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Golden Ocean #1
The Golden Ocean
The first novel Patrick O'Brian ever wrote about the sea, a precursor to the acclaimed Aubrey/Maturin series.
In the year 1740, Commodore (later Admiral) George Anson embarked on a voyage that would become one of the most famous exploits in British naval history. Sailing through poorly charted waters, Anson and his men encountered disaster, disease, and astonishing success. They circumnavigated the globe and seized a nearly incalcuable sum of Spanish gold and silver, but only one of the five ships survived.This is the background to the first novel Patrick O'Brian ever wrote about the sea, a precursor to the acclaimed Aubrey/Maturin series that shares the excitement and rich humor of those books. The protagonist is Peter Palafox, son of a poor Irish parson, who signs on as a midshipman, never before having seen a ship. Together with his lifelong friend Sean, Peter sets out to seek his fortune, embarking upon a journey of danger, disappointment, foreign lands, and excitement.Here is a tale certain to please not only admirers of O'Brian's work but also any reader with an adventurous soul.
In the year 1740, Commodore (later Admiral) George Anson embarked on a voyage that would become one of the most famous exploits in British naval history. Sailing through poorly charted waters, Anson and his men encountered disaster, disease, and astonishing success. They circumnavigated the globe and seized a nearly incalcuable sum of Spanish gold and silver, but only one of the five ships survived.This is the background to the first novel Patrick O'Brian ever wrote about the sea, a precursor to the acclaimed Aubrey/Maturin series that shares the excitement and rich humor of those books. The protagonist is Peter Palafox, son of a poor Irish parson, who signs on as a midshipman, never before having seen a ship. Together with his lifelong friend Sean, Peter sets out to seek his fortune, embarking upon a journey of danger, disappointment, foreign lands, and excitement.Here is a tale certain to please not only admirers of O'Brian's work but also any reader with an adventurous soul.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1956
100 people are currently reading
1547 people want to read
About the author
Patrick O'Brian
208 books2,408 followersPatrick O'Brian's acclaimed Aubrey-Maturin series of historical novels has been described as "a masterpiece" (David Mamet, New York Times), "addictively readable" (Patrick T. Reardon, Chicago Tribune), and "the best historical novels ever written" (Richard Snow, New York Times Book Review), which "should have been on those lists of the greatest novels of the 20th century" (George Will).
Set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, O'Brian's twenty-volume series centers on the enduring friendship between naval officer Jack Aubrey and physician (and spy) Stephen Maturin. The Far Side of the World, the tenth book in the series, was adapted into a 2003 film directed by Peter Weir and starring Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany. The film was nominated for ten Oscars, including Best Picture. The books are now available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book format.
In addition to the Aubrey-Maturin novels, Patrick O'Brian wrote several books including the novels Testimonies, The Golden Ocean, and The Unknown Shore, as well as biographies of Joseph Banks and Picasso. He translated many works from French into English, among them the novels and memoirs of Simone de Beauvoir, the first volume of Jean Lacouture's biography of Charles de Gaulle, and famed fugitive Henri Cherriere's memoir Papillon. O'Brian died in January 2000.
The Aubrey-Maturin Series on Goodreads
Set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, O'Brian's twenty-volume series centers on the enduring friendship between naval officer Jack Aubrey and physician (and spy) Stephen Maturin. The Far Side of the World, the tenth book in the series, was adapted into a 2003 film directed by Peter Weir and starring Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany. The film was nominated for ten Oscars, including Best Picture. The books are now available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book format.
In addition to the Aubrey-Maturin novels, Patrick O'Brian wrote several books including the novels Testimonies, The Golden Ocean, and The Unknown Shore, as well as biographies of Joseph Banks and Picasso. He translated many works from French into English, among them the novels and memoirs of Simone de Beauvoir, the first volume of Jean Lacouture's biography of Charles de Gaulle, and famed fugitive Henri Cherriere's memoir Papillon. O'Brian died in January 2000.
The Aubrey-Maturin Series on Goodreads
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
October 2, 2024
Yo-ho and a bottle of rum!
Avast singing, ya scurvy dog!
(sod off, ya goat-buggerin'--) Aye, aye, sir!
Arrrr, perhaps he's right. I should stick to reviews...
The Golden Ocean is one of O'Brian's earlier works and a forerunner of his seafaring, Aubrey/Maturin series. As such it's a little rougher around the edges and as a one-off, it is not quite as engaging, since you're not invested in the characters for the long haul.
However this can be very enjoyable for some, especially if you're already hooked on the Aubrey/Maturin series or if you like to read Age of Sail seafaring stories. You get all the lovely period (circa mid 18th century) detail one becomes accustomed to when reading O'Brian. You also get an idea of what the British navy was like prior to arguably its most notable period in history, the Napoleonic Wars.
The Golden Ocean recounts, in historical fiction style, Admiral Anson's 1740 circumnavigation of the globe. The story is told through the eyes of a midshipman (the lowest order of officers, often young teen boys). Perhaps the most interesting facet of The Golden Ocean, at least for M&C fans, is all of the attention the gunroom receives. You really get a close-up look at those spotty little half-man midshipmen.
One interesting factoid about The Golden Ocean, it is one or two retellings of the same voyage that O'Brian novelized. The other is titled The Unknown Shore.
All in all, while this may not reach the excellence of writing his later work attains, it is well-done and quite enjoyable. I can readily recommend it to O'Brian's fans.
Avast singing, ya scurvy dog!
(sod off, ya goat-buggerin'--) Aye, aye, sir!
Arrrr, perhaps he's right. I should stick to reviews...
The Golden Ocean is one of O'Brian's earlier works and a forerunner of his seafaring, Aubrey/Maturin series. As such it's a little rougher around the edges and as a one-off, it is not quite as engaging, since you're not invested in the characters for the long haul.
However this can be very enjoyable for some, especially if you're already hooked on the Aubrey/Maturin series or if you like to read Age of Sail seafaring stories. You get all the lovely period (circa mid 18th century) detail one becomes accustomed to when reading O'Brian. You also get an idea of what the British navy was like prior to arguably its most notable period in history, the Napoleonic Wars.
The Golden Ocean recounts, in historical fiction style, Admiral Anson's 1740 circumnavigation of the globe. The story is told through the eyes of a midshipman (the lowest order of officers, often young teen boys). Perhaps the most interesting facet of The Golden Ocean, at least for M&C fans, is all of the attention the gunroom receives. You really get a close-up look at those spotty little half-man midshipmen.
One interesting factoid about The Golden Ocean, it is one or two retellings of the same voyage that O'Brian novelized. The other is titled The Unknown Shore.
All in all, while this may not reach the excellence of writing his later work attains, it is well-done and quite enjoyable. I can readily recommend it to O'Brian's fans.
June 18, 2019
I am a big fan of Patrick O’Brian (1914-2000). I have read all the Aubrey/Maturin Series. I thought I had read all of O’Brian’s books until I discovered “The Golden Ocean”. I understand it was his first novel.
The story takes place from 1740-44. Our protagonist is Peter Palafox who is a midshipman under Commodore George Anson. They are on a voyage to circumnavigate the world. The historical novel is well written, but maybe it is not as polished as his later books. O’Brian does an excellent job of portraying life aboard a Royal Navy Ship. This book was first published in 1956. O’Brian was one of the greatest writers of sea stories.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is eleven hours and three minutes. John Franklyn-Robbins (1924-2009) does an excellent job narrating the book. Franklyn-Robbins was a British Shakespearean actor. He was also a well-known audiobook narrator.
The story takes place from 1740-44. Our protagonist is Peter Palafox who is a midshipman under Commodore George Anson. They are on a voyage to circumnavigate the world. The historical novel is well written, but maybe it is not as polished as his later books. O’Brian does an excellent job of portraying life aboard a Royal Navy Ship. This book was first published in 1956. O’Brian was one of the greatest writers of sea stories.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is eleven hours and three minutes. John Franklyn-Robbins (1924-2009) does an excellent job narrating the book. Franklyn-Robbins was a British Shakespearean actor. He was also a well-known audiobook narrator.
September 4, 2022
A rollicking, engrossing story of one ship of the British navy in 1740, sailing the seven seas in search of Spanish ships to seize, burn, or sink. O'Brian's research puts the reader on the ship, eating hardtack, fighting scurvy, and firing 24lb iron balls and muskets at Spanish men-of-war, who fire back. This book is every bit as good as O'Brian's 'Master and Commander' series, and undoubtedly informed the author's decision to write the series.
December 15, 2021
Read this book in 2011, and its the 1st of a two-part series set in the midst of the 18th Century.
Its a marvellous seafaring story about Commodore (Later Admiral) George Anson, and his circumnavigation of the globe, and with him as a midshipman is a poor Irish man called, Peter Palafox.
Alongside travelling with Peter is his lifelong friend, Sean, and they will embark on a journey to find danger, excitement, foreign lands and riches.
In this journey across the seas with Commodore George Anson they will encounter mant dangerous situations, weather-wise, disease, and the exploration of unchartered waters.
What is to follow is the prelude to the Aubrey/Maturin series, and its a story told with a lot of verve and human feeling, and where the historical details concerning this period of naval history has been superbly interwoven in this most remarkable seafaring tale.
Highly recommended, for this is a brilliant seafaring tale and that's why I like to call this amazing book: "A Wonderful Golden Voyage"!
Its a marvellous seafaring story about Commodore (Later Admiral) George Anson, and his circumnavigation of the globe, and with him as a midshipman is a poor Irish man called, Peter Palafox.
Alongside travelling with Peter is his lifelong friend, Sean, and they will embark on a journey to find danger, excitement, foreign lands and riches.
In this journey across the seas with Commodore George Anson they will encounter mant dangerous situations, weather-wise, disease, and the exploration of unchartered waters.
What is to follow is the prelude to the Aubrey/Maturin series, and its a story told with a lot of verve and human feeling, and where the historical details concerning this period of naval history has been superbly interwoven in this most remarkable seafaring tale.
Highly recommended, for this is a brilliant seafaring tale and that's why I like to call this amazing book: "A Wonderful Golden Voyage"!
March 25, 2013
This is the first of O'Brian's other series about life in the Royal Navy during the Age of Sail. It`s only one tenth as long as the enormously more famous Aubrey/Maturin series and set nearly 100 years earlier.
A fiercely proud Irish boy and his companions dash off rather naively to serve on a ship destined to traverse the globe and encounter numerous adventures along the way.
What makes this truly different from those other Royal Navy books is that we see life on ship from the perspective of junior officers, rather than senior ones, with characters that are much different and more broadly comic.
If you like anything else by O'Brian I'm confident you'll enjoy this one and if you enjoy a well told historical adventure this should go down well. Fine writing as usual.
A fiercely proud Irish boy and his companions dash off rather naively to serve on a ship destined to traverse the globe and encounter numerous adventures along the way.
What makes this truly different from those other Royal Navy books is that we see life on ship from the perspective of junior officers, rather than senior ones, with characters that are much different and more broadly comic.
If you like anything else by O'Brian I'm confident you'll enjoy this one and if you enjoy a well told historical adventure this should go down well. Fine writing as usual.
January 12, 2021
I like a good sea story and this is a good one, based on the voyage of Commodore Anson in England's war against Spain in the mid-1700s. This was "the War of Jenkins' Ear"-yes, there actually was a war with that name! Anyway, O'Brian tells the story of a young Irishman who goes to sea and serves as a midshipman on Anson's flagship, "Centurian." There's incredible hardship-and death- as the men face storms and scurvy, as well as the Spaniards.But there is real motivation, as the men sail in search of "the Manila Galleon" with its gold and silver, in the great South Seas...
August 5, 2019
Ahoy, all ye sea-faring adventure lovers! Ahoy! All ye land-lubbers like me. This was a great book to catch the salty sea wind in your sails and set sail on a grand adventure. Treasure lovers will also find their joy within. Written as if ya were thar, riddled with scurvy and struggling with the British navy men and Peter.
December 23, 2023
Among those who have read into the bio of Patrick O’Brian (not his given name, nor a nom de’plume) there is a notion that he had seen some sea service, briefly on a vessel operated by one of his relatives. IMHO this theory is because of the near impossibility of conceiving that a total land lubber could ever write so brilliantly about sea going life. With O’Brian it is possible to read his many Nelson’s Navy adventures, compare with his life and say “Inconceivable”. And yet there they are.
The Golden Ocean is early Patrick O’Brian and one of two books built around the real -and truth can be more extreme than fiction-history of the British fighting circumnavigation mission lead by then Commodore George Anson. Seen from the eyes of a very junior, raw and hereto fore land-locked Irishman, Midshipman Peter Palafax.
The highs, lows and slender thread of survival are the real history, as recounted in The Golden Ocean. However, this is early O’Brian. The technical side of a man of war is too much in detail. Granted that a 3-decker was about the most complex machinery then in existence, detail can drag narrative. Further the many hardships, sickness and death, scurvy, injuries from falling, the stomach-churning challenges of being mast headed, and all the reasons why the expedition lost so many ships and men, are properly documented. But there is very little sense of the reader sharing the experience.
O’Brian has latched on to a history that has all the makings of a great yarn. He has told the story with too much of the (long winded) fireside version and not enough of the real risks and pain. The result is a nice enough yarn but not O’Brian at his best. This may be a good starter read, but it will not be as enthralling as his later, better written Aubrey–Maturin adventures.
The Golden Ocean is early Patrick O’Brian and one of two books built around the real -and truth can be more extreme than fiction-history of the British fighting circumnavigation mission lead by then Commodore George Anson. Seen from the eyes of a very junior, raw and hereto fore land-locked Irishman, Midshipman Peter Palafax.
