After forester, the english writer patrick obrian refreshed the genre by accuracy of details and character development. Forester only started this book before he died in 1966, but he left notes as to how this story could have ended. Despite the devotion of british and irish fans to the aubreymaturin series, as of 1986, there were no o brian books in print in the united states. I first came across obrian 20 years ago in my local library. Jan 08, 2000 the case of the novelist patrick o brian, who has died in dublin aged 85, is extraordinary in every way. In ten books forester recounts hornblowers rise from midshipman to admiral, during the british navys. I much prefer the work of cs forester s horatio hornblower series than that of patrick obrian.
C s forester project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Dean king is an awardwinning author, well established authority on nautical literature and history and on patrick o brian. The case of the novelist patrick obrian, who has died in dublin aged 85, is extraordinary in every way. I founded that as the series goes on and richard gets older the novels begin to become melodramatic. Patrick o brian s novels may not be a match for cs forester s as pure naval adventure, but that is because there is so much more to them.
I would tell people to start at book 1 and read all the books. Each movie chronicles the ongoing adventures of horatio hornblower who is a brittish lt. Foresters books they are surprisingly hard to get ahold of here in australia and enjoyed them very much. They where sometimes written in pairs where one book was about the efforts of one. A lexicon and companion to the complete seafaring tales of patrick obrianto make sense of. The book was called master and commander, and its cover bore the. Sep 24, 2010 when i was still in grade school i saw the 1950 movie captain horatio hornblower starring gregory peck.
Forester had already published two crime novels before he wrote the pursued, both now reissued. November 2010 reflections 17 2 the horatio hornblower entry in the english language wikipedia nicely summarizes foresters significant influence on naval fiction during the past 50 years. Forester s hornblower series or patrick obrians aubreymaturin series. Comparisons will always be made with patrick o brian, whose books are rich with an intricate and credible cast, but few are allowed to grow old, to mellow or harden with time, or even allow single events and experiences to alter them. Tmp obrien, forester, pope and kent best series topic. Forester, or cecil scott forester, was a british novelist of much acclaim during his time. The book comes to a sudden end but there is an author note of his outline of the end of the book. Cant wait from one to the next to find out what stephen and jack will be into next. Some characters resonate with readers, and continue to resonate from one generation to the next. The author of the voyage of the catalpa shares his top 10 nautical books, but hastens to explain, as an aficionado of cs forester s horatio hornblower books and patrick obrians great tales of. Patrick o brian aubrey maturin books the lost child story pdf, the aubreymaturin series is a sequence of nautical historical novels20 completed and one unfinishedby patrick obrian, set during the napoleonic wars and obrians books were written and published in the same chronological in his introduction to the far side of the world, the 10th book in the series, obrian. He is best known for his horatio hornblower series as well as his novel the african queen, the latter of which was adapted to film by legendary director john huston in 1951. Patrick obrian refers to the george at least 10 times in his 21 books, and cs forester not only made several mentions of the famous coaching inn, but in hornblower and the hotspur chose the hotels coffeeroom to host the wedding breakfast following hornblowers marriage to maria. Horatio hornblower is the fictional protagonist of a series of novels by c.
May 1810, seventeen years deep into the napoleonic wars. Discover more authors youll love listening to on audible. Forester, was an english novelist known for writing tales of naval warfare, such as the 12book horatio hornblower series depicting a royal navy officer during the napoleonic wars. The book centers around the titular general and portrays, among other things. You can simply read the story without obrien trying to show off his terminology every paragraph. But if you can get past the first 5080 pages, then youre money. Sep 15, 20 the twentyone novels in patrick obrian s aubreymaturin series are the greatest sustained work of englishlanguage fiction written in the 20th century for the high craft of their characters, story lines, language, and themes, for the breadth of their erudition, and for the sheer stamina of obrian s invention. Patrick obrians acclaimed aubreymaturin series of historical novels has been described as a masterpiece david mamet, new york times, addictively readable patrick t. When i first started reading obrian, i relied on a sea of words. Kent are throw aways while o brian and forester are keepers. Payment deferred 1926, an absurdly underrated book, and plain murder 1930, are both about hard.
