Desolation Island (Vol. Book 5) (Aubrey/Maturin Novels)

I discovered Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin novels years ago after hearing a story about them on NPR. "Desolation Island" is the fifth novel in the series I have read. While the 19th century English naval jargon is at times distracting, the characters are engaging and the stories filled with excitement, intrigue and modest romance. O'Brian delivers intelligent nautical tales filled with history, heroism and humanity.

To increase my enjoyment of the novels, I purchased a companion edition that elucidates the types of ships, sails, rigging, and navy personnel they contain.

Good action scenes. Lots of undefined terms which made it harder to visualize what was happening. Also this is the only book in the series I have or will read and it feels like there were a lot of backstory things.

The book is wonderful (consistent with the series). However the interface with the shared Kindle Application is broken. I Have used a Kindle for several years (since the second generation) and have never experienced an ebook that had so many issues synching between the Kindle and the iPad. And X-ray did not work at all on the iPad. It would rarely if ever synch accurately. Finally, after finishing the book, I attempted to delete it from my iPad 2 and mini. However, every time I restart my iPads and go into the Kindle application the book automatically downloads from the cloud to my devices. UNACCEPTABLE! Please the store, clean this up with the publisher!!!! BTW, this was NOT an inexpensive ebook so the interface should work correctly. It's one of the things I paid for.

The titular Desolation Island does not appear until very late in this, the 5th Aubrey-Maturin novel. I don't think it's giving anything away to reveal that they are still at the island as the story ends, since the journey, not the destination, seems to be more important. In fact, as the story progresses, you get the feeling that this book is merely prologue, setting up the next phase of the Aubrey-Maturin arc where the books more closely resemble a series rather than a grouping of mostly stand-alone stories. This feeling is most obviously manifested in the relationship between the American "guest stars" and the main characters.

Ostensibly, the plot involves Capt. Aubrey, newly assigned to the 4th-rate warship HMS Leopard, sent to investigate a mutiny in Australia, and carrying several convicts for the Botany Bay olony. In actuality, the main plot and most of the action, if it can be called as such, takes place between the decks of the Leopard, and involves Dr. Maturin in spy mode. One of the convicts being transported is Mrs. Wogan, an American convicted of spying (among other things). Maturin is required to use his arts in espionage to discover and subvert Wogan's spy ring in anticipation of hostilities between the Empire and the U.S.A.

As is usual for an Aubrey-Maturin novel, we live with the Royal Navy for the duration of the story. The early novels are each different because of the increasing rank of Aubrey as well as the increasing size of the ships he commands, therefore we are learning new things about the service and seamanship. However, for the first time in the series I felt that the primary purpose of the story was to advance the plot of the series as a whole, rather than to have a stand-alone situation that is resolved by the end of the book. As such, it is not as satisfying as the previous books in the series. In addition, the primary naval conflict mostly consists of a chase between the Leopard and a Dutch battleship that tries to cut Aubrey off and capture him. This battle never amounts to much more than manoeuvring for position and an exchange of chasers, although while the battle lasts it is as thrilling as anything O'Brien has written.

Perhaps, like the Empire Strikes Back, I will look back at Desolation Island and appreciate it better as a skilled setup for future works and as a bridging story in the middle of the larger strategic narrative. But for now, I'm afraid I was somewhat underwhelmed and was left feeling unsatisfied. That's not going to stop me from reading more of these books, of course, since weak O'Brien is better than most other authors at their best!

In "Desolation Island", Patrick O'Brian begins what can be considered a miniseries within the larger arc of his Aubrey/Maturin Novels. This miniseries continues through "Fortune of War", and is concluded in "The Surgeon's Mate". It is preceeded by the stand alone "Mauritius Command". So if you are considering purchasing books in this arc, make sure you read them in order to get the most enjoyment. And while I'm at it- go back to the first novel, "Master and Commander" and read the series in its entirety if you are a newcomer. You will become hooked in no time, and it is well worth the time commitment - my father and I initially read the series over the course of several months.

Back to the story at hand. "Desolation Island" begins with CPT Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin being dispatched to rescue CPT Bligh of the HMS Bounty notoriety from colony that has rebelled against him in Australia. However, this initial mission is quickly subsumed in a variety of mishaps and adventures that conspire to throw the two friends on one of their greatest stories, spanning three novels mentioned above.

