The Mauritius Command (Aubrey/Maturin, #4)

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The Mauritius Command (Aubrey & Maturin #4)

4.31 of 5 stars 4.31 · rating details · 5,179 ratings · 187 reviews

"O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin volumes actually constitute a single 6,443-page novel, one that should have been on those lists of the greatest novels of the 20th-century." —George Will, Washington Post

Captain Jack Aubrey is ashore on half pay without a command—until Stephen Maturin arrives with secret orders for Aubrey to take a frigate to the Cape of Good Hope under a commodor...more

Paperback, 368 pages

Published May 17th 1991 by W. W. Norton & Company (first published 1977)

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Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C.S. Forester

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Oct 31, 2008 Felicity rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Felicity by: Ryan Grove

Shelves: historical-fiction, reread, fiction, novel

I do enter upon my rereadings of Patrick O'Brian books with an open mind. I am willing to give fewer than five stars to each book before I read it. However, at some point, sweeping down upon the blaggardly French under a great press of sail, foreboding the ruin of a tragically flawed officer, or smiling at Aubrey's sweet simplicity, it becomes impossible not to give it every star at my command.

Mauritius Command is a particularly cohesive volume, more united in purpose than most, comprising as it...more

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Apr 13, 2013 Nigie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm cruising through the Patrick O'Brian Aubrey/Maturin series which comprise a mighty set of enjoyable, well-researched yarns set at sea during the Napoleonic wars early in the nineteenth century. The connecting thread is the career of a John-Bull archetype, Captain Jack Aubrey, in the company of his best friend, ship's surgeon and an Admiralty spy, the cerebral, physically Gollum-like Stephen Maturin, obsessed with the study of nature and physiology, and woefully unlucky in love. The pair regu...more I'm cruising through the Patrick O'Brian Aubrey/Maturin series which comprise a mighty set of enjoyable, well-researched yarns set at sea during the Napoleonic wars early in the nineteenth century. The connecting thread is the career of a John-Bull archetype, Captain Jack Aubrey, in the company of his best friend, ship's surgeon and an Admiralty spy, the cerebral, physically Gollum-like Stephen Maturin, obsessed with the study of nature and physiology, and woefully unlucky in love. The pair regularly play music together in the captain's cabin and occasionally share confidences, but more often co-exist separately while pursuing their own dramas, sometimes but not often as rivals. Jack's an extrovert, a plain speaker and an adventurer, never more at home than in hand-to-hand ship-to-ship combat or trimming and breaking in a vessel to its maximum possible speed and battle efficiency. Stephen is more introverted, eccentric and obsessive, a widely-read intellectual and a loner prone to murky moods. This review will serve for all the books. (And a tip: don't be prejudiced by the -- in my opinion -- flawed Peter Weir effort at capturing the series for the big screen in Master and Commander: the leads were badly miscast and the O'Brian magic was missing, though there was a certain amount to commend.)

As in all series, a structural pattern emerges. On entering each story we'll find the pair on land yearning for an assignment, and the author skilfully paints their social, financial and practical ineptitudes off-water. Then a ship is given them, accompanied by a mission, with Stephen usually charged with certain duties of Crown espionage. The ship, as it's shaped to Jack's sailing and fighting tastes, usually becomes one of the story's characters, whereby Jack always wants to take an enemy or privateer because therein lies his fortune: spoils and booty. O'Brian has researched every aspect of Regency naval life including its conventions, politics, systems and flaws, and weaves his knowledge deftly into his plots. After some period traveloguing, there'll be a battle and a victory or a loss, propelling us into the next book.

The prose is always more than workmanlike, the suspense supple enough to keep you in. Characterisations are lively and vivid, if rarely passionate, though Jack, refreshingly, exhibits plenty. The tales don't quite rollick, but come close: the author is a sanguine spirit, occasionally cryptic, a habitual dry archness sometimes demanding the reader extricate events from between lines, but never irksomely so. He's (was) Irish and enjoys a little irony.

