Master and Commander
by Patrick O'Brian · first published 1969
72% recommend28% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Napoleonic-era naval fiction prized for vivid, witty prose and the friendship of Aubrey and Maturin; well-researched naval life that is explained plainly. Suits readers who want adventure and rereadable comfort.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
This is book 1 in the Aubrey/Maturin series. Here is the maiden voyage of O'Brian's acclaimed Aubrey-Maturin series, which follows the unique friendship between Captain Aubrey, R.N., and Stephen Maturin, ship's surgeon and intelligence agent, against the backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. O'Brian renders in riveting detail the life aboard a man-of-war in Nelson's navy: the conversational idiom of the officers in the ward room and the men on the lower deck, the food, the floggings, the mysteries of the wind and the rigging, and the roar of broadsides as the great ships close in battle. - Publishe
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The Lansing book really is a classic. This is hardly comparable, but I'm rereading the Master and Commander series (Patrick O'Brian) and you just can't beat that for adventure. Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin go through the Napoleonic Wars together, traveling literally all over the world, and having adventures…
on “The harrowing journey to Elephant Island by Ernest Shackleton and Endurance crew” ↗The "Master & Commander" Series by Patrick O'Brian has been a great companion to me over the years and over many re-reads. For me it's not about the sea battles -which I don't find particularly interesting- but rather about the writing style, the character development, and the fun of ambling through life with Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin.
on “Ask HN: Recommend one book I need to read this summer?” ↗…for whom it was a third language? Jeez. Even Nabokov spoke English as a youth, along with Russian and French. I think the question of "history" is very interesting. Personally, I'd much rather read the Master and Commander series a third time than read a boring history of the Napoleonic Wars. But Conrad's books are always regarded as "fiction" even though you learn an awful lot about life back then, which you wouldn't get…
on “Fiction Is History: A journey through Joseph Conrad’s life at sea” ↗…a) we undervalue first-order work, and b) our automation reach often exceeds our grasp (k8s being an excellent example). Perhaps my thinking is colored by my recent read of Patrick O'Brian's excellent "Master and Commander" series of historical novels, about early 18th century English sailing ships, but the lack of automation is part of the romance - just to get from "here" to "there" required enormous effort. And who knows?…
on “We are wasting up to 20% of our time on computer problems, says study” ↗I've enjoyed two books read by Guidall, but I spent several years of my commute listening to Patrick Tull read Patrick O'Brian's Master & Commander series, and I'm not sure any other narrator will ever match that for me. It feels like your British uncle is telling you stories about his time in the Royal Navy.
on “Why George Guidall Is the Undisputed King of Audiobooks” ↗Against the Grain by James C. Scott. Eye opening take on early stages in history The entire Aubrey-Maturin series starting with Master and Commander. Exquisite writing, funny, interesting, deep characters and chock full of interesting philosophy and life observations. These books are my happy place: like most fans of the series I have read them all…
on “Ask HN: Which books you have read till now that were worth investing time in?” ↗Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander is 20 books, and I've read them all twice. There's an art there, and you can't reduce it to a formula. Total immersion in a period is definitely a part of it; you can actually find an interview with him…
on “Ken Follett Says Readers Still Like Epic Books” ↗The master and commander books by Patrick O'Brian are great also, well researched descriptions of naval warfare during Napoleon's wars. The best historical fiction I've ever read, and the audiobooks by Patrick Tull are also…
on “Choosing what to read” ↗…which I was pretty much non-functional and unable to concentrate enough to read. Through trial and error I stumbled on two things that WERE readable and provided much comfort. 1. Patrick O'Brian's "Master and Commander" and its twenty sequels set during the Napoleonic Wars, featuring British naval captain Jack Aubrey and his ship's surgeon, Stephen Maturin. 2. "The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt. I wish I'd known of more…
on “Ask HN: What books have you found understandable during serious depression?” ↗I can tell you haven't read Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander series. Cacafuego is the name of a much bigger ship that Jack Aubrey captures. Of course, that's fiction, and the speculation is that POB chose that name as a sort of inside joke.
on “Rare and Amusing Insults, Volume 2” ↗I'm right now starting my third trip through the 20 Patrick O'Brian books (Master and Commander). There's a whole Facebook group of POB fans who call that a circumnavigation. For me it's just the beauty of the prose. I just marvel as how he describes things. I just wonder if there's something I…
on “Against Rereading” ↗I am such a fan of Patrick O'Brian's "Master and Commander" series of books that I could not let myself even consider the possibility of listening to audio book narrated version. I felt O'Brian's prose voice on the page was so powerfully distinctive that any…
on “20,858 Public Domain Audio Books” ↗…time because I didn't believe I was the kind of person who would read “books about tall ships.” But so many people recommend these particular books because of the masterly writing that I tried the first, Master and Commander. Immediately, I was taken by O’Brian’s writing: vivid, lively, and engaging, while also utterly precise. Give that first novel a try. It’s not easy, but it is oh so rewarding. Edited to add some examples…
on “To become a better writer, read as much as you can” ↗If you've seen the movie master and commander and liked it, or are interested in a long series with 20 well written books, I'd recommend Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian. It's book one of the Aubrey–Maturin series. It's historical naval fiction,…
on “Ask HN: What are you reading?” ↗Seconded. I have two copies of this book, love it, and just lent one out last week. In exchange, I received Master and Commander, which is an awesome reminder of the bygone floridity of educated English. Currently also working through Mumford's Technics and Civilization (1934) in connection with a pan-cultural inquiry in to machine…
on “Marshall Islands Stick Chart” ↗