The Golden Ocean

By: Patrick O'Brian

Narrated by: John Franklyn-Robbins

The first novel Patrick O'Brian ever wrote about the sea, a precursor to the acclaimed Aubrey/Maturin series.

In the year 1740, Commodore (later Admiral) George Anson embarked on a voyage that would become one of the most famous exploits in British naval history. Sailing through poorly charted waters, Anson and his men encountered disaster, disease, and astonishing success. They circumnavigated the globe and seized a nearly incalculable sum of Spanish gold and silver, but only one of the five ships survived.

This is the background to the first novel Patrick O'Brian ever wrote about the sea, a precursor to the acclaimed Aubrey/Maturin series that shares the excitement and rich humor of those books. The protagonist is Peter Palafox, son of a poor Irish parson, who signs on as a midshipman, never before having seen a ship.

Together with his lifelong friend Sean, Peter sets out to seek his fortune, embarking upon a journey of danger, disappointment, foreign lands, and excitement.

Here is a tale certain to please not only admirers of O'Brian's work but also any reader with an adventurous soul.

©1956 Patrick O’Brian (P)1995 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"An entertaining and psychologically astute narrative....This early work has practically all the naval lore and sense of place that grace the Aubrey/Maturin books." (Publishers Weekly)
"A rousing novelistic retelling of a particularly colorful chapter in the history of the imperialist wars of the mid-18th century...Robust and exhilarating." (Los Angeles Times)

Amusing high sea adventure

Loved the Irish men and their way of speaking. The humor in hard times and the love of adventure. A wonderful Patrick O’Brian sea story.

The Golden Sea

I enjoyed following the lives of Peter & Shawn as they sailed around the world & the experiences they had. I gave it 4 stars bc there was as a lot of sailing information I didn’t understand

Excellent all around

this early work shows just how great Patrick O'Brien was. All of the elements of an epic are here. he does a wonderful job of showing the Arcane world of the royal Navy. the characters leap off the page

Patrick O'Brien at His Best!

If you love stories of sailing ships, adventure on the high seas and feats of derring-do, this book is for you. I have read many of O'Brien's books, and loved every one of them; including this one.

The Golden Ocean

Great story of the sea.The narrator is magical with the accents.Top notch production!Thank you mates.