Describe Of Books Post Captain (Aubrey & Maturin #2)
| Title | : | Post Captain (Aubrey & Maturin #2) |
| Author | : | Patrick O'Brian |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Deluxe Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 527 pages |
| Published | : | August 17th 1990 by W. W. Norton Company (first published 1972) |
| Categories | : | Historical. Historical Fiction. Fiction. Adventure |
Patrick O'Brian
Paperback | Pages: 527 pages Rating: 4.29 | 16958 Users | 904 Reviews
Representaion In Favor Of Books Post Captain (Aubrey & Maturin #2)
Post Captain makes me wonder if Patrick O'Brian originally intended Master and Commander as a one off (and if you know the answer please don't tell me. I like not knowing).Master and Commander is a great book, and our introduction to Captain Jack Aubrey and Doctor Stephen Maturin is a great hook, but it can stand alone as a simple Naval adventure without any need for additional information about the men and women confined by its pages. This could, of course, simply be a result of its place as the first book in the series -- a series which stretches just over twenty books -- but there is little if any building for the future in Master and Commander, making it more in conception like O'Brian's The Catalans than his Aubrey-Maturin series.
But all of that "future building," all of that stuff needed to sustain a tale over twenty books, is present in Post Captain.
Many, though not all, of the characters that will become important to Jack and Stephen make their first appearance here: Mrs. Williams and her daughter, Sophia (Sophie (view spoiler)[when she becomes Jack's wife (hide spoiler)]), their cousin Diana Villiers and Sir Joseph Blaine. The relationships with these people will continue to define Aubrey and Maturin until the end of their adventures, and it will define their friendship with one another. We see the return of such stalwarts as Preserved Killick, William Babbington, Heneage Dundas, Barret Bonden, Joe Plaice, and Thomas Pullings -- and their stories are lovingly broadened and deepened, as though O'Brian is now committed to them for a long voyage.
There is also the solidification of Aubrey's friendship with Maturin; they suffer the first and most dangerous test of their love for one another -- a test that brings them even closer to a fatal duel than their first meeting at the Governor's mansion in Port Mahon. We are introduced to Jack's ill luck with money, his penchant for saving drowning shipmates, his inveterate randiness, his father's big mouth (which causes no end of trouble for Jack) and his skill as a Captain and seaman; we are introduced to Stephen's work as an intelligence agent, his deadliness with a sword and pistol, his ideals, his hand in Jack's success, and his tendency to obsess over the unattainable. And all of these deliver plenty of foreshadowing of the challenges our heroes will face during their further adventures at sea and on land.
Moreover, O'Brian delivers his first statement that the remaining Aubrey-Maturin books will be more than they first appeared; they will also be testosterone driven Regency romances -- Boy's Own Austen, if you will.
Much has been made of O'Brian's debt to Jane Austen, and that debt is obvious in Post Captain. At least half of this book takes place on land(view spoiler)[, and most of that time is spent with Aubrey and Maturin chasing the women who will be their wives (hide spoiler)]. While not all of the Aubrey-Maturin novels spend so much time on land, the concerns of their private lives, whether through epistles or genuine time spent in England, will never lose their importance.
All of this suggests to me that Post Captain was the moment when O'Brian really knew this series was special. This was the moment it became his life's work. And it may very well be the best book in the series (although I've no doubt I'll say that again about another chapter).
How amazing must it have been to be O'Brian the day he wrote the last page of Post Captain, scribbling that toast to Sophia? I wish that had been me.
Declare Books As Post Captain (Aubrey & Maturin #2)
| Original Title: | Post Captain |
| ISBN: | 0393307069 (ISBN13: 9780393307061) |
| Edition Language: | English URL https://wwnorton.com/books/post-captain/ |
| Series: | Aubrey & Maturin #2 |
| Characters: | Jack Aubrey, Stephen Maturin, Diana Villiers |
Rating Of Books Post Captain (Aubrey & Maturin #2)
Ratings: 4.29 From 16958 Users | 904 ReviewsWrite Up Of Books Post Captain (Aubrey & Maturin #2)
I think this is it, then: this is the point where I can safely consider myself a fan of this series, and where I can see myself probably buying and reading all the books that follow this one. I read this in three or four days, mostly while on holiday in Nice; a setting largely irrelevant to that of this story, but it was one in which I found I could completely lose myself in the writing here. In years to come I hope Ill recall sitting on the balcony of that apartment for hours, drinking coldHaving recently reread Master and Commander, the first of the Aubrey-Maturin novels, I was keen to continue with the series, so with my sails set, my rigging tight, it was onward to Post Captain.In this, the second book, Jack Aubrey is up against it, with debt collectors circling and no sign of his promotion to Post Captain. So, whilst Jack needed a ship to keep the creditors at bay, he was not reckoning with the Poppycrest, an experimental ship.Needless to say Post Captain is an absolute
Another fantastic yarn!!
I almost gave this 3 stars, but I have too many reservations. I almost abandoned the book early on. I don't care for O'Brian's style - it's too Victorian. Sure, that's a plus for some, but I hate it & the story was very uneven. The first third of the book with threads running all the way through concentrated on ridiculous love interests & land problems. Very true to life, but Aubrey doesn't shine. It does make quite a statement about the economics of the war & the idiocy of
I've been reading the Aubrey/Maturin series for a few years now, and even though I'm not as loyal to these books as I am to other series, it's always nice to dip back into Patrick O'Brian's well-researched, well-written, and consistently delightful historical adventures. Post Captain, the second in the series, is almost split evenly between scenes on land and scenes on various ships, and even though a lot of people prefer the ratio to skew more towards sea-based scenes, I liked the frequent
A very enjoyable entry in the series, as we get to see Jack and Stephen fall in love, struggle with money, go on an adventure or two, and the real use of a dancing bear. Lots of little nautical details and don't let the esoteric terms through you off -- it's worth the effort. Five stars overall and very much recommended. For the longer review please go here:http://www.epinions.com/review/Post_C...
My friend, Jose, regularly re-read the whole Aubrey-Maturin series. He found it so rich that diving back into it was a constant pleasure. This is not my first time through, and O'Brian's work holds my attention as firmly as it did initially.In Post Captain, we find Aubrey in dire financial straits (nautical analogy works well) and we learn a lot more of Maturin's secrets (and secret life). O'Brian's writing is witty, precisely attuned to the issues at hand (and their correct terminology) and so
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