The highs, lows and slender thread of survival are the real history, as recounted in The Golden Ocean. However, this is early O’Brian. The technical side of a man of war is too much in detail. Granted that a 3-decker was about the most complex machinery then in existence, detail can drag narrative. Further the many hardships, sickness and death, scurvy, injuries from falling, the stomach-churning challenges of being mast headed, and all the reasons why the expedition lost so many ships and men, are properly documented. But there is very little sense of the reader sharing the experience.
O’Brian has latched on to a history that has all the makings of a great yarn. He has told the story with too much of the (long winded) fireside version and not enough of the real risks and pain. The result is a nice enough yarn but not O’Brian at his best. This may be a good starter read, but it will not be as enthralling as his later, better written Aubrey–Maturin adventures.
July 20, 2014
Some time ago I read Patrick O'Brian's 20 book Aubrey-Maturin sequence over the course of four or five years. To begin with, I found them heavy going, and couldn't understand why they were held in such high esteem by the likes of Iris Murdoch. Then, about half way through the long second novel, Post Captain, it all fell into place. My brain suddenly 'got' the total immersion into the world of an early nineteenth century man of war and O'Brian's almost uncanny ability to capture every nuance of a world that is so far removed from our own through the details of everyday life and, in particular, the rhythms and intricacies of language. Few other historical novels (except Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies) feel so real.
The Golden Ocean is an earlier naval novel, and it follows the fortunes of Peter Palafox, the son of a poor Irish parson, on Anson's circumnavigation of the 1740s. As a rehearsal for the later Aubrey-Maturin series, it is triumphant. The subtlety and ingenuity of O'Brian's writing is astonishing, and the mid eighteenth century world he creates is as real and tangible as that of the 1810s in the later books. There is plenty of the dry humour that lifts the mood of the later books too. A long running joke that weaves its way through The Golden Ocean focuses on one of the midshipmen's dreadful attempts at wit, and provides more laughs for the reader than he does for his shipmates. There is plenty of excitement, action and a wonderful portrayal of the natural world - all of which feature so strongly in the books for which O'Brian is most famous.
The Golden Ocean is an earlier naval novel, and it follows the fortunes of Peter Palafox, the son of a poor Irish parson, on Anson's circumnavigation of the 1740s. As a rehearsal for the later Aubrey-Maturin series, it is triumphant. The subtlety and ingenuity of O'Brian's writing is astonishing, and the mid eighteenth century world he creates is as real and tangible as that of the 1810s in the later books. There is plenty of the dry humour that lifts the mood of the later books too. A long running joke that weaves its way through The Golden Ocean focuses on one of the midshipmen's dreadful attempts at wit, and provides more laughs for the reader than he does for his shipmates. There is plenty of excitement, action and a wonderful portrayal of the natural world - all of which feature so strongly in the books for which O'Brian is most famous.
July 20, 2009
This is is a great way to get into the POB cult (and a great book to read if you've already exhausted the AUbrey-Maturin series). A wonderful, funny, touching, page-turning adventure on the high seas with 2 great main characters. I'm just sorry he didn't follow Peter and Sean for 19 more books!
March 3, 2020
I have tried the Aubrey–Maturin novels a few times (they were my Dad's favourite) but I have never really got on with them, so I thought, why not go back to something else written by O'Brian, to see if that worked. And this, heavily colloquial, even with all of its regretable Irishisms and Empire racisms, did the trick. It felt a lot older than it is, and had the verve of something that these days would be more YA - its nearly all action and very little introspection. And compared to those twenty novels of his most famous series, this takes place over an entire tour of duty for our lead, about four years in total of sailing around the world, battling a few Spanish, being shipwrecked et al. But I have my eye in now, so I will tackle the Master And Commander books again soon, see if they take.
September 15, 2024
He was a genius.
March 16, 2008
Copypasted from my posts on LJ when I was reading it:
This afternoon I went to my grandmother to enjoy a nice long bath. God, I need a nice bath sometimes. I felt all refreshed and chipper when I came out of it... though that might also have has something to do with reading on in "The Golden Ocean" as well. FitzGerald's sea-sickness cracked me up, and Peter getting into a fight with the other mids. I shouldn't laugh but POB is so wonderfully funny about it. Not to mention it's also very interesting to see how Ransome, who was a very likeable chap to Jack Byron in the last book is now a bully just because the other boy is Irish... okay and possibly because he's a complete lubber. I wonder whether he'll change.
In any case it's a wonderful book so far.
____
Now I'll go to bed to read a bit more in "21". The arrangement these days seems to be to read "The Golden Ocean" during the day and "The Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey" at night. TGO is hilariously funny, by the way. Mr Stapleton has just explained the concept of keel-hauling to Peter. Haha!
'And do you know what keel-hauling is?'
'Not exactly, sir, but Mr Saunders has promised to show me this evening.'
Bwaha. XD!!! And of course any time, any time at all when logic is attempted to be applied to anything nautical. Why is the quarterdeck bigger than the halfdeck? Why go up the futtock shrouds instead of using a perfectly serviceable lubber hole that was built for the purpose? How can you spend the watch below aloft? Why call it a gundeck at all if there are no guns? Why is it called a one-decker if it has four storeys? Navy logic.
OH! OH! And Peter was sitting across from Jack Byron at the dinner table. And he was mast-headed. I like to think that Jack was one of the other boys who were and they looked at each other form different ships but didn't know it. I ADORE how these two books keep tying in with each other. There was a mention of Palafox at the end of The Unknown Shore as well. Well, they would tie in, of course, but it's still a lot of fun.
Not to mention that I'm getting thoroughly used to the route they're taking. Haha, three books following the same path: first Jack and Stephen in Blue at the Mizzen, then Jack and Tobias in The Unknown Shore and now following Anson himself in The Golden Ocean. I wish there were a glossary or footnotes for the Irish phrases, though. I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of the Irish references like what Teague refers to, or little snippets of conversation, not to mention I can't pronounce most place names.
Now! No more talking about TGO! Chapter three awaits. Hey for home, England, and beauty.
____
Peter Palafox is growing fat and slightly obnoxious, I kind of miss FitzGerald and can't stop thinking that at this moment, while Peter's stuffing his face, Jack and Toby are stranded somewhere and about to live in HELL for the next few months? years?, and last but not least I'm growing to really really like Anson.
Anything else? Oh yes, Ransome has redeemed himself, which we all knew he would because Jack Byron liked him, and Keppel has no teeth left, which is kind of tragic for a little kid who's probably only just gotten his set of permanent teeth a few years ago, but he gets to have a cool lisp now, so it's okay.
Now let's go harry the Spaniards! Whoohoohoohoo
___
The Golden Ocean has no discernible OTP. This distresses me. 335 men and no OTP? Unheard of!
Peter Palafox/Sean O'Mara
See, the book started out with Peter and Sean, so I started out thinking that they might be a second version of the Jack/Toby dynamic we had in TUS, only they're not as close, and there doesn't seem to be anything more than ordinary friendship, coupled with a bit of a class and rank difference. Not that that would make any difference, of course, but there's not enough there to convince me of an OTP.
