The Aubrey-Maturin Chronicles: Master and Commander / Post Captain / Hms Surprise Volume 1 Pdf

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I have put together a comparison of actual historical events with the books in the POB series. Actual historical events are in italics. It is well The Aubrey-Maturin Chronicles: Master and Commander / Post Captain / HMS Surprise Volume 1 remember that POB's canon is fiction set across an historical backdrop. There are inconsistencies, and it is a matter of personal choice as to which events are accepted and which are rejected in establishing a timeline. August 1, Battle of the Nile. Lord Cochrane is the prizemaster who takes her into Port Mahon. The book begins in Port Mahon on April 18,according to dated entry in Sophie's muster book. Jack was previously a Lt. Jack receives this letter on April 18 actually after midnight on April 19 at the beginning of the book. POB observes that he has taken the liberty of delaying this battle until after the grape harvest. The book concludes with the court-martial shortly after the battle. Post Captain October Preliminary peace treaty and cease-fire. March 27, Peace of Amiens between France and England. The book begins a few days after the signing of the treaty, with Jack and Stephen enroute to England from Gibraltar. This is the Oct. We don't know what Jack has been doing since his court-martial, but Stephen has apparently started his spying career. On Nov 6, the in the text must be a typohaving established residence at Melbury Lodge, they are at Mr. Savile's fox hunt, where they first see Diana Villiers. Jack's interview with Lord St. Vincent does not go well, and he remains unemployed and unpromoted. Jack and Stephen are in Toulon when war breaks out. A couple of months later, Jack meets with new First Lord Melville, who appoints him to the Polycrest. The following year, probably in May or June, he cuts out the Fanciulla. A letter at this time is dated Sept 20,but this is clearly contradicted by other events. Melville posts him, effective May 23, and Jack has temporary command of the Lively during the summer. At this time, Stephen is off spying in Spain, promising to return before Michaelmas Sept. He is back in England in very early autumn to receive Jack's letter dated Sept He attends the opera, observing Diana with Canning apparently Stephen considers this a key event in his private life, referring to it almost nine years later in The Fortune of War. Hammond, capture Spanish treasure fleet. It is Stephen's intelligence that leads to the British action against the Spanish treasure fleet. Jack is, of course, substituting for Hammond, who is attending Parliment. Followers of H. Hornblower will note that he too was in the general vicinity. Nelson is blockading Toulon, but Villeneuve's fleet evades him in late Marchstarting the chain of events that will lead to the battle of Trafalgar in October. The book begins shortly after the capture of the Spanish treasure in late autumn of last leaves on the trees. Lord Melville has been replaced Melville actually served from May to April 30, Jack is on blockade duty off Toulon under Nelson. He leaves the blockade to go to Port Mahon to rescue Stephen. This must be before the end of March Villeneuve escapes blockade. The remainder of the book is not tied very strongly to any actual events. A reference to the position of the sun while off South America indicates that they are in the southern tropics somewhat before the spring equinox. They bypass Cape Town which is in Dutch hands at the time. The action between the East India convoy and Linois' squadron is apparently based upon a real event in February Jack is back in England inwhere he visits his distant cousin Capt. Broke mentioned in Fortune of War. August Beginning of the Battle of Grand Port. There are major inconsistencies The Aubrey-Maturin Chronicles: Master and Commander / Post Captain / HMS Surprise Volume 1 the passage of time, making it difficult to The Aubrey-Maturin Chronicles: Master and Commander / Post Captain / HMS Surprise Volume 1 whether the book begins in late or in It ends with the British conquest of the islands in lateAdmiral Bertie claiming the credit. Between andJack has married Sophie, settled in Ashcroft Cottage with his now bankrupt mother-in-law, and had twin daughters. He has been unemployed for part of this period perhaps all of it. We can speculate that Stephen has played a major role in instigating Spain's revolt against Napoleon during this period. Jack is given the Leopard and is ordered to Botany Bay to deal with uprising against Bligh. War with the Americans hasn't begun, but is expected at any time. The past