Men-of-War
Life in Nelson’s Navy
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
3 months free
Men-of-War
Buy for $14.51
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Ronald Pickup
-
By:
-
Patrick O’Brian
About this listen
Out of print for many years, this is a brand new edition of the definitive companion to the acclaimed Aubrey-Maturin series of novels, written by the author himself.
What was daily life in Nelson's navy really like, for everyone from the captain down to the rawest recruit? What did they eat? What songs did they sing? What was the schedule of watches? How were the officers and crew paid, and what was the division of prize-money?
These questions and many more are answered in Patrick O'Brian's elegant narrative, which includes wonderful anecdotal material on the battles and commanders that established Britain's naval supremacy.
The meticulously researched text provides an unparalleled insight into life during wartime in the Napoleonic era, and offers a wonderfully evocative companion to the world of Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin.
©2019 Patrick O’Brian (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers LimitedListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Wager
- A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder
- By: David Grann
- Narrated by: Dion Graham, David Grann
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 6,010
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 5,307
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5,304
On January 28, 1742, a ramshackle vessel of patched-together wood and cloth washed up on the coast of Brazil. Inside were thirty emaciated men, barely alive, and they had an extraordinary tale to tell. They were survivors of His Majesty’s Ship the Wager, a British vessel that had left England in 1740 on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain. While the Wager had been chasing a Spanish treasure-filled galleon known as “the prize of all the oceans,” it had wrecked on a desolate island off the coast of Patagonia.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Gasping for Air
- By Jean Engle on 04-19-23
By: David Grann
-
The Unknown Shore
- By: Patrick O'Brian
- Narrated by: Patrick Tull
- Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 449
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 342
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 341
Inspired by the Wager disaster, The Unknown Shore is an immediate precursor to Patrick O'Brian's acclaimed Aubrey/Maturin series that displays all the splendid prose and attention to detail that delight O'Brian's millions of fans.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
As Good as the Series
- By Robert Goldston on 08-09-06
By: Patrick O'Brian
-
Ramage
- The Lord Ramage Novels, Book 1
- By: Dudley Pope
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 199
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 178
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 177
In a daring foray, under the very nose of the French Mediterranean fleet, Lieutenant Lord Nicholas Ramage is to sail his tiny cutter close in to the Italian shore and rescue a party of stranded aristocrats from Napoleon's fast-advancing army.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Engaging
- By Jean on 10-04-14
By: Dudley Pope
-
Mr Midshipman Hornblower
- By: C. S. Forester
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,949
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,747
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,731
Shaking off this label, a shy and lonely 17-year-old, Horatio Hornblower, embarks on a memorable career in Nelson's navy on HMS Justinian. In action, adventure, and battle he is forged into one of the most formidable junior officers in the service.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
First rate historical fiction
- By Jason on 04-30-17
By: C. S. Forester
-
The Good Shepherd
- By: C.S. Forester
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,722
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,498
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,493
A convoy of 37 merchant ships is ploughing through icy, submarine-infested North Atlantic seas during the most critical days of World War II, when the German submarines had the upper hand and Allied shipping was suffering heavy losses. In charge is Commander George Krause, an untested veteran of the US Navy. Hounded by a wolf pack of German U-boats, he faces 48 hours of desperate peril trapped the bridge of the ship. Exhausted beyond measure, he must make countless and terrible decisions as he leads his small fighting force against the relentless U-boats.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Good Shepherd
- By BookReader on 07-16-20
By: C.S. Forester
-
Nelson's Trafalgar
- The Battle That Changed the World
- By: Roy Adkins
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 109
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 100
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 99
In the tradition of Antony Beevor's Stalingrad, Nelson's Trafalgar presents the definitive blow-by-blow account of the world's most famous naval battle, when the British Royal Navy, under Lord Horatio Nelson, dealt a decisive blow to the forces of Napoleon. The Battle of Trafalgar comes boldly to life in this definitive work that recreates those five momentous, earsplitting hours with unrivaled detail and intensity.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
kiss me hardy!!!!
