My enjoyment of a book in the Aubrey-Maturin series is typically proportional to the amount of seafaring adventure it contains, and inversely proportional to the amount of time the characters spend ashore. The first half of The Commodore takes place in England, and the only sea battle takes place in the closing pages, so you would expect me to find it one of the weaker entries. However, it feels like O'Brian has taken a leap forward in his ability to engage me with the character-driven material. People have compared O'Brian to Jane Austen (who was writing during the time these books take place), but this is the first time I've understood the comparison.
Aubrey's mission in The Commodore is to disrupt the slave trade off the west coast of Africa. It provided a unique perspective on the trade, although the exposition was particularly overt. "I have no experience in this area," says Aubrey, "so pray, Mr Whewell, be so kind as to tell me all about it."
Aubrey's mission in The Commodore is to disrupt the slave trade off the west coast of Africa. It provided a unique perspective on the trade, although the exposition was particularly overt. "I have no experience in this area," says Aubrey, "so pray, Mr Whewell, be so kind as to tell me all about it."
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