Master and Commander: Patrick O’Brian: Book 1 (Aubrey-Maturin)

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C. S. Forester, 20th-century novelist whose Horatio Hornblower series in many ways influenced O'Brian's sea-tales. The naval actions of the novel are closely based on the exploits of Thomas Cochrane (1775–1860), 10th Earl of Dundonald, a notoriously fiery naval captain and later admiral. [1] [10] Cochrane's own ship, HMS Speedy, forms the basis for Aubrey's Sophie. [7] C S Forester having died just a few years earlier, some critics were left bewildered and disappointed by the complexity of O'Brian's creation after the predictability of the Hornblower series. [26] "Not, I think, memorable, at least in the Hornblower way" wrote the Irish Press, [27] while according to the Library Journal, "Mourning Hornblower fans may prefer to read a good if disappointing new book rather than to reread one of the master's epics". [28]

Master and Commander was first published in 1969, in the US by Lippincott, and in Great Britain and Ireland by Collins in 1970. The series continued to be a modest success in both countries, though publication was only by Collins in the UK after the fourth novel. Publication in the US ceased with Desolation Island in 1978. [19] [20] However, in 1989 Starling Lawrence of W. W. Norton discovered the novels on a plane flight between London and New York. [21] W. W. Norton began printing the books, and they were taken more seriously by critics and became a publishing success. O'Brian's series of novels sold over 400,000 copies in the next two years and continued to be a success, selling over 2 million copies by 2000. [1] In its review of the last unfinished novel in 2004, Publishers Weekly reported that the series had sold over 6 million copies. [22] W. W. Norton released the novels in e-book format on 5 December 2011. [23] The full series has been published in German, French and Italian translations, the twenty finished books also in Spanish, and part of the series in Catalan, Chinese, Czech, Finnish, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish and Russian translation. [24] Literary significance and criticism [ edit ] Alexander Kent, pseudonym of Douglas Reeman for his Bolitho novels, a contemporary of O'Brian who wrote a series of novels about the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. Shafer, Ellise (January 17, 2021). "Russell Crowe Responds to Tweet Criticizing 'Master and Commander': 'Kids These Days' ". Variety. Archived from the original on February 4, 2021 . Retrieved February 19, 2021. Tibbetts, John C.; Welsh, James M., eds. (2005). "The Far Side of the World (Master and Commander)". The Encyclopedia of Novels Into Film (Seconded.). Facts on File. pp.127–129. ISBN 978-0816054497.And I will quote myself, speaking to a friend: "I was just thinking, hey, I haven't heard from those two guys in a while. The big loud sailor and his naturalist friend. Then I realized the reason why I hadn't heard from them: they are characters in a book. They are fictional. They are not real, however much I want them to be."

Although Aubrey's exploits are historically-sourced, his personality is O'Brian's own invention and differs significantly from that of the real Cochrane, [11] a Scot who could at times be rash, confrontational and disagreeable. [12] The character of Maturin is likewise of O'Brian's devising, [1] though it has been said that the author's own personality, attitudes, interests and even appearance are closely reflected in his character's persona. [13] Specific events [ edit ]

(21) Unfinished final book **

Frank McNally, writing in honour of the 100th anniversary of the author's birth, reflects on the breadth of the appeal of the series of novels, for the quality of the writing and the relationships between the characters, which put them beyond the typical naval adventure, and gain interest from readers who "wouldn't touch Horatio Hornblower with a bargepole." [27] Lucy Eyre wrote to point out the appeal of the series to women readers, mentioning the nautical detail, and how it might be viewed the same as precise medical language on the television program ER. She notes that "O'Brian is never heavy-handed with his research: it's simply that the books are set in a perfectly realised world, which happens to be a ship at war." [28] In addition to the period language, O'Brian is adept at using naval jargon with little or no translation for the "lubberly" reader. The combination of the historical-voice narration and naval terms may seem daunting at first to some readers; but most note that after a short while a "total immersion" effect results. [14] Occasionally, O'Brian explains obscure nautical terms by placing Stephen Maturin into the tutelage of seamen, allowing the author to vicariously teach the reader about various parts and functions of a period sailing vessel without breaking from the narrative. This was especially common early in the series, when Maturin was still new to the Royal Navy. [8] Christopher Hitchens gave a mixed review: "Any cinematic adaptation of O'Brian must stand or fall by its success in representing this figure [Dr. Stephen Maturin]. On this the film doesn't even fall, let alone stand. It skips the whole project." (The film omits completely the fact that the doctor and naturalist is also a spy for England—a key plot element in the novels.) Hitchens nonetheless praised the action scenes, writing: "In one respect the action lives up to its fictional and actual inspiration. This was the age of Bligh and Cook and of voyages of discovery as well as conquest, and when HMS Surprise makes landfall in the Galapagos Islands we get a beautifully filmed sequence about how the dawn of scientific enlightenment might have felt." [34] James D'Arcy". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021 . Retrieved March 1, 2021.