- By frank on 05-09-23
By: Roy Adkins
-
The Wager
- A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder
- By: David Grann
- Narrated by: Dion Graham, David Grann
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 6,010
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 5,307
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5,304
On January 28, 1742, a ramshackle vessel of patched-together wood and cloth washed up on the coast of Brazil. Inside were thirty emaciated men, barely alive, and they had an extraordinary tale to tell. They were survivors of His Majesty’s Ship the Wager, a British vessel that had left England in 1740 on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain. While the Wager had been chasing a Spanish treasure-filled galleon known as “the prize of all the oceans,” it had wrecked on a desolate island off the coast of Patagonia.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Gasping for Air
- By Jean Engle on 04-19-23
By: David Grann
-
The Unknown Shore
- By: Patrick O'Brian
- Narrated by: Patrick Tull
- Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 449
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 342
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 341
Inspired by the Wager disaster, The Unknown Shore is an immediate precursor to Patrick O'Brian's acclaimed Aubrey/Maturin series that displays all the splendid prose and attention to detail that delight O'Brian's millions of fans.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
As Good as the Series
- By Robert Goldston on 08-09-06
By: Patrick O'Brian
-
Ramage
- The Lord Ramage Novels, Book 1
- By: Dudley Pope
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 199
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 178
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 177
In a daring foray, under the very nose of the French Mediterranean fleet, Lieutenant Lord Nicholas Ramage is to sail his tiny cutter close in to the Italian shore and rescue a party of stranded aristocrats from Napoleon's fast-advancing army.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Engaging
- By Jean on 10-04-14
By: Dudley Pope
-
Mr Midshipman Hornblower
- By: C. S. Forester
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,949
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,747
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,731
Shaking off this label, a shy and lonely 17-year-old, Horatio Hornblower, embarks on a memorable career in Nelson's navy on HMS Justinian. In action, adventure, and battle he is forged into one of the most formidable junior officers in the service.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
First rate historical fiction
- By Jason on 04-30-17
By: C. S. Forester
-
The Good Shepherd
- By: C.S. Forester
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,722
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,498
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,493
A convoy of 37 merchant ships is ploughing through icy, submarine-infested North Atlantic seas during the most critical days of World War II, when the German submarines had the upper hand and Allied shipping was suffering heavy losses. In charge is Commander George Krause, an untested veteran of the US Navy. Hounded by a wolf pack of German U-boats, he faces 48 hours of desperate peril trapped the bridge of the ship. Exhausted beyond measure, he must make countless and terrible decisions as he leads his small fighting force against the relentless U-boats.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Good Shepherd
- By BookReader on 07-16-20
By: C.S. Forester
-
Nelson's Trafalgar
- The Battle That Changed the World
- By: Roy Adkins
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 109
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 100
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 99
In the tradition of Antony Beevor's Stalingrad, Nelson's Trafalgar presents the definitive blow-by-blow account of the world's most famous naval battle, when the British Royal Navy, under Lord Horatio Nelson, dealt a decisive blow to the forces of Napoleon. The Battle of Trafalgar comes boldly to life in this definitive work that recreates those five momentous, earsplitting hours with unrivaled detail and intensity.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
kiss me hardy!!!!
