-
H.M.S. Surprise
- Aubrey/Maturin Series, Book 3
- Narrated by: Patrick Tull
- Length: 15 hrs and 48 mins
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Publisher's summary
It will be a hard rub for Aubrey, who had counted on that money to clear his debts and make himself a suitable match, but no more hard than for Maturin who spends much of his free time at Mapes Court in the company of the lovely Sophia Williams, Aubrey's betrothed. How could Stephen deliver the news that would break Sophia's heart?
When Jack docks at Portsmouth, he is clapped in irons forthwith, and carried off to a sponging house for debtors. Jack knows a prisoner can rot in jail, so when Sir Joseph graciously offers him escape aboard the H.M.S. Surprise, bound for the East Indies, he makes for the only place where his unsteady virtue remains intact: the sea.
Critic reviews
"O'Brian knows his history and sailing, as is evident in the rich particulars....Stretching its genre but never escaping it, the novel will impress those who enjoy swashbucklers." (Publishers Weekly)
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- By: Norman Davies
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 61 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Norman Davies captures it all - the rise and fall of Rome, the sweeping invasions of Alaric and Atilla, the Norman Conquests, the Papal struggles for power, the Renaissance and the Reformation, the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, Europe's rise to become the powerhouse of the world, and its eclipse in our own century, following two devastating World Wars.
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My Favorite Historian
- By bernickus on 05-14-19
By: Norman Davies
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Waverley
- By: Sir Walter Scott
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Length: 17 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Waverley by Sir Walter Scott is an enthralling tale of love, war and divided loyalties. Taking place during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, the novel tells the story of proud English officer Edward Waverley. After being posted to Dundee, Edward eventually befriends chieftain of the Highland Clan Mac-Ivor and falls in love with his beautiful sister Flora. He then renounces his former loyalties in order actively to support Scotland in open rebellion against the Union with England. The book depicts stunning, romantic panoramas of the Highlands.
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Loved it
- By Tad Davis on 04-12-18
By: Sir Walter Scott
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The Wisdom of the Shire
- A Short Guide to a Long and Happy Life
- By: Noble Smith
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 4 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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In The Wisdom of the Shire, Noble Smith sheds light on the life-changing ideas tucked away inside the classic works of J. R. R. Tolkien and his most beloved creation—the stouthearted Hobbits. Drawing on The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and other tales of Middle-earth, Smith shows how a snug hobbit-hole is actually just a state of mind and how even the smallest person can have the valor of a Rider of Rohan.
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Thought Provoking
- By Ingwe on 03-12-13
By: Noble Smith
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Something Fresh
- By: P. G. Wodehouse
- Narrated by: Jonathan Cecil
- Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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The one thing that could be expected to disturb the peace of life at Blandings is the incursion of imposters. Blandings has imposters like other houses have mice. On this occasion there are two of them--both intent on a dangerous enterprise.
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So That's Where "Upstairs, Downstairs" Came From!
- By Beverly on 01-26-12
By: P. G. Wodehouse
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Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens & Peter and Wendy
- By: J. M. Barrie
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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When Peter Pan and his fairy companion, Tinker Bell, fly in through the window of Wendy's nursery one night, it is the beginning of an adventure that whisks Wendy and her brothers, Michael and John, off to Neverland. There, they will find mermaids, fairies, pirates led by the sinister Captain Hook, and the crocodile who bit off his leg - and still pursues him in hope of the rest!
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amazing
- By Tori on 07-05-18
By: J. M. Barrie
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Great and Precious Things
- By: Rebecca Yarros
- Narrated by: Carly Robins, Eric Michael Summerer
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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How do you define yourself when others have already decided who you are? Six years ago, when Camden Daniels came back from war without his younger brother, no one in the small town of Alba, Colorado, would forgive him - especially his father. He left, swearing never to return. But a desperate message from his father brings it all back. The betrayal. The pain. And the need to go home again. But home is where the one person he still loves is waiting. Willow. The one woman he can never have. Because there are secrets buried in Alba that are best left in the dark.
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A bad boy that loves hard
- By Hannah on 04-12-24
By: Rebecca Yarros
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The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
- By: Washington Irving
- Narrated by: Anthony Heald
- Length: 1 hr and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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In the Dutch settlement of Tarry Town, New York, in a secluded glen called Sleepy Hollow, Ichabod Crane arrives to educate the children of the region. This lanky schoolmaster fancies the idea of marrying the Katrina Van Tassel, but there is a problem with his plan. Abraham “Brom Bones” Van Brunt has already set his heart on marrying her. This rivalry climaxes one autumn night with the appearance of the legendary Headless Horseman, allegedly the ghost of a Hessian trooper....
