Help: Patrick O'Brian's Desolation Island

Subject: RE: Help: Patrick O'Brian's Desolation Island
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 14 May 09 - 01:12 PM

Jed, I'm looking forward to listening.

The link way above to info about Jerry Bryant's cd is defunct; here's a current one: "Roast Beef of Old England".

~ Becky in Tucson
(writing from work)

Subject: RE: Help: Patrick O'Brian's Desolation Island
From: JedMarum
Date: 14 May 09 - 01:21 PM

Thanks for the corrected link, Becky.

By the way, I'm going to be out your way in Nov. I am bringing the band to play at the Tucson Celtic Festival. We will certainly play this song. I hope you'll be there!

Subject: RE: Help: Patrick O'Brian's Desolation Island
From: JedMarum
Date: 14 May 09 - 01:22 PM

thanks don!

Subject: RE: Help: Patrick O'Brian's Desolation Island
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
Date: 14 May 09 - 03:26 PM

no one has mentioned Alexander Kent and his Bolitho series. Not to criticize any of the other authors or works, I would rank Kent slightly ahead of Forester, who is slightly ahead of O'Brian, IMHO. I found the Aubrey/Maturin series extremely readable and enjoyable, but so much repetition in the later books, so much retelling of backstory, totally unnecessary. The Alexander Kent novels give you a different surgeon on every vessel, many different types and various abilities, more believable characters, Maturin is almost a superhero as written, operating on himself with a mirror, etc., convenient coincidences, etc. I recommend the O'Brian books, and the Forester books and the Kent books to all readers. My doctor friends love the Maturin character, but I'm partial to Richard Bolitho, with the exception of one out of 27 or so books. Any other Bolitho series fans out there?

Subject: RE: Help: Patrick O'Brian's Desolation Island
From: JedMarum
Date: 14 May 09 - 06:25 PM

Thanks Bill. I'll put Alexander Kent and his Bolitho series on my 'to read" list!

Subject: RE: Help: Patrick O'Brian's Desolation Island
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 May 09 - 12:27 PM

Bill-

I've also read the Richard Bolitho series but I differ with you on several points. Yes, there is more action described in detail than with O'Brian. However, the dialogue is much less interesting than with O'Brian. And Kent's major women characters are strikingly similar, and they hardly ever do anything interesting on their own.

I do like the newer Kydd by Julian Stockwin series. And James Nelson does come up with some well documented historical novels as well.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Help: Patrick O'Brian's Desolation Island
From: Les from Hull
Date: 15 May 09 - 12:59 PM

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).

Subject: RE: Help: Patrick O'Brian's Desolation Island
From: EBarnacle
Date: 16 May 09 - 12:49 AM

All this this trashing of Forester is really inappropriate. He began his series with a trilogy which {I believe} was commissioned to be the basis of a pretty good movie starring Gregory Peck. The remainder of the series was consistent in style with the trilogy.

Considering that he took the constructs of Sabatini and the other single novel authors and created the central character series concept of maritime novels, I would say he did pretty well.

Subject: RE: Help: Patrick O'Brian's Desolation Island
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 16 May 09 - 01:07 AM

I found the character of Hornblower to be really annoying. I didn't enjoy spending time with him, the way I did Aubrey and Maturin.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Help: Patrick O'Brian's Desolation Island
From: Les from Hull
Date: 16 May 09 - 03:50 PM

I would never slag off CS Forester. He more or less established this genre (after Marryat, who had sailed with Cochrane). I read them as a kid and the navy of that period has remained a lifelong interest with me. In my personal list CS Forester comes second, after O'Brian.

Subject: RE: Help: Patrick O'Brian's Desolation Island
From: GUEST,l.n.
Date: 20 Jul 22 - 01:20 AM

ooh-aah: The "You ladies of lubricity, that dwell in the bordello" lines from Post Captain are from a 1611 travelogue, Coryat's Crudities: Hastily gobled up in Five Moneth's Travels, by Thomas Coryat.