The Commodore cover art

The Commodore

(Vol. Book 17)

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The Commodore

By: Patrick O'Brian
Narrated by: Ric Jerrom
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About this listen

Having survived a long and desperate adventure in the Great South Sea, Captain Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin return to England to very different circumstances. For Jack it is a happy homecoming, at least initially, but for Stephen it is disastrous: his little daughter appears to be autistic, incapable of speech or contact, while his wife, Diana, unable to bear this situation, has disappeared, her house being looked after by the widowed Clarissa Oakes.

Much of The Commodore takes place on land, in sitting rooms and in drafty castles, but the roar of the great guns is never far from our hearing. Aubrey and Maturin are sent on a bizarre decoy mission to the fever-ridden lagoons of the Gulf of Guinea to suppress the slave trade. But their ultimate destination is Ireland, where the French are mounting an invasion that will test Aubrey's seamanship and Maturin's resourcefulness as a secret intelligence agent.

The subtle interweaving of these disparate themes is an achievement of pure storytelling by one of our greatest living novelists.

©1994 Patrick O'Brian (P)2014 Audible, Ltd
Historical Thriller & Suspense Fiction France Sailing

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The best reader for the best writer.

If you could sum up The Commodore in three words, what would they be?

emotive, thrilling, satisfying

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Commodore?

The moment that Stephen heard his daughter talk for the first time. Closely followed by his reunion with Diana.

Have you listened to any of Ric Jerrom’s other performances? How does this one compare?

All of the previous books in the series. his performance is equally as good

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The scenes with Stephens' daughter made me almost cry.

Any additional comments?

Stephen's turn of phrase is fantastic.

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Listened to it twice over

My favourite of the series so far.
Building on the emotional depth so wonderfully explored in Clarissa Oakes, this instalment turns to an investigation of leadership styles, and what it takes to be a true leader. There are also several candid and nuanced conversations on broad and controversial topics, always leaving room for critical thought for those with an inclination.
Aubrey and Maturin’s relationship is always a delight to hear unfold, and there were some truly fantastic small moments that are worth listening to over again that work again to illustrate each character’s personal depth.

While the start was a little slow, the majority of the pacing was excellent and, to my great enjoyment, the book didn’t suddenly end at the culmination of an action!! As always, POB satisfies any land-locked adventurer’s wanderlust

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Rollicking read

Realism integrated with great dialogue, variable pace and intriguing personalities. Jack and Stephen are welcome guests in my house anytime!

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