#43 in Historical fiction
Desolation Island
- 325
- Pages
- about 6 h
- Reading time
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Our view
“Desolation Island” is a richly rewarding fifth novel in Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey–Maturin series, mixing war at sea with espionage. Some readers count it among the best of the series, citing a vivid battle in a storm and a long pursuit that holds them to the end. Others are bored by how long the action takes to arrive. Best read after the four earlier books.
The view of the BookRank editors, written from readers’ ratings and comments. It does not affect the score or the book’s place in a ranking.
About the book
Desolation Island is the fifth historical novel in the Aubrey–Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian. It was first published in 1978.
Reading order · Aubrey-Maturin series
Full order & progress →- Master and CommanderStart here
8.08.0 / 10 - Post Captain
8.28.2 / 10 - HMS Surprise
–Not ranked yet - The Mauritius Command
8.28.2 / 10 - Desolation IslandThis book
8.28.2 / 10 - The Fortune of War
8.28.2 / 10 - The Surgeon's Mate
8.28.2 / 10 - The Ionian Mission
8.28.2 / 10 - Treason's Harbour
–Not ranked yet - The Far Side of the World
–Not ranked yet - The Reverse of the Medal
–Not ranked yet - The Letter of Marque
–Not ranked yet - The Thirteen-Gun Salute
–Not ranked yet - The Nutmeg of ConsolationThe Nutmeg of Consolation–Not ranked yet
- Clarissa Oakes
–Not ranked yet - The Wine-Dark Sea
–Not ranked yet - The Commodore
–Not ranked yet - The Yellow Admiral
–Not ranked yet - The Hundred Days
–Not ranked yet - Blue at the Mizzen
–Not ranked yet - The Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack AubreyThe Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey–Not ranked yet
Where the score comes from
The sources average 8.7 across 60 ratings — not yet many, so the reader vote carries 29% of the weight and the rest pulls toward the Historical fiction average of 8.0. That is how 8.2 comes out.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 9.3 | 8 | 13% |
| Hardcover | 8.6 | 52 | 87% |
Frequently asked
How long is Desolation Island?
It has 325 pages — shorter than 77% of the ranked books in Historical fiction.
In this book
Themes this book shares with others — each leads to the best books on it.
If you liked this
The same shelf — Historical fiction — and a score of 8.2, the closest to this book.