- By frank on 05-09-23
By: Roy Adkins
-
Six Frigates
- By: Ian W. Toll
- Narrated by: Stephen Lang
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,439
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,188
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,186
Before the ink was dry on the U.S. Constitution, the establishment of a permanent military had become the most divisive issue facing the new government. Would a standing army be the thin end of dictatorship? Would a navy protect American commerce against the Mediterranean pirates, or drain the treasury and provoke hostilities with the great powers? The founders, particularly Jefferson, Madison, and Adams, debated these questions fiercely and switched sides more than once.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
BE ADVISED THIS BOOK IS ABRIDGED
- By George Carpenter III on 09-11-08
By: Ian W. Toll
-
Born to Be Hanged
- The Epic Story of the Gentlemen Pirates Who Raided the South Seas, Rescued a Princess, and Stole a Fortune
- By: Keith Thomson
- Narrated by: Feodor Chin
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 337
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 284
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 284
The year is 1680, in the heart of the Golden Age of Piracy, and more than 300 daring, hardened pirates—a potent mix of low-life scallywags and a rare breed of gentlemen buccaneers—gather on a remote Caribbean island. The plan: to wreak havoc on the Pacific coastline, raiding cities, mines, and merchant ships. The booty: the bright gleam of Spanish gold and the chance to become a legend. So begins one of the greatest piratical adventures of the era—a story not given its full due until now.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating tale of 17th Piracy in the Americas
- By Xmeromotu on 07-11-22
By: Keith Thomson
-
Under the Black Flag
- The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates
- By: David Cordingly
- Narrated by: Don Hagen
- Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 359
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 317
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 319
For this rousing, revisionist history, the former head of exhibitions at England's National Maritime Museum has combed original documents and records to produce a most authoritative and definitive account of piracy's "Golden Age." As he explodes many accepted myths (i.e. "walking the plank" is pure fiction), Cordingly replaces them with a truth that is more complex and often bloodier.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Lacks Nuance
- By Joel Langenfeld on 07-02-15
By: David Cordingly
-
Stars & Stripes Forever
- A Novel of Alternate History
- By: Harry Harrison
- Narrated by: Robin Bloodworth
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 131
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 121
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 121
In a war room in Washington, William Tecumseh Sherman and General Robert E. Lee huddle together and plan their next, joint military operation. In the jungles of Mexico, Ulysses S. Grant is locked in brutal combat with the best of the British Army. And in the heart of the new American South a fragile peace is threatened...
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Terrific alternate history
- By Michael Jacobi on 10-02-15
By: Harry Harrison
-
Mr Midshipman Fury
- By: G. S. Beard
- Narrated by: Peter Wickham
- Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 49
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 34
The year is 1792 - the start of the French Revolutionary Wars. A shadow hangs over John Thomas Fury in this his first voyage as a midshipman aboard the 32-gun frigate Amazon. Fury is already seen as a pariah by his fellow sailors. Ten years earlier his father, a brig commander in the Service, became mentally unbalanced and violent and his ships crew mutinied and went over to the French.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Mr Fury
- By Jean on 06-21-10
By: G. S. Beard
-
Sails on the Horizon
- A Novel of the Napoleonic Wars
- By: Jay Worrall
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 329
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 216
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 215
With his first historical high-seas adventure chronicling the exploits of Naval Commander Charles Edgemont, Jay Worrall sets sail in the rousing tradition of C.S. Forester and Patrick O'Brian.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Muster and Commandeer
- By Andrew J. on 12-10-07
By: Jay Worrall
-
Wolf of the Deep
- Raphael Semmes and the Notorious Confederate Raider CSS Alabama
- By: Stephen Fox
- Narrated by: Barrett Whitener
- Length: 10 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 70
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 48
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 48
In July 1862, Confederate Captain Raphael Semmes took command of a secret new warship. At the helm of the Alabama, he became the most hated and feared man along the Union coast, as well as a Confederate legend. Now, with unparalleled authority, depth, and a vivid sense of the excitement and danger of the time, Stephen Fox describes Captain Semmes's remarkable wartime exploits.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Wolf of the Deep
- By Sammi on 08-18-07
By: Stephen Fox
-
Fatal North
- Murder and Survival on the First North Pole Expedition
- By: Bruce Henderson
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 140
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 129
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 128
It began as President Ulysses S. Grant's bid for international glory after the Civil War - America's first attempt to reach the North Pole. It ended with Captain Charles Hall's death under suspicious circumstances, dissension among sailors, scientists, and explorers, and the ship's evacuation and eventual sinking. Then came a brutal struggle for survival by 33 men, women, and children stranded on the polar ice.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An average reader says 10
- By Barbara on 11-10-16
By: Bruce Henderson
-
Lieutenant Fury
- By: G. S. Beard
- Narrated by: Terry Wale
- Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 31
1793. HMS Amazon is returning from an arduous duty in the Indian Ocean when she encounters a French frigate in the Atlantic. When Amazon left England nearly two years before the countries were not at war but any hopes that the peace still holds are shattered as the Frenchman unexpectedly opens fire- a bloody sea battle ensues resulting in both triumph and personal tragedy for Acting Lieutenant John Fury.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
battle of Toulon
- By Jean on 12-04-12
By: G. S. Beard
-
In the Wake of Madness
- The Murderous Voyage of the Whaleship Sharon
- By: Joan Druett
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 174
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 131
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 129
Commanded by Captain Howes Norris, the Sharon headed for the whaling grounds of the northwestern Pacific. At Pohnpei Island, 12 men from the Sharon deserted the ship, leaving her critically shorthanded. After steering for New Zealand to recruit more crew, the men on lookout raised a school of sperm whales. Two boats gave chase, each with a crew of six. Five men were left on board the Sharon: Norris, three pacific Islanders, and a Portuguese boy named Manuel.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Love this author.