This book includes what I consider the most intense and greatest ship to ship battle that I have ever read. As Aubrey commands the HMS Leopard, a decrepit old ship of the line, he is pursued by a larger, more heavily armed and fully manned Dutch ship of the line - the Waakzamheid. Their chase leads them through the trecharous waters of the southern hemisphere, where the slightest mistake is fatal, putting Jack Aubrey's legendary sailing prowess and gunnery skills to the test.

The story contains Stephen Maturin's struggle with his dangerous addiction to laudanum; as well as his covert intelligence battle with a dangerous and seductive spy being transported to the penal colonies of Australia. When their ship is struck on a rogue ice berg and begins to flounder far from land and any aid, the crew begins to show signs of mutiny, led by an aged Lieutenant who served under Bligh himself. So in addition to the overt action on the high seas, "Desolation Island" also succeeds as a psychological thriller.

All in all, this novel is an exceptional entry in Patrick O'Brian's masterpiece series.

Desolation Island is one of the richest, and at the same time most easily approached, titles in the Aubrey Maturin series. I'm an avid Patrick O'Brian reader, one who's been through the series more than once, and I'm running through this one again right now at spare moments.
Maybe it's heretical to suggest not starting with the first book, but Desolation Island, H.M.S. Surprise, and The Far Side of the World are the ones I recommend to people when I'm trying to get them hooked. Master and Commander is excellent, but it seems to me like O'Brian was writing for a genre audience to start with. (The historical setting is truly wonderful and the characters are a delight, but he was writing for readers who were already interested, say, in the detailed workings of the royal shipyards.) By the time he got to Surprise he had hit his stride, at least for me. The books had stopped being "Another variation on sea life during the Napoleonic age" for him, and the world he was writing just feels complete and right.
Also, those three books all feature long, solo voyages. It's a simple point, but that plotline is easier for a beginning fan to understand and follow. In some ways it gets at the heart of O'Brian's writing best, too. The ship's community as a close, isolated society, the complex nature of Jack's choices as captain, Stephen's isolation with his secret life, the consolation they take in their friendship -- those elements all shine during the long voyages throughout the series.
Desolation Island, as a starting point, also includes one of the most exciting, tense chases in the series. It has a full set of complex minor characters whose fates you really do care about, and it's one of those O'Brian plots that gives you a double-take or two if you don't know where it's going. Highly recommended.

Wow ! Each book in the series seems to get better and better. This book had it all; intrigue, adventure, suspense, romance, and drama that never stopped. Finally, the Americans have come into play and are a part of the series. I can't think of a book or a series that I could recommend with more conviction or enthusiasm ! I was in Louisville a few weeks ago and a friend said that Patrick O'Brien was going to be speaking at one of the local Book Sellers, Needless to say, I was very excited. I googled the author only to find out that he died in the year 2000 at age 85. I only wish that I had volume 6 on hand, but will need to wait a month or so before I become further engrossed in this fabulous series ! I placed this book at the top of my reading list and was very glad that I did, it was a great story. Waste bit a minute in reading this story !

Captain Aubrey, given command of the 50-gun HMS Leopard (a poor example of a weak and declining class of ships) is ordered to the penal colony on Australia, there to deal with certain difficulties faced by Captain Bligh (of HMS Bounty fame). Before he can leave, however, he is ordered to take on board several convicts to transport them to the colony for punishment. Unbeknownst to him, but known to his friend Dr. Maturin, is that one of these prisoners is an American spy. Maturin's task during the voyage will be to learn the identity of the spy's English contacts before the Leopard arrives in Australia.

But before they're halfway there, jail fever breaks out, decimating (more than decimating) first the prisoners and then Aubrey's officers and crew. Even worse, when Aubrey puts into port to take on supplies and land the weakest of his convalescents he learns of a 74-gun Dutch ship that is rumored to be in the area. Although in the past he successfully took a 32-gun frigate with a 14-gun sloop, Aubrey knows that in her present sickly state his Leopard must avoid the Dutch ship at all costs.

Of course, he is unable to do so. He encounters the Dutch ship, which immediately turns in pursuit, and what follows may be the most magnificently realized chase of the entire 20 and a half book series. Lost in the majesty of the towering waves of the high southern latitudes, the Leopard runs for her life.

