What are you reading right now?

[Schöneboom]

I just got this rare book from my girlfriend for my 48th birthday -- she found it on her last visit to England. I'm a lucky guy!

"We Captured a U-Boat" by Rear-Admiral Daniel V. Gallery, USN. The 1958 Popular Book Club edition. Another of his U-505 books, richly detailed, & a pleasure to read.

[SandyCaesar]

Currently working my way through the Horatio Hornblower books (decent, but not more than that); looking into other books of the same time period. Anyone know if Patrick O'Brian is any good?

Also revisiting Discworld. You can't not love Terry Pratchett.

[Sailor Steve]

Well, I disagree about Hornblower, but that's my opinion. O'Brian's books are loved by many, and he was agruably the better writer. I prefer Hornblower simply because they read more like the career of a real sailor, and the Aubrey/Maturin books are great adventure, but much less plausible to my mind. Neal loves them, anyway, and that counts for something.

If you want to read some real-life accounts by people who were there, I recommend this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Every-Man-Will...6091868&sr=1-1

Also at the bottom of that page you'll see links to A Sea Of Words and Harbours And High Seas, both of which fill in information on O'Brian's books, and are handy for general reference as well.

[SandyCaesar]

Hornblower's all right; the books make for excellent reads. It's just that they fall a bit short on characterization and general...believability? It strains credibility a bit to consider that one naval captain, no matter how great a captain, can do all that so effortlessly in the books. Plus, too much plugging for the Royal Navy for my taste. But they're good books, albeit with a few drawbacks.

Thanks for the opinions, Steve.

[Subnuts]

Originally Posted by SandyCaesar

Currently working my way through the Horatio Hornblower books (decent, but not more than that); looking into other books of the same time period. Anyone know if Patrick O'Brian is any good?

Also revisiting Discworld. You can't not love Terry Pratchett.

Nelson's Navy: The Ships, Men, and Organization, 1793-1815



A single-volume encyclopedia covering an enormous number of subjects related to the Napoleonic-era Royal Navy. Not a novel (if that's what you're looking for) but a great book if you're looking for a "one stop shop" type companion book.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by SandyCaesar

It strains credibility a bit to consider that one naval captain, no matter how great a captain, can do all that so effortlessly in the books.

In that case you may not like O'Brian so much. My complaint about Aubrey was that Hornblower is much more realistic, at least career-wise. But, they're all good, as novels go.

[D'biter]

oh... how i wish i knew who you were talking about...

[Skorn]

I really enjoyed the Hornblower series, they were pretty quick reads with little down time. I'm halfway through the Aubrey series now and there's a bit more development and backstory it seems. I love the time period and enjoy both sets of books very much

[ajrimmer42]

I've also just started reading the Hornblower books, after having seen the TV series numerous times. Enjoying them so far!

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by D'biter

oh... how i wish i knew who you were talking about...

C.S. Forester, author of The African Queen and Sink The Bismarck!, wrote a series of books chronicaling the life and career of a fictional captain of the sailing ship days, whom he named Horation Hornblower. The books, from Mr. Midshipman Hornblower to Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies, follow his whole life, and he's not the nicest person you'd ever want to meet.

Back in the 1950s a movie was made from the first three books written - volumes 6, 7 and 8 in order - and several years ago a series of TV movies were made, based on the first three books in order. While perverting the stories somewhat, they are still excellent shows and should be seen by any sailing-navy fan.

When Forester died, veteran writer Patrick O'Brian was asked to take over the series, and he wisely suggested that he write one of his own from scratch. He created two characters, captain Jack Aubrey and doctor Stephen Maturin, and skillfully guided them through a very long series of novels. Excellent adventure, they are somewhat less accurate historically, at least to my mind.

The recent movie Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, is based on O'Brian's books.

[wireman]

http://www.amazon.com/F-86-Sabre-War...8SH968518BPEPA

Found a signed copy in a used bookstore.

[SeaSpectre]

I have read almost all of the Hornblower books and I have read about four of the Aubrey/Maturin books. I love both C.S. Forester and Patrick O'Brian as authors. I find O'Brian easier to read, but I found Hornblower's career more believable.

I am looking forward to starting the Alexander Kent/Richard Bolitho series, but I was wondering if anyone else has already read them? Are they worth it? How does Kent's writing compare with Forester and O'Brian?

Thanks...

[Schultzy]

Originally Posted by SeaSpectre

I found Hornblower's career more believable.

I have read both and don't disagree but I do remember reading somewhere (i forget where exactly now) that O'Brian said, if he'd known Aubrey/Maturin was going to expand to such a length, he'd have stared Aubrey's career earlier in time.

How does Kent's writing compare with Forester and O'Brian?

Thanks...

I've not started reading Kent yet, but I am 3 books into Pope's Ramage series, he knew Forester, who was the man that encouraged him to start writing about a naval hero. If you like Hornblower, I would recommend Pope to you.

[FIREWALL]

I'm not reading a damn thing. I'm gonna watch a new movie. So there. :p :rotfl:

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Schultzy

...I do remember reading somewhere (i forget where exactly now) that O'Brian said, if he'd known Aubrey/Maturin was going to expand to such a length, he'd have stared Aubrey's career earlier in time.

Ain't that always the way? Of course he could have done what Forester did (as well as Bernard Cornwell with the Sharpe series) and just gone back and written books about his hero's early career.