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A review by erickibler4
Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian
5.0
I had previously listened to this as an audiobook and given it three stars. That was my fault. Not the book's. I needed to linger over the nautical terms with a good glossary and "get my sea legs." As it was, I understood little of what I was hearing. Once I started over with the book A Sea of Words, Master and Commander revealed its riches.
Jack Aubrey (not yet elevated to the rank of post-captain) is given command of a 14 gun sloop (small, as fighting ships go. The big ones have 74 guns or more). He assembles his crew (including newfound best friend Dr. Stephen Maturin as ship's surgeon), drills them daily to improve their gunnery, and sets out to claim "prizes" (captured Spanish and French ships and cargo). Aubrey is crafty and daring, using various ruses to defeat or escape the enemy.
Maturin is cerebral and contemplative. An actual physician as opposed to a surgeon (who were basically sawbones --amputators of limbs) Together, they have relationship like Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. Aubrey and Maturin are one of the all time great literary duos.
I'm diving right into the next one. Anchors aweigh!
Jack Aubrey (not yet elevated to the rank of post-captain) is given command of a 14 gun sloop (small, as fighting ships go. The big ones have 74 guns or more). He assembles his crew (including newfound best friend Dr. Stephen Maturin as ship's surgeon), drills them daily to improve their gunnery, and sets out to claim "prizes" (captured Spanish and French ships and cargo). Aubrey is crafty and daring, using various ruses to defeat or escape the enemy.
Maturin is cerebral and contemplative. An actual physician as opposed to a surgeon (who were basically sawbones --amputators of limbs) Together, they have relationship like Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. Aubrey and Maturin are one of the all time great literary duos.
I'm diving right into the next one. Anchors aweigh!