Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Sandman on May 04, 2004, 01:27:33 PM
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I just watched the DVD this weekend. Excellent movie.
I'm interested in reading the books, but I had no idea there were so many. Any recommendations on which books to start with?
TIA
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Yes, just saw it on DV. Really fantastic film making.
Dont know much about the book(s) but would be interested as well for sure.
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That's funny Sandman, I rented this DVD for my first viewing this weekend as well. I love the ship scenes. I thought the way they showed damage from the projectiles was really well done... things like wounds from splinters.. the path the ball traveled... etc.
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Yeah... I'm betting the books are pretty high on detail as well. Having been in the Navy, it might be interesting. Many of the traditions are still practiced even today.
Aubrey-Maturin Series (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/series/-/90/ref=pd_sr_ec_ser_b/002-5349896-2765626)
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The books are actually a tough read unless you are really into the ships of that era and enjoy the author's writing style.
I have been trying to get through the original "Master and Commander", but there is something about the way in which the guy writes that makes me loose interest. He jumps around so much it is hard to keep track.
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You should've seen it in the theatres. :D Nothing at home can match the wide-screen and big speakers and no neighbors yelling at you to turn it down because the cannons are too loud.
The M&C can be read in chronological order. I haven't read any of the books (yet) because I have a couple of other books I'm working my way through, such as "Life Before The Mast", which is a collection of memoirs from sailors and naval officers from the age of sail (including Nelson's letters about the Battle of the Nile).
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Read the book it rocks, though I love that period almost as much as I enjoy ww2 air combat. I didnt get to see it in the theaters :mad: and I just got back from the video store where they have 34 copies,all gone.
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Good film, its also small enough to get a very high quality "backup" on DVD.
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great film, I really enjoyed it.
some great sea scenes. and I've always had a draw to the old tall-ships.
I'm almost embarassed to admit it but the "lesser of two weavels" scene struck me as funny as hell, too.
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I saw it in a Theater with Stadium Seating and 'Uber' sound. It was 'four stars'. I'm a sailor and the ship handling was first rate.
Even my girlfriend liked it :)
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Great flick.
Thanks for the link to the books - now all we have to wait for is that Burning Sea (or something?) game.
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I saw the movie on DVD 4 weeks ago, I loved it.
I particularly loved the ending, even made a point of looking for the violin-as-guitar piece they play. (Boccherini's "La musica notturna delle Strade di Madrid")
Since then I have devoured 10 Aubrey-Maturin novels, 5 Hornblower ones, 2 of Dudley Pope's Ramage and one about the Bounty mutiny (yes, my gf is quite pissed about "this silly ship fever" by now)
And yeah. O'Brien is a bit hard to read, the sailing jargon, the 18th century jargon, the plethora of weird bird names, the sometimes convoluted phrasing.... Still very very nice reading.
I look forward to go visit HMS Victory this summer, if I can trick my poor girlfriend into it.
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I think this is the "time line" ordering of the books:
Master And Commander
1970
Post Captain
1972
H.M.S. Surprise
1973
The Mauritius Command
1977
Desolation Island
1978
The Fortune Of War
1979
The Surgeon's Mate
1980
The Ionian Mission
1981
Treason's Harbour
1983
The Far Side Of The World
1984
The Reverse Of The Medal
1986
The Letter Of Marque
1988
The Thirteen-Gun Salute
1980
The Nutmeg Of Consolation
1991
Clarissa Oakes
1992
The Wine Dark Sea
1993
The Commodore
1994
The Yellow Admiral
1996
I read them all back in the later 90's. Some are better than others but I felt the wistful sadness when I had finished the series; I did enjoy the ride. I'll probably reread them all someday.
The Hundred Days
1998
0-00-651211-9
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I've read them all. The history and detail in the books is amazing and quit a bit of humor. Of cource the main characters in the movie were a bit thinly drawn. My brother, who is a much more voracious reader than me could'nt get through the first book. One of his main complaint was the fact that every time Jack was ashore in England he was an embarising screw up. :) Really I think there was to much detail for him to slog through.
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Why does sandman have a conservative beating the snot out of a liberal as his avatar?
:aok
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Originally posted by Yeager
Why does sandman have a conservative beating the snot out of a liberal as his avatar?
:aok
(http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0000BZNIU.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
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Thanx Toad...
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heh.
Sand, you should just remove that avatar and replace it with scrolling text saying "The avatar that would have been here is from the movie "Office Space". He is in fact beating up on a fax machine. The would-be use of this avatar does not mean to imply that I condone violence in any way shape or form."
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It's gotta be close to your record for avatar induced thread hijacking. :)
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Originally posted by Sandman
I just watched the DVD this weekend. Excellent movie.
I'm interested in reading the books, but I had no idea there were so many. Any recommendations on which books to start with?
TIA
The Hornblower series is better. Same time period, same setting (British naval warfare.)
curly
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Bleh, as I said, I'm reading them both, and Hornblower loses. Same period and still a very ejoyable read, but it lacks the lavish detail, and feels more "comic book".
