Synopsis: Jack Aubrey takes his ship, Leopard, on a trip to Botany Bay. On the way, they lose most of the crew to plague, get hounded by a far superior Dutch ship, and barely make it to a semi-deserted island most of the way to Antarctica.
This book starts with a concept I've talked about before in the Aubrey-Maturin books: Get Jack Aubrey the hell off land. This is his wife's plea, and Stephen helps make that happen. The book is as enjoyable as any other O'Brian book, moreso than many.
The most poignant part for me is when they finally get rid of the Dutchman. They cause it to lose steerage in the middle of a hurricane, and the Dutchman is quickly swamped and sinks. What's so touching is Aubrey's reaction. He is haunted by the thought of the hundreds of lives he just ended. He's a lifelong sailor and naval warrior, but war's not supposed to be about killing men. It's supposed to be about capturing or disabling ships.
It's a quaintly outdated sentiment, but the part of me that adores this world longs for such a time. I guess that makes me a hippy.
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