There is two short stories at end of book one of a young lt hornblower, the other as an admiral. It is our intent and purpose to foster and encourage indepth discussion about all things related to books. Foresters hornblower series or patrick obrians aubreymaturin series. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. Master and commander is a nautical historical novel by the english author patrick obrian, first published in 1969 in the us and 1970 in uk. The sharpe novels by bernard cornwell were inspired and patrick obrians novels were likely influenced by the. I first came across o brian 20 years ago in my local library.
Master and commander is there any historical fiction writer. The only reason i hesitate recommending o brian to friends is the hurdle of overcoming the nautical terminology. Top ten historical fiction authors historical fiction. Besides the aubreymaturin books, he also wrote a few standalone novels and short story collections. Forester was the pen name of english novelist cecil louis troughton smith 18991966, who wrote naval adventure novels and stories. Many of forresters nonhornblower books are very good. Patrick obrian was born richard patrick russ in 1914, but changed his name by deed poll in july 1945, when he completely reinvented himself as a reclusive irish novelist leaving behind a failed marriage, a deserted family, the death of his daughter and a scandalous affair with a russian countess. Two books in the series, a ship of the line and flying colours, were awarded the james tait black memorial prize for fiction in 1938. An author id walk the plank for the new york times. His jack aubrey is a fighting captain in the tradition of nelson, a seaman keen to come to grips with the enemy and an advocate of rapid, accurate gunnery. King discovered in 1997 that the reclusive obrian had invented hi. Although newer competitors, particularly patrick obrians aubrey and maturin series of books, have reduced horatio hornblowers dominance of the naval genre, he remains the favorite of. The author of more than fifty novels, forester is best remembered for his series of twelve books and multiple short stories about horatio hornblower, an officer in the royal navy during the napoleonic wars. Being also known for his horatio hornblower novels and 1935s the african queen, forester attempted in the work to portray the then recently finished conflict of world war one in a decidedly realistic though still narrativebased and compelling fashion.
Patrick obrian, signed abebooks shop for books, art. Forester s creation developed, still fascinated me. Obrian is a master of his period, in which his characters are finely placed, while remaining threedimensional, thoroughly human beings. Recently i have been reading with my ears so to speak. In these two novels, obrian began to develop the models for the characters of aubrey and maturin as well as the storytelling techniques used in the series. A few years later i found my first hornblower book, by c. I much prefer the work of cs foresters horatio hornblower series than that of patrick obrian. Cecil scott forester was born in cairo on 27th august 1899 and travelled extensively during his childhood years. The background is delineated with an erudition at once. I liked the o brian books best but both the others were fantastic also. The 5 best aubreymaturin novels by patrick obrian book. When i was still in grade school i saw the 1950 movie captain horatio hornblower starring gregory peck.
Forester or patrick o brian, but i know a lot of people have and th. He had shipped out on squarerigged ships as an adventurous youth on long vacations and that sort of thing. Patrick obrians the golden ocean 1956 and the unknown shore 1959 both depict fictional pairs of young men, loosely based on real seamen, who participate in george ansons voyage around the world. Patrick obrians novels may not be a match for cs forester s as pure naval adventure, but that is because there is so much more to them.
Forester is best known for his novels of the royal navy in the days of sail, especially the series about capt. Forester s books, but i have read of all patrick obrians aubreymaturin series. A small word of warning the first bit of master and commander is very technical and nearly lost me. Forester when i read the hornblower books as a high school student, but after i read patrick obrians books, forester seemed very pedestrian. Would also recommend cs forester over patrick obrian any day. Forester, was an english novelist known for writing tales of naval warfare, such as the 12 book. C s foresters hornblower novels are the most famous and probably the. Cecil louis troughton smith 27 august 1899 2 april 1966, known by his pen name cecil scott c. I have read the first sixteen books in the o brian series. He is the author of the acclaimed aubreymaturin tales and the biographer of joseph banks and picasso.