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Love the original
- By Deanna L Tibbetts on 10-17-17
What listeners say about H.M.S. Surprise
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Paul
- 01-25-05
diana villers is easy
like all charming tarts, she's the source of many problems. the narration is excellent, as always. if you liked the first 2 books, you'll like this one, as others have noted. and, i finally caved in and looked up a diagram of the sails, and other parts of a ship so i would know what the heck they were always yelling about during a battle.
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- Shane S Shull
- 06-20-18
A masterpiece of writing & narration.
Another masterpiece of historical fiction writing by Patrick O'Brian and a truly excellent narration by Patrick Tull. Patrick Tull really makes these books come alive with his voice acting. It's sad that both the author and narrator have since passed.
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- Travis White
- 04-16-18
Loved It - Tull has Grown on Me
Would you consider the audio edition of H.M.S. Surprise to be better than the print version?
I have read and listened to the first two books in the series and have decided to go through the rest as audiobooks, especially as I've grown to love Patrick Tull's interpretation. But I find that the complex nautical themes to be easier to get through while listening than when reading. I may manage a better understanding through slow reading, but feel that while listening there is a smoother flow to the stories as I don't find myself as lost in concepts I barely recognize.
Have you listened to any of Patrick Tull’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Post Captain was the first book I heard read by Patrick Tull and I will readily admit that I didn't like his reading of the book. I had a hard time with his voice after listening to many other readers. But after listening to him read HMS Surprise, I look forward to going back to Master and Commander and Post Captain as his reading became a big part of my enjoyment of the book. It feels as if I am hearing the story from someone who sailed with Aubrey and Maturin. Tull obviously does a great job with voices for the two leads, but I also love how he vocalizes Diana.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
This book felt as if it had less ship-to-ship action than the previous two in the series, but still held my attention extremely well and kept me at the edge of my seat. In Post Captain I had a difficult time enjoying the portions with Maturin and Diana, but I was completely engrossed in Maturin's activities in India and his affections towards Diana, even more so the surrounding stories.
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- Melvin
- 04-19-19
Third Time Around
May be the best book of my favorite series of all time. I read the series every 5 years.
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- Underporch
- 10-07-17
O'Brian Hits His Stride
This was the first book of this series that I read, way back when, and in many ways it remains my favorite--though being dropped into book three of a series, knowing nothing of the characters and how they got to this point, would be madness with anyone less a master of exposition than O'Brian. Still, I recommend starting with volume one, because it (with volume two) sets up the whole dynamic of these two very different yet very synergistic characters. Though nothing about their personalities and skill sets suggests it, the dark, multilayered Dr. Maturin (who seems to hold the the POV reins more often as the series continues) and the bluff, sometimes unworldly Captain Aubrey (who, let's face it, doesn't need a lot of internal monologue, being a mostly man of action slogging his way through an unfortunately political world) go together like tea and crumpets, or salt beef and ship's biscuit.
The narrator, Patrick Tull, lends enough distinction to the voices to keep things clear, yet avoids distraction.
This volume burns through a lot of story--with a good balance of political intrigue at home, hazards at sea, the vagaries of naval life, the personal matters of the two leads, and, yes, a ripping good multi-ship engagement that suddenly plunges Captain Aubrey into a make-shift commodore's role.
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- Aaron Claflin
- 06-08-20
Awesome.
Love them all. Told with a wonderful style and very entertaining. Next book in the series, if you please.
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- juancguerra
- 03-09-23
5/5 a Jewel
Have a negative review to the previous book in the series, but this one is pure gold. Excellent narration as well.
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- Kent B Morse
- 10-31-23
The best of a long and entertaining series. Outcl
Performance of this volume is very well thought out and excellent. Highly recommend! Dont hesitate.
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- Eric Mesa
- 03-08-24
Inept narrator makes masterpiece a chore
I got this far because these three books were included in my membership, but I shall go no further. Tull’s narration, especially as Maturin, is campy and hamfisted as all hell. I was tempted to laugh when the plot revealed that Maturin was captured as a spy- speaking in such a ridiculous Irish accent, it’s no wonder at all!
Anyway, get Horatio Hornblower instead- it’s far superior.
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- Paul K. Tribbett
- 03-23-14
They say he was the greatest living writer !
Believe me when I say you'll enjoy every thing in this book and in this series. And Patrick Tull is such a great reader , they don't get any better than this reader writer combo....you'll not believe the research that went into these books history , geography,
Medicine, politics, what ever he writes about is excellent,,,,Paul T.
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