My rating: 4 of 5 stars
With the usual period dialogue, we are transported back through time to stand upon the decks of HMS Surprise. Jack Aubrey's personally owned ship. It is not Royal Navy any more but a privateer with a crew of various types of seamen. The Royal Navy has a sort of secondment over the vessel and Jack Aubrey still hold his re-instated Royal Navy rank. The war with the fledgeling USA of 1812 - 1814 is still in process.
Midway through this story, there is a gripping naval action. The whole drama is bought alive before the reader's imaginative eye. Patrick O'Brian's method of drip-feeding the reader's story development via the dialogue between his superb characters is wonderfully subtle and I think this is what brings this ongoing saga to life. Splendid reading and, of course, I can't wait for the next story. Smashing stuff!
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