history of the Leopard causes further problems when they encounter Americans. The setting would seem to be late and early O'Brian has apparently shifted the dates of Bligh's term in Australia. Jack's reference to an eclipse off the NE coast of Australia is apparently fictional. There was no solar eclipse, either total, annular or partial, in this region in the early 's. The book begins in the East Indies with no word yet received of war with the US. By the time they reach Cape Town, they learn that war has been declared. Admiral Keats transports them back to Spain to fight against Napoleon. America in Februarybut the voyage is interrupted by the news of Napoleon's escape. All of the action somehow takes place between March and the end of June Skip to main content. Aubrey-Maturin Chronology. Lord St. MayEngland and France declare war. Oct 21, Battle of Trafalgar Jan. These books all take place in the repeating year of The Aubrey-Maturin Chronicles: Master and Commander / Post Captain / HMS Surprise Volume 1 Search website Search. Aubrey-Maturin Chronology | The Gunroom of

The book proved to be the start of the novel Aubrey—Maturin seriesset largely in the era of the Napoleonic Warsthat O'Brian continued working on up until his death in The novel is set at the turn of the 19th century. It follows the young Jack Aubrey who has just been promoted to The Aubrey-Maturin Chronicles: Master and Commander / Post Captain / HMS Surprise Volume 1 rank of Master and Commanderand Stephen Maturin, a destitute physician and naturalist whom Aubrey appoints as his naval surgeon. The naval action in the Mediterranean is closely based on the real-life exploits of Lord Cochraneincluding a battle modelled after Cochrane's spectacular victory in the brig HMS Speedy over the vastly superior Spanish frigate El Gamo. The novel puts the reader into the times in every aspect, from the ways of the Royal Navy on sailing ships to the state of science and medicine and social status. Master and Commander met with mixed early reviews on its first publication. Although UK sales were respectable enough for O'Brian to continue with his series, it was not initially a success in the US. In Britain and Ireland, however, voices of praise gradually became dominant. Inthe US publisher W W Norton re-issued the book and its sequels; this was an almost immediate success and drew O'Brian a new, large readership. O'Brian's biographer has placed the novel at the start of what he called the author's magnum opusa series that has become perhaps the best-loved roman fleuve of the twentieth century. The novel opens in April Jack Aubrey, a shipless lieutenant wasting away in the Royal Navy port of Mahon in Minorcameets Stephen Maturin, a destitute Irish- Catalan physician and natural philosopherat a concert at the Governor's Mansion. During the performance, Maturin elbows Aubrey who is beating the measure "half a beat ahead". The men, both at personal low points, treat the matter as one of honour; they exchange names and anticipate a duel. Later that evening, Aubrey learns that he has been promoted to the rank of commander and has been given command of the 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 surgeonhe agrees. Sophie is sent to accompany a small convoy of merchant ships in the Mediterranean. Aubrey takes the opportunity to get to know his sailors and work them into a fighting unit with the aid of his new first lieutenantJames Dillon, a wealthy and aristocratic Irishman. Dillon and Maturin had met earlier a fact they keep to themselves as members of the United Irishmena society dedicated to Irish home rule and Catholic emancipation. Dillon suffers a crisis of conscience when ordered to intercept an American ship thought to be harbouring Irish rebels, and he works to help them avoid capture. Maturin, who has never been aboard a man-of-warstruggles to understand nautical customs, and O'Brian has the crew explain to him and to the reader The Aubrey-Maturin Chronicles: Master and Commander / Post Captain / HMS Surprise Volume 1 terminology and the official practice whereby prize money can be awarded for captured enemy vessels. Maturin is treated by the crew as a landsmanthough without offence. As a natural philosopher he relishes the opportunity to study rare birds and fish. His convoy duties complete, Aubrey is permitted by Admiral Keith to cruise the Mediterranean independently, looking for enemy French merchantsat which he succeeds. Sophie meets and defeats the much larger and better-armed Cacafuegoa Spanish 32 gun xebec-frigatethough losing a number of crew, including Dillon, in the bloody action. A victory against such odds would normally bring official