HMS Surprise

“Lucky” Jack Aubrey and his friend Stephen Maturin accept a commission to the East Indies in this tale of Nelson’s navy. H.M.S. Surprise follows the variable fortunes of Captain Jack Aubrey’s career in Nelson’s navy as he attempts to hold his ground against admirals, colleagues and the enemy, accepting a mission to convey a British ambassador to the East Indies. The voyage takes him and his friend Stephen Maturin to the strange sights and smells of the Indian sub-continent, and through the archipelago of spice islands where the French have a near-overwhelming superiority. Rarely has a novel managed to convey more vividly the fragility of a sailing ship in a wild sea. Rarely has a historical novelist combined action and lyricism of style in the way that O’ Brian does. His superb sense of place, brilliant characterisation, and a vigour and joy of writing lift O’Brian above any but the most exalted of comparisons.

“Lucky” Jack Aubrey and his friend Stephen Maturin accept a commission to the East Indies in this tale of Nelson’s navy. H.M.S. Surprise follows the variable fortunes of Captain Jack Aubrey’s career in Nelson’s navy as he attempts to hold his ground against admirals, colleagues and the enemy, accepting a mission to convey a British ambassador to the East Indies. The voyage takes him and his friend Stephen Maturin to the strange sights and smells of the Indian sub-continent, and through the archipelago of spice islands where the French have a near-overwhelming superiority. Rarely has a novel managed to convey more vividly the fragility of a sailing ship in a wild sea. Rarely has a historical novelist combined action and lyricism of style in the way that O’ Brian does. His superb sense of place, brilliant characterisation, and a vigour and joy of writing lift O’Brian above any but the most exalted of comparisons.

Jack Aubrey får til opgave at sejle en britisk ambassadør til Indien på fregatten H.M.S. Surprise, og sammen med sin ven og makker, Stephen Maturin, begiver han sig ud på den lange rejse, der skal gå rundt om Afrikas sydspids. Undervejs støder de både på orkaner og fjendtlige franskmænd, som må overvindes, før de kan komme til at opleve orientens fremmedartede syner og dufte på nært hold. Patrick O’Brians romanserie om kaptajn Jack Aubrey og hans ven, skibslægen Stephen Maturin består af 20 bøger samt et posthumt udgivet og ikke afsluttet 21. bind. Heraf er de første fem udgivet på dansk. Filmen "Master and Commander" fra 2003 med Russell Crowe og Paul Bettany i hovedrollerne er baseret på flere af bøgerne i serien.Den engelske romanforfatter Patrick O’Brian (1914-2000) kom til verden som Richard Patrick Russ og begyndte sin forfatterkarriere under dette navn. Efter Anden Verdenskrig slog han sig ned i Wales, skiftede navn og flyttede senere til Sydfrankrig, hvor han fortsatte med at skrive. Han er verdensberømt for sin romanserie om Jack Aubrey og hans ven Stephen Maturin, der foregår under Napoleonskrigene. Første bog i serien er "Master and Commander" (Den første kommando), der udkom i 1969.

How far will a man go in the name of revenge, honour, love or simple survival? Far from familiar seas, Captain Jack Aubrey and his crew must test themselves to the very limits of human endurance. Following a daring rescue, Jack Aubrey accepts a new command and a new commission to a far-flung destination. Ahead of him and his crew are the new sights and smells of the Indian subcontinent, and the terrifying hazards of an archipelago of islands in the East Indies, where their French enemies have near overwhelming superiority. ‘Combines adventure and the art of the novel with an astonishing finesse.’ FRANCIS SPUFFORD ‘Few, very few, books have made my heart thump with excitement. HMS Surprise managed it.’ HELEN LUCY BURKE, Irish Times

How far will a man go in the name of revenge, honour, love or simple survival? Far from familiar seas, Captain Jack Aubrey and his crew must test themselves to the very limits of human endurance. Following a daring rescue, Jack Aubrey accepts a new command and a new commission to a far-flung destination. Ahead of him and his crew are the new sights and smells of the Indian subcontinent, and the terrifying hazards of an archipelago of islands in the East Indies, where their French enemies have near overwhelming superiority. ‘Combines adventure and the art of the novel with an astonishing finesse.’ FRANCIS SPUFFORD ‘Few, very few, books have made my heart thump with excitement. HMS Surprise managed it.’ HELEN LUCY BURKE, Irish Times