Master and Commander

Aubrey/Maturin Series, Book 1

By: Patrick O'Brian

Narrated by: Patrick Tull

Length: 16 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

This, the first in the splendid series of Jack Aubrey novels, establishes the friendship between Captain Aubrey, Royal Navy, and Stephen Maturin, ship's surgeon and intelligence agent, against the thrilling backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. Details of life aboard a man-of-war in Nelson's navy are faultlessly rendered: 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 road of broadsides as the great ships close in battle.

Don't miss the rest of the Aubrey/Maturin series.

©1984 Patrick O'Brian (P)2003 Recorded Books, LLC.

Critic reviews

"The best historical novels ever written." (The New York Times Book Review)
"No writer alive can move one as O'Brian can; no one can make you laugh so loud with hilarity, whiten your knuckles with unbearable tension or choke with emotion. He is the master." (Irish Times)

Not really sure what to say

I could hardly follow the story.. I really wanted to like this book and enjoy the series but I just could not keep up with the heavy British dialogue. Tried reading the book and listening to it. No dice. A little disappointed

Well written and entertaining, but lacking plot

I enjoyed the book thanks to the quality of the writing and the strength of the characters, but I found the plot lacking. There's very little in the way of an actually narrative arc. Rather, there are long periods of conversational character-building punctuated by action scenes that don't feel particularly connected to the story or the world. Several subplots get close to being interesting, but then they are cut off before they can reach fruition. Perhaps my lack of knowledge about European history during this time is the problem, but I found the book overall to be disjointed and, in many ways, aimless. It was still a fun ride, but I'm not sure I'll make the jump into the rest of the series after this one.

Wonderful series, but made by Tull

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Highly recommended. The interaction between Maturin and Aubrey as brought to life by the incomparable Patrick Tull make this series a must read in this genre. I began this series with a variety of readers until I came to a Patrick Tull narration. I went straight back to the beginning an downloaded all the Tull narrations available. The series has several good readers, but there is only one Patrick Tull, who has the ability to make you laugh and be moved at previously unrealized humour and pathos. Tull conveys such meaning in every sentence you will find yourself laughing at pauses and sighs.

What other book might you compare Master and Commander to and why?

Naturally similar in content to the Bolitho series as well as the Hornblower series. All good in their own way.

Which character – as performed by Patrick Tull – was your favorite?

The two main characters are inseparable here.

Loved this book!

A great story and the author really does a good job of situating you in the era

Surprisingly smitten

Oh, man, this was so much fun! I totally didn't expect to like this so much, but Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin pretty much immediately sucked me in, and Patrick Tull did a fantastic job narrating. Friendship, adventure, plenty of nautical battles...I am definitely looking forward to their next one. 20 more books to go--ha!

great story

Super happy the book happy with the narrator. I highly recommend if you are in Napoleonic War Naval novels.

Good Period Story

Where does Master and Commander rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 10.

What other book might you compare Master and Commander to and why?

Any Bernard Cornwell books but more wordy.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Patrick Tull?

Yes although it took awhile to warm up to him.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Some wry humor brought some chuckles.

Any additional comments?

Good storyline and if you are into 18th.century naval tactics and ships this is for you

Delightfully British

What made the experience of listening to Master and Commander the most enjoyable?

The innuendo of the reader made me feel right at home on the HMS Sophie.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Master and Commander?

The action scenes were quite exciting.

What does Patrick Tull bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He clearly understands the message trying to be sent by the author, and they speak with one voice.

Any additional comments?

At times the book is quite slow, but that is in line with a sailing vessel at the beginning of the 19th century. I'm sure there would be periods of exhilarating action juxtaposed with periods of mind-numbing inaction. This book is never mind-numbing, but it does come in waves. The narrator does an outstanding job of brining the book to life.

Fantastic Series, but the Real Star is the Reader

The Aubrey/Maturin series is one of the best character pairings in fiction. The two main characters complete and compliment eachother, even as they conflict in ways that are often hilarious. They are human and utterly relatable in spite of the alien world they live in. I can't recommend the series enough, even if this first book is only solid rather than spectacular.

That said, what makes this my number one audiobook recommendation to anyone, anywhere, at any time is the narration. Patric Tull delivers the single best audiobook performance I have ever heard, deftly juggling characters with disparate and difficult accents and delivering lines chock full of nauticle terminology as if they were natural and everyday (as indeed they would be for the characters in the context of that time and place). Don't worry about the jargon though, O'Brian's writing and Tull's narration combine to make what would otherwise feel technical and dense alive and interesting for the listener.

But all that nauticle detail, all the meticulously researched history, all the blood and battles are secondary to the characters, which are richer, more relatable, and better realized than the protagonists of any other historical novel written in the last century. Hornblower is great and Sharp is wicked, but nobody beats Aubrey and Maturin.

Amazing Performance

I enjoyed this thoroughly and completely. It was superb and engrossing, in so many ways even more delightful than the book. Bravo!