Aubrey & Maturin after the war,
in hydrographical research vessesl Surprise, formerly of the Royal Navy
***
The twentieth book of twenty one is complete. I will dearly miss having unread volumes in this series waiting for me in the future.
The war is over...for real this time. Napoleon has been defeated at Waterloo, and soon thereafter the Royal Navy begins to downsize to peacetime levels. Many a post captain and crew are put ashore, the lucky higher-ranking officers try to survive on half pay, the crewmen given nothing beyond their end of service pay out when they separate from their last ship.
Aubrey & Maturin have a secret mission (again). It's off to South America to aid Chile in their quest for independence from Spain. Nominally, the old friends are aboard Surprise, a private hydrographical survey vessel hired by His Majesty (we come in peace), but we know them better than that. Especially that old sea dog Stephen, whose work in the intelligence line quite surprises us, as easy as kiss my hand. "Light along there, Killick, with that pot of coffee." "Which I am, ain't I?" (muttering swear words under his breath).
O'Brian finds a few more ingenious ways to describe and even report the action. Last time it was dockside hearsay delivering devastating news of a death in the family. This time there are a number of significant nautical events that transpire "off camera". They are related to us in past tense, via a long serial letter we are watching Stephen write which includes details of all sorts of wicked weather we don't directly experience.
There is still plenty of action, plenty of quality time for dedicated naturalists (even a whole ship full of interesting characters from the Royal Society, sailing 'round the world for fun and learning), and even some romance. Stephen has his eye on an old friend, wishing the connection to become rather something more. The jury's still out on that development.
What is over, however, by the end of this one, is, as the title of this book implies, Jack Aubrey's long wait for his Admiral's flag. Oh, it gives me great joy to report that he is indeed elevated to those lofty heights by the Royal Navy he so dearly loves. A lifetime of hard work, constant training, and great privation seems to have paid off for our dear old Jack. "Give you joy of the day, sir" and "Glass of wine with you, sir" indeed.
