The Commodore

At the start of The Commodore, Jack and Stephen are preparing for a voyage to Africa as part of Commodore Aubrey's newly formed squadron. But all is not well, an enemy at the heart of the establishment is trying to wreck Maturin's career and his intelligence activities. By the middle of the book, the pair have hardly spent any time at sea yet, yet O'Brian's intricate details of a preparation necessary for a sea voyage sustain the reader's interest brilliantly, particularly the developing dramas within each of the Aubrey and Maturin households. Maturin's possibly autistic daughter is being beautifully cared for by his manservant Padeen in a touching snapshot of human drama. I'm hooked......