Master and Commander
Master and Commander (Aubrey-Maturin Series, Book 1)
by Patrick O’Brian
Master and Commander is a historical naval novel by Patrick O’Brian. First published in 1969 (US) (1970 in UK), it is first in the Aubrey-Maturin series of stories of Captain Jack Aubrey and the naval surgeon Stephen Maturin. Closely based on the historical feats of Lord Cochrane, O’Brian’s novel is set in the Napoleonic Wars. Receiving many compliments from historians and literary critics and with a large popular following, Master and Commander has been reprinted a number of times. In 2003, Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany starred in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, which adopts themes but not the plot from Master and Commander and many other books in the series.
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I have recently been playing Empire: Total war for a couple of months now. One of the best feature of this game was the almost realistic real time naval battles. With my interest in Age of Sail ships rekindled, I went on a hunt for books based on these ships. In this respect, I have stumbled upon the Aubrey-Maturin series written by Patrick O’Brian. The Aubrey–Maturin series is a sequence of nautical historical novels (twenty completed and one unfinished) set during the Napoleonic Wars and centering on the friendship between Captain Jack Aubrey of the Royal Navy and his ship’s surgeon Stephen Maturin.
The story starts out on 18 April 1800 in Port Mahon, Minorca, a base of the Royal Navy at that time. Jack Aubrey, a shipless lieutenant wasting away in port was granted his long-awaited promotion to the rank of master and commander and given command of the H.M.S. Sophie, a small 50 ton, 14 gun, formerly Spanish brig. At a concert, Jack nearly comes to blows with Dr Stephen Maturin, but the two quickly reconcile over breakfast and Jack, whose ship is desperately undermanned, offers the penniless Maturin a post as ship’s surgeon and a chance to satisfy his naturalist side.
Once aboard the Sophie, the two men eventually became the best of friends despite the big differences in their interests and personality. Unlike stereotypical silent, brooding, buffed, handsome hero, Jack Aubrey is a bit on the heavy side, good-humored and a bit of a buffoon especially on land (and really unlucky with money too). Stephen Maturin on the other hand is a physician and a naturalist. Further reading shows that both Stephen and Jack have hidden depths to their characters (which I should not elaborate on for fear of spoiling the story). The conversations between them are thought provoking, interesting and oftentimes witty too despite the amount of archaic and 19th century British English.
Aubrey and Maturin are without doubt great characters. The amount of attention Patrick has given to developing and fleshing out these two characters is simply amazing and it shows through with their thought provoking, interesting and often times witty conversations. Through their conversations we learn a lot more about their characters and their philosophy. It is quickly apparent that Patrick has done a great deal of research into his subject and it shows in the authenticity of his characters. The language and style of the dialogues between his characters made me feel that these are indeed 18th-19th century people.
Which brings us to a major point concerning Patrick’s style of writing in this book. The very first time I dived into Patrick’s wonderful world, I was bombarded and overwhelmed by the amount of foreign looking language. The book is filled with nautical terms, jargons and archaic language. An example below:
‘Hands to the braces,’ he shouted. ‘Port your helm. Flat in for’ard – jump to it. Brail up the mainsail.’
Slowly, then faster and faster with all the wind in her sharp-braced headsails, the Sophie paid off. Now the wind was on her port beam: a few moments later she was right before it, and in still another moment she steadied on her course, with the wind three points on her starboard quarter. There had been a good deal of trampling to and fro, with Mr Watt and his mates roaring and piping like fury, but the Sophies were better hands with a sail than a gun, and quite soon Jack could cry, ‘Square mains’l. Topmast stuns’ls. Mr Watt, the top-chains and puddening – but I need not tell you what to do, I see.’
‘Aye aye, sir,’ said the bosun, clanking away aloft, already loaded with the chains that were to prevent the yards falling in action.
I tried to look up every foreign word and terms I came across. I was a bit disheartened as the long passages of seamen discussing sails, knots, masts, rigging, wind etc became too much to bear. Then I realized, it was better for me to read through it with a relaxed state of mind and letting the words wash over me and persevere through the book. Soon the technical terms and jargons fade into the background. The deep characterization and background story came alive and soon I was chuckling and the various humorous banter and antics that is sprinkled all over the book.
The way Patrick uses these kind of language in the book does serve its purpose however. I find myself so buried and immerse in the colorful early 19th century European culture that I sometimes I find myself standing on the deck of the Sophie next to Jack and Stephen listening in on their conversations. Also, once the story moves on and they started sailing across the sea, Patrick masterfully uses Stephen who has no knowledge of naval terms and culture as a means to tutor the readers. Stephen often asks the sailors questions that we find ourselves asking while reading the book and we get a nice explanation without breaking the immersion.
“Nothing is glamourised. The press gangings, the squalor are all here….The battle scenes are tremendous…This is not secondhand Forester, but a really fine piece of writing.” ~ Sunday Mirror.
Patrick’s writing is excellent, his characters deep and interesting and the pace of events is just right to move the plot along. The amount of research Patrick has put in brought us refreshing and interesting insights of the daily life of few hundred men on board a ship living in close quarters. The book is very immersive and takes you into another age. Although the language may put you off at first, but believe me once you persevere through you will soon realise that there is a larger story waiting to unfold as you turn the pages. Be rest assured that the langue will very much be toned down by the subsequent books in the series.
Overall, I would say this is a very rewarding book to read is highly recommended.
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