Blue at the Mizzen

Aubrey/Maturin Series, Book 20

By: Patrick O'Brian

Narrated by: Patrick Tull

With his swashbuckling adventures, best-selling novelist Patrick O'Brian transports you to the high seas of old, where privateers lurk in the mist, and great ships fight to control the waterways. Blue at the Mizzen hoists the excitement to new heights as British frigate commander Jack Aubrey stakes everything on a desperate raid against the mighty Spanish fleet. Ever since Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo, Captain Aubrey's prospects in the new peacetime navy have looked dim. Even worse, his frigate Surprise was badly damaged in a nighttime collision. While Aubrey waits for repairs, ship's doctor Stephen Maturin brings him intriguing information about the New World. Soon Aubrey is leading a bold expedition that will determine the fate of a rising South American nation, and his own. Critically-acclaimed author Patrick O'Brian blends authentic period atmosphere, rich humor, and elegant language in each of his seafaring yarns. You can almost hear the thunder of the waves and smell the salty sea air as you listen to Patrick Tull's dramatic performance.©1999 Patrick O'Brian (P)2003 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"O'Brian is not that hard a taste to acquire, but he is very tough to shake...[the Aubrey/Maturin series] is a great work." (Boston Globe)

So sorry to say goodbye to Aubrey and Maturin!

I enjoyed this series so much that I might just start the whole thing over.

Like old friends

I am a lover of Historical Fiction. And as such I have binged listened to the whole series, twice. That should say something in itself. I treat the captain and the doctor like old friends and am going to miss their adventures when this is finally finished. There was nothing I didn’t like- unless it is their end, and I’m not there yet, I hope.

Will be missed

Great series, just read #20. Will miss it badly now that I’m at the end.

An Excellent Series

If you have heard already a few titles of this series, you will not need my recommendation. You know already what deep satisfaction one takes in these masterfully written works. The only sadness, aside from a few unfortunate moral decisions portrayed by O'Brian, is that it has come to an end. I should be shocked if you did not think yourself well rewarded for you time in undertaking this voyage.

Hardest of the novels to follow

A fine cutting out operation concludes the novel, but I struggled particularly to understand the political arrangements of the Chilean bid for independence. Perhaps it was due to my own lack of clearheadedness, but I found myself re-listening to the same passages over and over without an increase in understanding or following the thread of developments. No loss, as I dreaded the thought of finishing the series, my first time through. I will wrap up the last of the novels soon. And no struggle to understand what was taking place could possibly dampen my cumulative joy over these stories, and I was content to listen like a boy in the corner while his elders discussed matters of importance among themselves, happy just to be allowed to stick around.