Desolation Island marks a turning point in Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series. Whereas the previous four novels managed to resolve their major and minor plot lines before coming to an end (Master and Commander, of course, was written as a stand-alone novel, without any thought of a sequel, while Post Captain, HMS Surprise, and The Mauritius Command build on the earlier novels but are otherwise self-contained), with Desolation Island Mr. O'Brian seems to have realized that he was writing something much bigger than a novel with perhaps a sequel or two. In Desolation Island he begins a story arc that spans two or even three volumes, and sets in motion events, some of which will reverberate as far as The Yellow Admiral, novel number 18.

This is where the Aubrey/Maturin series matures, growing beyond the boundaries of single novels and expanding into the story of two men's lives and friendship, set against the beautifully, meticulously rendered life of England and the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic wars. I cannot recommend this novel strongly enough, and I am a little bit jealous of anyone sitting down to read it for the first time - you're in for a real treat.

A final note: if you're buying the Aubrey/Maturin novels in paperback, try to get the older style of cover, with the author's name and the book title confined to the upper left corner. Geoff Hunt's cover illustrations are not random paintings of ships, but scenes from the novels, and he designed them to work with that cover style. The new style chops off a lot of the painting, which is a real loss. In Desolation Island, for instance, the old cover shows a hole in the Leopard's sail, indicative of the determination of the Dutch ship's chase - this is obliterated in the new cover, cheapening the effect of what had been a great painting.

When fans of the master gather to discuss his works, there are two or three pieces of writing that are recalled with fondness and admiration. One of them concerns an episode of Nineteenth Century punishment in The Reverse of The Medal, movingly described and often read aloud by Patrick Tull, of audiobook fame.
But the other occurs in Desolation Island as Jack's ship, the horrible old Leopard, and the Dutch Waakhamzeid engage in an epic duel across the wastes of the Southern Ocean. For sustained conflict, ever-rising tension and a shattering, moving climax, there is nothing else like it in O'Brian's many books. It is, quite simply, superb.
The rest of the book is O'Brian at his best. Stephen hatches a devious plot to do with naval intelligence, Jack sails the ship and the rest of the familiar cast of characters make us feel at home aboard. For those who want to keep track, this is the book where O'Brian leaves his "standalone" format, and embarks on a multi-book adventure that continues through The Fortune of War and The Surgeon's Mate before Jack and Stephen are free to take their ease in England once again.
And, in his own inimitable style, O'Brian tells us some of the background to the War of 1812 between the USA and the UK, in which the horrible old Leopard plays a crucial part.
My verdict? Read it, for all love!

I've been reading the Aubrey-Maturin series straight through, from the first volume. While it has one of the most exciting battle scenes and some of the absorbing problems to be solved I've yet
encountered, this is also, untimately, the most frustrating of the first five volumes. Jack Aubrey, having given up his commodore's pendant at the end of the Mauritius campaign, is back to being a post captain, this time commanding the slow, aging _Leopard_ on a voyage to relieve the embattled Gov. William Bligh in Australia. For reasons of state security, he must also transport a batch of convicted felons, among whom is an American women strongly suspected of spying for the United States, and he must deal with an intellectual young man who has stowed away aboard to be close to Mrs. Wogan. Virtually the whole story takes place aboard the one ship, so the author has the opportunity to investigate his characters in great depth -- always one of his strongest points. The only real naval action, a prolonged stern chase in horrible weather, in which _Leopard_ must flee from the much stronger _Waakzaamheid,_ a Dutch 72-gun ship, is absolutely riveting, as is its sudden and tragic resolution. Then there are the icebergs. But when the book ends, _Leopard_ is still a thusand miles or more from New South Wales and Bligh is nowhere in sight. "Ah," I thought, "it's a two-parter." But it isn't, because I peeked at the next volume. I don't believe O'Brian has enitirely played fair with the reader this time, and it annoys me not to know what happened in the rest of Aubrey's commission.

This is the fifth of the Aubrey-Maturin sea novels, and the first I've read that I felt really lived up to the great things I've heard about this series.

Jack Aubrey has been ordered to transport some convicts to Australia, one of whom is a beautiful spy who Stephen Maturin seeks to gain information from. On the way, his new command encounters a deadly breakout of infectious disease, then is driven deep into southern seas trying to escape from a more heavily armed Dutch vessel.

