The much anticipated Aubrey-Maturin novel. You are in for the treat of your lives. Thank God for Patrick OBrian: his genius illuminates the literature of the English language, and lightens the lives of those who read him. KEVIN MYERS, Irish Times
If we had only two or three of Patrick OBrians Aubrey-Maturin series, we would count ourselves lucky; with six or seven the author would be safely among the greats of historical fiction This is great writing by an undiminished talent. Now on to Volume Twenty, and the liberation of Chile. WILLIAM WALDEGRAVE, Literary Review
This is the twentieth book in Patrick OBrians highly acclaimed, bestselling series chronicling the adventures of lucky Jack Aubrey and his best friend Stephen Maturin, part ships doctor, part secret agent. The novels stirring action follows on from that of The Hundred Days. Napoleons hundred days of freedom and his renewed threat to Europe have ended at Waterloo and Aubrey has finally, as the title suggests, become a blue level admiral. He and Maturin have at last set sail on their much postponed mission to Chile. Vivid with the salty tang of life at sea, OBrians writing is as powerful as ever whether he writes of naval hierarchies, night-actions or the most celebrated fictional friendship since that of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. Blue at the Mizzen also brings alive the sights and sounds of revolutionary South America in a story as exciting as any OBrian has written.