Peter Palafox/Peregrin FitzGerald
Well, I had great hopes for this one, and I was kind of rooting for FitzGerald the entire time hoping he'd come to the sailoring side of things after a while, and they'd grow up to be a sort of Irish Jack/Heneage kind of pairing. Only they obviously didn't, because FitzGerald never became a decent sailor and got off the ship.
Upside: he didn't get a chance to die around the Horn.
Downside: I didn't have time to slash him properly.
Peter Palafox/Ransome
What's Ransome's first name? I don't know. If it turns out to be Arthur, I shall be greatly amused. In any case I can't see the pairing. They're close friends by now, but meh. If Jack Byron wasn't so attached at the hip to Toby, I might pair him up with Ransome, though. It'd be fun. It's like prototypeJackAubrey/prototypeJackAubrey, which would either be disturbingly attractive or just disturbing. The two of them together make up an entire Jack!
Ransome/Augustus Keppel
The only pairing I might possibly be induced to consider so far, I think, which is of course horrible of me, because I don't even know how to term that. Is that RPS? Is it FPS? What is it? Anyway they're very protective of each other, they've got a sort of short hand around each other, Keppel is marginally nicer and more affable to Ransome and Ransome positively dotes on Keppel, especially after the scurvy, so I think I can see this best of all, but in this book that's not really saying much.
Anson/Saumarez
Just because it's fun to. Shush. But yeah, it's not real.It's just my overactive imagination saying that something had to have kept Anson so happy during all those storms. I know that onepersonilike/anotherpersonilike is not a valid strategy for OTP hunting.
Also, Sean thinks the earth is shaped like a cheese and Mr Saumarez wishes to press the devil into the service. I love this book.
_____
Finished "The Golden Ocean" before bed yesterday and read the first chapter of "Persuasion" because Rosamundeb has told me to read it ages ago and I'm in an Austen kind of mood. Somehow I only just noticed now what a small step it indeed is to go from O'Brian to Austen.
By the way, is it just me or is there something of the later Killick in young Sean O'Mara? :D!
Mostly for myself:
George, Lord Anson:
But the Commodore had dealt with that: after his address to the assembled men - one of his very rare addresses, for he was not a loquacious commander - there had been no further breath of mutiny; and although the men had at first confronted their seemingly impossible task with no more than apathetic obedience, Mr Anson's certainty, his immense prestige among them, their affection for him, and the example of his cheerful, indefatigable industry had worked an extraordinary change.
'The hands will not be driven,' he had directed at the council of the officers. 'They will be shown. These are good men: they need encouragement, not hard words. I need not add,' he had concluded, dismissing the supposition with a smile - 'I need not add that the officers will show no sign of dispondency at any time whatever.'
Philip, Lord Saumarez
'What is this shocking noise about?' asked Mr Saumarez.
'If you please, sir,' said Keppel, 'we are painting Mr Palafox blue.'
'What a stupid blunder,' cried the first lieutenant. 'Don't you know that green is the proper emblem? Come, come; mix yellow with your blue and you will have green - the only correct colour. When will you begin to realise that you must think before you act?'
Mr Midshipman Augustus Keppel
The hatch was now open, and the very small boy sat on a locker, looking up it and singing, in a remarkably high-pitched soprano,
'The secret expedition ho
The secret expedition hee,'
over and over again. Peter stood, contemplating the pink-cheeked singer and wondering first where FitzGerald was and secondly how this child could have got aboard; and presently the song came to an end.
'Tell me, my boy,' said Peter, 'have you seen...'
'Who the -- do you think you are?' asked the kid with an unflinching stare.
'You should not use such words,' said Peter, quite shocked.
'And you should not use such an infernally impertinent form of address to your seniors,' piped the very small boy.
This afternoon I went to my grandmother to enjoy a nice long bath. God, I need a nice bath sometimes. I felt all refreshed and chipper when I came out of it... though that might also have has something to do with reading on in "The Golden Ocean" as well. FitzGerald's sea-sickness cracked me up, and Peter getting into a fight with the other mids. I shouldn't laugh but POB is so wonderfully funny about it. Not to mention it's also very interesting to see how Ransome, who was a very likeable chap to Jack Byron in the last book is now a bully just because the other boy is Irish... okay and possibly because he's a complete lubber. I wonder whether he'll change.
In any case it's a wonderful book so far.
____
Now I'll go to bed to read a bit more in "21". The arrangement these days seems to be to read "The Golden Ocean" during the day and "The Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey" at night. TGO is hilariously funny, by the way. Mr Stapleton has just explained the concept of keel-hauling to Peter. Haha!
'And do you know what keel-hauling is?'
'Not exactly, sir, but Mr Saunders has promised to show me this evening.'
Bwaha. XD!!! And of course any time, any time at all when logic is attempted to be applied to anything nautical. Why is the quarterdeck bigger than the halfdeck? Why go up the futtock shrouds instead of using a perfectly serviceable lubber hole that was built for the purpose? How can you spend the watch below aloft? Why call it a gundeck at all if there are no guns? Why is it called a one-decker if it has four storeys? Navy logic.
OH! OH! And Peter was sitting across from Jack Byron at the dinner table. And he was mast-headed. I like to think that Jack was one of the other boys who were and they looked at each other form different ships but didn't know it. I ADORE how these two books keep tying in with each other. There was a mention of Palafox at the end of The Unknown Shore as well. Well, they would tie in, of course, but it's still a lot of fun.
Not to mention that I'm getting thoroughly used to the route they're taking. Haha, three books following the same path: first Jack and Stephen in Blue at the Mizzen, then Jack and Tobias in The Unknown Shore and now following Anson himself in The Golden Ocean. I wish there were a glossary or footnotes for the Irish phrases, though. I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of the Irish references like what Teague refers to, or little snippets of conversation, not to mention I can't pronounce most place names.
Now! No more talking about TGO! Chapter three awaits. Hey for home, England, and beauty.
____
Peter Palafox is growing fat and slightly obnoxious, I kind of miss FitzGerald and can't stop thinking that at this moment, while Peter's stuffing his face, Jack and Toby are stranded somewhere and about to live in HELL for the next few months? years?, and last but not least I'm growing to really really like Anson.
Anything else? Oh yes, Ransome has redeemed himself, which we all knew he would because Jack Byron liked him, and Keppel has no teeth left, which is kind of tragic for a little kid who's probably only just gotten his set of permanent teeth a few years ago, but he gets to have a cool lisp now, so it's okay.
Now let's go harry the Spaniards! Whoohoohoohoo
___
The Golden Ocean has no discernible OTP. This distresses me. 335 men and no OTP? Unheard of!
Peter Palafox/Sean O'Mara
See, the book started out with Peter and Sean, so I started out thinking that they might be a second version of the Jack/Toby dynamic we had in TUS, only they're not as close, and there doesn't seem to be anything more than ordinary friendship, coupled with a bit of a class and rank difference. Not that that would make any difference, of course, but there's not enough there to convince me of an OTP.
