The golden ocean

by Patrick O'Brian

Hardcover, 1994

Status

Available

Series

Golden Ocean (1)

Genres

Publication

New York : Norton, 1994.

Description

The first novel Patrick O'Brian ever wrote about the sea - and the precursor to the famous Aubrey/Maturin series - is now available in paperback for the first time in forty years. The Golden Ocean is the first novel Patrick O'Brian ever wrote about the sea. The novel shares the same sense of excitement and the rich humour of the Aubrey/Maturin novels, invoking the eloquent style and attention to historical detail that O'Brian readers admire so much. The protagonist of this story is Peter Palafox, son of a poor Irish parson, who signs on as a midshipman, never before having seen a ship. He is a fellow who would have delighted the young Stephen Maturin or Jack Aubrey... and quarrelled with them as well. Together with his life-long friend Sean, Peter sets out to seek his fortune, embarking on a journey of danger, disappointment, foreign lands and excitement. Written in 1956, this is a tale certain to please not only the many admirers of O'Brian, but any reader with an adventurous soul.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member baumgarten

The Golden Ocean is a good book in its own right, separate from the Aubrey/Maturin canon. It is not as mature as O'Brian's later writing, and it lacks the subtle humor pervasive in his other work. Some of the trademarks are still there, though - the literary (and Latin) references, the Irish

characters, and the pair of friends. He uses the device of skipping segments of time, and then backfilling what happened as you might remember it, incomplete and skipping around. Unfortunately, he has not mastered the art in this work, and it is clumsier and less artful than in his later works. Altogether, it is still a fine novel, even to someone who has not read O'Brian before.

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LibraryThing member Unreachableshelf

In this meandering book, O'Brian shows off his talent for creating characters that it is a pleasure to follow on their travels. His Irish characters' dialogue is particularly enjoyable.

LibraryThing member adzebill

In 1956 O'Brian had hit on his style; a thicket of language and nautical terms, immersion in to the worldview of the 18th century, Irish characters, and humour, although none of it is quite as refined as the later volumes. This is a one-off jaunt that doesn't have characters of the same richness as

Aubrey and Maturin, but is very reminiscent of, and feels like a long-lost prequel.

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LibraryThing member untraveller

My first PO’B book and probably my last. Story was okay, pace was okay, adventure and excitement were okay. Nothing more or less, just very average. I want more from a book.

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