Book 10 aubreymaturin novels by o brian, patrick and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. O brian wrote naval adventure stories, broadly speaking in the cs forester hornblower tradition, but infinitely richer than forester. See more ideas about sailing ships, tall ships and sailing. The book was called master and commander, and its cover bore the reassuring image of a bluecoated officer standing beside a cannon, shouting defiance and waving a sword. Flying colours i first read flying colours at the age of 19 with my eyes, in the intervening 61 years i have read every hornblower book countless times. Forester s horatio hornblower books chronicle the adventures of a british naval officer as he battles the enemy, struggles with life and rises through the ranks. The assumed pseudonym of one cecil louis troughton smith, c. Forester s bestselling audiobooks and newest titles. I became a fan of hornblower and forester and remain one to this day. My name will linger in the british museum reading room catalogue for a space at the head of a long list of books for which no one will ever ask. I have read most if not all the hornblower books and many other military and historical books by c.
Forester 18991966 wrote several novels with military and naval themes, including the african queen, the barbary pirates, the general, the good shepherd, the gun, the last nine days of the bismarck, and rifleman dodd. An author id walk the plank for movies the new york times. I adore cs forester and all his works and i commend him to you. Also, i just find hornblower to be a much more interesting character, the way he internalizes all of his decisions and manages a certain amount of bravado while remaining a. Books are much faster, less pretentious, less crammed with unnecessary detail, and better written. Each volume is bound in quarter leather with decorated boards and patterned endpapers.
What to read after the aubreymaturin series by patrick obrian. Payment deferred 1926, an absurdly underrated book. Its a lot more accessible than the patrick obrien stuff. The author of the voyage of the catalpa shares his top 10 nautical books, but hastens to explain, as an aficionado of cs forester s horatio hornblower books and patrick o brian s great tales of. O brian says he never set out to write a series of books set in the age of sail. Nov 14, 2006 i also like hornblower, first sea adventures i read. Forester s limitations as a historical novelist have been shown up by the brilliant patrick o brian s aubrey series, and here sadly his ww2 fiction also stands poor comparison to writers such as nicholas monsarratt but the light cruiser deserves its champion, and he is it. Sherlock holmes and the sussex seadevils james lovegrove. The pleasures of patrick obrians aubreymaturin novels defy enumeration. Other age of sail naval heroes have come to rival him alexander kents richard bolitho, richard woodmans nathaniel drinkwater, dudley popes ramage, and patrick obrians jack aubrey, to list just a few but horatio hornblower remains for many of us the best known and most loved.
Fine in dark blue cloth covered boards with gilt text stamping on the spine with minor dust staining to the top edge of the text block. Long before forty, an autobiography up to his 31st year, was published posthumously in 1967. Horatio hornblower will last as long as the genre endures. In which order should you read horatio hornblower novels. Forester died in fullerton, california, on april 2, 1966. A lexicon and companion to patrick o brian s seafaring tales. Does anyone or anyones dhpw read books like sharpe.
Patrick obrian, cbe 12 december 1914 2 january 2000, born richard patrick russ, was an english novelist and translator, best known for his aubreymaturin series of sea novels set in the royal navy during the napoleonic wars, and centred on the friendship of the english naval captain jack aubrey and the irishcatalan physician stephen. But i began patrick obrians master and commander knowing i would hate it. Having survived a long and desperate adventure in the great south sea, captain jack aubrey and stephen maturin return to england to very different circumstances. Being finished with them though led me to try several other similar type series books and i finally found one that i would recommend. Conversations patrick o brian november 14, 1993 o brian, on his first publicity tour, steadfastly refuses to answer any questions about his personal life, but he does talk about the winedark sea. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Obrian uses a lot of internal dialogue which drives me absolutely bonkers. When i first started reading o brian, i relied on a sea of words. So far all 6 movies have been based on the horatio hornblower adventure novels written by c. Obrian is best known for his jack aubreystephen maturin series that spanned 21 novels and was adapted into the motion picture master and commander. Hornblower series 111 volumes set complete collection. He lived for many years in south west france and he died in dublin in january 20. About patrick obrian patrick obrian, born 1914, was a prolific novelist, biographer and translator.