- By David H. on 07-15-17
By: Joan Druett
-
The Captain's Nephew
- The Alexander Clay Series, Book 1
- By: Philip K. Allan
- Narrated by: Jonathan Bunce
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 76
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 67
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 68
After a century of war, revolutions, and imperial conquests, 1790s Europe is still embroiled in a battle for control of the sea and colonies. Tall ships navigate familiar and foreign waters, and ambitious young men without rank or status seek their futures in naval commands. First Lieutenant Alexander Clay of the frigate Agrius is self-made, clever, and ready for the new age. But the old world, dominated by patronage, retains a tight hold on advancement.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Exciting
- By Jean on 03-28-19
By: Philip K. Allan
-
Flashman and the Seawolf
- Adventures of Thomas Flashman
- By: Robert Brightwell
- Narrated by: Henry Clore Harrison
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 129
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 112
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 111
Following the popularity of the memoirs of Harry Flashman, the Victorian scoundrel who got himself embroiled in many events of his age, this book introduces a new generation of the family: Thomas Flashman, whose career covers the Napoleonic and Georgian era. This first book covers his adventures with Thomas Cochrane, one of the most extraordinary naval commanders of all time. From the brothels and gambling dens of London, through political intrigues and espionage, the action moves to the Mediterranean and the real life character of Thomas Cochrane.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Not quite as good as the Harry Flashman series
- By N. J. Simicich on 01-14-19
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
The Unknown Shore
- By: Patrick O'Brian
- Narrated by: Patrick Tull
- Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 449
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 342
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 341
Inspired by the Wager disaster, The Unknown Shore is an immediate precursor to Patrick O'Brian's acclaimed Aubrey/Maturin series that displays all the splendid prose and attention to detail that delight O'Brian's millions of fans.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
As Good as the Series
- By Robert Goldston on 08-09-06
By: Patrick O'Brian
-
Jack Aubrey & Stephen Maturin: Master & Commander & Other Adventures
- A BBC Radio 4 Full Cast Drama Collection
- By: Patrick O'Brian
- Narrated by: Richard Dillane, Michael Troughton, Adjoa Andoh, and others
- Length: 15 hrs and 46 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 12
Widely regarded as the most engaging historical novels ever written, the 21 books in Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series have garnered millions of fans since the publication of the first volume over 50 years ago. Included here are BBC radio adaptations of the first seven thrilling stories.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Not for fans of the books
- By Jonathan Woodward on 04-01-22
By: Patrick O'Brian
-
The Golden Ocean
- By: Patrick O'Brian
- Narrated by: John Franklyn-Robbins
- Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 511
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 418
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 416
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 incalculable sum of Spanish gold and silver, but only one of the five ships survived.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A wonderful prequel to Master and Commander
- By Jeffrey Bernstein on 01-02-11
By: Patrick O'Brian
-
Midshipman Bolitho
- By: Alexander Kent
- Narrated by: Michael Jayston
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 321
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 273
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 274
October 1772, Portsmouth. Sixteen-year-old Richard Bolitho waits to join the Gorgon, ordered to sail to the west coast of Africa and to destroy those who challenge the King's Navy. For Bolitho, and for many of the crew, it is a severe and testing initiation into the game of seamanship.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
This is *not* the book advertised.