recognition, promotion, and significant prize money, but unfortunately for Aubrey his superior at Mahon is Captain Harte, with whose wife Aubrey has been having an affair. Harte ensures that Aubrey receives none of those things, though he cannot prevent Aubrey gaining a reputation within the Royal Navy as one of its great, young fighting captains. On escort duty, Sophie is captured by a squadron of four large French warships. Aubrey and his crew miss the Algeciras Campaign but are able to observe the fighting from Gibraltarhaving been paroled by the French. Aubrey faces a court-martial for the loss of his ship, and is acquitted. In an introductory Author's Note to the novel, O'Brian sets out his approach to historical accuracy, noting that historic records of naval battles are filled with "actions that few men could invent". He goes on to say, "That is why I have gone straight to the source for the fighting in this book Yet, on the other hand, I have not felt slavishly bound to precise chronological sequence; He considers that "authenticity is a jewel", and that "the admirable men of these times The novel opens on 18 April and covers the period until mid[1] the action being portrayed within the historical setting of War of the Second Coalitionone phase in England's long and continuing war against the French following Nelson 's victories in the Mediterranean, including the British victory at the Battle of the Nile. The naval actions of the novel are closely based on the exploits of Thomas Cochrane —10th Earl of Dundonald, a notoriously fiery naval captain and later admiral. A significant subplot of the novel concerns the divided loyalties of the two Irishmen, Dillon and Maturin, following their involvement in the unsuccessful Irish Rebellion of Irish Protestants bemoaned the lack of an effective political voice and the fact that much of the best agricultural land was held by absentee English landlords. The majority Catholic population was excluded from full participation in politics and the professions. The United Irishmen had been formed in the late 18th century to tackle these grievances, leading ultimately to rebellion. In the rebellion's aftermath many disaffected Irishmen such as Maturin in the novel had left the island to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Although Aubrey's exploits are historically-sourced, his personality is O'Brian's own invention and differs significantly from that of the real Cochrane, [9] a Scot who could at times be rash, confrontational and disagreeable. The exploit of deceiving a ship at night by attaching lights to a decoy was executed by Cochrane and was described in his Autobiography of a Seaman. For the Algeciras Campaign O'Brian studied the dispatches of admiral Sir James Saumarez along with other contemporary reports of the battle. Forester had died in and a year later, at the age of 53, O'Brian started work on Master and Commander. O'Brian's then UK publisher Macmillanwho had originally agreed to jointly commission the book, [20] rejected it as too full of jargon. It was taken up and published by Collins in The novel did respectably in Britain "selling a most surprising number" according to O'Brian[21] but was not initially successful in the US. Lippincott persevered in the US with publication of the next two novels in the series, Post Captain and HMS Surprisethough sales remained slow. Lawrence persuaded Norton that in spite of the failed attempts of two previous US publishers Master and Commander and the subsequent novels were worth re-publishing. 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 The Aubrey-Maturin Chronicles: Master and Commander / Post Captain / HMS Surprise Volume 1. The reception of other critics was more positive. In the US, The New York Times Book Review noted the author's "delightful subtlety", and his "easy command of the philosophical, political, sensual and social temper of the times [that] flavors a rich entertainment", [27] while Kirkus Reviews said that the book was "A welcome treat for sea hounds who care more for belaying pins than ravaged bodices below decks". Several UK press reviewers were also impressed. The Sunday Mirror said "Nothing is glamourised. The press gangings, the squalor are all here The battle scenes are tremendous This is not secondhand Foresterbut a really fine piece of writing", [29] while Benedict Nightingale writing in The Observer called the book "Dashing, well-timbered, pickled in the period, and with strong human tensions and The Aubrey-Maturin Chronicles: Master and Commander / Post Captain / HMS Surprise Volume 1. The sailor Sir Francis Chichesterrecently returned from his single-handed voyage