The Brilliance of Patrick O’Brian
I’ve been having the great pleasure this week of re-reading some of my favourite books, the Patrick O’Brian series of novels that begins with Master and Commander. I thought I’d share with you some of the reasons why I love these books, and perhaps you might feel the need to head out to your local library and borrow one or more of them.
As many people probably know, having seen the Russell Crowe movie, these books are all set during the Napoleonic era, with the central characters being British officers of the Royal Navy. As a war-history geek, of course I’m thrilled by the absolutely brilliant descriptions of naval battles. O’Brian has the ability to write in a way that’s simultaneously incredibly exciting and meticulously researched. But perhaps what’s most interesting to the true fan of these novels is the evocation of the early 19th century world.
Stephen Maturin, one of the two most important characters in the novels, is a ships surgeon, spy, and (most importantly in his own mind) a “natural philosopher"or scientist. His voyages take him, often for a tantalisingly short amount of time, to the former habitats of extinct creatures like the dodo or solitaire. His friend, Captain Jack Aubrey, spends his time when not at sea indulging in horse riding, building extensions to his house, and being taken in by “land-sharks"- enterprising civilians who love to pray on the naivety of sailors ashore.
It’s these details that make these novels real and compelling. If you want to feel history brought to life, I really suggest diving into one of these books.
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