Peter Palafox/Peregrin FitzGerald
Well, I had great hopes for this one, and I was kind of rooting for FitzGerald the entire time hoping he'd come to the sailoring side of things after a while, and they'd grow up to be a sort of Irish Jack/Heneage kind of pairing. Only they obviously didn't, because FitzGerald never became a decent sailor and got off the ship.
Upside: he didn't get a chance to die around the Horn.
Downside: I didn't have time to slash him properly.
Peter Palafox/Ransome
What's Ransome's first name? I don't know. If it turns out to be Arthur, I shall be greatly amused. In any case I can't see the pairing. They're close friends by now, but meh. If Jack Byron wasn't so attached at the hip to Toby, I might pair him up with Ransome, though. It'd be fun. It's like prototypeJackAubrey/prototypeJackAubrey, which would either be disturbingly attractive or just disturbing. The two of them together make up an entire Jack!
Ransome/Augustus Keppel
The only pairing I might possibly be induced to consider so far, I think, which is of course horrible of me, because I don't even know how to term that. Is that RPS? Is it FPS? What is it? Anyway they're very protective of each other, they've got a sort of short hand around each other, Keppel is marginally nicer and more affable to Ransome and Ransome positively dotes on Keppel, especially after the scurvy, so I think I can see this best of all, but in this book that's not really saying much.
Anson/Saumarez
Just because it's fun to. Shush. But yeah, it's not real.
Also, Sean thinks the earth is shaped like a cheese and Mr Saumarez wishes to press the devil into the service. I love this book.
_____
Finished "The Golden Ocean" before bed yesterday and read the first chapter of "Persuasion" because Rosamundeb has told me to read it ages ago and I'm in an Austen kind of mood. Somehow I only just noticed now what a small step it indeed is to go from O'Brian to Austen.
By the way, is it just me or is there something of the later Killick in young Sean O'Mara? :D!
Mostly for myself:
George, Lord Anson:
But the Commodore had dealt with that: after his address to the assembled men - one of his very rare addresses, for he was not a loquacious commander - there had been no further breath of mutiny; and although the men had at first confronted their seemingly impossible task with no more than apathetic obedience, Mr Anson's certainty, his immense prestige among them, their affection for him, and the example of his cheerful, indefatigable industry had worked an extraordinary change.
'The hands will not be driven,' he had directed at the council of the officers. 'They will be shown. These are good men: they need encouragement, not hard words. I need not add,' he had concluded, dismissing the supposition with a smile - 'I need not add that the officers will show no sign of dispondency at any time whatever.'
Philip, Lord Saumarez
'What is this shocking noise about?' asked Mr Saumarez.
'If you please, sir,' said Keppel, 'we are painting Mr Palafox blue.'
'What a stupid blunder,' cried the first lieutenant. 'Don't you know that green is the proper emblem? Come, come; mix yellow with your blue and you will have green - the only correct colour. When will you begin to realise that you must think before you act?'
Mr Midshipman Augustus Keppel
The hatch was now open, and the very small boy sat on a locker, looking up it and singing, in a remarkably high-pitched soprano,
'The secret expedition ho
The secret expedition hee,'
over and over again. Peter stood, contemplating the pink-cheeked singer and wondering first where FitzGerald was and secondly how this child could have got aboard; and presently the song came to an end.
'Tell me, my boy,' said Peter, 'have you seen...'
'Who the -- do you think you are?' asked the kid with an unflinching stare.
'You should not use such words,' said Peter, quite shocked.
'And you should not use such an infernally impertinent form of address to your seniors,' piped the very small boy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2019
Good yarn about Anson's 1740-44 trip around the globe, which included the capture of a Spanish galleon carrying over a million pieces of eight (the share for each seaman was something like twenty years' labor; Anson himself earned over 90,000 quid!). The tale is told from the perspective from a young Irish midshipman, Peter Palafox, who receives his berth despite never having seen a ship.
The trip was terrible, despite the loot at the end. In the small fleet, something like 1900 men set out from England; about 500 returned. But that was not uncommon in those days, which disease, starvation, and enemy guns all taking their toll. O'Brian is rather unromantic about it all, but then again, so was life at sea. The prose is not as mature as his Aubrey-Maturin series, but the seeds are clearly there, and beginning to grow. And yes, the nautical terminology is as glorious as ever.
O'Brian actually wrote another novel about his trip--about one of the ships that didn't make it back home. I look forward to tackling it in the near future.
That's football tackling, by the way, not naval . . .
The trip was terrible, despite the loot at the end. In the small fleet, something like 1900 men set out from England; about 500 returned. But that was not uncommon in those days, which disease, starvation, and enemy guns all taking their toll. O'Brian is rather unromantic about it all, but then again, so was life at sea. The prose is not as mature as his Aubrey-Maturin series, but the seeds are clearly there, and beginning to grow. And yes, the nautical terminology is as glorious as ever.
O'Brian actually wrote another novel about his trip--about one of the ships that didn't make it back home. I look forward to tackling it in the near future.
That's football tackling, by the way, not naval . . .
January 23, 2020
Not as good as the Aubrey-Martin series, but a nice story with plenty of humor.
July 15, 2024
I was hoping I'd enjoy this one more than the other O'Brian, but...soooo boooorong! 😆 Apologies to those of you who love him. You're allowed to. Just give me permission not to!
June 26, 2025
I finished the Aubrey-Maturin series and then found this book. Patrick O’Brien showed here what he could do with men and ships. My favorite author.
February 8, 2020
O'Brian's first novel, so it predates the breathtaking Aubrey / Maturin books, which I have read from start to finish. I highly recommend Patrick Tull's Audiobook narration - simply incredible.
This one tells the story of a "wee Irish lad" who signs on as a midshipman. He hasn't even seen the ocean, nevermind actually been aboard a ship. He signed on to the *Centurian*, Commodore George Anson's boat, and thus was part of one of the most famous journeys of all time - a circumnavigation of the globe, where over 1,800 men started and only 188 finished. Read more about it here on Wikipedia.
In typical O'Brian fashion, he tells the story with panache and accuracy. Every fo'c'sle and top'sl is recounted and the horrors and joys of the trips are covered.
All in all, a real fun book. I really like books that tell a story in multiple fashions, rather than just a straight third person narrative, and this one sprinkles in letters to home, thinking back across previous months, and other narrative touches that keep it fresh. I know I took a while to finish the book, but it was basically read in two spurts - one towards the end of last summer and then now, as I have resolved to close out books that are in my "Currently Reading" pile. The last half of the book was particularly interesting and action packed.
If you like the Aubrey / Maturin books, then this one is a no brainer. If you haven't tried them yet, this is a good introduction. If you like this even a little bit, then you should certainly begin the amazing main journey of Captain Aubrey and Stephen Maturin. As I said, be sure to give Tull's narration a try. You won't go back!
