The Thirteen-Gun Salute

Another story limited in calendar length with a lot of color for the reader. I think it’s a good story, although parts are familiar to the readers of all of the previous books. To be sure, O’Brian inserts new twists and certainly leaves the reader with a spectacular cliff hanger at the end. As usual, the characters and the action are worth reading. I learned more about the Malaysian geopolitical situation of the era. There is little that happens at sea and there are long passages of the at sea portion of the book that, in reality, are meaningless and seem designed to lengthen the overall story. The treachery that occurs on land is worthy of any spy novel of any era. Overall, I’m glad I read it. I really like the characters, the plots and the storytelling devised by Patrick O’Brian in this series. I like it so much I’m reading the entire series for the second time. I recommend it.

Every Patrick O’Brien novel – especially all of the Aubrey Maturin series – should be required reading for anyone who loves a great story with compelling characters, adventure, suspense and just the slightest touch of romance. Add to that that they are steeped in actual history – based on the logbooks of the RN captains who sailed in the era about which he writes – these are history lessons in the most entertaining form imaginable. Highest recommendation i could possibly give.

The book is a great copy. Little to no wear and tear. But it isn’t the edition that I wanted. This is a 1992 Norton Edition Paperback. This isn’t the one where- when all assembled- it has a painting of the Battle of the Nile on the side.

If you’re thinking of buying this book as representative of the genre of “the great age of sail” (e.g., C.S. Forester), I think you’d be making a mistake. “The Thirteen-Gun Salute” is the 13th of 20 books in the Aubrey/Maturin series, which is really more like a 7,000+ page novel in 20 “chapters” than a series of free-standing stories. Mr. O’Brian’s writing style is elegant and his descriptions captivating, but the characters in this book are the product of an ongoing development process from the previous 12 books. To just “jump right in” at this point would, I think, leave the reader confused and disappointed. For the new entrant, it would be far better to start at the beginning with “Master and Commander” to derive the sense and style of the series. Then, if “hooked”, “The Thirteen-Gun Salute” might be enjoyed in that informed context.

That said, I found “The Thirteen-Gun Salute” to be somewhat tedious when compared to most of the previous 12 books in the series. Mr. O’Brian’s descriptive writing style certainly meets -or even exceeds- his earlier efforts, but the subject matter is one of rather confined tastes. Botany and zoology as seen through the eyes of an 18th century observer can be interesting, but it can also be overdone in the broad context of the history of the Napoleonic era. Likewise, the byzantine machinations of French and British emissaries competing for a treaty with an obscure sultanate makes for entertaining reading, but one is left with serious doubts about the event’s importance in the context of the times. While it’s true that history is built with the blocks of small events leading to greater outcomes, the transition of Captain Aubrey from the toast of England to a bit player in a diplomatic teapot is disconcerting, and something of a letdown.

For me, a high point (Pg 278) occurs when Captain Aubrey “bears up” to gain momentum for shooting a narrow inlet in the eye of the wind. Mr. O’Brian’s knowledge of nautical matters is profound, but in this case he has it backwards. One bears off, not up, to gain momentum for that evolution. At last, a mistake! I think my enjoyment of that is a testament to my generally reserved opinion of the book.

Again, if you want to take the measure of the Aubrey/Maturin series, don’t start with “The Thirteen-Gun Salute.” Save it for later.

O’Brian puts the reader directly in the times of a British Naval officer and the voyages and actions encountered. The battle scenes are exciting as are the vivid descriptions of weather encountered under sail (storms and calms). An aspect of the writing and story lines in the Aubrey/Maturin series I love is the placing of the characters in actual historic scenarios. Its been fun to look up the ships and battles. For non-sailors, there may be ships terms used that are not understood (e.g., cathead, cross-trees) and some descriptions of the positioning of ships prior to engaging in battle (e.g., gaining weather gage), which add to a sailors reading enjoyment, but for others just read through and enjoy the content! Plenty in these books to keep you turning pages!

Galaxyaudiobook Member Benefit

- Able to comment

- List watched audiobooks

- List favorite audiobooks

- Bookmark will only available for Galaxyaudiobook member