The Wine-Dark Sea

Good lengthy account of travelling through the Peruvian Andes which takes away from the nautical in nautical fiction. Another account of getting caught in the ice during fog around Cape Horn. Another loss of a rudder in the southern latitudes and another sea battle that almost happened. There were two sea battles actually; an incredibly easy one in the beginning and an incredibly non-existent one near the end. This book felt mostly like it was just another in a series of filler material. As I always say, the writing is excellent and it shows such an incredible amount of research necessary to tell the story in such detail. I have to admit to tiring of the perpetual filler material in each of the last three books. I hope O’Brian gets back to writing nautical adventures in this series. This is another book you could easily live without in this series if you so chose.

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.

These novels are the best of breed, bar none. If you’ve read the first and haven’t read every single one of the series…well, I’ll never love you, nor will any of the other thousands and thousands of fans. As a blue water sailor, I join the legions of other sailors who revere these books. It’s all about those who “go down to the sea in ships”, but with cannons and cutlasses. But if you’re not a sailor you will nevertheless less love these books because they create unforgettable characters who complexly evolve as the books move along in what is a continuing story full of danger, mystery, love, despair, honor- dishonor, failure and Phoenix-like success. Read these, you won’t be sorry.

I am thrilled with this series. I finish one book and head right in to the next. Patrick OBrien has recreated such a world of the sea that the characters are now old friends and their sea battles, family concerns and episodes of espionage are ingrained into my memory.

Not a terribly happy ship on this voyage, as prizes are missed and there is conflict aboard. Nevertheless, the account books show black, even though Aubrey and Maturin consider this a costly failure.

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