Where the books soar is when the ships sail. No one has written boats at sea better: you feel every droplet and you swoop with every gust that fills the sails. He has no patience for ignorance, you have to keep up with the terminology, but there's a handy diagram of a ship as the frontispiece with every sail labelled. The sailing bits and the battles are exhilarating, founded in meticulous and engaging informative preparation within the narrative, and comprehensive elucidation about every pivotal character caught in the conflicts. The series is worth reading for the author's love of the sea, and his gift for rendering it incarnate with words and paper. Grab one of these books if you see one, they're grownup fun.(less)

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Dec 11, 2008 Roger W. rated it 4 of 5 stars

In previous books Mr. O'Brian has several times told us that he uses real ships and real battles for his fictional accounts. It's well known that he went to great lengths to make his stories ring with authenticity, reading the original logbooks of the vessels involved and the private papers of survivors.

In this the fourth episode of his Aubrey-Maturin series, he takes this method to the extreme - his whole book, not only one or two battles, is based on a historical campaign, making for some ver...more

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Oct 22, 2007 Rob rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Lovers of naval adventures and of historical fiction.

Shelves: naval, historical-fiction

I continue to love the Aubrey/Maturin series. The Mauritius command excels in further character development by contrasting both Aubrey and Maturin with other captains and medical men in a small fleet commanded by Jack to take on the French. It's exciting, fast-paced, and a great read. A worthy successor to Post Captain and H.M.S. Surprise.

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Jul 20, 2011 Nelson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reluctantly, this is a shade less accomplished than the first three novels. It's still a far sight better than a lot of stuff going. The opening features something of a recap of the first three; I get the sense O'Brian was ready to stop at three, then decided to carry on. The opening sums up the first three books nicely. Much of the human interest here attaches to a new character, Lord Clonfert, who is in a weird kind of competition with the growing legend of Aubrey. Naturally much of this is lo...more

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Nov 23, 2008 Boz4pm rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have been so absorbed in these books that I keep forgetting to take time to review them in turn - aside from discussions and over-excited bouncing with mutual online friends who already know the series, that is.

I love this series so much, for all the reasons I outlined in Master & Commander - the depth and breadth of O'Brian's knowledge and research is outstanding, breathtaking and yet the level of writing mastery he shows in his portrayal of character and plot makes these books utterly br...more

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May 04, 2008 Betsy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I've recently discovered Patrick O'Brian--I had picked up H.M.S. Surprise at a used book store or a garage sale about three years ago and finally read it a couple weeks ago. I have a friend who describes Patrick O'Brian as "Jane Austen for boys." I've long since exhausted my first reads of all Jane Austen, so it is nice to have a score or two of new first reads. Also nice to read what may have been happening on the other side of all that crossed correspondence that drives Austen's domestic plot...more

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May 13, 2013 William P. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobooks

I never get tired of this series. I love the main characters, and Simon Vance gives life and energy to all the incidental characters as well. The combination of O'Brian's writing and Vance's narrating draws you in and lets you inhabit these stories, it lets you immerse yourself in the story. Normally you can only do that when you read a book, because an audiobook has that level of separation, but Vance IS the author's voice, he IS the narrator of the story, and like any good storyteller, he brid...more

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Jul 27, 2011 Deb Oestreicher rated it 5 of 5 stars

Didn't want to put this one down. Lucky Jack Aubrey gets his first chance to act as commodore, tasked to overcome apparently superior Napoleonic defenders off the coast of Africa. Along the way, Aubrey has to manage a largely inferior group of commanders--one who's capable enough, but plagued by jealousy; another who torments his crew almost to the point of mutiny; and another whose stolidity is welcome, but whose lack of imagination threatens the mission. Meanwhile, Dr. Maturin, in his capacity...more

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Jul 21, 2011 Ensiform rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, historical

The fourth book in the Aubrey-Maturin series. Languishing at home on half pay, Jack is unexpectedly given a commission to go as acting Commodore to the Cape of Good Hope, where he will direct a small squadron to take the French-held islands of Mauritius and Reunion. The captains under Jack’s command are slightly jealous, but they are motivated primarily by their differing natures, whether harsh taskmasters or eager to please and ineffective. After some easy victories, helped along by Stephen’s p...more

