The Frigate Surprise: The Complete Story of the Ship Made Famous in the Novels of Patrick O'Brian

by Geoff Hunt, Brian Lavery, Nikolai Tolstoy (Foreword)

The design, construction, and careers—in history and in fiction—of Jack Aubrey’s favorite command.

There is no more famous a vessel in naval fiction than HMS Surprise, the principal ship in Patrick O’Brian’s much-celebrated Aubrey-Maturin series of novels. Yet, this 28-gun frigate also had an eventful real career serving in both the French and then the Royal Navies. It was captured from the French in 1796 and took part in the famous cutting-out action on the frigate HMS Hermione, which the Spanish had taken after a savage mutiny. In 1802, after the Peace of Amiens, HMS Surprise was decommissioned and delivered into the fictional captaincy of Jack Aubrey.

This sumptuous new volume narrates the career of HMS Surprise in both her historical and her fictional roles and presents an all-embracing construction and fitting history. In addition to historical illustrations, maps, artifacts, and photographs, thirty-five paintings, some specially commissioned, have been contributed by Geoff Hunt, whose art graces the covers of Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin novels. Fifty line plans have been drawn by the marine draftsman Karl Heinz Marquardt.

50 color; 70 black & white drawings; maps

Genres: History, Nautical, Naval History, Nonfiction

144 pages, Hardcover

First published November 8, 2008

Reviews

[Elliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

A handsome book in all aspects. It makes a perfect coffee table book, but serves equally well as research book. The Frigate Surprise is marketed towards the readers of Patrick O’Brian whom, speaking as one, will find much to delight over. The writing is excellent and well-researched. In addition, the book is beautifully illustrated, including draughts of the frigate, maps, and period prints and pictures, but the majority of images are paintings by the marine artist Geoff Hunt.

Within its pages are told two stories: the history of the real HMS Surprise and the similar but fictional life of the ship of the same name which features in the Aubrey/Maturin novels of Patrick O'Brian. Most of the book consists of the former. The sheer depth of information about the particulars of life aboard that ship amazes me, though, of course, it is derived from the Surprise’s log book and other extant documents.

The final two chapters are written by Geoff Hunt, who was able to provide some unique insights into both the real and the fictional ships, seeing as he is the principal cover artist for the Aubrey/Maturin series. Unfortunately, I did not read much of his contributions, as I am only four books into the series and did not want to spoil myself, but I hope in about a year’s time to again borrow this book from the library so I can read those parts which I skipped. The final chapter, in which Hunt discusses all the covers he painted which include the Surprise, was of particular interest to me. I was astonished to learn that Hunt corresponded with O’Brian over the cover art and the pains he took to make the paintings as faithful as possible (without detracting from their artistic merit). Thus, it pains me even more to see the new reprints featuring not Hunt’s beautiful, accurate depictions, but rather the dull, digital designs which seem inescapable in today’s world.

Highly recommended for fans of the O’Brian novels, but those interested in the Royal Navy of the time who have not read them will also find much to enjoy and profit from in The Frigate Surprise.

[Rick Spilman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Independent of her qualities in fiction, HMS Surprise was indeed a real ship upon which O’Brian based the ship in his novels. Now, Brian Lavery, the noted naval historian and author of more than twenty books on the Royal Navy, and Geoff Hunt, the president Royal Society of Marine Artists and the painter of many of the covers in the Aubrey Maturin series, have written The Frigate Surprise: The Complete Story of the Ship Made Famous in the Novels of Patrick O’Brian.

What makes the book so interesting is that it brings into sharp focus the differences between the ship of history and that represented in O’Brian’s novels. Equally fascinating is that the book also helps to contrast the Royal Navy of history with the often romanticized versions of fiction. It is an intriguing tale and it is hard to image two better qualified storytellers than Lavery and Hunt.

For any lover of the work of Patrick O’Brian, The Frigate Surprise is a wonderful book. The Frigate Surprise says less about the world created by Patrick O’Brian than it does about the real world of the Royal Navy from which O’Brian’s world was drawn, but that is not a bad thing either.

http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/05/08...

[Colin Freebury · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is well-structured, beautifully written, and richly illustrated.

[Michael Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lavery was already the author of two outstanding coffee-table-sized volumes on the Royal Navy of the Napoleonic wars and on the now-classic series of novels by Patrick O’Brian -- Nelson’s Navy and Jack Aubrey Commands. This one, focusing on Aubrey’s favorite ship, is the hat trick. If you already own the first two, you’re definitely going to want this one to sit beside them on the shelf, and to be taken down and re-perused at intervals. Surprise was a real frigate, of course, launched by the French (by whom it had been named L’Unité) in 1794, captured by the British barely two years later, and a participant in several notable actions and adventures after that, under several captains. It’s career was rather short, actually, as the Navy Board sold it to the knackers in 1802 -- but in “Lucky Jack” Aubrey’s world, she escaped and went on to circumnavigate the world, capture a very much larger Spanish ship, and engage in privateering and intelligence-gathering. This book covers both of Surprise’s lives, factual and fictional, as Lavery extensively quotes and summarizes the ship’s logs and muster rolls, explains what the terse record actually represents, and considers the personalities of the men who commanded her. Hunt has become moderately well off doing the paintings that grace the novels’ covers but he was already a noted marine artist and is now one of the very best; his works beautifully complement Lavery’s text -- as do the technical drawings, the reproduced original plans, and the numerous photos of surviving ships and modern reconstructions, including the version of Surprise that appeared in the Russell Crowe film (for which both Lavery and Hunt were also technical advisers). To sum it all up: It’s a beautiful, engrossing, amazing book. Buy it. If you can’t afford it, get it from the library. But read it.

[Wolfgang Schwerdt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zahlreiche Konstruktionspläne, Fotos, Skizzen und Bilder, umfassende technische Daten, teils in Tabellenform, teils redaktionell runden das Buch ab, das eigentlich in jedem Bücherschrank von Geschichtsinteressierten, Schiffsliebhabern, Modellbauern oder auch nur Bücherfreunden stehen sollte. Das Buch informiert umfassend und kompetent und es macht schlichtweg Spaß.

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll have to confess - I didn't read this through completely. More along the lines of enjoying the full color pictures and following the story in bits and pieces.

But, if you're a fan of the Patrick O'Brian series, than this would be quite a nice follow-along.

[Sophie Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nicely comprehensive book that covered the real HMS Surprise, the fictional ship, and Hunt's painting of O'Brian's covers. Needless to say, it was beautiful to look at in addition to being an interesting read.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-done overview of both the historical and fictional ships. Plus all of the lovely paintings!

[Julian Stockwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's no more famous vessel in naval fiction! This 28-gun frigate also had a most event real career... Beautifully illustrated.