The Unknown Shore

By: Patrick O'Brian

Narrated by: Patrick Tull

Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Best-selling author Patrick O'Brian turns to Commodore Anson's famous 1740 voyage for this rich tale of exploration and adventure. In The Unknown Shore, the inspiration for and immediate precursor to the acclaimed and immensely popular Aubrey/Maturin series, O'Brian's splendid prose and enthralling attention to detail launches listeners, spellbound, into the Age of Discovery.

©1959 Patrick O'Brian (P)2003 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Here is an unexpected bonus: a precursor to the Aubrey-Maturin series...with all the charm of the author's mature works." (The New York Times)

Wonderful predecessor to the Aubrey Maturin series

Wonderful predecessor to the Aubrey Maturin series, highly recommended to fans of that series. (minus the outdated prejudice against native peoples)

An amazing journey

Plus the Full wit of Patrick O'Brian, Who should never be read by anyone but Patrick Tull. The early version of the Aubrey Maturin stories, some of the most grim and comical adventures you'll hear anywhere.

Great story for lovers of the nautical adventures

Great story for lovers of Aubrey/Maturin series! while not about the same characters, this story's protagonists feel like the author was developing the former. Jack and Tobias are younger (midshipman and surgeon's mate) but their character and personality traits make you think it's (almost) a younger Aubrey and Maturin.
Told with the same wit as his later books, part of the story made me laugh out loud, and the fact that the underlying story is based on true occurrence makes it all the more incredible as to the hardship that they endured in the second part of the book.
Also the narrator does a fantastic job!

Not for listening in a car

An expansive yarn that encompasses a world that no one living has had the chance to experience. But don't listen in a car, plane or anywhere there is background noise and no N/C earphones. The narrative is very realistic with many asides, mutters and introspection that gets lost.

As Good as the Series

I came to the end of the Aubrey/Maturin series and felt like I had lost four friends, Jack Aubrey, Steven Maturin, Patrick O'Brian and Patrick Tull. Well, here they are back again. The youthful protagonists of this book, Jack and Tobias, are not quite Aubrey and Maturin, since the book is set in 1740, but one is a midshipman and the other a surgeon's mate, and they bring a fresh, young presence with many of the characteristics of their more well known literary descendents. O'Brian's dry humor and human insight, as well as his knowledge of the Royal Navy (here in Anson's time before the problem of longitude was solved) are already on display, and Tull does a masterful job reading. Highly recommended.

Spellbinding.

Would you listen to The Unknown Shore again? Why?

Six or nine times because I hear something new each time and the story is so excellently written and narrated. I love Patrick O'Brian's wordsmithery.

What other book might you compare The Unknown Shore to and why?

Don't know, other than Cold Mountain, it's just one of my favorites.

What about Patrick Tull’s performance did you like?

Virtually everything.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

One really vicious trip through a frozen hell and back again.

Any additional comments?

I'll most likely listen to it again...and again.

Early start for the Aubrey series good book

What made the experience of listening to The Unknown Shore the most enjoyable?

I enjoyed the story line it had some funny parts and drama

What other book might you compare The Unknown Shore to and why?

It was the early start of the Audrey series and Mr O'Brian has a real talent to weave a story to get the reader interested in all the characters

Have you listened to any of Patrick Tull’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Patrick Tull is a true professional and adds his gift to the characters in the story

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Many both on a level of human of enteraction and the qualities of the people involved

Any additional comments?

I am glad I had a chance read the early work and enjoyed it

the story was mostly true,

the part when Tobius and Jack were travelling with the indigenous people was detailed. I have never read about how the natives survived in Tierra del Fuego?

Underappreciated Masterpiece

This book is continually described as a sort of practice run for the Aubrey-Maturin series, but it is much more than that. A satirical comedy in the first half, a heartbreaking tragedy in the middle and a deeply satisfying ending show O'Brian at his best.

Nautical adventure

A sort of prequel to the Master and Commander series. Great fun for Aubrey/Maturin fans.