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Aug 05, 2010 Denerick rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the fourth book of the Aubrey/Maturin naval series, and like the first three I enjoyed the relationship between Luckey Jack Aubrey and the sensitive, intellectual doctor, Stephen Maturin. Unfortunately, I still have not come to grips with all of the naval terminology, and the confusing writing style that O'Brien employs... (He quickly changes and resolves plotlines, sometimes in a single sentance, so if your concentration wanders at all you kind of lose track of where you are)

In general,...more

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May 03, 2010 Matt rated it 3 of 5 stars

In all honesty, I only read this because I was searching out books with Mauritius in the title because I'm going there. I certainly don't regret reading it, and if you enjoy swashbuckling naval adventures from the early 19th century, neither will you, but I wouldn't call it a must read. I probably would have given it 4 stars if I had a thesaurus by my side, as the language is fantastic, with sailing references galore. A sampling for ya, where the vocab was at my land-based level:

"Although his he...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Michael rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, napoleonic-wars, nautical, military, england, espionage, africa

A delight as usual to dive into this 4th in the wonderfully addictive series about the British navy during the Napoleanic Wars. I gave myself the treat of coming back to this, which stands out as one of the best in the set of 16 that I read most of the distant past. Half or more of the pleasure comes from partaking in the special friendship between boyish and brave Captain Jack Aubrey and the more intellectual surgeon and spy, Stephen Maturin. The other reward lies in O’Brian’s portrayal of the...more A delight as usual to dive into this 4th in the wonderfully addictive series about the British navy during the Napoleanic Wars. I gave myself the treat of coming back to this, which stands out as one of the best in the set of 16 that I read most of the distant past. Half or more of the pleasure comes from partaking in the special friendship between boyish and brave Captain Jack Aubrey and the more intellectual surgeon and spy, Stephen Maturin. The other reward lies in O’Brian’s portrayal of the special community that exists among the sailors aboard these floating extensions of the British empire. Of course, the quest of taking virtuous naval action against the forces of Bonaparte’s tyranny is part of the hedonic equation, a chance to experience a more adult version of the heroic adventure tales of Hornblower that sustained my youth.

Here Aubrey has the mission to take a small squadron to face the marauding French frigates which are devastating the trade of England with India around Cape Horn. The series of engagements covered in this tale involve a wonderful chess match of shifting odds which recapitulate the actual history of how the islands of Mauritius and Reunion off the east African coast were wrested from the French in 1805. Unlike the cat and mouse play between individual ships and commanders in previous books in the series, this one puts Jack in the position of leader of a campaign. As a commodore, his challenge is to harness and inspire his captains, each with a different set of strengths and weaknesses. He also has to coordinate with British army forces and local militia and judiciously risk Stephen to on intelligence gathering trips ashore.

Much of the narrative comes from Stephen’s reflections, which provides a fascinating perspective on the manners and morals of the time, critical views on British imperialism, and much comparing and contrasting of Aubrey with other officers. As usual, he is frustrated in his hunger to satisfy his naturalist avocation in exploring the flora and fauna of this remote geography. Still, we get to share his ecstasies over experiencing his first aardvark and manatee. His ruminations on human nature and medicine provide a satisfying backdrop to the story. And, as usual, the interludes of music and of humorous banter with Jack are icing on the cake. For example, at one point Stephen asks Jack whether he can learn anything useful from distant observation of the French ships:

“Of course,” said Jack a little impatiently. “What a fellow you are, Stephen. Any sailor can tell a great deal from the way another sailor sets his jib, or goes about, or flashes out his stuns’ls, just as you can tell a great deal about a doctor from the way he whipped off a leg.”
“Always this whipping off of a leg. It is my belief that for you people the whole noble art of medicine is summed up in the whipping off of a leg. …”
(less)

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Michael Florence wrote: "... The ability to whip off a leg with efficiency would have been what being a good surgeon was about back then. I also now get where...more Florence wrote: "... The ability to whip off a leg with efficiency would have been what being a good surgeon was about back then. I also now get where the expression "I like the cut of your jib" comes from..." LOL

Aside from the nautical phrases, there are the delightful food dishes like "soused pig face", sea pie, and figgy-dowdy. And the odd vernacular of some of the seamen is colorful and fun to translate. I love this exchange with the Captain's servant Killick:

‘Good morning, Killick,” said Stephen. ‘Where’s himself?’