And Hornblower himself comes off as a pompous selfish jerk too many times. Just compare the Aubrey-Maturin (or even Aubrey-Pullings) relationship with the Hornblower-Bush one.
Well, I still keep reading both, even though us Spaniards keep getting our "stern" kicked in every book :D
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I read the first book before I watched the film and still waiting to get the others. O'Brian is very different to Hornblower, and the characters both have different flaws. Hornblower is a hard man and pretty unlikeable in a lot of respects, whereas Aubrey seems to be a little more humane.
The film is excellent. I saw it at the cinema and the creaking oak beams seem to be part of the theatre. :) My girlfriend wasn't that impressed with it - lack of any women or romantic crap bored her.
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Originally posted by takeda
Bleh, as I said, I'm reading them both, and Hornblower loses. Same period and still a very ejoyable read, but it lacks the lavish detail, and feels more "comic book".
And Hornblower himself comes off as a pompous selfish jerk too many times. Just compare the Aubrey-Maturin (or even Aubrey-Pullings) relationship with the Hornblower-Bush one.
Well, I still keep reading both, even though us Spaniards keep getting our "stern" kicked in every book :D
Interesting pov. I read one of the Patrick O'Brian books and gave the series up as a bad cause. I felt the easy friendship the captain had with the crew and officers was bogus.
As for pompous, well, they were Brits & rulers of the known world. At one time during the Napoleonic wars, they outfought most of the entire European world, so yeah, pompous is fair. :)
curly
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I mentioned to one of my bowling partners that I wanted to read those books after I saw the movie and he informed me they are really hard to get into. As said before, the writer's style leaves something to be desired. If I can find some of them at the used book store I might give them a go.
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I picked up a copy of a companion book to the Aubrey novels called A Sea of Words (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0805066152/qid=1083753948/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/104-3308622-7715900?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) which provides a glossary of many of the words and expressions used in the book - particularly the nautical terms. The books are quite readable without knowing what the terms mean (you just glide over them), but I got much more out of the books by being able to look them up.
Ravs
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I've read all the Aubrey/Maturin books. They can be a bit tough to "get into" but it's usually worth the wait.
Another good series of this era of sea and ships is the Dewey Lambdin series - "The King's Coat" is the first. Very entertaining..
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Originally posted by ravells
I picked up a copy of a companion book to the Aubrey novels called A Sea of Words (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0805066152/qid=1083753948/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/104-3308622-7715900?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) which provides a glossary of many of the words and expressions used in the book - particularly the nautical terms. The books are quite readable without knowing what the terms mean (you just glide over them), but I got much more out of the books by being able to look them up.
Ravs
Thanks for pointing that out! I had bought "The Hornblower Companion" for precisely that same reason - to know what the characters were talking about and where in the world the ship was. You're right - the "study aids" really help understand and enjoy the novels.
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This is one of my favorite new DVD's. Can someone explain the little ritual the captain did with the midshipmen that ended with them turning around 3 times.
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Originally posted by midnight Target
This is one of my favorite new DVD's. Can someone explain the little ritual the captain did with the midshipmen that ended with them turning around 3 times.
Also curious.
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Just saw it on HBO. GREAT MOVIE! I actually liked Russell Crowe:eek:
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you always should pick the lesser of two weevel's
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They crossed the equator for the first time. Also why old seamen had a pierced ear, so the story goes.
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I seen it for the first time about 3 weeks ago.
Great movie! Now I wish I would have seen it on the big screen!
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Did anybody feel like I did at the end of the movie.
WANTING MORE
I lost all track of time watching the movie and thought they would continue after the french vessel, after they found the french captain wasn't dead
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Great books. Some of the books can only be read if you really allready like the characters.
Every engagment in every book happend as described.
Hornblower is too infalable. Its like reading a nautical james bond. The actuall engagments as per O Brian are far more enjoyable.
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It is a good movie but typically Hollywood and far from the truth of the real event.
...-Gixer
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HOLLYWOOD IS HIMMLER!!!!!!!!!!!OH JEEBUS!!!OH JEEBUS!!!!!!!
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Seriously Yeager, this is worse than your "Nice pants" meltdown.:(
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A great series of books. I stopped at #12 a couple years ago and just started again last month.
My wife apoligized to me after seeing the movie on our TV. "That would have been great in the theater" :D
If you're serious about reading the series, take the time to learn the lingo. I found myself slipping up and talking in 18th century English Naval prose in normal conversation when I was hard-core into the series.
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I decided to bring this thread back up.
I loved the movie but after reading so many of your saying the books were hard to get into I just didnt get around to buying one to try.
Then I found a hardbound book on the world and picked it up with the first book.
I can not put Master and Commander down.... It is a great book, yes the description of the ships and sailing is a bit much but it is very interesting, and Aubry is much like many great combat commanders you read about, great in combat, or doing his duty but causes a huge amount of trouble for himself when he is not.