This is a selection of 6 historical seafaring novels written by. Lots to learn about life in the 1800s during the time of the napoleonic. Forester when i read the hornblower books as a high school student, but after i read patrick o brian s books, forester seemed very pedestrian. Patrick obrian has the ability to make you set sail in a time machine and feel the salt spray and smell the grit of exploding gunpowder and chew your nails. Forester, was an english novelist known for writing tales of naval warfare such as the 12 book horatio hornblower series, depicting a royal navy officer during the napoleonic wars his other works include the african queen 1935. Along the way, i picked up on o brian s aubreymaturin books and eventually i went back to the older hornblower series by forrester. Help understanding aubreymaturin series by patrick obrian. In addition to the aubreymaturin books, he wrote several novels including testimonies, the golden ocean, and the unknown shore, as well as biographies of joseph banks and picasso. Readalikes for patrick obrian if you like patrick obrian. Patrick obrian these previously owned trade sized softcovers are in good to very good condition. Best to read them in sequence as they were written since one leads into the next and references to past books are made. Read cs forester s horatio hornblower novels instead. Cecil scott forester, 18991966, british novelist, b. Chiefly known for his hornblower series of novels, he was a wellregarded novelist mounting up around thirtyfive novels during his sixtysix years.
The covers were designed by small wonder design featuring indian minatures from the richard johnson collection held by the british library. Post captain one of the finest seafaring novels of the napoleonic wars. Forester or patrick obrian, but i know a lot of people have and th. Forester and other british authors central to the english literature canon. A lexicon and companion to the complete seafaring tales of patrick o brianto make sense of the battle scenes especially. Foresters hornblower books when i was 8, and though i cant really tell a mizzen from a capstan i am steeped in the lore of the royal navy, and i devoured patrick obrian. Forester s hornblower books when i was 8, and though i cant really tell a mizzen from a capstan i am steeped in the lore of the royal navy, and i devoured patrick obrian. An octavo measuring 9 by 6 with the erratum slip laidin at the front of the book. The george and its patrons lord nelson, jack aubrey and.
Captain horatio hornblower is newly in command of his first ship of the line, the seventyfourgun hms. The aubreymaturin series is a sequence of nautical historical novels20 completed and one unfinishedby patrick obrian, set during the. If you enjoy historicallybased fiction, both would be a good fit, especially if you have any experience reading about the nap. Question and answer, says the secretive surgeon stephen maturin in. Patrick obrian was one of our greatest contemporary novelists. Dec 22, 2011 forester had already published two crime novels before he wrote the pursued, both now reissued. If i was stranded on a desert island and had to choose one author, one set of books, patrick obrians 21book series would be it. I havent read the hornblower novels, but i have read all of patrick obrians aubreymaturin novels and am starting through them again. The original hornblower tales began with the appearance of a junior royal navy captain on independent duty on a secret mission to central america, though later stories would fill out his earlier years, starting with an unpromising beginning as a seasick midshipman. The only reason i hesitate recommending obrian to friends is the hurdle of overcoming the nautical terminology. Obrian wrote naval adventure stories, broadly speaking in the cs forester hornblower tradition, but infinitely richer than forester. But from the first page, i felt something was wrong.
111 87 7 258 1298 1369 707 1362 1299 1328 820 209 631 717 298 1023 152 687 805 1151 565 221 1314 1453 407 930 1368 97