The Fortune of War

Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin tales are widely hailed as the greatest series of historical novels ever written. This naval adventure finds Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin in the Dutch East Indies and there’s trouble brewing. Captain Jack Aubrey, RN, arrives in the Dutch East Indies to find himself appointed to the command of the fastest and best-armed frigate in the Navy. He and his friend Stephen Maturin take passage for England in a despatch vessel. But the war of 1812 breaks out while they are en route. Bloody actions precipitate them both into new and unexpected scenes where Stephen’s past activities as a secret agent return on him with a vengeance.

Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin tales are widely hailed as the greatest series of historical novels ever written. This naval adventure finds Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin in the Dutch East Indies and there’s trouble brewing. Captain Jack Aubrey, RN, arrives in the Dutch East Indies to find himself appointed to the command of the fastest and best-armed frigate in the Navy. He and his friend Stephen Maturin take passage for England in a despatch vessel. But the war of 1812 breaks out while they are en route. Bloody actions precipitate them both into new and unexpected scenes where Stephen’s past activities as a secret agent return on him with a vengeance.

Britain and America are newly at war, and Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin are caught in the very thick of the action. En route to England and his next command, Captain Jack Aubrey, and his friend, ship’s surgeon and secret agent Stephen Maturin, find themselves swept up in the War of 1812. As Aubrey convalesces from his wounds in a Boston hospital, awaiting the next prisoner exchange, Maturin’s past activities as a spy return to haunt him and precipitate both men into new and unexpected dangers. Love and betrayal vie for supremacy as the two friends face peril around every corner. ‘ The Fortune of War is a marvellously full-flavoured, engrossing book, which towers over its current rivals in the genre like a three-decker over a ship’s longboat.’ T. J. BINYON, Times Literary Supplement ‘There is nothing in this century that rivals Patrick O’Brian’s achievement.’ AMANDA FOREMAN

Britain and America are newly at war, and Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin are caught in the very thick of the action. En route to England and his next command, Captain Jack Aubrey, and his friend, ship’s surgeon and secret agent Stephen Maturin, find themselves swept up in the War of 1812. As Aubrey convalesces from his wounds in a Boston hospital, awaiting the next prisoner exchange, Maturin’s past activities as a spy return to haunt him and precipitate both men into new and unexpected dangers. Love and betrayal vie for supremacy as the two friends face peril around every corner. ‘ The Fortune of War is a marvellously full-flavoured, engrossing book, which towers over its current rivals in the genre like a three-decker over a ship’s longboat.’ T. J. BINYON, Times Literary Supplement ‘There is nothing in this century that rivals Patrick O’Brian’s achievement.’ AMANDA FOREMAN

Captain Jack Aubrey arrives in the Dutch East Indies to find himself appointed to the command of the fastest and best-armed frigate in the British Navy. He and his friend, surgeon Stephen Maturin, take passage for England in a dispatch vessel. But before they can reach their destination, the War of 1812 breaks out. Bloody conflict precipitates them into new and unexpected predicaments where Maturin is reunited with his embattled love, Diana Villiers, and his past activities as a secret agent blow back on him with a vengeance.

Captain Jack Aubrey arrives in the Dutch East Indies to find himself appointed to the command of the fastest and best-armed frigate in the British Navy. He and his friend, surgeon Stephen Maturin, take passage for England in a dispatch vessel. But before they can reach their destination, the War of 1812 breaks out. Bloody conflict precipitates them into new and unexpected predicaments where Maturin is reunited with his embattled love, Diana Villiers, and his past activities as a secret agent blow back on him with a vengeance.