Destraex Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 I have read a fair few age of sail novels and enjoyed hornblower probably the most. Started Jack Aubrey's first but put it down for later. I think I read sharpes trafalgar as well... Anybody got any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawke Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey novels are quite simply, the best of their kind. I have not read anything to equal them in the historical age of sail novel line. I seriously recommend you pick it up again. Nearly every storm and battle is based on actual events and taken directly from the logs of the ships involved. You really can't get any better than those books. For non fiction I recently read Arthur Herman's excellent book, "To Rule the Waves: How the British Navy Shaped the Modern World." It's a very well written book on the Royal Navy's influence on the world, and it's incredible history. I highly recommend it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destraex Posted July 15, 2014 Author Share Posted July 15, 2014 You know what. I would be keen to read something that was not based on the British navy. I picked Jack Aubrey back up. But would also love to read the French or Spanish side of things. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIerrick de Badas Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 douglas reeman books are awsome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ulysse77 Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 I think the Aubrey Serie is not only the best nautical novels but one of the best written adventure novels. The way he introduced the reader to the sailing terminology by the way of Maturin was just brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torch Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 James Dillon White books about Roger Kelso are also very nice - not like Hornblower but still nice to read. I also love Richard Woodman books about this epoch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hipparchia Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 You know what. I would be keen to read something that was not based on the British navy. I picked Jack Aubrey back up. But would also love to read the French or Spanish side of things. I don't know if it was translated (seems not) but you can try L'Ancre de Miséricorde by Pierre Mac Orlan AKA Pierre Dumarchey. Or À bord de L'Étoile Matutine The first one starts in Brest in 1777, and the second one is maybe a little before. L'ancre de miséricorde was one of my favorite as a youg boy. Very powerful story. As Moonfleet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagann Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I have not yet read any naval novels, but i have read many good point about O'Brian. I think i should read it. This website could be useful if you are looking for naval fiction. It lists most of the naval fictions books written, all the writers with their bibliography. Plus a forum to discuss about you favourite book or ask for advice. http://www.historicnavalfiction.com/ About the naval fiction french point of view, there is one quite famous writer : Louis de Garneray. in fact this is not naval fiction, but supposed to be memories of a retired sailor who served under the Republic and the Empire before being prisoner on an english prison ship. "Supposed" because it seems there are inaccuracies and improbalities which make think a (large ?) part of his memories would be fictional. However, this is very well written and vivid. I have only found the part on the floating prisons which was translated into english. http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=LOUIS%20GARNERAY&search-alias=digital-text&sort=relevancerank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain_Wick Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 I am reading the 16th book of the Aubrey/Maturin series and have to say each time I pick up one of them and begin to read I am transported to a different world. I love these books which a good friend gave them to me along with the Hornblower series which I will read next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BungeeLemming Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 I like the Dudley Pope's books more. He writes about Nicolas Ramage and his stories in the navy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward Vernon Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Patrick O'Briens novels are historically very accurate and he prides himself on this, with specific reference to the sailing "action", description and terminology. Read, mark and inwardly digest as a good primer to fighting your own ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BungeeLemming Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Hornblower, Aubrey, Ramage, Bolitho.. I think those are the most "common" series everyone may know about. And all of them are historically very good founded. All they differ is in the authors style, the actions they play in and the focus they take. O'Brian's books are a lot talking about social aspecs next to the maritime action. And after reading those books two times I am somewhat exhausted to this. Dudley Pope often repeats the very most important parts in every book following wich is bad if you read them in a row. But I enjoy them more. Hornblower is way too short But they feature charts with every action he takes part in. Very nice to have. I cant tell about Bolitho since I only have got the first book yesterday since they are damm rare. (its a 1977 print ) Dont get me wrong. I adore all of those books. But some I prefere more over the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward Vernon Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 I posted elsewhere about a book called Six Frigates by Ian W. Toll, available on Amazon and the history of the Constitution and her sister ships. Very well written, enormously interesting and instructive and a damn good read... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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