round the world, described the book as "the best sea story I have ever read", [32] a quote which the publishers adopted for use on the novel's front cover. Also used on the book's jacket in Britain was a heartfelt quote from the author Mary Renault"A spirited sea-tale with cracking pace and a brilliant sense of period. In a highly competitive field it goes straight to the top. A real first-rater". As the series of novels expanded, single-volume reviews became less common and reviewers tended to prefer retrospectives of the entire series to date. Although Master and Commander and its immediate sequels had received at first a somewhat muted reception in the US, in Britain and Ireland the voices of praise continued to increase and gradually became dominant. Following O'Brian's death inKevin Myers recalled in The Daily Telegraph his first reading of this and the subsequent two novels in the series: "the most glorious literary mixture ever — Jane Austen meets Gray's Anatomy meets John Buchan meets Apothecaries' Gazetteer. The author's cast of characters is Dickensian in its scope, but of greater subtlety and sophistication in its portrayal. According to Richard Snow inthe first meeting between Aubrey and Maturin with which the novel opens led to "the greatest friendship The Aubrey-Maturin Chronicles: Master and Commander / Post Captain / HMS Surprise Volume 1 modern literature". Snow quotes Fredric Smoler, professor of history and literature, in a Shakespearean comparison: "It's like Prince Hal meeting Falstaff ". Writing inthe author Nicola Griffith professed herself smitten: "In these books every reader who loves fiction both intellectually and viscerally will find something to treasure — and every writer something to envy. They will sweep you away and return you delighted, increased and stunned". She noted that while many reviewers have compared O'Brian to C S Forester, such comparisons are 'nonsense' — "This is Jane Austen on a ship of war, with the humanity, joy and pathos of Shakespeare". The Peter Weir film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the Worldstarring Russell Crowe and Paul Bettanyuses some of the characters, dialogue and events from the Aubrey—Maturin seriesbut does not faithfully reproduce the plot of the books. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This article is about the historical naval novel by Patrick O'Brian. For the naval rank, see Commander Royal Navy. See also: Recurring characters in the Aubrey—Maturin series. Stephen Maturin : Irish- Catalan physician, natural philosopher and musician, taken on as surgeon of Sophie. Captain Harte: Station commandant at The Aubrey-Maturin Chronicles: Master and Commander / Post Captain / HMS Surprise Volume 1 Mahon. Molly Harte: Wife of the station commandant, lover of Aubrey. Lord Keith : Admiral in the Mediterranean, recently married to Queeney. William Marshall: Master in Sophie. Tom Pullings: Master's mate in Sophie. William Mowett: Master's mate in Sophie. Barret Bonden: Coxswain and captain of the maintop in Sophie. Mr James Dillon: First lieutenant in Sophie. Library of Congress. Retrieved 15 January British Library. Retrieved 13 January Master and Commander. London: HarperCollins. Author's Note. Cochrane: The Real Master and Commander. New York: Bloomsbury. The Autobiography of a Seaman. London: Richard Bentley. Recurring characters in the Aubrey–Maturin series - Wikipedia

As is noted in the articles about each novel, some of these characters are based on real historical persons, while others are purely fictional. Because there is an article describing each novel, links are made to those articles when mentioning the stories in which each character appears. References to page numbers, where they appear, are based upon the W. His huge bulk, his terrifying strength and activity, the awful pallor of his face and his way of foaming at the mouth when he is stirred, all make him a most dreadful opponent. What Stephen calls his berserker rage fairly clears the enemy's decks before him. He also howls. But he has other sides: not only is he very useful when you must sway up the mast short- handed, but in sudden emergencies too. Brown, Anthony Gary From The Aubrey-Maturin Chronicles: Master and Commander / Post Captain / HMS Surprise Volume 1, the free encyclopedia. The Ionian Mission. New York, NY: W. Wiki of HMSSurprise. Retrieved 17 July Brooks USN retired 27 June US Central Intelligence Agency. Master and Commander. Patrick O'Brian. Categories : Patrick O'Brian characters. Namespaces Article Talk. Views Read Edit View history. Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file. Download as PDF Printable version. Add links.