- By Robert Bolin on 08-26-16
By: Alexander Kent
-
Kydd
- Thomas Kydd, Book 1
- By: Julian Stockwin
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 374
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 342
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 343
1793 and Europe is ablaze with war. Thomas Paine Kydd, a young wig-maker from Guildford, is seized by the press gang to be a part of the crew of the 98-gun line-of-battle ship Duke William. The ship sails immediately and Kydd has to learn the harsh realities of shipboard life fast. Despite all that he goes through in danger of tempest and battle he comes to admire the skills and courage of the seamen - taking up the challenge himself to become a true sailor.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Intriguing storyline
- By Raymond W. Hill, Jr. on 11-07-14
By: Julian Stockwin
-
Nelson's Trafalgar
- The Battle That Changed the World
- By: Roy Adkins
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 109
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 100
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 99
In the tradition of Antony Beevor's Stalingrad, Nelson's Trafalgar presents the definitive blow-by-blow account of the world's most famous naval battle, when the British Royal Navy, under Lord Horatio Nelson, dealt a decisive blow to the forces of Napoleon. The Battle of Trafalgar comes boldly to life in this definitive work that recreates those five momentous, earsplitting hours with unrivaled detail and intensity.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
kiss me hardy!!!!
- By frank on 05-09-23
By: Roy Adkins
-
The Unknown Shore
- By: Patrick O'Brian
- Narrated by: Patrick Tull
- Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 449
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 342
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 341
Inspired by the Wager disaster, The Unknown Shore is an immediate precursor to Patrick O'Brian's acclaimed Aubrey/Maturin series that displays all the splendid prose and attention to detail that delight O'Brian's millions of fans.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
As Good as the Series
- By Robert Goldston on 08-09-06
By: Patrick O'Brian
-
Jack Aubrey & Stephen Maturin: Master & Commander & Other Adventures
- A BBC Radio 4 Full Cast Drama Collection
- By: Patrick O'Brian
- Narrated by: Richard Dillane, Michael Troughton, Adjoa Andoh, and others
- Length: 15 hrs and 46 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 12
Widely regarded as the most engaging historical novels ever written, the 21 books in Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series have garnered millions of fans since the publication of the first volume over 50 years ago. Included here are BBC radio adaptations of the first seven thrilling stories.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Not for fans of the books
- By Jonathan Woodward on 04-01-22
By: Patrick O'Brian
-
The Golden Ocean
- By: Patrick O'Brian
- Narrated by: John Franklyn-Robbins
- Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 511
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 418
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 416
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 incalculable sum of Spanish gold and silver, but only one of the five ships survived.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A wonderful prequel to Master and Commander
- By Jeffrey Bernstein on 01-02-11
By: Patrick O'Brian
-
Midshipman Bolitho
- By: Alexander Kent
- Narrated by: Michael Jayston
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 321
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 273
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 274
October 1772, Portsmouth. Sixteen-year-old Richard Bolitho waits to join the Gorgon, ordered to sail to the west coast of Africa and to destroy those who challenge the King's Navy. For Bolitho, and for many of the crew, it is a severe and testing initiation into the game of seamanship.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
This is *not* the book advertised.
- By Robert Bolin on 08-26-16
By: Alexander Kent
-
Kydd
- Thomas Kydd, Book 1
- By: Julian Stockwin
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 374
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 342
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 343
1793 and Europe is ablaze with war. Thomas Paine Kydd, a young wig-maker from Guildford, is seized by the press gang to be a part of the crew of the 98-gun line-of-battle ship Duke William. The ship sails immediately and Kydd has to learn the harsh realities of shipboard life fast. Despite all that he goes through in danger of tempest and battle he comes to admire the skills and courage of the seamen - taking up the challenge himself to become a true sailor.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Intriguing storyline
- By Raymond W. Hill, Jr. on 11-07-14
By: Julian Stockwin
-
Nelson's Trafalgar
- The Battle That Changed the World
- By: Roy Adkins
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 109
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 100
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 99
In the tradition of Antony Beevor's Stalingrad, Nelson's Trafalgar presents the definitive blow-by-blow account of the world's most famous naval battle, when the British Royal Navy, under Lord Horatio Nelson, dealt a decisive blow to the forces of Napoleon. The Battle of Trafalgar comes boldly to life in this definitive work that recreates those five momentous, earsplitting hours with unrivaled detail and intensity.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
kiss me hardy!!!!
