writing battle scenes.
Triggers: Its a book about naval warfare in the 18th century; the bodies stack up. Its all violence, no sex, per se. Colorful language from time to time.
Incredibly engaging story, when the book is good, the story is fantastic. The series is definitely getting better.