‘Good morning, sir,’ said Killick. ‘Which he’s still on deck.’

‘Killick,’ said Stephen, ‘what’s amiss? Have you seen the ghost in the bred-room? Are you sick? Show me your tongue.’

When Killick had withdrawn his tongue, a flannelly object of inordinate length, he said, paler still, ‘Is there a ghost in the bread-room, sir? Oh, oh, and I was there in the middle watch. Oh, sir, I might a seen it.’

‘There is always a ghost in the bread-room. Light along that pot, will you now?’

‘I durs’nt, sir, begging your pardon. There’s worse news than the ghost, even. Them wicked old rats got at the coffee, sir, and I doubt there’s another pot in the barky.’

‘Preserved Killick, pass me that pot, or you will join the ghost in the bread-room and howl forever more.’
With extreme unwillingness Killick out the pot on the very edge of the table, muttering, ‘Oh, I’ll cop it: oh, I’ll cop it.’

Jack walked in, poured himself a cup as he bade Stephen good morning, and said, ‘I’m afraid they are all in.’

‘All in what?’

‘All the Frenchmen are in harbor, with their two Indiamen and the Victor. Have you not been on deck? We are lying off Port Louis. The coffee has a damned odd taste.’

‘This I attribute to the excrement of rats. Rats have eaten our entire stock; and I take the present brew to be a mixture of the scrapings at the bottom of the sack.’

‘I thought it had a familiar tang,’ said Jack …(less)
Mar 10, 2013 06:11am

Florence MacIntosh Michael wrote: "Florence wrote: "... The ability to whip off a leg with efficiency would have been what being a good surgeon was about back then. I al...more
Mar 10, 2013 09:40am

Dec 08, 2011 Richard rated it 4 of 5 stars

The intrepid Captain Aubrey, who has faced severe storms at sea, imminent risk of loss of life during close sea battle encounters, capture by the enemy, and the Admiralty's endless red tape, finds himself in quiet domestic bliss at the beginning of this novel. Or maybe bliss is not exactly an accurate description of Jack's state of affairs. He is definitely happy to be settled down with his wife, Sophie, on the farm, Ashgrove Cottage, he bought with prize money from earlier adventures. The Aubre...more The intrepid Captain Aubrey, who has faced severe storms at sea, imminent risk of loss of life during close sea battle encounters, capture by the enemy, and the Admiralty's endless red tape, finds himself in quiet domestic bliss at the beginning of this novel. Or maybe bliss is not exactly an accurate description of Jack's state of affairs. He is definitely happy to be settled down with his wife, Sophie, on the farm, Ashgrove Cottage, he bought with prize money from earlier adventures. The Aubreys are delighted with their twin daughters, and are visited occasionally by Jack's good friend, Stephen Maturin. There is a downside to this bucolic domestic situation, however. Jack must continue to make ends meet while subsisting on the half-pay afforded naval officers as they wait for new commands. Also, the Jack's overbearing mother-in-law, Mrs. Williams oversees the running of the household and gives Jack a daily-increasing yearning for returning to the sea.

Jack's relief comes in a letter delivered by Stephen. He will be given the temporary higher rank of Commodore, while being placed in charge of a squadron of British ships tasked with winning the islands of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean from France. Also arriving at Ashgrove Cottage is Lady Clonfort, wife of socially prominent Lord Clomfort. Her husband commands one of the ships in Jack's upcoming command. She complicates Jack's life considerably by inviting herself as a passenger aboard his ship, so she can join her husband in the Indian Ocean. This creates a potentially unbearable distraction to Jack's enjoyment of sailing his ship, as well as a violation of his superstition against having females aboard. When he departs England aboard the 38-gun "H.M.S. Boadicea", he manages to miss his appointment with Mrs. Clomfort and sails without her.

