Rating: 
Summary: Incredible sea going adventure!
Review: This historical novel set in the early 19th century has the rake Lucky Jack Aubrey down on his luck - in debt and without a ship. The story is a masterfully told. It is of how Jack avoids debtor's prison, gains command, and regains his Lucky Jack moniker by the end of the story. I highly recommend this novel. Although there are times where some greater knowledge of sailing these warships would be of use to more fully understand the tale and the inherent drama. O'Brien does an excellent job of providing enough details that you fully understand the historical backdrop.
Rating: 
Summary: schizophrenic
Review: This is one of the worse novels I have ever read - The writing is so broken apart it seems that pages must have been pulled out of the book. The author jumps forward and backward and into different scenes and times without any appropriate lead. This writing would have received a failing grade in most college level courses.
Rating: 
Summary: WARNING! - One bite and you're hooked
Review: This is the book that got me addicted to Patrick O'Brian and the Aubrey-Maturin series. I'm now half way through this amazingly consistent series of books and there's no way that other reading won't suffer until I've completed it. Truly wonderful writing that requires no effort except for the number of somewhat weary days I've suffered as a result of late nights with reading lamp on.
Rating:
Summary: A great story -- O'Brian reaches a first peak . . .
Review: This is the second in the Aubrey-Maturin series and it's a far more broadly painted picture than the first; also, a great deal more of the action takes place ashore. Jack finds himself out of a command due to the peace, but having come into a large sum of prize money, he rents a country place and takes up riding to hounds. He also meets Sophie and her family, and the Doctor meets Sophie's cousin, Diana. Relationships become interestingly complicated, but then Jack's prize agent defaults and two of his prizes are ruled invalid, and he suddenly finds himself deep in debt. The two go abroad to escape a debt judgment and they're visiting Spain when war breaks out again. After a period disguised as a trained bear accompanying its trainer, they reach Gibralter and take ship, only to be captured. And so it goes, with Maturin having taken up his additional avocation by this time as an intelligence agent for the Admiralty. In fact, his connections are about the only thing that keeps Jack in his series of commands against the competition, and after a particularly gallant action, he finally gets made post. All in all, this is a far more interesting book, with a great deal more character development, than the first book. Young Sophia is especially nicely drawn, and Jack himself (as Stephen notes) has begun to mature in important ways. In fact, my only complaint is in respect to the wretched cover illustration in the original hardcover edition!
Rating:
Summary: A good adventure on land and sea
Review: This novel is set roughly in the years 1802-1804, and is a sequel to "Master and Commander." With most of the Royal Navy laid up during a temporary peace with France, Aubrey tries setting himself up as a country gentleman. Both Aubrey and Maturin have time to develop romantic interests, but a reversal of fortune leads them into some interesting and unusual (and sometimes humorous) situations as they dodge creditors. A renewal of war with France sends them back to sea as they attempt to restore Aubrey's fortunes. The action is fast paced and holds the reader's interest. Although part of a series, the book can be read as a stand-alone novel. The story is well researched and fits into the historic period. In addition to naval action, it provides an interesting look at some of the social and legal aspects of life in England during the early 19th century.
Rating:
Summary: A good adventure on land and sea
Review: This novel is set roughly in the years 1802-1804, and is a sequel to "Master and Commander." With most of the Royal Navy laid up during a temporary peace with France, Aubrey tries setting himself up as a country gentleman. Both Aubrey and Maturin have time to develop romantic interests, but a reversal of fortune leads them into some interesting and unusual (and sometimes humorous) situations as they dodge creditors. A renewal of war with France sends them back to sea as they attempt to restore Aubrey's fortunes. The action is fast paced and holds the reader's interest. Although part of a series, the book can be read as a stand-alone novel. The story is well researched and fits into the historic period. In addition to naval action, it provides an interesting look at some of the social and legal aspects of life in England during the early 19th century.
Rating:
Summary: Early, classic Aubrey-Maturin
Review: This second book in the Aubrey-Maturin series is, like all of the others, an absolute delight. O'Brian does his usual astonishing job of transporting us to an imagined early-19th century world, interesting in large part because it is in some basic ways quite unlike ours, yet peopled by richly-drawn characters who experience emotions intensely familiar.For the fanatic O'Brian fan (I am one) this book is especially interesting to re-read, since several of the dimensions of the characters, especially Maturin, are slightly at odds with later versions. For example, in one diary passage, Maturin waxes eloquent (and accurate) about the specific arrangement of sails as a convoy weighs anchor -- something he would never do in the later books, when he has become hopelessly ignorant about all things nautical. These books are in the rare category of those classics that are a page-turning excitement to read when first encountered, and remain similarly exciting if read again and again, constantly revealing new subtleties of character and incident. One of the great things about the books is O'Brian's periodic indirect explanation of certain expressions that have passed into the vernacular, and are used in contexts far removed from their nautical roots -- for example, "the devil to pay" or "we were at loggerheads", or...I've forgotten the rest. I guess I'll have to read the books again, and so should you.
Rating:
Summary: Far too blatant an ending
Review: To Mr. O'Brien: Damn you sir. A well-written book, but you leave the exploits of Aubery and Maturin, and the status of Mss. Sophie and Diana quite unresolved...a blatant call to purchase the next novel. I shall read no more of your scrivening, sir, Forester would not leave his readers hanging so. Your technical knowlege is not sufficient to save you. Were I a Gentleman, I should challenge you at the next opportunity. Enough!
Rating:
Summary: Adventure, romance, the sea, and capital comic wit combined!
Review: What absolutely delicious reading this is! Master and Commander was excellent. This is even better. I cannot believe how very, very funny O'Brian can be! There is a little scene in the beginning of this book where he briefly describes Jack's horse, a "sullen gray gelding" who spends most of his time "mourning his lost stones", and the horse's train of thought, something like, "Sits too far forward at a jump, I'll have him off sooner or later... Oh, a mare! A mare!" I just laughed myself to tears. It is rare to find a book that has such a rich blend of various ingredients. O'Brian's insights into the wide variety of human personality (not to mention equine!), his quirky sense of humor, his excellent portrayal of the ways of life in that time, the politics, the navies, the ships, all are tied together, and blend beautifully into this absorbing human drama. I think I'll have to read them all!
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