Customer Reviews

Harbors and High Seas, 3rd Edition : An Atlas and Geographical Guide to the Complete Aubrey-Maturin Novels of Patrick O'Brian, Third Edition

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am very disappointed with Dean King's efforts here. Where is this great prodigy of maps that the book seems to promise? Much of the book is taken up with summaries of PO'B's novels. If I want to know what happened in the books I will read them, I don't need to pay 21 American dollars for that. And most of the content that is not summary is written descriptions entitled 'Here and There'. Can Mr. King possibly think his accounts will succeed in enabling we hopeless lubbers to comprehend intricate harbors and locations where the great O'Brian's have not? In the Post Captain chapter, do we find a map of Chaulieu where Aubrey fights the Polychrest until she sinks under him? No we do not. This book should be filled cover to cover with detailed charts and maps. It falls far and sadly short of expectations. I urge anyone not having been duped into purchasing it already to refrain from doing so.

Once in awhile just the right writer comes along for a critical assignment, and this time it is Dean King, accompanied by some other worthy contributors. A globe isn't nearly enough when you're sailing, fighting, surviving and adventuring with Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, and it mattered not to me that King had to wait until there were sufficient chapters in O'Brian's incredible series (one that I look upon as one great, great book with 19 chapters) to form an adequate foundation for Harbors and High Seas, for I read them over and over and King's guide makes the repeat servings even more delightful.

Now as I travel the world in the O'Brian series I know where I am and where I've been -- and often where I'm going. The maps are outstanding (I always thought a map here and there in the novels themselves was called for), and King's narrative takes me ashore in places all over the aquatic world to round out my adventures with my favorite literary characters.

The old pictures from The Naval Chronicle are worthy -- and thoughtful -- additions to the whole fine work.

I guess I'll be reading Aubrey/Maturin books forever, and with Harbors and High Seas right at hand. Too bad the guide had to end with The Commodore but, hey, I'm not complaining. I'm happy for what's here.

Thanks to King, too, for his lexicon, A Sea of Words. That was the finishing touch for the O'Brian addict that I am -- I want to KNOW what a studding sail is, a snow (for I, like Maturin, thought a "snow" must be a white ship), the mainchains (not "chains" at all), the messenger (definitely not a means by which you might get a message to Garcia) . . .

A tip of the hat and a warm thank you to Dean King and his cohorts: John B. Hattendorf, J. Worth Estes, and mapmakers William Clipson and Adam Merton Cooper.

It is truly wonderful that this incredible series of historical novels has inspired these indispensible accompaniments. There is also the volume edited by A.E. Cunningham, "Patrick O'Brian: Critical Essays and a Bibliography" which belongs on the shelf with every O'Brian fan's collection. These books about O'Brian's books are a further testimony to the greatness of them -- they stood tall on their own, it's only that they're even more robust now.

Doug Briggs

I'm now on book 7 of the Aubrey-Maturin series, and have only had my Companion for the last 2...how much it adds to the joy and the education. The best part of the companion is the maps, with clearly marked routes taken by Lucky Jack's vessels. O'Brian's description of Aubrey passing by Elsinore while Jack describes his role in Hamlet as a young midshipman comes alive with both the map and the picture of Elsinore. As well, eliminating the frustration of trying to determine what is fiction (Grimsholm) from what is not (Admiral Suamarez) greatly adds to the historical learnings.

The only downside to having this companion is the irresistable temptation to read ahead...the plot lines of the first 17 books are all given in general outline. As O'Brian readers know, however, much of the joy is as much in the characterization and writing as in the plot line. So, even if you do look ahead, it in all likelihood only will increase your desire to move on to the next book....I personally can hardly wait to get to Treason's Harbour and the mood that O'Brian will create around historic Malta.

If you love maps, though, and have always used them to add a visual learning dimension and reference to the words, you can't possibly read the books without it.

In closing, I guess I should add the warning that as addictive as these books are, they become even more addictive with the companion.

Beware!

My previous review of Harbors and High Seas, found a couple of reviews below this one, was for the 1996 edition. So if you want my opinion of it, just scroll down a short way. This 1999 update is well worth buying even if you have the first one.