It's a point in O'Brian's favor, then, that he managed to stay true to his own clear passion for period lingo and arcane knowledge, without ever losing my attention. It's possible to get this balance wrong. I've read a few novels by Tom Clancy, and his tediously detailed accounts of weaponry and military equipment stop narrative momentum cold. With Master And Commander, I never felt as though the slang and the story were separate. Both seemed reliant on the other, and I could appreciate the relationship, even if I didn't always grasp the particulars. (I'll admit it, I couldn't accurately describe any of the sea battles that take place in the book, but that's as much my poor grasp of spatial relationships as anything else.) If you’ve read any of the books, you’ll appreciate seeing how the movie portrayed Captain Aubrey’s steward “Killin” and also his coxswain “Bonden,” both of whom were very well cast. Tom Pullings, too. The replica ship Surprise used in the movie is now on display at the San Diego Maritime Museum. The episode in which Aubrey deceives the enemy by means of a raft bearing lanterns is taken from Master and Commander, [ citation needed] while the episode in which Maturin directs surgery on himself, while gritting his teeth in pain, to remove a bullet is taken from HMS Surprise. [16] [ non-primary source needed] [ original research?] The stern chase around Cape Horn is taken from the novel Desolation Island, [ citation needed] although Acheron replaced the Dutch 74-gun warship Waakzaamheid, [ citation needed] Surprise replaced Leopard, [ citation needed] and in the book it is Aubrey who is being pursued around the Cape of Good Hope. [ citation needed] [ original research?] Development [ edit ] The novel did respectably in Britain ("selling a most surprising number" according to O'Brian), [23] but was not initially successful in the US. [21] O'Brian later commented, "I am sorry to say that the Americans did not like it much at its first appearance (they have changed their minds since, bless them)". [23]Rahner, Mark (August 30, 2005). "What hath Peter Weir wrought?". Seattle Times. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016 . Retrieved October 2, 2015. Tobias, Scott (January 4, 2019). "Revisiting Hours: Ships Ahoy — 'Master and Commander' ". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 9, 2019 . Retrieved January 7, 2019. Later that evening, Aubrey learns that he has been promoted to the rank of commander and has been given command of the 14-gun HM Sloop Sophie. Meeting Maturin in the street the next day, Aubrey's joy overcomes his animosity and he invites Maturin to dine. The men discover a shared love of music, Aubrey playing the violin and Maturin the cello. On learning Maturin's profession, Aubrey asks him to join his ship. Although as a physician Maturin's expertise goes far beyond that normally expected of a naval surgeon, he agrees.

a b c " "The Sounds of Realism in 'Master and Commander'" - National Public Radio interview with Richard King". Npr.org. November 13, 2003. Archived from the original on March 17, 2012 . Retrieved April 28, 2012. The 76th Academy Awards (2004) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Archived from the original on September 29, 2012 . Retrieved November 20, 2011. Susman, Gary (November 13, 2003). "Paul Bettany on Master's funniest sea story". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 24, 2021 . Retrieved April 24, 2021. Our fingers are in the right place, and our bowing is good, but you wouldn't want to hear the sound we were making. Lozano Sánchez, Francisco S. (2016). "Master and Commander: Cirugía y cirujanos". Revista de Medicina y Cine. 12 (1): 12–20.Master and Commander was the first non-documentary film to shoot on-location in the Galápagos. [8] Filming took place from June to November 2002. In the first of the series, during a tour of the rigging, Maturin asked his tourguide if he "could not explain this maze of ropes and wood and canvas without using sea-terms" and the reply came "No, for it is by those names alone that they are known, in nearly every case". [15] Bradshaw, Peter (November 21, 2003). "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World". The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021 . Retrieved March 1, 2021. Golden, Gerald (2005). "The Physician at the Movies: Master and Commander". The Pharos. Alpha Omega Alpha-Honor Medical Society. 68 (1): 51. PMID 15792082.