Needless to say, the challenges are many when Commodore Jack arrives on station at Cape Town and takes the measure of the captains serving under him. He is put of by having the harsh disciplinarian Captain Corbett under his command. He liberates his former trustworthy coxswain Barret Bonden, and Preserved Killick, his crusty but faithful steward, from Corbett's unhappy ship. Both these individuals will be featured prominently in this series. Jack must also face a tricky situation by having to supervise Captain Clomfort, who is visibly angry at the perceived snubbing of his wife by Aubrey. As Jack tells Stephen, "How I shall manage it with Clonfert I can hardly tell: I must not get athwart his hawse if I can avoid it, but with that damned business of his wife I am half way there already." (p. 118).

Capturing La Reunion and executing a strategy for the taking of Ile de France (Mauritius) will take all of the skill of this resourceful naval officer and his fleet, and the book provides lots of action toward that end. Not every naval officer comes out alive, and then there is the looming presence of Jack's superior, Admiral Bertie, ready to jump in and exercise command of the action, and steal the glory, just as everything is ready to fall into the hands of the Royal Navy.

Those readers intimately familiar with the history of the Napoleonic Wars will find the names of important participants, ships engaged in the action and actual events accurately described by Patrick O'Brian in this and his other books. O'Brian's great talent is inserting his well-crafted fictional characters into naval actions that actually happened. Thus, for instance, the real Captain Corbett of "H.M.S. Africaine" died in action in the battles for Mauritius. There has always been speculation that he was killed by his own crew in the heat of battle with "Iphigenie"; O'Brian subscribes to this view and skillfully weaves the story into his book, but there is no hard evidence Corbett died of anything else but the severe injuries inflicted by the French.

The real enjoyment of these books, however, is in letting Patrick O'Brian take you along on the voyages of Jack Aubrey in the wooden-ship navy, keeping your interest riveted to the development of the characters, intricate depictions of ships' workings and descriptions of every-day life. Also, note must be made of the beautiful cover art of Geoff Hunt on each volume. Jolly good.(less)

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Jan 11, 2012 Boots rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 19th-century-nautical

the opening of this book in the series is brilliant: Jack at home, domesticated, as it were, but pining for the sea; his poverty and family obligations bending--but not breaking him.

once we get on board and out to Mauritius, the story felt a bit more labored (lot of politics and boats and whatnot ~ one gets the impression of o'brian just writing a strange sort of naval fan faction about this historical action). nevertheless, a fun character study of Jack's nemesis Clonfert, the happy return of...more

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May 22, 2009 Elaine rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of historical fiction

Recommended to Elaine by: male friends

This is my fourth O'Brian book and I guess I'm going to spend the summer reading all of them! The Mauritius Command follows Stephen Maturin and his friend, Captain Jack Aubrey, as they further advance their naval careers. Patrick O'Brian has done another brilliant job of recounting the life of British seaman and officers in nineteenth century conflicts. His characters, main and secondary, are maturing in a convincing way in both their professional and personal lives. This adventure finds Captain...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

It strikes me as blackly amusing that the end of each Regency romance book--the happy clinch and fade to implied domestic bliss--leads directly to the opening of so many Age of Sail books--the hero chafing at the domestic life and yearning to escape and be at sea again.

Jack Aubrey is a commodore in this story, which means he is in charge of leading several different ships. Much of the book is dedicated to the interpersonal difficulties dealing with disparate prickly, sensitive, or craven persona...more

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Dec 15, 2012 Kenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-historical

As I finished the first three books, I began to get the feeling that maybe this was all there was: the most challenging use of language I've experienced as an adult, a wonderul capturing of life at sea aboard three-masted ships, excellent sea engagements with daring tactics and weather always a factor, Jane Austin relationship trials on land, slow-burning naval politics, and a progressive unfolding of Dr. Maturin's depth and capabilities.

