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Originally Posted by issybird
I know, I'm lucky!  I was aware of the books and don't know why I apparently decided they were not for me, until early this year when a friend forced me to promise to give them a try, after her gentle suggestions had had no result.
So I read Master and Commander and it was sheer delight. And then, when I decided I wanted to try audiobooks, I saw Post Captain, read by Simon Vance, on Overdrive. It was more delightful still. I've thought books two through four were even better than the first, but whether it's because O'Brian hit his stride or Vance brings something extra, I don't know.
While I now own all the ebooks, my first run-through is going to be with Simon. Speaking of whom, I know you give the edge to Patrick Tull. I picked up his Master and Commander on a BOGO at Audible, so I'll try him eventually, but he'll have to be very good indeed to displace Simon Vance in my affections! |
Quote:
Originally Posted by CRussel
If you started with Simon Vance, the chances are you'll continue to prefer him. Having started with Patrick Tull, I have a preference for him. But I've listened to the Simon Vance versions, and they're really quite good, so I don't see a strong reason to change. That being said, there is at least one other reader out there, and I was not impressed.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by issybird
Aha! You have fingered the flaw in the Vance rendention. I admit it, I was put off at first by his Maturin but I got used to it. Reason enough to give Tull a try and I will, but in the meantime...
...now that it's August (barely!), I've cracked and started Desolation Island with Vance. I had put it on my Aerb to be listened to after another book and I just couldn't resist. But this has to be it for a few months!
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OK, all this discussion has me back to re-reading
Master and Commander (the Patrick Tull version). What
FUN. This really is a great series. There are other naval Napoleonic War series (C. S. Forester and Alexander Kent are the best known), but they don't measure up to the Aubrey/Maturin books. Even though I enjoy them as well.