Master and Commander

Companionship is certainly the key to happiness in life at sea. This first in O'Brian's series of Jack Aubrey novels introduces Dr. Stephen Maturin, intellectual foil to the captain's man of action. Earphones Awards winner Simon Vance juggles multiple characters, accents, and dramatic and comedic scenes with aplomb. Vance's warm, welcoming voice captures colorful characters, entertaining relationships, and not much plot. Readers in search of a handful of excellent companions with whom to spend many enjoyable hours will be hail and well met. R.O. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine


A big thumbs up to John Lee. Seldom has a book with such wonderful use of the language been captured so skillfully. This first of the Jack Aubrey novels, tales of a British sea captain and his ship's doctor, Stephen Maturin, sailing the seas during the Napoleonic Wars, is a great pleasure to listen to simply to let all that marvelous language wash over you as the exciting plot sweeps you away. These are great buddy books, great adventures, marvelously well told. Listening adds a special quality to these books. Much like the movie, the audio rollicks along, and you're never for a moment bogged down in obscure nautical terms you might feel a duty to look up if reading. O'Brian makes life aboard this microcosm totally believable, and John Lee delivers it with a crisp confidence worthy of stalwart naval disciple. D.G. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine