The end is nigh. The Yellow Admiral is number 18 of the 20½ volume Aubrey-Maturin series. Naval officers are beginning to lament the lack of advancement opportunities associated with the imminent end of the Napoleonic Wars.
The story starts ashore with a Tolstoyan discussion of land-use policies in nineteenth-century England. Jack Aubrey prevents the inclosure of the commons near his estate. Unfortunately this success leads to complications when the admiral for Jack's next assignment is the uncle of his opponent in that dispute.
The Yellow Admiral illustrates O'Brian's talent for relevant but oblique titles. Aubrey spends the entire book concerned about being "yellowed" -- promoted to admiral without a squadron to command -- but his concern is an undercurrent that doesn't directly relate to the plot. The book also illustrates that the publisher W.W. Norton is not worried about spoilers. The summary on the back cover says "Aubrey receives an urgent dispatch ordering him to Gibraltar: Napoleon has escaped from Elba." This event happens more than halfway down the very last page!
The story starts ashore with a Tolstoyan discussion of land-use policies in nineteenth-century England. Jack Aubrey prevents the inclosure of the commons near his estate. Unfortunately this success leads to complications when the admiral for Jack's next assignment is the uncle of his opponent in that dispute.
The Yellow Admiral illustrates O'Brian's talent for relevant but oblique titles. Aubrey spends the entire book concerned about being "yellowed" -- promoted to admiral without a squadron to command -- but his concern is an undercurrent that doesn't directly relate to the plot. The book also illustrates that the publisher W.W. Norton is not worried about spoilers. The summary on the back cover says "Aubrey receives an urgent dispatch ordering him to Gibraltar: Napoleon has escaped from Elba." This event happens more than halfway down the very last page!
No comments:
Post a Comment