Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing at best
Review: A geographical companion and atlas could be very helpful, but this didn't answer. Perhaps someone else will try their hand and be more successful. The maps are inadequate and omit important and interesting locations. The maps are also rather crudely drawn. The text is unnecessary and silly, attempting to recap each book and at the same time not give away the plot.I can imagine a book arranged as an atlas, with colored detailed maps which include all named locations. Maps with exploded detail would be necessary to show harbors and navigation hazards. The index would include all place references with location coordinates on the maps. Latitude and longitude references should also be included. I'll buy one as soon as it's published.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing at best
Review: A geographical companion and atlas could be very helpful, but this didn't answer. The maps are inadequate and omit many important and interesting locations. The maps are also rather crudely drawn. The text is unnecessary and silly, attempting to recap each book and at the same time not give away the plot. Perhaps someone else will try their hand and be more successful. I can imagine a book arranged as an atlas, with colored detailed maps which include all named locations. Maps with exploded detail would be necessary to show harbors and navigation hazards. The index would include all place references with location coordinates on the maps. Latitude and longitude references should also be included. I'll buy one as soon as it's published.
Rating: 
Summary: Fine Atlas Chronicling Aubrey/Maturin Adventures
Review: Dean King's "Harbors and High Seas" is a good atlas chronicling the exploits of Captain "Lucky Jack" Jack Aubrey and ship's surgeon Dr. Stephen Maturin from the fateful meeting in "Master and Commander" through "The Commodore". The maps - which are drawn by William Clipson - are a fine guide tracing the major routes undertaken by Aubrey's ships (and Maturin's personal espionage missions on behalf of the British government) across the globe. Each chapter corresponds with the O'Brian novel, without giving away much with regards to plot (though the maps themselves offer quite a few spoilers). Admittedly this is a bit expensive to acquire - though hopefully the paperback edition will be much less expensive - but may nonetheless be regarded as an important companion to the O'Brian novels which any diehard fan of Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin may wish to possess.
Rating:
Summary: Fine Atlas Chronicling Aubrey/Maturin Adventures
Review: Dean King's "Harbors and High Seas" is a good atlas chronicling the exploits of Captain "Lucky Jack" Jack Aubrey and ship's surgeon Dr. Stephen Maturin from the fateful meeting in "Master and Commander" through "The Commodore". The maps - which are drawn by William Clipson - are a fine guide tracing the major routes undertaken by Aubrey's ships (and Maturin's personal espionage missions on behalf of the British government) across the globe. Each chapter corresponds with the O'Brian novel, without giving away much with regards to plot (though the maps themselves offer quite a few spoilers). Admittedly this is a bit expensive to acquire - though hopefully the paperback edition will be much less expensive - but may nonetheless be regarded as an important companion to the O'Brian novels which any diehard fan of Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin may wish to possess.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Bad but Not Great
Review: Harbors is a good effort to try and geographically place events in the Aubrey/Maturin series. For the number of pages, however, I would have wanted more maps and less exposition by Mr King. And while he does not give away plot points in his book summaries, the maps themselves necessarily identify major battles or meetings; beware of spoilers! The maps themselves are rather basic, but in their favor Mr King does place as well as possible fictitious places as well as actual. If you find a good deal, then by all means add it to your collection. It's not a bad book, and until a better version is published (which is doubtful) it does an adaquate job.
Rating:
Summary: Buy it, but don't expect much.
Review: I am very disappointed with Dean King's efforts here. Where is this great prodigy of maps that the book seems to promise? Much of the book is taken up with summaries of PO'B's novels. If I want to know what happened in the books I will read them, I don't need to pay 21 American dollars for that. And most of the content that is not summary is written descriptions entitled 'Here and There'. Can Mr. King possibly think his accounts will succeed in enabling we hopeless lubbers to comprehend intricate harbors and locations where the great O'Brian's have not? In the Post Captain chapter, do we find a map of Chaulieu where Aubrey fights the Polychrest until she sinks under him? No we do not. This book should be filled cover to cover with detailed charts and maps. It falls far and sadly short of expectations. I urge anyone not having been duped into purchasing it already to refrain from doing so.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I am very disappointed with Dean King's efforts here. Where is this great prodigy of maps that the book seems to promise? Much of the book is taken up with summaries of PO'B's novels. If I want to know what happened in the books I will read them, I don't need to pay 21 American dollars for that. And most of the content that is not summary is written descriptions entitled 'Here and There'. Can Mr. King possibly think his accounts will succeed in enabling we hopeless lubbers to comprehend intricate harbors and locations where the great O'Brian's have not? In the Post Captain chapter, do we find a map of Chaulieu where Aubrey fights the Polychrest until she sinks under him? No we do not. This book should be filled cover to cover with detailed charts and maps. It falls far and sadly short of expectations. I urge anyone not having been duped into purchasing it already to refrain from doing so.
Rating: 
Summary: An Amazing Guide to the Aubrey/Maturin Series
Review: I just loved this companion to the Aubrey/Maturin series. I loved the quick and informative discussions of winds and currents and ships and the historical context. Nothing to do with ships and sails is familiar to me. I love the series for its human historicity and Patrick O'Brian's prose, among the most graceful ever written. While reading the first few books, I went back time and again to figure out which sails went where and lees from larboards. I take the point of some reviewers that they could have done with a few more maps and a bit more historical and technical material instead of the plot summaries, but I disagree. Because I chose not to rush through the series in a couple of months, but instead read them slowly over several years, I enjoyed going back and reading through the summaries before I began each installment. "Harbors and High Seas" added immeasurably to my enjoyment of the Aubrey/Maturin series. Bravo to Dean King for the research and the passion that he clearly has for the novels.
Rating:
Summary: Indispensible Companion
Review: I'm now on book 7 of the Aubrey-Maturin series, and have only had my Companion for the last 2...how much it adds to the joy and the education. The best part of the companion is the maps, with clearly marked routes taken by Lucky Jack's vessels. O'Brian's description of Aubrey passing by Elsinore while Jack describes his role in Hamlet as a young midshipman comes alive with both the map and the picture of Elsinore. As well, eliminating the frustration of trying to determine what is fiction (Grimsholm) from what is not (Admiral Suamarez) greatly adds to the historical learnings. The only downside to having this companion is the irresistable temptation to read ahead...the plot lines of the first 17 books are all given in general outline. As O'Brian readers know, however, much of the joy is as much in the characterization and writing as in the plot line. So, even if you do look ahead, it in all likelihood only will increase your desire to move on to the next book....I personally can hardly wait to get to Treason's Harbour and the mood that O'Brian will create around historic Malta. If you love maps, though, and have always used them to add a visual learning dimension and reference to the words, you can't possibly read the books without it. In closing, I guess I should add the warning that as addictive as these books are, they become even more addictive with the companion. Beware!
Rating:
Summary: Harbors and Hgh Seas
Review: It's a great book and the maps are a huge help in following the details of the stories, as well as for general reference of the period. However, I would give it five stars if it were in hardback. Too many of the charts and maps are split down the middle and the soft cover type of binding used (it is called a "perfect binding" in bookbinder's jargon, although it really isn't) makes the center portion of the split maps and charts quite impossible to read. This is extremely frustrating
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