This one tells the story of a "wee Irish lad" who signs on as a midshipman. He hasn't even seen the ocean, nevermind actually been aboard a ship. He signed on to the *Centurian*, Commodore George Anson's boat, and thus was part of one of the most famous journeys of all time - a circumnavigation of the globe, where over 1,800 men started and only 188 finished. Read more about it here on Wikipedia.
In typical O'Brian fashion, he tells the story with panache and accuracy. Every fo'c'sle and top'sl is recounted and the horrors and joys of the trips are covered.
All in all, a real fun book. I really like books that tell a story in multiple fashions, rather than just a straight third person narrative, and this one sprinkles in letters to home, thinking back across previous months, and other narrative touches that keep it fresh. I know I took a while to finish the book, but it was basically read in two spurts - one towards the end of last summer and then now, as I have resolved to close out books that are in my "Currently Reading" pile. The last half of the book was particularly interesting and action packed.
If you like the Aubrey / Maturin books, then this one is a no brainer. If you haven't tried them yet, this is a good introduction. If you like this even a little bit, then you should certainly begin the amazing main journey of Captain Aubrey and Stephen Maturin. As I said, be sure to give Tull's narration a try. You won't go back!
February 13, 2022
“The Golden Ocean” (1956) by O’Brian is his first historical sea-going novel, and it shows. There is a lot of promise in the material but the presentation is a bit uneven, with odd shifts in narration and leaps through time. At times though, we can see the first stirrings of the later O’Brian, he of the 21-volume ‘Aubrey and Maturin’ series that I devoured inside 2 months late last year and thoroughly enjoyed for the most part.
The first chapter in particular contains very “Hemingwayesque” sentences, particularly in his descriptions of the Irish landscape. Example: “Then it was the soft green of the crossroads by Joseph Noonan’s cabin and the women waving their blue shawls, and he had to collect himself to smile and call back.” Then.. and.. , and. Sonorous as if we are back with Jake in Spain. But soon his characters starts chatting (way too much in places) and the style of the narrative slowly becomes his own.
It was nice to see a capital ship from the midshipmen’s perspective; a kind of a warm up for when Jack Aubrey enters the stage.
The first chapter in particular contains very “Hemingwayesque” sentences, particularly in his descriptions of the Irish landscape. Example: “Then it was the soft green of the crossroads by Joseph Noonan’s cabin and the women waving their blue shawls, and he had to collect himself to smile and call back.” Then.. and.. , and. Sonorous as if we are back with Jake in Spain. But soon his characters starts chatting (way too much in places) and the style of the narrative slowly becomes his own.
It was nice to see a capital ship from the midshipmen’s perspective; a kind of a warm up for when Jack Aubrey enters the stage.
November 19, 2014
Uniquely Old School
I didn't want to commit to the famous series, but wanted a taste of the author's voice because of his reputation as a skilled and prolific writer. The Golden Ocean was quite an amazing story in all its seafaring detail and British nautical language. Sometimes poetic, sometimes dull, I read a lot of it out loud. With all the sailing jargon and Irish-isms there could be pages where I was just guessing. O'Brian romanticized a difficult way of life, and I think by the title I could have expected the exuberant happy ending. If I try another, I would look for an illustrated, annotated version.
I didn't want to commit to the famous series, but wanted a taste of the author's voice because of his reputation as a skilled and prolific writer. The Golden Ocean was quite an amazing story in all its seafaring detail and British nautical language. Sometimes poetic, sometimes dull, I read a lot of it out loud. With all the sailing jargon and Irish-isms there could be pages where I was just guessing. O'Brian romanticized a difficult way of life, and I think by the title I could have expected the exuberant happy ending. If I try another, I would look for an illustrated, annotated version.
May 20, 2012
Oh the joy! Just when all O'Brian addicts were getting over cold turkey withdrawal...the publishers bring us the Prequel.
This is every bit as wonderful as the Aubrey/Maturins, and the seeds of those characters can be seen in the two Irish boys who run away to sea. (Aubrey seems to be based on Commodore Anson, in fact). The jargon is, of course, like Swahili to the uninitiated, but that's the charm of it.
I might add that thin as it is, this has moments of great humour...perhaps more than in the successors.
Stupendous. I had to eke it out, dammit!
This is every bit as wonderful as the Aubrey/Maturins, and the seeds of those characters can be seen in the two Irish boys who run away to sea. (Aubrey seems to be based on Commodore Anson, in fact). The jargon is, of course, like Swahili to the uninitiated, but that's the charm of it.
I might add that thin as it is, this has moments of great humour...perhaps more than in the successors.
Stupendous. I had to eke it out, dammit!
March 22, 2014
I have read all of the Aubrey/Maturin books and then found this gem. It's an early O'Brien work predating the A/M series and definitely a fitting precursor to that series. I have the sequel on order and await its arrival.
August 17, 2016
Audiobook version
This is one of Patrick O'Brian's early novels and one of his first sea novels. It is, of course, thrilling and outstanding.
This is one of Patrick O'Brian's early novels and one of his first sea novels. It is, of course, thrilling and outstanding.
October 18, 2025
In retrospect, this picaresque shows O'Brian warming up for the Aubrey/Maturin books to come. I found it rather slow going in the first half, gathering pace and interest in the back stretch.
November 15, 2025
In September 1740 Commodore George Anson set off on one of the greatest raids in history; around the world raiding Spanish shipping and harbours. Chasing after the gold of the Americas and fabled wealth of the Indies he went around the world. One of the greatest, it was also one of the most challenging, and was very nearly a disaster. This makes for great material for a novel as in The Golden Ocean by Patrick O’Brien. We join Peter Palafox as he sets out from Ballynasaggart to be a midshipman on Anson’s ship the Centurion. He is rapidly joined by Sean O’Mara who wants to go, permission or no, and the Royal Navy is not going to say ‘no’ to someone demanding to be a sailor when the squadron is so undermanned even the press gangs can't make good the numbers.
Pros
Good fast and action packed narrative
Focusing on midshipmen it is fun and carefree
Historical accuracy
Cons
Not as brilliantly written as O’Brien’s later works
As a story where the main characters are teenagers the Golden Ocean has a mischievousness to it. As an adventure it is quite carefree even when times are low and everyone is ill there is often jollity and humour. There are not really any bad guys, sure the Spanish are the enemy but they barely come into it except as an objective and the occasional fracas.
It is quite a short novel. But it could be much much longer. I would think it could easily have been turned into two novels (or one twice the length). The voyage is 4 years. And there is an immense amount of adventure to pack in; storms, fever, scurvy, losing the flotilla, losing the ship itself several times, and that is even before we get to any raids or ship to ship action. But that is part of O’Brien’s style. It is clipped, pared down making for a fast narrative.