- By frank on 05-09-23
By: Roy Adkins
-
Brewer's Luck: Hornblower's Legacy
- By: James Keffer
- Narrated by: Nigel Peever
- Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 109
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 97
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 96
After gaining valuable experience as an aide to Governor Lord Horatio Hornblower, William Brewer is rewarded with a posting as first lieutenant on the frigate HMS Defiant, bound for American waters. Early in their travels, it seems as though Brewer’s greatest challenge will be evading the wrath of a tyrannical captain who has taken an active dislike to him. But when a hurricane sweeps away the captain, the young lieutenant is forced to assume command of the damaged ship, and a crew suffering from low morale.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Lots of Action and Fun on the High Seas
- By Spooky Mike on 11-11-19
By: James Keffer
-
Mr Midshipman Hornblower
- By: C. S. Forester
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,949
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,747
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,731
Shaking off this label, a shy and lonely 17-year-old, Horatio Hornblower, embarks on a memorable career in Nelson's navy on HMS Justinian. In action, adventure, and battle he is forged into one of the most formidable junior officers in the service.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
First rate historical fiction
- By Jason on 04-30-17
By: C. S. Forester
-
Sons of the Waves
- The Common Seaman in the Heroic Age of Sail
- By: Stephen Taylor
- Narrated by: Matthew Waterson
- Length: 13 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 68
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 62
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 61
British maritime history in the age of sail is full of the deeds of officers like Nelson but has given little voice to plain, "illiterate" seamen. Now, Stephen Taylor draws on published and unpublished memoirs, letters, and naval records, including court-martials and petitions, to present these men in their own words. In this exhilarating account, ordinary seamen are far from the hapless sufferers of the press gangs.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Navy Guy Recommends this Title
- By Lexcast on 06-17-20
By: Stephen Taylor
-
The French Prize
- A Novel
- By: James L. Nelson
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 57
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 56
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 56
Jack Biddlecomb has much to live up to, being as he is the eldest son of the esteemed Captain Isaac Biddlecomb, wealthy merchant captain, leading light of the War for American Independence, and newly minted congressman. Jack finds himself off to a promising start, however, when he’s given command of the merchant vessel Abigail bound from Philadelphia for Barbados. But even before the dock lines are cast off, the voyage, which should have been routine, begins to look like a stormy passage indeed.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Annoying accent by the narrator
- By Tracy on 06-20-25
By: James L. Nelson
-
The Napoleonic Wars
- By: Alexander Mikaberidze
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 35 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 442
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 359
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 356
The Napoleonic Wars saw fighting on an unprecedented scale in Europe and the Americas. It took the wealth of the British Empire, combined with the might of the continental armies, almost two decades to bring down one of the world's greatest military leaders and the empire that he had created. Napoleon's ultimate defeat was to determine the history of Europe for almost 100 years. From the frozen wastelands of Russia, through the brutal fighting in the Peninsula to the blood-soaked battlefield of Waterloo, this book tells the story of the dramatic rise and fall of the Napoleonic Empire.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
No description of battles
- By John Gaston on 01-15-21
-
Fletcher's Fortune
- Fletcher Series, Book 1
- By: John Drake
- Narrated by: Joseph Lindoe
- Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 38
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 36
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 36
Jacob Fletcher is unsure of his parentage, but he does know that, as an apprentice, he couldn't legally be seized by the press gang. This particular gang, however, doesn't abide by the law. Fletcher finds himself risking life, limb, and sea sickness to save his fortune now at risk of being lost to his evil step-mother and loathsome half-brothers.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fun story and characters
- By Ian G. Drake on 05-24-19
By: John Drake
-
The Colonial Post-Captain
- Carlisle and Holbrooke Naval Adventures Series, Book 1
- By: Chris Durbin
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 138
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 117
