Rating: 5/5
Review:
The thirteenth in a brilliant series
This
is now my third time reading through this brilliant series and I am
reminded again how beautifully written and how wonderfully,
addictively enjoyable they are.
The Thirteen Gun Salute sees a major restoration of Jack’s fortunes and a mission to the Far East with an Envoy hoping to conclude an important treaty with a Sultan and thereby thwart the French ambitions to do the same. The book is therefore less concerned with seagoing matters and naval actions than most of its predecessors, but is no less involving for that. Stephen’s work both as a naturalist and as an intelligence agent dominate much of the book and it’s fascinating stuff, along with another of O’Brian’s subtle psychological portraits, this time of Fox, the Envoy.
The Thirteen Gun Salute sees a major restoration of Jack’s fortunes and a mission to the Far East with an Envoy hoping to conclude an important treaty with a Sultan and thereby thwart the French ambitions to do the same. The book is therefore less concerned with seagoing matters and naval actions than most of its predecessors, but is no less involving for that. Stephen’s work both as a naturalist and as an intelligence agent dominate much of the book and it’s fascinating stuff, along with another of O’Brian’s subtle psychological portraits, this time of Fox, the Envoy.
This,
by the way, is the first O’Brian that I ever read; it was about 20
years ago and I picked it at random from the library shelves...and I
have been hooked ever since. Patrick O'Brian is steeped in the
period of the early 19th Century and his knowledge of the language,
manners, politics, social mores and naval matters of the time is deep
and wide. Combined with a magnificent gift for both prose and
storytelling, it makes something very special indeed. The books are
so perfectly paced, with some calmer, quieter but still engrossing
passages and some quite thrilling action sequences. O'Brian's
handling of language is masterly, with the dialogue being especially
brilliant, but also things like the way his sentences become shorter
and more staccato in the action passages, making them
heart-poundingly exciting. There are also laugh-out-loud moments and
an overall sense of sheer involvement and pleasure in reading.
I cannot recommend these books too highly. They are that rare thing; fine literature which are also books which I can't wait to read more of. Wonderful stuff.
I cannot recommend these books too highly. They are that rare thing; fine literature which are also books which I can't wait to read more of. Wonderful stuff.
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