The Wine-Dark Sea by Patrick O'Brian
Published by Norton
Reviewed by Leigh Kimmel
The Wine Dark Sea by Patrick O'Brian is the sixteenth book in the long-running Aubrey-Maturin Chronicles. Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin are headed home again after the successful conclusion of their Polynesian adventure. While they are pursuing a French vessel that fled that battle, they are bombarded by strange shot.
It turns out to not be the work of humans at all, but of a submarine volcano which births a brand new island before their eyes. The wonder of nature captivates Doctor Maturin, but Captain Aubrey is more concerned with capturing enemy vessels.
However, things go awry and they eventually have little choice but to put in at Lima, Peru. There they become entangled in local politics and Stephen's past intelligence activities put him in danger. What started as a pleasant trip to see some of the rare fauna of the Andes turns into a desperate flight through the high mountains to the uncertain safety of another port.
The story of Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin continues in The Commodore
Click here to buy The Wine-Dark Sea in hardback
Click here to buy The Wine-Dark Sea in paperback.
Click here to buy The Wine-Dark Sea in audiocassette.
Click here to buy the complete twenty-book series in hardcover.
Return to the Aubrey/Maturin page
Return to the Nelson Room entrance
Review posted March 3, 2000.
Want to look for other titles of interest?
Your purchases help maintain the Lord Nelson pages.