More than in the previous books I've read, this one gets the balance right, with plot elements of naval warfare, Maturin's spying, the troubled personal lives of the main characters, and interesting new characters brought into the mix, all working together to make a tense, exciting story. O'Brian's description of the difficult sailing conditions in the seas of the far south is memorable, and the main naval action was easier to follow than in earlier volumes.

This story doesn't much rely on knowledge of the earlier volumes, so it could work as an introduction to the entire series.

After the disjointed Mauritius Command, I found Desolation Island a refreshing change to the plot devices that maked this series worthwhile. Instead of loosely commanding a squadron of ships as in the prior novel, Captain Jack Aubrey is again commanding a single ship here, the Leopard, accompanied by his good friend (and fascinating character), Stephen Maturin. Stephen really takes center stage in the novel, since his on-again off-again relationship with Diana is explored early, and Stephen (with his intelligence background) is intricately involved in the action of the novel as American agents are aboard the Leopard, on the verge of the outbreak of the War of 1812.
Since the entire novel takes place, more or less, on board the Leopard we see more of the interaction among the characters, especially Aubrey-Maturin, an odd American stowaway, and a pretty female prisoner with ties to both Diana and the American stowaway. There is a tremendous naval battle involving a much larger Dutch ship, and a desperate detour towards the Antarctic as Aubrey fights to save his ship among calamity and possible mutiny as the Leopard races to rescue the infamous Captain Bligh. For fans of the series, there is a great deal here to like, and I thought the book was as good as anything I have read thus far by O'Brian.

Patrick O'Brian must have sailed the high seas of the Napoleonic Era in a past life. There is no other explanation of how he could create such a vibrant, expansive, perfectly tailored world as he did in his stellar Aubrey-Maturin series.

"Desolation Island" is the fifth book in the series, and O'Brian in many ways is just hitting his stride . . . which is amazing considering the high quality of the first five books. "DI" bears the same style and action-packed plot as the first four novels, and yet brings completely new perils for the characters . . . and, most importantly, the characters continue to grow and evolve along with those perils.

In many series, by the fifth book, the characters have reached superhero status and the series begins to play out. At some point, the dangers of the next novel cannot hope to outweigh the cumulative heft of the dangers faced in the previous novels, so there is a sense of "well, if X lived through dangers 1, 2, 3, and 4, there is no way that this new danger 5 is going to get X." O'Brian neatly avoids this problem by having Aubrey and Maturin encounter completely new dangers at sea.

What is the worst threat posed in "DI"? Is it Aubrey's ability to maintain command of a ship while charged with delivering prisoners (murderers and cutthroats) to Botany Bay? Is it the lethal outbreak of plague while at sea, laying low prisoner and sailor alike and testing Dr. Maturin to his limits? Is it the brilliant, cunning Dutch captain in charge of a mighty Dutch 74-gun frigate that tries to track down Aubrey's new-old ship, the aged Leopard? Or is it the gutting of the Leopard's hull in icy seas, followed by a near mutiny as the Leopard nearly founders?

Or, perhaps worst of all (to Jack Aubrey, at any rate), the presence of women on board?

O'Brian continues to plumb the depths of his characters as they sail the Seven Seas, and both Aubrey and Maturin continue to evolve as wholly capable and wholly human figures. Warts and all, you cannot help but love them and thank O'Brian for introducing us to them and their wonderful seafaring world. Cheers, Mr. O'Brian!

Jack Aubrey and his sidekick Doc Maturin (or is Aubrey the sidekick?), are off to the other side of the world to deliver convicts to the penal colony of Botany Bay. In this segment Aubrey's leadership skills and Doc Maturin's skills at intrigue are put to the test, as the crew of the Leopard must face icebergs and a vengeful Dutch Captain. Maturin is involved in an interesting love triangle, and we get an amusing glimpse into the life of Missus Aubrey, the twins, and Jack's son.

What can I say? I love Desolation Island. I listened to the unabridged audio version narrated by Patrick Tull, and found myself enjoying it immensely. Aubrey is such a jolly fellow, one cannot help but love him, and Maturin is such a fun, and at

times a very deep character.

My only disappointment is that I wish Aubrey had a better relationship with his wife. Sophie is sweet but her relationship with Jack seems unfulfilling to him. (I won't even GO there about Maturin's dismal love life). I trully feel sorry for them both. Also, I never quite get how old Aubrey and Maturin are supposed to be. They are described as being "Old" but this is never explained. Ohwell. These peeves are minor. This is a great series of books. Especially great in unabridged audio format.