If you liked the movie go grab the first book, it atleast is very entertaining, and I can't wait for book 2.
Anyone know if they are doing anymore movies?
I found out the Frigate they used in the Filming is now a museum ship in San diego. Used to be named the Rose before the Movie.
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Originally posted by Sandman
(http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0000BZNIU.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
Are you working in a basement, Sandy?
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Originally posted by mietla
Are you working in a basement, Sandy?
I think he's a relation to the pop singer
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I'm finishing the Surgeon's Mate (#7). I still enjoy the serie a lot.
I usually read one book of the serie, then a couple of other non-related books, then I pick the next one. No burn-out and at this rate I should hold until retirement ;)
Both main characters are very interesting, deep and complex without being overdone.
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I wondered why I was so drawn to the movie when it first came out, until I did some research and learned that the HMS Rose was the vessel that was used.
The Rose was the first sailing vessel I stepped foot on when I was about 4 years old :)
Excellent books, if you have any basic seamanship experience, you'll enjoy it even more
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did you realise that Master and Commander is based on a real person?
http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.1597/changeNav/3533
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Originally posted by Furball
did you realise that Master and Commander is based on a real person?
http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.1597/changeNav/3533
I did know that, but only because the companion book I bought talked about how much the main Char was based on him.
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I'm almost half way through the series and I can't put them down. I don't know how anyone could have trouble getting through them. I even find myself speaking two hundred year old phrases from time to time.
The companion book "A Sea Of Words" is essential. I really opens up the books when you learn the naval terms.
I also recommend visiting the Rose if you’re ever near San Diego. It's quite interesting how they set up a helm and navigational center below deck near the captain’s cabin. The pro's could sail the ship below while the actors could be filmed on deck and not have to worry about the ship. I was surprised at the size of the vessel though. Looks much bigger onscreen.
O'Brian is a genius. Twenty books are not near enough.
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Closing scene is my favorite.
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I didn't bother renting M&C, I bought it the day it hit the shelves. One of my all time favorites.
IIRC, it scored pretty well with the History Channel's History vs Hollywood too.
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Well I truly enjoyed seeing this movie and now own a copy. To me its right up there as rewatch material in the same guys movie aspect as Top Gun, The Replacements and a few others. Yes I know the last two are cheesy but you know what those are movies that I just can't stop watching and enjoy each time I see them.
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Comparing M&C and Top Gun!!! Now, really...:huh
;)
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One of the best books ever written, I believe, is two years before the mast. A classic sea story by U.S. writer Richard Henry Dana, Jr., Two Years Before the Mast describes the author's voyage from 1834 to 1836 as a common seaman from Boston, Mass., around Cape Horn, to California and back. Dana's intention in writing was to show “the life of a common sailor at sea as it really is” and to expose the abuses endured by his fellow sailors. Published in 1840.
E Book Here (http://www.authorama.com/two-years-before-the-mast-25.html)
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For those of you who love the age of sail, there's an MMO game supposed to be released next year set in the 1720 carribean - Pirates of the burning sea
http://burningsea.com
Looks to be promising if they can make it more AH on boats instead of world of warcraft on boats. Pretty graphics anyway.
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I've got all the Aubrey / Maturin novels - great reads if you can take the old style english writing and the technical sailing stuff. You'll now your an official Lucky Jack Aubrey geek when you start getting the old english jokes.
Another GREAT series in the genre are the Alan Lewrie novels by Dewey Lambdin. Start out with the Kings Coat and go from there... lots of action (both with Cannons and with the Capt's patented french cundums).
Hornblower series is also pretty good, but for a younger crowd.
If you want some other heavy duty period action (on land), try the Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell (sp). A lot of action in those books, and they are a quick read. Think it starts with Sharpe's Rifles, and there are a bunch of them.
EagleDNY
$.02
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Originally posted by Curval
I have been trying to get through the original "Master and Commander", but there is something about the way in which the guy writes that makes me loose interest. He jumps around so much it is hard to keep track.
I started "Master and Commander" not long after Sandy started the thread. It was a good read but I noticed something very interesting about myself because of it.
I enjoyed the book enough that I checked out "The Hundred days" as a "book on tape" for a 12 hour road trip I was taking. It lasted about 15 minutes before I had to turn it off. All the mizzen this and bowswain that... looking back I realised that when things got a bit over my head with nautical terms I would "skip a bit, Brother." I had started to just gloss over the finer details of sailing and just stick with the plot as it advanced.
The second book "Post Captain" has been a bit tougher to get through since there is just too much Society and not enough fighting Napoleon :) None the less, I would recommend the series to you Sandy.
-Sik
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Keep going the second one was slow but the rest rock.
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Patrick O'Brian is enjoyable. Other great sailing books:
Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum
In the Heart of the Sea and Sea of Glory by Nathanial Philbrick
It's been many years but I enjoyed Voyage by Sterling Hayden (Jack D. Ripper and RPM's avatar).