Publisher Description
The 12th installment in the Aubrey/ Maturin series. The time is the early 1800s, and the British Navy stands as the only bulwark against the militant fanaticism of Napoleonic France. Jack Aubrey, a brilliant and experienced officer, has been struck off the list of post-captains for a crime his has not committed. His old friend Stephen Maturin, usually acting as the ship's surgeon to cover his activities on behalf of British intelligence, has bought for Aubrey his old ship The Surprise to command as a privateer. Together they sail on a desperate mission against the French which, if successful, may redeem Aubrey from the private hell of his disgrace. From these familiar Patrick O'Brian has created a tale of great narrative power that rivals C.S. Forester for suspense, and surpasses him in its perception of character.
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About Patrick O'Brian
Patrick O’Brian (1914–2000), a translator and author of biographies, was best known as the author of the highly acclaimed Aubrey–Maturin series of historical novels. Set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars ,this twenty-volume series centers on the enduring friendship between naval officer Jack Aubrey and physician and spy Stephen Maturin. The Far Side of the World, the tenth book in the series, was adapted into a 2003 film directed by Peter Weir and starring Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany. The film was nominated for ten Oscars, including Best Picture. He wrote acclaimed biographies of Pablo Picasso and Sir Joseph Banks. He also translated many works from the French, among them the novels and memoirs of Simone de Beauvoir and Jean Lacouture’s biographies of Charles de Gaulle.
About Tim Pigott-Smith
Tim
Pigott-Smith is an award-winning English actor of film, television, and stage and an audiobook narrator. He has narrated several notable television documentaries,
including Crimes That Shook the World.
He has won two AudioFile Earphones Awards, for The Honorary Consul by Graham Greene and The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyesvky. He was a three-time finalist for the 2006 Audie
Award for Best Original Work for the three-part Eyewitness series by Joanna Burke. His film career includes roles
in major motion pictures, including V for
Vendetta, Quantum of Solace, The Remains of the Day, Gangs of New York, and more. His
numerous television credits include Downton
Abbey, The Jewel in the Crown, and
North and South. He is also a noted
radio actor, appearing in many productions on BBC Radio 4, and a regular stage
actor in Shakespearean and Greek roles.