Not to be missed. =-)

In the fifth in Patrick O'Brian's brilliant nautical series, old friends Captain Jack Aubrey and ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin are aboard the Leopard sailing the Atlantic bound for Cape Town and beyond. However, their mission is interrupted by the appearance of a nemesis, the Dutch ship Waakzaamheid, more powerful in guns and men than the Leopard, whose captain seems to read Aubrey's mind and stays one move ahead in a long-running tensely-scripted chase through the south Atlantic and into the frigid `forties'. As usual, O'Brian's spare prose and mature style effortlessly summon the sense and spirit of life aboard a British man o'war in the early nineteenth century. The characters, all of them, are fully drawn with human weaknesses and occasional bursts of greatness. Like many of O'Brian's tales, "Desolation Island" is rooted in true nautical history. It is a taut and compelling story, full of tense naval action, with a subtext of espionage and the smile-raising scientific activities of Stephen Maturin.

Desolation Island was the most enjoyable book of the O'Brian series that I have read to date. I think that after reading the four previous books, I am better aquatinted with the jargon unique to British sailors of the early 1800s. This better understanding is directly linked to the more pleasurable experience I had with this book. Additionally, I am far better acquainted with the main characters. My better understanding of these characters so richly animated by O'Brian's prose made this story so enjoyable. O'Brian's character development is unsurpassed.
In short, Lucky Jack and Stephen are faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges. The transport of prisoners, deadly disease, spies, armed conflict, a collision with an iceberg, to a near mutiny are among the challenges faced by our heroes face as they sail towards Botany Bay to rescue no other than Governor Bligh.
This is a first rate read. You will find this very hard to put down once you crack it open.

Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series is a special genre unto itself. I can only compare it to Jane Austen with sea legs and a jolt of testosterone! O'Brian offers a unique and realistic insight on human nature.
In this book, Maturin's fruitless pursuit of love has brought his spirit to new lows. His friends fear for him; even he, as a physician, fears for himself. But his secret agent role brings a new lease on life. He is assigned to get the details of the newly fledged American intelligence service from a convicted American agent - who just happens to be a beautiful woman, strongly resembling Diana, the object of Maturin's hopeless love.
In the course of this voyage, Captain Aubrey comes to a sudden realization of the true horrors of war, and Dr. Maturin finds the generosity of spirit to enjoy and mentor vicarious love. With a long and suspenseful chase on the water, a witch on board, and a "Jonah" to boot, this is one of the best yet.

"Desolation Island" is probably my least favorite Aubrey/Maturin novel. I should add that it contains the single most exciting description of a sea battle that I have ever read! This alone makes it well worth reading. The description of the "horrible old Leopard" racing thru towering seas desperately trying to stay ahead of "the bloody minded" Waakzamheid is guaranteed to make your pulse beat faster & your head shake in wonderment as you visualise it. The towering seas these men faced in their wooden vessels are awesome to contemplate, & Patrick O'Brian's descriptive powers will make the scenes vivid to your minds' eye.
Jack Aubrey & Stephen Maturin have become so real to me in the course of this series that I have a difficult time reading about bad things happening to them. It may sound silly, but since most of "Desolation Island" is a series of misfortunes & tragedies, it was hard going for me. Unlike other installments of this 20 book series, the plot of "Desolation Island" is pretty much self-contained; it has very few repercussions in the later books in the series. Of course, any reader embarking upon Patrick O'Brian's world will eventually want to read all his tales, but this one would be safe to read out of sequence.