It is difficult not to compare The Golden Ocean with O’Brien’s Aubrey-Maturin books. Fortunately there is a lot of what makes O’Brien’s books great here. Rounding Cape Horn provides an opportunity for O’Brien to provide vivid descriptions of towering seas and monstrous storms. The main characters, and many of the more minor ones too, are clearly drawn and have individual distinct personalities so we come to know them.
Clearly there are significant similarities, but there are also quite considerable differences between this book and the Aubrey-Maturin fare readers of O’Brien’s naval historical novels will be used to. Excluding the obviously slightly differing setting the main character being a midshipman means there is a very different perspective from always having the big picture from the Captain of the ship. From a narrative perspective this has the consequence of it not always being clear what the aim, beyond the very general, is. Midshipmen don't need to know the mind of the Commodore!
It is quite easy to tell from the writing it is an early book by O’Brien. I’m used to the writing being so beautifully flowing that I understand almost everything that is written - even when technical language is used. That is not always the case here, it can get too technical. But sometimes that is the point. One of the benefits of having Palafox as a midshipman is that we are learning the ropes as he is. But there are also occasions where I don't manage to follow a conversation or an event in the book even where it is not a technical issue, simply things jump ahead too fast to keep up.
O’Brien has always been good at historical accuracy. It has been a long time since I read anything on this great raid but I think it is all pretty accurate with very little at all changed - it is such an epic tale in history there is perhaps little need to fictionalise it for dramatic purposes. The two main characters are (I am fairly sure) purely fictional but many of the other characters introduced here went on to great things; Anson reforms the Royal Navy; Midshipman Keppel commands fleets in the Seven Years War and War of American Independence; Lieutenant Saunders commands the fleet behind the fall of Quebec.
This may not be the best of O’Brien’s novels but it is a good book for someone new to O’Brien to start on. Those who already know O’Brien’s novels will most likely need no encouragement.
Pros
Good fast and action packed narrative
Focusing on midshipmen it is fun and carefree
Historical accuracy
Cons
Not as brilliantly written as O’Brien’s later works
As a story where the main characters are teenagers the Golden Ocean has a mischievousness to it. As an adventure it is quite carefree even when times are low and everyone is ill there is often jollity and humour. There are not really any bad guys, sure the Spanish are the enemy but they barely come into it except as an objective and the occasional fracas.
It is quite a short novel. But it could be much much longer. I would think it could easily have been turned into two novels (or one twice the length). The voyage is 4 years. And there is an immense amount of adventure to pack in; storms, fever, scurvy, losing the flotilla, losing the ship itself several times, and that is even before we get to any raids or ship to ship action. But that is part of O’Brien’s style. It is clipped, pared down making for a fast narrative.
It is difficult not to compare The Golden Ocean with O’Brien’s Aubrey-Maturin books. Fortunately there is a lot of what makes O’Brien’s books great here. Rounding Cape Horn provides an opportunity for O’Brien to provide vivid descriptions of towering seas and monstrous storms. The main characters, and many of the more minor ones too, are clearly drawn and have individual distinct personalities so we come to know them.
Clearly there are significant similarities, but there are also quite considerable differences between this book and the Aubrey-Maturin fare readers of O’Brien’s naval historical novels will be used to. Excluding the obviously slightly differing setting the main character being a midshipman means there is a very different perspective from always having the big picture from the Captain of the ship. From a narrative perspective this has the consequence of it not always being clear what the aim, beyond the very general, is. Midshipmen don't need to know the mind of the Commodore!
It is quite easy to tell from the writing it is an early book by O’Brien. I’m used to the writing being so beautifully flowing that I understand almost everything that is written - even when technical language is used. That is not always the case here, it can get too technical. But sometimes that is the point. One of the benefits of having Palafox as a midshipman is that we are learning the ropes as he is. But there are also occasions where I don't manage to follow a conversation or an event in the book even where it is not a technical issue, simply things jump ahead too fast to keep up.
O’Brien has always been good at historical accuracy. It has been a long time since I read anything on this great raid but I think it is all pretty accurate with very little at all changed - it is such an epic tale in history there is perhaps little need to fictionalise it for dramatic purposes. The two main characters are (I am fairly sure) purely fictional but many of the other characters introduced here went on to great things; Anson reforms the Royal Navy; Midshipman Keppel commands fleets in the Seven Years War and War of American Independence; Lieutenant Saunders commands the fleet behind the fall of Quebec.
This may not be the best of O’Brien’s novels but it is a good book for someone new to O’Brien to start on. Those who already know O’Brien’s novels will most likely need no encouragement.
December 30, 2024
I recently reread The Golden Ocean after having worked through Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series this past year.
This text, written well before that series when O'Brian was still finding his voice, shows early signs of his later style. In terms of plot structure, narrative arc, and character development, it reveals where he was at this point in his career.
For readers familiar with O'Brian's work, this is truly uneven, but it still holds cues towards what kind of author O'Brian was to become. His explanations of nautical terms and his asides on nautical metaphors are thoughtfully detailed throughout the work. All of these elements, to a landlubber, are quite interesting. The technical details he uses regarding sailing devices, methods, and equipment are engaging for someone who cares about that kind of authenticity. While somewhat clumsy here, these elements are replicated throughout his later work.
The plot is uneven, mostly because he focuses on certain characters and then loses them for chapters before returning to them later. These characters show promise but fluctuate between being reasonable and cliché. In short, this is a terrific read for someone who is exploring what an author, this author, will become.
This voyage, like most of his early work based in nautical history, covers events later explored in David Grann's 2023 book The Wager. Grann, an experienced author, examines just a single ship from that fleet - one that was wrecked and mutinied - in detail, approaching it more as historian than storyteller.
O'Brian, even in this early work, tells his part of that narrative more as storyteller than historian, while successfully capturing the voices of officers and lower deck folk alike. Not a great book, but a nice study for people interested in O'Brian's evolution.
This text, written well before that series when O'Brian was still finding his voice, shows early signs of his later style. In terms of plot structure, narrative arc, and character development, it reveals where he was at this point in his career.
For readers familiar with O'Brian's work, this is truly uneven, but it still holds cues towards what kind of author O'Brian was to become. His explanations of nautical terms and his asides on nautical metaphors are thoughtfully detailed throughout the work. All of these elements, to a landlubber, are quite interesting. The technical details he uses regarding sailing devices, methods, and equipment are engaging for someone who cares about that kind of authenticity. While somewhat clumsy here, these elements are replicated throughout his later work.
The plot is uneven, mostly because he focuses on certain characters and then loses them for chapters before returning to them later. These characters show promise but fluctuate between being reasonable and cliché. In short, this is a terrific read for someone who is exploring what an author, this author, will become.
This voyage, like most of his early work based in nautical history, covers events later explored in David Grann's 2023 book The Wager. Grann, an experienced author, examines just a single ship from that fleet - one that was wrecked and mutinied - in detail, approaching it more as historian than storyteller.
O'Brian, even in this early work, tells his part of that narrative more as storyteller than historian, while successfully capturing the voices of officers and lower deck folk alike. Not a great book, but a nice study for people interested in O'Brian's evolution.
