Master and Commander: Patrick O’Brian: Book 1 (Aubrey-Maturin)

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Frank McNally, writing in honour of the 100th anniversary of the author's birth, reflects on the breadth of the appeal of the series of novels, for the quality of the writing and the relationships between the characters, which put them beyond the typical naval adventure, and gain interest from readers who "wouldn't touch Horatio Hornblower with a bargepole." [27] Lucy Eyre wrote to point out the appeal of the series to women readers, mentioning the nautical detail, and how it might be viewed the same as precise medical language on the television program ER. She notes that "O'Brian is never heavy-handed with his research: it's simply that the books are set in a perfectly realised world, which happens to be a ship at war." [28] McNally, Frank (12 December 2014). "The Life of O'Brian". The Irish Times . Retrieved 20 February 2015.

a b c d e f French, Philip (November 22, 2003). "Command Performance". The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021 . Retrieved March 1, 2021. The title derives from the first Aubrey-Maturin novel and the tenth book in the series, which is the principal source. ... The film's director, Peter Weir, and John Collee, his co-screenwriter, have made a major change by shifting the time from 1812 to 1805, some weeks before Trafalgar, and turning the enemy into France instead of the United States. They've also taken the bold step of eliminating any scenes shot in ports... and reducing the female presence...

a b c d "Box Office History". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on May 14, 2019 . Retrieved January 30, 2009. In addition to the period language, O'Brian is adept at using naval jargon with little or no translation for the "lubberly" reader. The combination of the historical-voice narration and naval terms may seem daunting at first to some readers; but most note that after a short while a "total immersion" effect results. [14] Occasionally, O'Brian explains obscure nautical terms by placing Stephen Maturin into the tutelage of seamen, allowing the author to vicariously teach the reader about various parts and functions of a period sailing vessel without breaking from the narrative. This was especially common early in the series, when Maturin was still new to the Royal Navy. [8]

After escaping from America, Stephen urges Diana Villiers to marry him, so that she may not be an alien on British soil, subject to possible incarceration, since the two countries are at war. When she does not agree, other measures must be taken, including a trip to France, which is also at war with England. Stephen gives a talk at the Institut, and installs Diana with a friend for her own safety.The novel did respectably in Britain ("selling a most surprising number" according to O'Brian), [23] but was not initially successful in the US. [21] O'Brian later commented, "I am sorry to say that the Americans did not like it much at its first appearance (they have changed their minds since, bless them)". [23] In his introduction to The Far Side of the World, the 10th book in the series, O'Brian wrote that if the author "had known how many books were to follow the first, he would certainly have started the sequence much earlier" in real historical time. He goes on to explain that "if his readers will bear with him", books of the series will be set in "hypothetical years, rather like those hypothetical moons used in the calculation of Easter: an 1812a as it were or even an 1812b". [7] In effect, the period from June to December 1813 is stretched out to accommodate events that ought to occupy five or six years. Master and Commander was the first non-documentary film to shoot on-location in the Galápagos. [8] Filming took place from June to November 2002. a b "The odd couple all at sea". The Telegraph. London. 11 January 1997. Archived from the original on 9 February 2015 . Retrieved 21 February 2010. Snow, Richard (6 January 1991). "An Author I'd Walk the Plank For". The New York Times . Retrieved 14 December 2009.

Staff (August 14, 2003). "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 12, 2019 . Retrieved December 19, 2014. Although the series is fiction, many of the stories are based on real events and the books present a complete look at early 19th century British Naval life. If you're not a sailor, you might find some of the technical descriptions inaccessible, but that shouldn't detract from the power of the narrative. And the narrative is powerful. In Desolation Island, for example, the description of the Waakzaamheid's relentless pursuit of HMS Leopard is stunning and is some of the best fiction I've ever read, enough said (those who've read Desolation Island will understand what I'm talking about but I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't). The exploit of deceiving a ship at night by attaching lights to a decoy was executed by Cochrane and was described in his Autobiography of a Seaman. [18] A similar exploit was reported to have been used by the French privateer Joseph-Marie Potier to escape a British frigate near Quiberon Bay in January 1809. [19] By the time I was halfway through the book there had already been a pregnancy, two suspected murders, storms and the taking of a prize. Grossman, Anne Chotzinoff; Thomas, Lisa Grossman (2000). Lobscouse and Spotted Dog: Which It's a Gastronomic Companion to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels. W W Norton & Co. ISBN 0-393-32094-4.The episode in which Aubrey deceives the enemy by means of a raft bearing lanterns is taken from Master and Commander, [ citation needed] while the episode in which Maturin directs surgery on himself, while gritting his teeth in pain, to remove a bullet is taken from HMS Surprise. [16] [ non-primary source needed] [ original research?] The stern chase around Cape Horn is taken from the novel Desolation Island, [ citation needed] although Acheron replaced the Dutch 74-gun warship Waakzaamheid, [ citation needed] Surprise replaced Leopard, [ citation needed] and in the book it is Aubrey who is being pursued around the Cape of Good Hope. [ citation needed] [ original research?] Development [ edit ] Stephen Maturin: Irish- Catalan physician, natural philosopher and musician, taken on as surgeon of Sophie. Irish- Catalan Dr. Stephen Maturin ostensibly serves as an adept ship's surgeon on Aubrey's various commands. However, unknown to many of his associates, he also serves as a particularly skilled volunteer intelligence agent for the British Admiralty. Maturin is described as a small, quiet, "ugly" man who is known to cast a "dangerous, pale, reptilian eye" towards his enemies. Unlike his action-oriented friend, Maturin is very well-educated with several intellectual pursuits. He is passionately fascinated by the natural world, and takes every opportunity to explore the native wildlife of his ships' ports of call around the world. He is also deeply introspective, and frequently muses on philosophical concepts of identity and self-understanding in his ciphered personal journal. [9] Another aspect of this complex character is portrayed by his long-lasting and frequently frustrating romantic pursuit of the beautiful but unreliable Diana Villiers. He uses several addictive substances, including laudanum and coca leaves, arising from scientific curiosity, control of his reactions to physical problems, and substance dependence. He has the values of a gentleman of the era, including a strong sense of honour and involvement in duels. The latter led him to develop a strong skill with pistols and duelling by swords.