Some critics have referred to the Aubrey/Maturin books as one long novel united not only by their historical setting but also by the central plot element of the Aubrey/Maturin friendship. Having read these fine books over a period of several years, I decided to evaluate their cumulative integrity by reading them consecutively in order of publication over a period of a few weeks. This turned out to be a rewarding enterprise. For readers unfamiliar with these books, they describe the experiences of a Royal Navy officer and his close friend and traveling companion, a naval surgeon. The experiences cover a broad swath of the Napoleonic Wars and virtually the whole globe.
Rereading all the books confirmed that O'Brian is a superb writer and that his ability to evoke the past is outstanding. O'Brian has numerous gifts as a writer. He is the master of the long, careful description, and the short, telling episode. His ability to construct ingenious but creditable plots is first-rate, probably because he based much of the action of his books on actual events. For example, some of the episodes of Jack Aubrey's career are based on the life of the famous frigate captain, Lord Cochrane. O'Brian excels also in his depiction of characters. His ability to develop psychologically creditable characters through a combination of dialogue, comments by other characters, and description is tremendous. O'Brien's interest in psychology went well beyond normal character development, some books contain excellent case studies of anxiety, depression, and mania.
Reading O'Brien gives vivid view of the early 19th century. The historian Bernard Bailyn, writing of colonial America, stated once that the 18th century world was not only pre-industrial but also pre-humanitarian (paraphrase). This is true as well for the early 19th century depicted by O'Brien. The casual and invariable presence of violence, brutality, and death is a theme running through all the books. The constant threats to life are the product not only of natural forces beyond human control, particularly the weather and disease, but also of relative human indifference to suffering. There is nothing particularly romantic about the world O'Brien describes but it also a certain grim grandeur. O'Brien also shows the somewhat transitional nature of the early 19th century. The British Navy and its vessals were the apogee of what could be achieved by pre-industrial technology. This is true both of the technology itself and the social organization needed to produce and use the massive sailing vessals. Aubrey's navy is an organization reflecting its society; an order based on deference, rigid hierarchy, primitive notions of honor, favoritism, and very, very corrupt. At the same time, it was one of the largest and most effective bureaucracies in human history to that time. The nature of service exacted great penalities for failure in a particularly environment, and great success was rewarded greatly. In some ways, it was a ruthless meritocracy whose structure and success anticipates the great expansion of government power and capacity seen in the rest of the 19th century.
O'Brian is also the great writer about male friendship. There are important female characters in these books but since most of the action takes place at sea, male characters predominate. The friendship between Aubrey and Maturin is the central armature of the books and is a brilliant creation. The position of women in these books is ambiguous. There are sympathetic characters, notably Aubrey's long suffering wife. Other women figures, notably Maturin's wife, leave a less positive impression. On board ship, women tend to have a disruptive, even malign influence.
How did O'Brian manage to sustain his achievement over 20 books? Beyond his technical abilities as a writer and the instrinsic interest of the subject, O'Brien made a series of very intelligent choices. He has not one but two major protagonists. The contrasting but equally interesting figures of Aubrey and Maturin allowed O'Brien to a particularly rich opportunity to expose different facets of character development and to vary plots carefully. This is quite difficult and I'm not aware of any other writer who has been able to accomplish such sustained development of two major protagonists for such a prolonged period. O'Brian's use of his historical setting is very creative. The scenes and events in the books literally span the whole globe as Aubrey and Maturin encounter numerous cultures and societies. The naval setting allowed him also to introduce numerous new and interesting characters. O'Brian was able to make his stories attractive to many audiences. Several of these stories can be enjoyed as psychological novels, as adventure stories, as suspense novels, and even one as a legal thriller. O'Brian was also a very funny writer, successful at both broad, low humor, and sophisticated wit. Finally, O'Brian made efforts to link some of the books together. While a number are complete in themselves, others form components of extended, multi-book narratives. Desolation Island, Fortune of War, and The Surgeon's Mate are one such grouping. Treason's Harbor, The Far Side of the World, and The Reverse of the Medal are another. The Letter of Marque and the ensuing 4 books, centered around a circumnavigation, are another.
Though the average quality of the books is remarkably high, some are better than others. I suspect that different readers will have different favorites. I personally prefer some of the books with greater psychological elements. The first book, Master and Commander, is one of my favorites. The last 2 or 3, while good, are not as strong as earlier books. I suspect O'Brian's stream of invention was beginning to diminish. All can be read profitably as stand alone works though there is definitely something to be gained by reading in consecutive order.

Desolation Island is my favorite of all the books in the series for its gripping twists and turns. The book starts painfully slow, but please hang on. You'll be repaid. I actually gasped aloud at one point. How often does that happen when you're reading a book?