July 15, 2019
As others have said, this is an early Patrick O'Brian novel and, although it is about life in the Royal Navy, it is an earlier Navy that the Aubrey tales.
Peter Palafox, the young son of an impoverished Irish vicar, together with his labourer friend Sean, go off to join the Royal Navy with Peter as a midshipman and Sean as a deckhand.
The ship they sign on is HMS Centurion, the flagship of Commodore Anson and his small fleet of ships. The fleet is to cross the Atlantic, round Cape Horn and attack Spanish holdings and ships in the Pacific (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_...). Other reviewers have covered the plot, so I will not duplicate their work. The circum navigation of the world involves hardship, sickness and for many, death (Of those on board Centurian when she arrived back in England, 188 were all that remained of the original crews of Centurion, Gloucester, Tryal and Anna. Together with the survivors of Severn, Pearl and Wager (left or lost in South America), about 500 had survived of the original 1900 that had sailed in September 1740, all but a handful falling to disease or starvation.)
Personally I found the book a delight, especially the Irish-English dialogue between Peter and Sean. The start of the book is very amusing (as is the end) but the seriousness of the voyage soon sets in, though there is humour at times to lighten the darkness.
Now, to be sure, the book you would be enjoying. Oh what a delight is the adventure of Peter and Sean, the dears, you would be telling yourself.
Peter Palafox, the young son of an impoverished Irish vicar, together with his labourer friend Sean, go off to join the Royal Navy with Peter as a midshipman and Sean as a deckhand.
The ship they sign on is HMS Centurion, the flagship of Commodore Anson and his small fleet of ships. The fleet is to cross the Atlantic, round Cape Horn and attack Spanish holdings and ships in the Pacific (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_...). Other reviewers have covered the plot, so I will not duplicate their work. The circum navigation of the world involves hardship, sickness and for many, death (Of those on board Centurian when she arrived back in England, 188 were all that remained of the original crews of Centurion, Gloucester, Tryal and Anna. Together with the survivors of Severn, Pearl and Wager (left or lost in South America), about 500 had survived of the original 1900 that had sailed in September 1740, all but a handful falling to disease or starvation.)
Personally I found the book a delight, especially the Irish-English dialogue between Peter and Sean. The start of the book is very amusing (as is the end) but the seriousness of the voyage soon sets in, though there is humour at times to lighten the darkness.
Now, to be sure, the book you would be enjoying. Oh what a delight is the adventure of Peter and Sean, the dears, you would be telling yourself.
January 25, 2023
I suppose as a first novel, it is very good and one can see the seeds of Patrick O'Brian's masterpiece being planted there. I very much liked Commodore Anson and his quiet way of commanding respect without violence. It resonated very much with Jack Aubrey whose adventures I read avidly a few years ago.
The fondness for jokes is already present here. What was a bit more difficult for me was the device which avoided actual dialogue in favour of reported speech. Not so easy to follow.
Certainly the book improves once we are on board the Centurion and the Irish dimension is not so prevalent.
I found the changes in Peter from a youth who knew nothing about sailing to a responsible midshipman not really explained enough.
O'Brian's detailed sailing vocabulary has always been a challenge for the land reader, but it seems to me that it was much worse in this book than I remembered. Over the adventures of Jack Aubrey, I became quite comfortable with the names of all the different parts of the ship and the sails as well as the organisation of the sailor's day. I would recommend readers who are new to this technical vocabulary to have a labelled plan of a tall ship by them so they can better see what is happening.
So by all means use this book as an introduction, but do read the full adventures of Jack Aubrey, starting with the first volume Master and Commander.
The fondness for jokes is already present here. What was a bit more difficult for me was the device which avoided actual dialogue in favour of reported speech. Not so easy to follow.
Certainly the book improves once we are on board the Centurion and the Irish dimension is not so prevalent.
I found the changes in Peter from a youth who knew nothing about sailing to a responsible midshipman not really explained enough.
O'Brian's detailed sailing vocabulary has always been a challenge for the land reader, but it seems to me that it was much worse in this book than I remembered. Over the adventures of Jack Aubrey, I became quite comfortable with the names of all the different parts of the ship and the sails as well as the organisation of the sailor's day. I would recommend readers who are new to this technical vocabulary to have a labelled plan of a tall ship by them so they can better see what is happening.
So by all means use this book as an introduction, but do read the full adventures of Jack Aubrey, starting with the first volume Master and Commander.
November 1, 2021
After finishing the 20 books in the Aubrey & Maturin series, I thought that was it. That was all that there was. Too bad, so sad. So, I was happy to find “The Golden Ocean”. Written prior to the famous series and with different characters, I was, frankly, ready to give it 5 stars just because O’Brian wrote it and I found it. … I’m so happy that it deserved it. Set in 1740, it’s like the Aubrey & Maturin stuff, but different. (An sagacious observation, hey?) During England’s war with Spain (which, to me, just sounds like government authorized piracy), O’Brian, as always, does a great job explaining the complex technical details of sailing military vessels. (BTW, it never occurred to me the great difficulty in determining the correct longitude and latitude!) Even with the sailing and naval jargon sometimes unintelligible, halfway through the book I was already feeling badly that it would end. For those of us addicted to O’Brian’s tales, this is a great fix. I really enjoyed the book.
May 7, 2022
A Harbinger of What's to Come
This novel helps lay the groundwork for what would become the greatest (imho) series of seafaring adventures ever written. Of course, I'm referring to the Aubrey/Maturity stories. It's a treat to see the author using his sense of humor and the period dialogue that makes the reader feel like they are in the midshipmen's berth with Mr. Palafox and the other young gentlemen or on deck fighting the elements.
The Golden Ocean isn't as fully realized in character development and plotline as his future writing would be. However, there is still plenty here for fans of historical fiction (or, in this case, fictionalized history!) to enjoy. Anson's circumnavigation of the world actually occurred. This use of actual events to wrap a story around is another one of Mr. O'Brian's usual devices for establishing the settings for his tales.
I won't ramble further. Suffice it to say that this is an enjoyable read that stands on its own. It also is a preview if the truly great writing that was to come.
This novel helps lay the groundwork for what would become the greatest (imho) series of seafaring adventures ever written. Of course, I'm referring to the Aubrey/Maturity stories. It's a treat to see the author using his sense of humor and the period dialogue that makes the reader feel like they are in the midshipmen's berth with Mr. Palafox and the other young gentlemen or on deck fighting the elements.
The Golden Ocean isn't as fully realized in character development and plotline as his future writing would be. However, there is still plenty here for fans of historical fiction (or, in this case, fictionalized history!) to enjoy. Anson's circumnavigation of the world actually occurred. This use of actual events to wrap a story around is another one of Mr. O'Brian's usual devices for establishing the settings for his tales.
I won't ramble further. Suffice it to say that this is an enjoyable read that stands on its own. It also is a preview if the truly great writing that was to come.
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