Patrick O'Brian

Patrick O'Brian is a pen name of Richard Patrick Russ (1914-2000). His most famous series is about Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin

An interesting series. The language used is more authentic which makes it harder to read at first but well worth it as this may be the series which most closely reflects life at the time.

The series formed the basis of the film 'Master and Commander' starring Russell Crowe

Lesser known is the fact he had previously written The Golden Ocean Series which is also historic naval fiction.

Series: Jack Aubrey
Year	Book	Comment
1800	Master & Commander	Aubrey forms a friendship with his surgeon Stephen Maturin
1802	Post Captain	After fleeing to France to avoid debtor's prison Aubrey now faces internment as war looms again
1804	HMS Surprise	Aubrey sails to India & the far east
1808	Mauritius Command	Aubrey commands the frigate squadron sent to capture Mauritius
1811	Desolation Island	Jack sails for Australia to rescue "Bounty" Bligh
1812	The Fortune of War	Jack is captured by the Americans
1813*	The Surgeon's Mate	After leaving Canada Aubrey is chased by ships seeking vital information
1813*	The Ionian Mission	A Mission to the Greek Islands
1813*	Treason's Harbour	Espionage in Malta
1813*	The Far Side of the World	A chase across the Pacific after an American ship attacking the whaling fleet
1813*	The Reverse of the Medal	Aubrey becomes involved with the London criminal underground
1813*	The Letter of Marque	Thrown out of the Navy, Jack's friend buys his old ship for him to command
1813*	The Thirteen Gun Salute	Aubrey is restored to the Navy and sails for the far east
1813*	The Nutmeg of Consolation	An engagement with Malay Pirates and more conflicts when Australia is reached
1813*	Clarissa Oakes	When leaving Australia a hidden danger is aboard
1813*	The Wine-Dark Sea	Aubrey blunders into a new war with the United States
1813*	The Commodore	Aubrey is at last promoted to Commodore & given command of a squadron
1814	The Yellow Admiral	Jack captures a prize but in doing so misses a vital signal
1815	The Hundred Days	Set during the period of Napoleons escape from Elba
1815	Blue at the Mizzen	Aubrey sails on a mission to Chile
	The Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey	(An unfinished work released by the publisher after the authors death)
Omnibus editions
	The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels	A compendium of all novels in the Aubrey/Maturin series

(* whilst not logical all these books are set in 1813)

Series: The Golden Ocean
Year	Book	Comment
1740	The Golden Ocean	Based around Commodore Anson's famous voyage. Peter Palafox, son of a poor Irish parson, signs on as a midshipman.
	The Unknown Shore	"The Wager" sinks off the coast of Chile

AOS Naval Non Fiction

Series: n/a
Year	Book	Comment
	Men-of-war: Life in Nelson's Navy	Concise, historical overview of what daily life was like in Admiral Horatio Nelson's navy