Aubrey and Maturin take a turn in the Pacific, c. 1812
***
Once again Patrick O'Brian has found an ingenious way to at once pack a story with old familiar bits of life at sea and new situations and circumstances to keep the whole refreshed. In previous books it was playing with new locales (as is the case here) and new opponents (same). Keeping the series fresh and new has required detailing many of the myriad nautical struggles and realities of life asea, including disease, lack of wind, too much wind (indeed up to hurricane-force gales!), rough seas, fires aboard ship, being taken prisoner, and falling overboard. All of this makes for a very entertaining (and delightfully unpredictable) series of novels.
In this installment, we see Jack and Stephen ordered to pursue an American frigate as it attempts to disrupt the British whaling trade of the south Pacific. A long and difficult chase, to be sure, filled with desperate situations. The end of this determined pursuit is not exactly as you might expect, roaring broadsides and bloody boarding actions.
Along the way we get to see the best side of Captain Aubrey, his unfailing persistence and inventiveness. It has, thus far, kept him and his men alive as all manner of calamity arrive.