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 117
Captain Carlisle hails from Virginia, a loyal colony of the British Crown. As the clouds of war gather, Carlisle's small frigate is ordered to Toulon on a reconnaissance mission. If battling the winter weather in the Gulf of Lions is not a sufficient challenge, Carlisle must also juggle the delicate diplomatic issues in this period of pre-war tension while contending with an increasingly belligerent French frigate. But Carlisle has additional problems unique to his colonial origins.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A prelude to the Master and Commandeer Series
- By James R. Ellis on 05-06-23
By: Chris Durbin
-
Six Frigates
- By: Ian W. Toll
- Narrated by: Stephen Lang
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,439
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,188
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,186
Before the ink was dry on the U.S. Constitution, the establishment of a permanent military had become the most divisive issue facing the new government. Would a standing army be the thin end of dictatorship? Would a navy protect American commerce against the Mediterranean pirates, or drain the treasury and provoke hostilities with the great powers? The founders, particularly Jefferson, Madison, and Adams, debated these questions fiercely and switched sides more than once.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
BE ADVISED THIS BOOK IS ABRIDGED
- By George Carpenter III on 09-11-08
By: Ian W. Toll
-
Waterloo
- The History of Four Days, Three Armies, and Three Battles
- By: Bernard Cornwell
- Narrated by: Bernard Cornwell, Dugald Bruce Lockhart
- Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,042
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,736
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,724
From the New York Times best-selling author comes the definitive history of one of the greatest battles ever fought - a riveting nonfiction chronicle published to commemorate the two-hundredth anniversary of Napoleon's last stand.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Not a close run thing!
- By carl801 on 05-13-15
By: Bernard Cornwell
-
By the Mast Divided
- John Pearce, Book 1
- By: David Donachie
- Narrated by: Peter Wickham
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 172
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 113
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 113
London: 1793. Young firebrand John Pearce, on the run from the authorities, is illegally press-ganged from the Pelican tavern into brutal life aboard HMS Brilliant, a frigate on her way to war. In the first few days, Pearce discovers the Navy is a world in which he can prosper. And he is not alone; he is drawn to a group of men who eventually form an exclusive gun crew, the Pelicans, with Pearce their elected leader.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Didn't work for me
- By Michael E on 07-23-08
By: David Donachie
-
The Caine Mutiny
- By: Herman Wouk
- Narrated by: Kevin Pariseau
- Length: 26 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,172
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,764
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,756
Having inspired a classic film and Broadway play, The Caine Mutiny is Herman Wouk's boldly dramatic, brilliantly entertaining novel of life—and mutiny—on a Navy warship in the Pacific theater. It was immediately embraced upon its original publication as one of the first serious works of American fiction to grapple with the moral complexities and the human consequences of the Second World War. In the intervening half century, this gripping story has become a perennial favorite, selling millions throughout the world, and claiming the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Even Better than the Movie
- By James on 06-20-12
By: Herman Wouk
-
The Good Shepherd
- By: C.S. Forester
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,722
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,498
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,493
A convoy of 37 merchant ships is ploughing through icy, submarine-infested North Atlantic seas during the most critical days of World War II, when the German submarines had the upper hand and Allied shipping was suffering heavy losses. In charge is Commander George Krause, an untested veteran of the US Navy. Hounded by a wolf pack of German U-boats, he faces 48 hours of desperate peril trapped the bridge of the ship. Exhausted beyond measure, he must make countless and terrible decisions as he leads his small fighting force against the relentless U-boats.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Good Shepherd
- By BookReader on 07-16-20
By: C.S. Forester
Delicious digestif accompanying O’Brian’s body of work
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Naval Basics
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Thank you for the recording
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
a great companion to his other works
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
NOT MUCH
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.