Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin pursue a privateer through the Great South Sea. While Maturin's mission is to ignite the revolutionary tinder of South America, Aubrey will survive a desperate journey and come face-to-face with his illegitimate son. They are reunited in a breathtaking chase through stormy seas and icebergs.

Customer Review: Epic series keeps going strong

From the opening chapter of "The Wine-Dark Sea," the 16th book in Patrick O'Brian's hallowed Master & Commander series, the reader knows that something special is going on. Aubrey and Maturin sail their privateer, the Surprise, into waters made lethal by an erupting volcano that has just emerged from the sea, spewing lava and death. No other writer could so effortlessly blend natural beauty and naval drama (for an enemy American ship is close by).

"WDS" is a rollicking novel, even if it is one of the shorter books in the series. There is plenty of naval action, both as the Surprise matches broadsides with enemy ships as well as fighting through the icebergs of Cape Horn. Maturin is also charged with a daring political mission as he attempts to finance a coup in Peru - an enterprise that sends him fleeing over the Andes and minus a few toes.

And then there are the characters. And what characters! O'Brian seems to work overtime to get almost every beloved minor character shoe-horned into this book, and nobody minds.

This is definitely a book that should be read in its proper order - you will miss too much back story if you dive in right here, although if you do you will surely love the action and gorgeous travel-writing O'Brian brings to bear.

Grab Master & Commander and start sailing!

Customer Review: very impressed

Very impressed with this book. I really enjoyed when they went to Peru. This is my 3rd of his books and really enjoyed this.

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