Fiction Companion Books
For some of the major and popular historic naval fiction series a companion book that explains detail of the author or his work has been written. This section lists these books
The Patrick O'Brian Muster Book: Persons, Animals, Ships and Cannon in the Aubrey-Maturin Sea Novels of Patrick O'Brian
- Details
- Fiction Companion Books
- By Anthony Gary Brown
Now in its second edition, this expanded work catalogues every person, animal, ship and cannon mentioned by name in the 21 books of Patrick O'Brian's series on the maritime adventures of Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin. The novels, renowned for their "far-ranging web of wit and allusion," teem with thousands of characters and ships, both imaginary and historical. From Master and Commander to The Hundred Days, this book distinguishes the fictional from the factual, making a useful series companion for the casual reader and the most ardent fans. Each of the more than 4,500 alphabetized entries provides a reference to the novels and chapters in which the topic appears. Additionally, biographical notes on the historical figures are included, with sources provided in an annotated bibliography.
The Hornblower Companion
- Details
- Fiction Companion Books
- By C. S. Forester
This book is a beautifully illustrated companion to Hornblower's fictional career describing and illustrating all the main incidents in the ten novels. C S Forester's Hornblower novels have been avidly read for over two generations and are as popular today as when they were first published. They recount stirring adventures in the Royal Navy during the era of the Napoleonic wars and paint a vivid picture of the Senior Service at a time when it grew to dominate the world's oceans. C S Forester's companion to his hero's career describes all the incidents as they appeared in the ten novels, starting with Mr. Midshipman Hornblower and running through to Hornblower in the West Indies, and the chapters are all illustrated with beautifully drawn maps and charts. Some thirty of these, and over one hundred drawings and marginal decorations, bring to life both the events and characters that appear in the novels. In the second part of the book the author describes how the novels were written, what inspired the adventures and how they relate to the real world of the Royal Navy.
Harbors and High Seas: An Atlas and Geographical Guide to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels of Patrick O'Brian
- Details
- Fiction Companion Books
- By Dean King
Third Edition: - A new edition of the classic companion to Patrick O'Brian's seafaring novels, updated to include the final novel in the series. This indispensable guide to navigating the well-loved Aubrey-Maturin novels has been updated, with new chapters devoted to the final books in the series. Harbors and High Seas includes maps created exclusively for each of the novels in this world-renowned series.
A Sea of Words: Lexicon and Companion for Patrick O'Brian's Seafaring Tales
- Details
- Fiction Companion Books
- By Dean King
A new edition of the classic companion to Patrick O'Brian's sea loving novels, updated to include the final novel in the series. This comprehensive lexicon provides definitions of nautical terms, historical entries describing the people and political events that shaped the period, and detailed explanations of the scientific, medical, and biblical references that appear in the novels.
Novelist & Storyteller: The Life of C. S. Forester
- Details
- Fiction Companion Books
- By John Forester
Containing previously unknown facts, this new two volume biography of C. S. Forester by his son, John Forester offers a fresh look at this prolific writer. Most may expect this telling of a writer's life by that writer's son to be a puff-piece but this unique effort may reflect more an honest evaluation of a parent by a son trying to understand a father in that son's more mature years. The author shares with us his sometimes stormy relationship with his father and this may help us better understand the father. But just as important as the story of two men developing their own characters is the story of a masterful novelist developing his talent over a lifetime and the story of the many unforgettable characters Forester's special mind created for us. Of course, most readers will want to learn about Hornblower (one of the few fictional characters with a biography), where that name came from, and what mechanism the father used to develop the many characters in his novels. Did C. S. Forester use history to assist the accuracy of his scenes and plots? I heard Patrick O'Brian praised the manner in which Forester described his battle scenes and discussed admiringly his sources.
The Pen and the Quarterdeck
- Details
- Fiction Companion Books
- By P.J. van der Voort
A detailed look at the life and works of the Historical Naval Fiction author Frederick Chamier
Patrick O'Brian's Navy: The Illustrated Companion to Jack Aubrey's World
- Details
- Fiction Companion Books
- By Richard O'Neill
From the moment that Master and Commander, the first of Patrick O'Brian's sequence of 20 novels about the 19th century British Royal Navy officer Jack Aubrey and his surgeon colleague Stephen Maturin, was published in 1970, critics hailed his work as a masterpiece of historical recreation. Called "the best historical novels ever written" by the New York Times, the books have sold millions of copies. This first full-color illustrated companion to the Aubrey-Maturin series, timed to coincide with the release of the blockbuster Twentieth-Century Fox film adaptation starring Russell Crowe, explains the fascinating physical details of Jack Aubrey's fictional world. An in-depth historical reference, it brings to life the political, cultural, and physical setting of O'Brian's novels. Annotated drawings, paintings, and diagrams reveal the complex parts of a ship and its rigging, weaponry, crew quarters and duties, below-deck conditions, and fighting tactics, while maps illustrate the location featured in each novel.