Book Review: Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian

Synopsis: Captain Jack Aubrey sets out on his first command with Dr. Stephen Maturin, his surgeon and best friend, in tow.

This book begins a 20 book series (21 if you count the manuscript left behind when O'Brian died). I have to say it is just plain delightful. We first meet Aubrey at a concert where he is humming and beating time on his knee (off beat, mind you). His neighbor in the audience is Dr. Maturin, whom Aubrey has yet to meet. Dr. Maturin calls Aubrey down for boorishness, and they part with all signs pointing to a dust-up in the offing.

They meet the next morning and sit down to a nice breakfast.

This scene sets the feeling for the entire book. It transports you to a world of honor and civility. And that world is so well fleshed out, at times it becomes hard to realize you're not actually living in it.

For most of the book, it seems to have an episodic plot. It's not until near the climax that you realize you would have been disappointed if it hadn't turned out thus. But before then, I found myself thinking the story could end at any time and I'd hardly notice. The denouement somewhat fell apart under its own weight. Regardless, I found the book just plain enjoyable.

I actually found nautical phrases and anecdotes crreping into my daily conversation. That said, its important to understand that O'brian assumes the reader understands his nautical lingo and so doesn't explain it. Some comes from context, but unless you're at least moderately-versed in maritme language, you might want to have at hand a good dictionary, the internet, or the Patrick O'brian companion lexicon A Sea of Words by Dean King.