The Aubrey-Maturin novels are an incredible achievement, a chronicle of adventure during the Napoleonic Wars that also manages to be a continuing, dense, and complex novel of character. This is in my opinion one of the best in the series, with Captain Aubrey facing not only hostile ships but also the dangers of the Southern seas, including Antarctic storms, icebergs, a near mutiny, and a shipwreck on the deserted island of the title. His colleague Stephen Maturin, spy and naturalist, is at his best, alternately humorous (in the old meaning of the word) and quietly courageous. Highly recommended

I started the Aubrey/Maturin series with an audiobook version of Master and Commander and switched to print with Post Captain. At first I was a little intimidated with nautical terms and the prose, but by Desolation Island, I was firmly hooked. I looked up and I was halfway through Desolation Island and already looking forward to the following novels. Needless to say, do not start with this book, start at the beginning, for the whole series is a narrative that never really comes to a close at the end of one book. That said, looking back I think Desolation Island is the best of what I have read so far (no reflection on the later books, which are outstanding). It combines everything I love about the series, it has naval battles, interesting character development between the two protagonists, Maturin's love of natural science as well as political intrigue and other developments in the overall story.
Fantastic book and maybe the highlight of the series. The chase with the Dutch 74 gun is a fine example of why I love the series.

A deserted island provides the respite for the crew of "the miserable old Leopard." Driven far south into the edge of the Antartic Sea, the leaking Leopard limps into a forlorn haven to fill up on sea birds eggs and seals, while trying to rebuild their ship into something that will sail. They soon discover that they are not quite alone. The drama and tension build to a fine boiling pitch before reaching a satisfactory conclusion. A master work of writing.

his writer is fantastic with the nautical "stuff" and this book is no exception.

A slight deviation from the other books, in that they must "shelter" on an island for repairs. The author through Maturin shows us the wealth of animal life.

It's a story about naval war, it has violence.

O'Brian has warmed up to his characters in Desolation Island, especially Dr Maturin. Maturin's fascination with exotic creatures, both animal and human, his addiction to opium, his activities as a spy, and his tragic losses in love make him the more interesting of the two main characters. But it was the cliff-hanger ending which forced me to head straight for the library to obtain book 6 in the series on the day that I finished Desolation Island.
This is my favorite so far, but each one gets better than the last. I highly recommend Desolation Island.

As with the previous four Aubrey-Maturin books, this one is well-written. Humor abounds, and the richness of character is beautifully done. It's also similar to the other four in its paucity of action. Alexander Kent's Bolitho series and Dudley Pope's Ramage tales are much better for vivid action, and include the same level of detail that O'Brian used so well. I plan to read the rest of this series, partly because I enjoy the interplay between the main characters so much. One minor point that grows irritating as the books go on: O'Brian used "cried" as a verb much too often, would have been nice if someone had mentioned that to him as constructive criticism early on. Overall, though, "Desolation Island" is recommended reading.

If there is any better writing in the English language than the couple of chapters in Desolation Island where the Leopard is being pursued by the Waakzaamheid, and the aftermath thereof, then I've certainly never read it.

You don't have to read many of these books before going back to other authors starts to feel like going from reading the Wall Street Journal to a British red-top tabloid.

On the whole I think Desolation Island is the best of the series, the worst of which is many times better than any other novels I've ever read.

Obrian's series is one of the most amazing historical novel series around. It is to be noted that some readers, expecting non stop action, are stumped by the depth and nuance. Some compare Obrian to Austen, I compare reading his books to savoring a hot drink on a cold night beside a crackling fire. This book is, in my opinion, the best in the series, though it is difficult to imagine reading it apart from the others. The stern chase scene is to me as the best single action sequence I have ever read, if not the best writing period.

I have been reding the series through starting with master and commander. Desolation Island and The Maritius Command are both fast paced and hard to put down. the story moves along well and reding it I can see much of it is setting the reader up for future adventures with Aubrey and Maturin. Both of these books move at Sea and give great insight into political and military strategies of the Napoleonic world, but don't get overly stuck in domestic (home life) and the social mores of the day which make Post Captain an Treason's Harbor(which I read out of order) move slowly and somewhat of a struggle to read.

I have just gotten Fortune of War and hope that it will be as good as Desolations Island.

This is my very favorite in the twenty book Aubrey/Maturin series. It has a little of everything--onshore intrigue, spies, stowaways, exciting battles, storms, a shipwreck. We've gotten to know the characters well by this point, and we can savor their relationships. The new officer, Lt. Grant, is complex and believable--both an excellent seaman and a pompous know-it-all at the same time. The ending is perfect.

