Post Captain (novel)

Post Captain
First edition (UK)
AuthorPatrick O'Brian
Cover artistDell'Orco[1]
LanguageEnglish
SeriesAubrey–Maturin series
GenreHistorical novel
PublisherCollins (UK)
Lippincott (US)
Publication date
1972
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Media typePrint
Pages414 first edition
ISBN0-00-221657-4 first edition hardback
OCLC38885590
823/.9/14
LC ClassPZ3.O1285 Po PR6029.B55
Preceded byMaster and Commander 
Followed byHMS Surprise 

Post Captain is the second historical novel in the Aubrey–Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian, first published in 1972. It features the characters of Captain Jack Aubrey and naval surgeon Stephen Maturin, and is set in the early 19th century during the Napoleonic Wars.

During the brief Peace of Amiens, Aubrey and Maturin live in a country house in England, where they meet women with whom they fall in love. The mores of courtship restrict both men as to making marriage proposals. Then their lives are turned upside down when Aubrey loses his money due to decisions of the prize court and a dishonest prize-agent. To avoid seizure for debt, they proceed through France to Maturin's property in Spain. When the war begins afresh, Aubrey has a command aboard HMS Polychrest, gaining fewer prizes yet succeeding in his military goals. He is eventually promoted and is given temporary command of the frigate HMS Lively while its captain is ashore. The emotions of his love life interfere with his ways at sea, showing him sharply different in his decisiveness at sea compared to his clumsiness on land.

The novel was received well at its initial publishing, but received more and better notice after its re-issue in 1990. That much of the story is set on land drew some to consider it O'Brian's homage to Jane Austen, one of his favorite authors.[2] Author Mary Renault gave the novel high praise,[3] while Alison Sulentic commended it for the two different ways that Maturin and Aubrey "come to know wisdom" as a result of falling in love.[4]

  1. ^ "Book Covers". 24 November 2010. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Prial was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Renault was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sulentic2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).