Totally agree Charley! The Alexander Kent Bolitho novels are good enough, but they are almost pulp compared with O'Brian's (or even Forester's) stuff. Stockwin, Nelson and Woodman are all decent reads.

If you want the real details of the real actions, I would recommend a set of William James 'The naval history of Great Britain from the declaration of war by France in February 1793 to the accession of George IV in January 1820 : with an account of the origin and progressive increase of the British Navy' ... Five volumes (London Baldwin, Cradock & Joy, 1822-24); New edition in Six volumes ... and an account of the Burmese War and the battle of Navarino. (London: R. Bentley, 1837); (London: R. Bentley, 1847); (London: R. Bentley, 1859); (London: Richard Bentley, 1860); (London: Richard Bentley, 1886); (London: Macmillan, 1902); (London: Conway Maritime Press, 2002).