Thursday, April 12, 2007

The Mauritius Command by Patrick O'Brian

I hate to say it, but this book was disappointing! I think it's because it was closely based on an actual campaign, when the British decided to take the islands of La Reunion and Mauritius off the French in 1810. It seems that French ships were plucking valuable British navy ships and Indiamen out of the ocean, and the Royal Navy wasn't interested in putting up with this any longer.

Anyway, the action in this book was somewhat confusing, but not in a readable sort of way. There were too many ships, too many captains and other assorted secondary characters, too much action happening on land and not enough in the water.

I'm hoping the next novel in the series is more interesting. I think it's about Aubrey taking a ship to the Galapagos. Whee!

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