Of course, it embraces more titles of the series. But King and cohorts have spent some worthy time enlarging what was already there.

For just one example, the new edition has a biographical sketch of Lord Cochrane, the real fighting captain that Aubrey is patterned after. It was Cochrane, as captain of the little 16-gun Speedy, who captured the 36-gun Spanish ship that is the Cacafuego in the novel. Cochrane believed that anything shocking, out of the ordinary, was a valuable battle strategy. So he had his men blacken their faces and swarmed aboard the superior ship screaming bloody murder, exactly as Aubrey did.

Cochrane, like Aubrey, fell afoul of real-life jealousies and suffered the considerable consequences. It seems that military commanders with blood and guts run chills of jealousy up the spines of their more timid counterparts, and so find themselves in hot water. A modern example is Gen. George Patton -- he made too many other generals (Viscount Montgomery for one) appear hung up on dead center while he blasted full-speed ahead.

The new version of Harbors etc. bears a fine original cover painting by Geoff Hunt, who illustrated all the covers of the O'Brian sea stories.

Aubrey/Maturin fans who already have the 1966 version will find this a worthy addition. Those who don't -- well, how are you to learn what o'clock it is, Mate?

A geographical companion and atlas could be very helpful, but this didn't answer. Perhaps someone else will try their hand and be more successful. The maps are inadequate and omit important and interesting locations. The maps are also rather crudely drawn. The text is unnecessary and silly, attempting to recap each book and at the same time not give away the plot.

I can imagine a book arranged as an atlas, with colored detailed maps which include all named locations. Maps with exploded detail would be necessary to show harbors and navigation hazards. The index would include all place references with location coordinates on the maps. Latitude and longitude references should also be included. I'll buy one as soon as it's published.

It's a great book and the maps are a huge help in following the details of the stories, as well as for general reference of the period. However, I would give it five stars if it were in hardback. Too many of the charts and maps are split down the middle and the soft cover type of binding used (it is called a "perfect binding" in bookbinder's jargon, although it really isn't) makes the center portion of the split maps and charts quite impossible to read. This is extremely frustrating

A geographical companion and atlas could be very helpful, but this didn't answer. The maps are inadequate and omit many important and interesting locations. The maps are also rather crudely drawn. The text is unnecessary and silly, attempting to recap each book and at the same time not give away the plot. Perhaps someone else will try their hand and be more successful.

I can imagine a book arranged as an atlas, with colored detailed maps which include all named locations. Maps with exploded detail would be necessary to show harbors and navigation hazards. The index would include all place references with location coordinates on the maps. Latitude and longitude references should also be included. I'll buy one as soon as it's published.

Harbors is a good effort to try and geographically place events in the Aubrey/Maturin series. For the number of pages, however, I would have wanted more maps and less exposition by Mr King. And while he does not give away plot points in his book summaries, the maps themselves necessarily identify major battles or meetings; beware of spoilers!

The maps themselves are rather basic, but in their favor Mr King does place as well as possible fictitious places as well as actual.

If you find a good deal, then by all means add it to your collection. It's not a bad book, and until a better version is published (which is doubtful) it does an adaquate job.

This is a good but not great volume. It's full of useful information, but if you purchase and read it before reading all the books, you'll end up knowing how they all end. The only way to proceed is to read each chapter as you finish each book. I found myself covering some of the maps with my hands so I couldn't see where this or that ship gets sunk or engaged.

Dean King's "Harbors and High Seas" is a good atlas chronicling the exploits of Captain "Lucky Jack" Jack Aubrey and ship's surgeon Dr. Stephen Maturin from the fateful meeting in "Master and Commander" through "The Commodore". The maps - which are drawn by William Clipson - are a fine guide tracing the major routes undertaken by Aubrey's ships (and Maturin's personal espionage missions on behalf of the British government) across the globe. Each chapter corresponds with the O'Brian novel, without giving away much with regards to plot (though the maps themselves offer quite a few spoilers). Admittedly this is a bit expensive to acquire - though hopefully the paperback edition will be much less expensive - but may nonetheless be regarded as an important companion to the O'Brian novels which any diehard fan of Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin may wish to possess.