And then O'Brian made Aubrey a Commodore in charge of a sq...more

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Apr 06, 2011 Wealhtheow rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

At the end of the H.M.S. 'Surprise', Captain Jack Aubrey finally had the chance to marry his beloved and settle down into a little country cottage. The Muaritius Command begins with his bff Doctor Stephen Maturin visiting him and offering Jack an opportunity to go back to sea. Jack leaps at the chance, both to return to the profession he loves and to get away from his hectoring mother-in-law and lumpish twin infants. And even better than he'd expected--when Jack makes it to La Reunon, he finds t...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Christie Bradley rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Mauritius Command brings to life a campaign most (myself included) have never heard about, with Aubrey and Maturin right in the middle. Though I did enjoy this book and learned a lot about British history that I did not know, I didn't find the story as interesting as that in the previous books. I especially was disappointed that there was less detail about Maturin's doings than in the third novel, which so far is my favorite in the series. However, there are two interesting characters, Lord...more

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Apr 22, 2011 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Bettie, Carey

Shelves: audio-books, hf-napoleonic-era, read-2011

Next On:
Next Sunday, 15:00 on BBC Radio 4

Patrick O'Brian's naval epic set in 1809, dramatised in three parts by Roger Danes. Starring David Robb as Captain Jack Aubrey and Richard Dillane as Doctor Stephen Maturin.

Following his adventures in HMS Surprise, Jack Aubrey has been kicking his heels at home when his old friend, Stephen Maturin, comes knocking at his door with welcome news. Jack is promoted to Commodore, and is to lead a squadron of English ships, charged with taking the Indian Ocean i...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another great addition to the series by Patrick O'Brian, this book continues the wholly pleasurable story of Lucky Jack Aubrey and Dr. Maturin, this time in the Indian Ocean. In addition making it easy for readers to picture day-to-day life on a British man-o-war, each book also adds to readers' understanding of life more generally during the Napoleonic Wars; this one touches upon colonialism, advancement in the Royal Navy, and societal conventions.

As a random note, I'm finding really delightfu...more

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Mar 16, 2011 Alex rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: series

I love this series. I am immersed in a world where my interest is held by the friendship of two men, and the details and action of this world. I love the humor and found myself laughing aloud a couple of times. The writing is superb but I often need a dictionary. I also often use an atlas to help picture just where the action is taking place.
This may be the type of book perfect for an electronic device that has a built in dictionary and google at you fingertips. It's a rich world made wondrous...more

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Nov 28, 2012 David Walsh rated it 2 of 5 stars

I first read one of O'Brien's Aubrey/Maturing books some years ago. I have carried a rather romantic notion of this series, and time has only created a luster to that notion. I overestimated the romance. I downloaded this book, and I had to slog through many pages before recapturing the seafaring mystique of Aubrey and his french compatriot. The nautical terminology becomes overwhelming, and the intrigue of battles at sea and the political dance that occurs in the Admiralty is ultimately lost.

No...more

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Jun 29, 2011 Sadie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio-books, read-with-husband, 4-stars

Though I like this era for reading, I primarily started listening to these books because of my husband. My husband as heard it said that these books are for men what Jane Austen is for women, and I can see why. I don't know if you could find a more masculine book if you tried. I have enjoyed everyone of these books, though at times the story will lag when Steven goes off on one of his many observations of man (though you can't but love him for it). I have grown to love both Captain Aubrey and St...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Hilary G rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: abandoned

Oh dear! How I struggled with this. Reading it was a chore and not a pleasure, I hardly ever read more than one or two pages at once, and even being trapped in a jumbo jet at 20,000 feet with nothing to read didn't help. Because it was a book group choice, I kept on trying. But eventually, I was unequal to the challenge, and abandoned it at about page 143. I have always disliked the sort of historical fiction that aims for contemporaneous accuracy because you are then assaulted with far too much...more

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Jan 29, 2009 K T rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own-it

Less focused on Aubrey and Maturin's friendship than the earlier books, and they spend long passages apart. I found the new characters interesting though, and the action was all new kinds of stuff. I actually missed my bus stop for the first time ever because I was so into reading this. Not as many terrible puns either, but still some really funny moments. And I'm looking forward to how things develop for Maturin in the next book.

I'm still not used to O'Brian's sudden endings.

