Patrick O'Brian, The Reverse of the Medal ***

The immemorial sequence of cleaning the upper decks in the earliest morning, pumping ship, piping up hammocks, piping hands to breakfast, cleaning the maindeck, ... the solemn observation of noon, hands piped to dinner... the immemorial sequence, punctuated by bells, was quickly and firmly restored...

Reading a Patrick O'Brian book is like settling back into the immemorial sequence, a comfortable routine. The Reverse of the Medal unfortunately has very little sailing action, but its land-based action is more interesting than it was in The Fortune of War, for example. It also felt like O'Brian explained things a bit more explicitly than he usually does. Another notable feature of this episode is that it clearly sets up the action of the next book.