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The Unknown Shore Audiobook
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(3.98) - 692 listener ratings
Publisher Description
Best-selling author Patrick O'Brian turns to Commodore Anson's famous 1740 voyage for this rich tale of exploration and adventure. In The Unknown Shore, the inspiration for and immediate precursor to the acclaimed and immensely popular Aubrey/Maturin series, O'Brian's splendid prose and enthralling attention to detail launches listeners-spellbound-into the Age of Discovery.
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"I knew it was the precursor to the Aubrey/Maturin series, but aside from that I didnt know what to expect. It was enlightening, entertaining, and enjoyable... yet it still lacked that spark he tapped into in his later work. Still a fun read though."
— Cole (4 out of 5 stars)
The Unknown Shore Listener Reviews
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Bruce Jondle, 12/30/2022
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" This MIGHT be my favorite single book ever. Funny, historically accurate, full of adventure and friendship. And, of course, written by Patrick O'Brian. Can it get any better? :D "
— Jess, 2/6/2014 -
" Great early sketches of Aubrey and Marturin. Excellent account of survival. "
— Ed, 1/24/2014 -
" My last un-read O'Brian seafaring novel. "
— Anna, 1/23/2014 -
" This was a tantalizing glimpse of the Aubrey/Maturin series, no doubt. This book is unpolished and a bit rough around the edges during some episodes but it tells a good story and a great adventure. Looking forward to his other books now. No doubt he will only get better. "
— Shivesh, 1/16/2014 -
" This and "The Golden Ocean" are independent of the Aubrey/Maturin series and are the first two seafaring novels that O'Brien wrote. This one has similar characters to the Aubrey/Maturin series. Like Jane Austen, but very wet. "
— Bill, 1/15/2014 -
" Started off in a thoroughly early-Jane-Austen manner. Most enjoyable. "
— Kent, 1/13/2014 -
" A good adventure story - less dense than some of O'Brian's works (there's more story and fewer pages full of nothing but numerous lines and sails and impenetrable ship-detail). "
— casapazzo, 1/2/2014 -
" Harder to get into than The Golden Ocean, it's neverthless a hell of a ride. Especially the last part. Shackleton's Arctic escape is like a day out at the park comared to this. "
— Rockderk, 12/25/2013 -
" I want to reread it. "
— Sarah, 12/3/2013 -
" Not the best of his books, but it definitely gives you a feel for the wonderful Aubrey/Maturin adventures that follow. "
— Alesia, 11/27/2013 -
" Very similar in tone to the Aubrey/Maturin novels, but I prefer those. While there were great tracts of this one that I enjoyed very much, parts of the last quarter of it dragged and I didn't feel like it was going somewhere as I do with the A/M novels. "
— Kiri, 11/19/2013 -
" Interesting mostly as a precursor to the Aubrey/Maturin novels. The never-ending series of setbacks got to be too repetitive, even if true. "
— Grace, 8/10/2013 -
" Everything you'd want to know about 17th century sailing ships! "
— Deb, 3/13/2013 -
" This is my first Patrick O'Brian read and I enjoyed it very much. O'Brian is a natural born story-teller, backed up with historic detail. I may be visiting him again. "
— Kathleen, 11/26/2012 -
" A good read, but not as good as the Aubrey/Maturin series. "
— Tom, 6/11/2012 -
" Historical fiction about life on the high seas. "
— Beth, 1/12/2012 -
" I have read all of O'brian's Master and Commander series and loved them. I had great hopes for this one, but was let down. The story skips all over the place without really focusing on anything. It was as if it was a completely different author. "
— Dee, 4/19/2011 -
" My last un-read O'Brian seafaring novel. "
— Anna, 1/16/2011 -
" Started off in a thoroughly early-Jane-Austen manner. Most enjoyable. "
— Kent, 9/18/2010 -
" This MIGHT be my favorite single book ever. Funny, historically accurate, full of adventure and friendship. And, of course, written by Patrick O'Brian. Can it get any better? :D "
— Jess, 3/1/2010 -
" I am crawling through this read. There is so much technical content - 19th century seafaring jargon - that my eyes roll up and call it a night almost as soon as I begin at night...... but I am persevering...! <br/> <br/>I finally finished, and delivered these scurvy sailors back to Britain. "
— Mary, 12/31/2009 -
" Great early sketches of Aubrey and Marturin. Excellent account of survival. "
— Ed, 12/2/2009 -
" This was a tantalizing glimpse of the Aubrey/Maturin series, no doubt. This book is unpolished and a bit rough around the edges during some episodes but it tells a good story and a great adventure. Looking forward to his other books now. No doubt he will only get better. "
— Shivesh, 8/19/2009 -
" Interesting mostly as a precursor to the Aubrey/Maturin novels. The never-ending series of setbacks got to be too repetitive, even if true. "
— Grace, 7/31/2009
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.