The ship Boadicea w...more

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Mar 24, 2009 Christine Mehring rated it 3 of 5 stars

I love Patrick O'Brian, and Jack Aubrey, and Stephen Maturin very much. This book just felt sort of in-between.... like a space holder with some character development and stuff. A way to move the characters from the end of HMS Surprise on to wherever they're going next. It didn't feel like a story by itself. Another problem was that I had this one on recorded book, and while the narrator was wonderful, I generally listened to it while I was doing something else, so it didn't get the undivided at...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Brad rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aubrey-maturin, audio-book, listened-to, nautical, napoleonic-era, north-atlantic

All the main characters, Aubrey and Maturin included, faded into the background of The Mauritius Command, becoming a kind of landscape upon which the drama of Lord Clonfert played out. His was the story that most captured my attention this time through.

Clonfert begins the tale as the captain of HMS Otter. He is a vain man. A handsome man who cuts a dashing figure in his finery. He has developed some bravery (after a shaky beginning to his career), is a "capital seaman" and has the loyalty of his...more All the main characters, Aubrey and Maturin included, faded into the background of The Mauritius Command, becoming a kind of landscape upon which the drama of Lord Clonfert played out. His was the story that most captured my attention this time through.

Clonfert begins the tale as the captain of HMS Otter. He is a vain man. A handsome man who cuts a dashing figure in his finery. He has developed some bravery (after a shaky beginning to his career), is a "capital seaman" and has the loyalty of his men. He is also an unabashed liar when it comes to his accomplishments (even suggesting he was present at the killing of a unicorn, using a Narwhal tusk as his evidence), but his vanity quickly undermines his spirit when he's thrust into the shadow of his former shipmate, now commanding officer, Commodore Jack Aubrey.

Clonfert is eventually made Post-Captain by the man he sees as his nemesis and is given the frigate HMS Néréide as his command. He eventually loses his ship and half his face in a poorly executed action, and once he realizes that Jack Aubrey will again return him to command, after the Mauritius Campaign has reached its successful conclusion, he takes his own life in his convalescent bed.

It's not a tragic death. It's rather pathetic, actually. O'Brian's expression of Clonfert's fall, however, is touching and strikes at a truth I've witnessed amongst many of those who find themselves in competition with one another. Quite often, the successful person, the "bull" in an analogy of Stephen Maturin's, has no idea that the less successful person, the "frog" in the same analogy, envies him, hates him, or obsesses over him in any way. So the bull steps on the frog without ever noticing, and as Dr. Maturin suggests, "how can the bull be blamed ...." How, indeed?

I never want to be a frog, but I fear that there is a bit of that beast in me despite my desire. It is something for which I must be wary. I should probably be wary of being the bull too. Wariness may just be the most benevolent policy. (less)

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Dec 12, 2012 marginalia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure

This is one of the books where O'Brian's characterization really comes to the fore, I think - in many ways Jack is a lesser character in this book, and a lot of the book is about the contrasts between the Greek tragedy of Lord Clonford, Dr McAdam, and Captain Corbett, as seen through the eyes of Stephen and Jack (a lot of the character insight comes through Jack and Stephen's internal monologues). This is really one of the more self-contained books with a coherent internal structure and themes a...more

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About Patrick O'Brian

Patrick O'Brian, CBE (born as Richard Patrick Russ) was an English novelist and translator, best known for his Aubrey–Maturin series of novels set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and centered on the friendship of English Naval Captain Jack Aubrey and the Irish–Catalan physician Stephen Maturin. The 20-novel series is known for its well-researched and highly detailed portrayal of early...more

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Master and Commander (Aubrey/Maturin, #1)

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Quotes from The Mauritius Command

“...for very strangely his officers looked upon Jack Aubrey as a moral figure, in spite of all proofs of the contrary...” — 7 people liked it

“Why, sir," said he, looking about him, "what splendour I see: gold lace, breeches, cocked hats. Allow me to recommend a sandwich. And would you be contemplating an attack, at all?"
"It had crossed my mind, I must admit," said Jack. "Indeed, I may go so far as to say, that I am afraid a conflict is now virtually inevitable. Did you notice we have cleared for action?” — 6 people liked it

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avg rating	preview: The Mauritius Command Goodreads rating: 4.31 (5179 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77431.The_Mauritius_Command?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348715133l/77431.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77431.The_Mauritius_Command?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Mauritius Command by Patrick O'Brian[/url]

The Mauritius Command (Aubrey & Maturin #4)

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