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Patrick O'Brian: Master And Commander

I might give O'Brian's series another try in the future. I guess I don't like to judge an entire series from one book.
 
Lewister said:
Really? Sigh. I loved the movie so much and adore historical fiction. It was just such a colossal disappointment when I started reading the first one. There's so much I want to read that this is definitely one of those cases where I'm just going to cut my losses and move on. Maybe some day I'll have time to try again.
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It's important to realize that the movie (which was great) takes elements from three of the books in the Aubrey/Maturin series: The Far Side of the World, Desolation Island, and Master & Commander so don't expect to get the movie out of the first book in the series.
 
sparkchaser said:
It's important to realize that the movie (which was great) takes elements from three of the books in the Aubrey/Maturin series: The Far Side of the World, Desolation Island, and Master & Commander so don't expect to get the movie out of the first book in the series.
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I can only wonder why Hollywood thinks they have to take elements from three books to make one movie. They did the same thing to the Louis L'Amour's Sacketts.
 
Hollywood is full of people who don't know how to make movies (or tell stories for that matter) telling other people how to make movies.

Anyway, I may have to give O'Brian another try. I've read two books and just can't get any traction. At present, I'm researching a story that takes place around this era, so my knowledge of the seamanship and so forth is rapidly coming up the curve. However, it may come down to a style issue. O'Brian's style simply doesn't appeal to me. But, one more try is worth it.
 
Started H.M.S. Surprise last week.

Robert said:
I can only wonder why Hollywood thinks they have to take elements from three books to make one movie. They did the same thing to the Louis L'Amour's Sacketts.
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I wonder if the movie tie-in book is the original Master & Commander or a novelization of the movie?
 
sparkchaser said:
It's important to realize that the movie (which was great) takes elements from three of the books in the Aubrey/Maturin series: The Far Side of the World, Desolation Island, and Master & Commander so don't expect to get the movie out of the first book in the series.
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I didn't expect to get the movie out of the book. I expected more since they leave so much out to make a movie. I just wanted to get some action out of it. But seriously, nothing had happened by the middle of the book and the characters didn't have enough personality to hold my attention on their own. I was just sorely disappointed.
 
Robert said:
That's a good question, sparkchaser. What we need is someone well read in the series.
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That or someone to check out the movie tie-in.

OK, I found the movie tie-in on Amazon and the opening paragraphs are identical to Book 1.

Man, anyone who wanted to read the movie is going to be really disappointed.
 
I read all the Patrick O'Brian Captain Aubrey/Maturin books. There are 20 of them, I think. Really, it is one novel in twenty volumes. O'Brian may be the best novelist ever.
 
O'Brian can get a bit technical at times. It's as if he assumes you know your way around late 18th century British naval ships (well, doesn't everybody?). Here's a tidbit from another site (still under 15, I see)

Patrick O'Brien's editor from Norton publishing...explained that he is very wary of trying to correct O'Brien on anything, because he is so learned. He once pointed
out that O'Brien had written "mess kid" when he assumed he meant "mess
kit." O'Brien explained that "mess kid" is used by rankers and "mess kit"
by officers. However, he discovered that in one book O'Brien had mistaken
longitude for latitude. This required correction not only in that book,
but in two subsequent ones where the error had been continued. O'Brien's
explanation was: "Well, I am left-handed."
 
ProfessorMarvel said:
O'Brian can get a bit technical at times. It's as if he assumes you know your way around late 18th century British naval ships (well, doesn't everybody?).
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Agreed. Which is why I am glad that Writer44 mentioned Darcy Lever's book as it has been an enormous help in learning about ships of the era.
 
Robert said:
4. The Sea-Hawk by Rafael Sabatini
Other favorites
-Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini
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The Sea-Hawk is one of the better Sabatini novels I've read--almost on par with Captain Blood. The plot is truly gripping. Sir Oliver, a Cornish gentleman accused of murder, betrayed or abondoned by everyone he ever loved, sold into slavery by his half-brother and forced into life as a Barbary corsair, a leader aka Sakr-al-bahr of The Sea-Hawks.
 
yawn said:

The Sea-Hawk is one of the better Sabatini novels I've read--almost on par with Captain Blood. The plot is truly gripping. Sir Oliver, a Cornish gentleman accused of murder, betrayed or abondoned by everyone he ever loved, sold into slavery by his half-brother and forced into life as a Barbary corsair, a leader aka Sakr-al-bahr of The Sea-Hawks.
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I prefer 'Saramouche'. Transformation, acting, buckle-swashing, the French Revolution, and the fastest learning of fencing in the history of literature.:)
 
Loved Master and Commander so much... Post Captain, good grief, I had to force myself through every page, I don't know what happened to O'Brien. It murdered my attention to the series, I have the third book, and I will get to it... but man that second book killed my interest!
 
Sapper41 said:
Any read any of Patrick O'Brians Aubrey/Maturin series? Master and Commander is the first one. I've read M&C and also the second one Post Commander They were both very good. Just wondering if anyone else likes them? I know this is not the film adaptation forum but did anyone else like the movie?
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I liked the movie. Shame there ain't gonna be a sequel (sea-quel - did you smoke that? HA-HA-HA).:D
 
Why is a dog-watch called a dog-watch? 'Cause it's cur-tailed, HA-HA-HA. (That's one of Stephen's, alas not mine.)

It's the lesser of two wevils.
 
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