
Master and Commander
Aubrey-Maturin Series, Book 1
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Narrado por:
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Ric Jerrom
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De:
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Patrick O'Brian
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Master and Commander is the first of Patrick O’Brian’s now famous Aubrey-Maturin novels, regarded by many as the greatest series of historical novels ever written. It establishes the friendship between Captain Jack Aubrey RN and Stephen Maturin, who becomes his secretive ship’s surgeon and an intelligence agent. It displays the qualities which have put O’Brian far ahead of any of his competitors: his depiction of the detail of life aboard an early 19th century man-of-war, of weapons, food, conversation and ambience, of the landscape and of the sea. O’Brian’s portrayal of each of these is faultless and the sense of period throughout is acute. His power of characterisation is above all masterly. Ric Jerrom reads this classic sea story from Patrick O’Brien.
©2014 Audible, Inc.; 1970 The Estate of the late Patrick O’Brien CBETechnically dense but thoroughly enjoyable
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Such a wonderful story
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Nautical Historical Fiction at its Finest
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Superb narration
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What truly sets this book apart is its impeccably crafted characters of Captain Jack Aubrey and Doctor Stephen Maturin. The dynamic between the two main characters is nothing short of brilliant, infused with sharp wit and a delightful camaraderie. Captain Aubrey, with his unwavering leadership and deep love for the sea, embodies the quintessential image of a naval officer. His larger-than-life personality is complemented by the rather eccentric Doctor Maturin, whose intellect, love for natural history and unconventional personality add layers of depth to the narrative.
Their complex friendship, marked by witty banter and mutual respect, forms the cornerstone of the story, providing readers with a dynamic and compelling duo to root for throughout their adventures on the high seas. It makes this book a joy to read.
O'Brian's masterful storytelling creates a world that is as entertaining as it is engaging. Overall, "Master and Commander" is a superb read and an ideal entry point into the series. It's a book that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment.
Masterfull and commanding
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The Beginning of an Incredible Series...
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How i wish they made more movies based in these type of literature.
Incredible!
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Obviously, the writing is brilliant, especially when it comes nautical descriptions and terms. (The history seems accurate, he certainly draws on historical characters and incidents.)
A great classic!
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Jack and Stephen differ in so many ways! Jack, an officer in His Majesty’s navy, is tall, robust, tanned, good-natured, and blond-maned, while Stephen, an out-of-work civilian physician-biologist is small, slender, pale, melancholic, and be-wigged (with a weird hair-piece made of wire). Furthermore, Jack tends to speak his mind, often unintentionally offending his interlocutors, is bad at languages (as when he comically confuses “putain” with “patois”), is hot-tempered (which gets him into trouble with authority figures), while the highly educated and intelligent Stephen is more careful in his speech, more philosophical, and is fluent in Catalan and speaks Spanish and French as well. Nevertheless, the two men are roughly the same age (between twenty and thirty), share a love of music (Jack playing the violin, Stephen the cello), and are naturally drawn to one another as boon companions. One of the great pleasures of the novel is beholding their friendship unfold.
Other pleasures involve the exciting scenes of naval action that suddenly pop up, from inconclusive minor skirmishes between pairs of ships to major battles involving multiple ships and shore batteries (for in the year 1800 when the novel takes place England is at war with Spain and France), as well as the occasional brief, vivid, and lyrical descriptions of the world viewed with relish from a ship at sea:
“At almost the same time the sun popped up from behind St. Phillip’s fort; it did, in fact, pop up, flattened like a sideways lemon in the morning haze and drawing its bottom free of the land with a distinct jerk.”
Or
“The sea itself already had a nacreous light that belonged more to the day than the darkness, and this light was reflected in the great convexities of the topsails, giving them the lustre of grey pearls.”
O’Brien also writes many spicy and funny lines, as when some of the Sophie’s men comment on the middle-aged Master’s obvious feeling for Jack: “Old Sodom and Gomorrah is sweet on Goldilocks.” Or as when Stephen looks forward to working on a patient: “It has been a long time since I felt the grind of bone under my saw.” Or as when Jack tells Stephen about the poor food he’ll have to endure till the Sophie can get better supplies: “Salt horse and Old Weevil’s wedding cake for most of the voyage, with four-water grog to wet it.”
There are also poignant lines about the difficulties we face in life, as when the conflicted Lieutenant James Dillon says to his fellow-Irishman Stephen, “We understood one another better before ever I opened my mouth.” Stephen himself has a philosophical turn of mind, and is often observing and then commenting on human and animal nature, as when he tries to explain to the straightforward Jack how a man might be torn between conflicting loyalties, or as when he intently observes the macabre copulation of a praying mantis couple, during which the male mounts the female and grasps her body with his legs, only to have her bite off his head and eat it, leaving his body still copulating, which leads Stephen to tell Jack that at times a woman doesn’t need a man’s head and heart. (The depiction of women in the novel is definitely done from a male point of view!)
And of course there are plenty of nautical details in the novel, about the different ships in the age of sail, and of the different sails, masts, guns, crews, officers, punishments, techniques, procedures, protocols, strategies, food and drink, toilets, sleeping arrangements, and so on involved. Some of them remain opaque to land-lubber me, but many of them become more or less clear thanks to O’Brien’s device of inserting Stephen, a man with “no experience in naval matters,” into Jack’s world, so that he may ask questions and make comments on our behalf, so to speak, as when early in the novel he’s given a tour of the Sophie by a midshipman. Anyway, the nautical details never get in the way of the story, which is full of psychological and physical excitement, humor, relish, and suspense.
Ric Jerrom reads the novel with clarity, feeling, and wit, modifying his voice effectively for the different seamen, whether common or elite, English or foreign, old or young, drunk or sober, pleasant or nasty, and so on. He brings the book vividly to life.
Fans of the Hornblower or Lewrie books should enjoy Master and Commander, as should anyone who likes historical novels featuring compelling characters and authentic settings and exciting action.
Looking at the Sea with Loving Relish
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What made the experience of listening to Master and Commander the most enjoyable?
Getting into the nautical life in the 1800's. There was much I haven't understood, but that's OK, I caught as much as I missed. The slow pace of much life under sail surprised me, but it makes sense when they were so reliant upon the wind.Who was your favorite character and why?
Stephen - sensible, observant, reflective. A foil for the exuberant, shallow and somewhat oblivious Captain.What does Ric Jerrom bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Accents, emphasisIf you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
Under sail in the Mediterranean - a doctor's storyAny additional comments?
Good book. From listening to previews, I am not sure the narrators of later books of the series have done as a good a job as this one.Balm for the nautical soul
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