Patrick O'Brian

Patrick O'Brian — 7 titles in the rankings, first published between 1969 and 1981. They average 8.2, above the 7.8 the whole catalogue averages. One series has a reading order worth keeping to.

Editor’s note English writer of the Aubrey–Maturin novels, twenty books of the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic Wars, often called the finest historical novels ever written. They follow the friendship of Jack Aubrey, a bold, music-loving captain, and Stephen Maturin, his ship’s surgeon, naturalist and secret intelligence agent, across the oceans. Master and Commander, the first, is the most read but the lowest rated, partly because its period sea language takes getting used to; the series only gets better. Read in order.

Ranked titles

7 books

Average score

8.2

Total ratings

617

First published

1969–1981

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