The fifth book in the Jack Aubrey/Stephen Maturin series of high seas adventure, DESOLATION ISLAND is neither as long nor as slow-moving as several of the other novels by Richard Russ, better known by his nom de plume of Patrick O'Brian. By and large, the adventure moves right along and even involves a few things that the indomitable Captain Jack Aubrey has never before experienced: an assignment to transport prisoners to Botany Bay, a ship in imminent danger of sinking, and an insurrection by a large number of his officers and crew who would prefer to risk the ocean in their small boats than to continue to man what they feel to be a doomed ship. When one considers the number of novel situations and various crises that appear in DESOLATION ISLAND, it is not inaccurate to observe that it may be one of the most exciting and readable novels in the series, at least among its early books.

Not unexpectedly, the usual authorial weaknesses displayed by Russ/O'Brian in his other books are also evident here, though perhaps not so blatantly. He attempts to foreshadow the desertion of the sinking Leopard through several conversations invoking the name of Captain Bligh and the mutiny that was raised against him on HMS Bounty. This proves to be an ineffectual foreshadowing, though, for not only are the circumstances of the desertion of the Leopard's crew quite different from those that motivated the Bounty's men, but, though an uncharacteristic permissiveness on Captain Aubrey's part, the crew actually desert with his acquiescence, thus technically avoiding a mutiny.

Russ/O'Brian, along with his readers, also reaches the end of the book with a huge question yet unanswered; that is, what the fate may be of the officers and crew who abandon the Leopard and depart in small boats, hoping for landfall a thousand miles away. Hopefully, this question is resolved in the following volume, THE FORTUNE OF WAR, but it is assuredly left hanging so far as this volume is concerned.

Russ/O'Brian has still not learned how to handle time transitions consistently, either. In one sentence, he may have an officer summoned, only to be addressing that officer in the very next sentence. Even the 23rd century transporter on the Starship Enterprise requires several moments to move an individual from one place to another! Occurrences of this annoying writing technique are, at least, less frequent than in some of Russ/O'Brian's other novels, giving the reader hope that they may disappear altogether before the twenty-first book of the series!

Still, even with these on-going shortfalls in writing style and technique, Russ/O'Brian has produced an adventure-filled novel which will hold the reader's attention quite well throughout most of its pages. On that basis alone, I am sorely tempted to rate it with four the store stars, but in truth I cannot quite justify that high a rating, for the appeal of the Russ/O'Brian seafaring novels lies solely in their plots, or, if one prefers, story lines. Great fiction is imbued with significance and meaning beyond the superficial story. The reader can discern a more universal message from the author, artfully depicted by the story he or she has chosen to weave. Alas, with Russ/O'Brian the story is all we get. It may be a moving story, and, indeed, it may depict a bit of the society and culture in which it is played out, but it is devoid of deeper or broader meaning. These novels are fine for entertainment and diversion, but as fiction that contributes to our knowledge of humanity or of the universe through which we move, they are insubstantial. Read them for fun, read them for pleasure, read them for diversion and relaxation, but do not come to them anticipating a great vicarious learning experience, for there is none to be had. With this observation in mind, I find that I am far more comfortable with myself in continuing to rate Russ/O'Brian as a three-star author.

If you like descriptions of terror and danger and despair in a novel, this book is for you. Aubrey and Stephen crack up on a god forsaken island, repair their ship and survive (surprise, surprise). Stephan learns to drink water boiled with birdshit - no kidding!. A little bit of intrigue is mixed in - (with a delicious babe of course), and the ripples fall over into the next of the series.

While many have raved about the book's grammatical style, I found it a bit jerky and at times confusing. It was akin to watching a movie while someone randomly pushed the fast-forward button on the VCR. Characters showed up in the book and abruptly left. Ill times would befall the crew and then within a paragraph, all was well. It was as if O'Brian wrote the characters into a corner then used Dorothy's slippers to get them out of trouble because he could come up with no other alternative. However, I enjoy books about the sea and O'Brian obviously has his sea legs, so I will probably read his other books.

Another classic Aubrey/Maturin novel. The chase between the Waakzamheid and the Leopard more than surpasses any of the Hornblower novels. (As Mary Renault said, it's really not fair to compare with Forester; O'Brian is so much better.) Combined with Maturin's schemings on the intelligence side, Desolation Island is not to be missed.

Total terror when dealing with the "Waakzaamheid". Sudden death for over 900 men. The best of intrigue while on the island tempered with a little romance. O'Brian does turn of the century life (1799-1800) aboard a ship with accuracy.