I'll start by admitting that I am not, nor have ever been, a prolific reader. That being said, I have a (what I believe to be) healthy family pride. My grandpa, a true Englishman in his own right, recommended to me that I read the Aubrey-Maturin Series by Patrick O'Brian. For in some parts reverence and in some parts familial pride, I recently finished my first "circumnavigation" of the Aubrey-Maturin series after a two year journey. I loved it all beyond measure.
I was completely engrossed. The series reignited my love for reading, and it has been hard to believe that the journey is over.
Therein lies my problem. I have tried to pick up different authors, of a similar style and a similar time period, but nothing scratches my itch for more of the same. I just absolutely loved reading these novels. It has been a source of strength for me, but now that it is over I haven't been able to find anything that provides that same enjoyment as I did through my first dive into a long series.
What do you do when a series from an author you respect and admire is over?
I'd appreciate any input, and I think this topic is appliable beyond my individual problem. Best regards to you all.
by Bad_Fashion
29 Comments
Try another series that is in a completely different genre (in this case espionage) that is equally excellent. John le Carre’s George Smiley novels might leave you with the same feeling as O’Brian. They are both head and shoulders above the competition.
I agree with you, the 21 Aubrey / Maturin books are the pinnacle.
You might want to try James Clavell’s Asian saga, starting with Shogun. They come close.
If you want to stay nautical, I also enjoyed the Horatio Hornblower series (11 books I believe).
Other suggestions are the Sherlock Holmes series for Victorian British mysteries, or even the Lonesome Dove series if you think you would like Westerns.
You can’t go wrong with any of these . Enjoy!
The bottle stands by you, sir !!
You might enjoy Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe series of novels, about an infantry officer fighting in Spain in the Napoleonic Wars. I suggest reading in publication order instead of internal chronology.
Historical adventure novels where the author is thoroughly in the time? Hard act to follow (Hornblower is very much a 20th century person in a naval Napoleonic suit). Maybe Dumas’ historical novels (Chicot theJester, The 45 Guardsmen, The Countess de Charny ..)? Switch genres to Gene Wolfe?
I remember reading all the Alexander Kent Bolitho novels when I was younger; they’re a little formulaic in places but might scratch the same itch (the same author also published books as Douglas Reeman). Then there are the Hornblower novels of C S Forester, though I preferred Bolitho to Hornblower, and Dudley Pope who wrote the Ramage novels. They all borrow heavily from real historic incidents.
I enjoyed the Themis series by Sean Thomas Russell a decade ago, that scratched the itch for a Napoleonic series. However, I don’t thing they were popular enough at the time to get contracted for a fifth book. It wasn’t a popular genre back then. I remember the fourth book was a good ending, but not overly satisfying for the B plots. Your experience may be different than mine. I loved them.
I see someone recommended both Hornblower and Sharpe series, which are both excellent and both are set in the Napoleonic wars era. If you want a little different time period and a little more humor, try the Flashman series by George MacDonald Fraser.
It’s quite the pickle, I know. I’m about 1/3 of the way into the Aubrey-Maturin series and am torn between devouring the remaining books as I am extremely tempted to do or pacing myself as I dread finally running out of them one day. The only works I know that rival POB in nautical literature is Moby Dick, and in depiction of Georgian England, the Jane Austen canon.
The Sharpe series and the Hornblower series bear a thematic semblance but I have not found them to be at the same level of literary brilliance as POB.
I think one of the most unfair things that can happen to a writer of quality is to be tagged as a genre writer. I can think of several authors who are absolutely supreme in their work, yet somehow get consigned to some literary backwater.
Patrick O’Brian is definitely one of them. John LeCarré is another (Phillip Roth named *A Perfect Spy* as the single best novel written in the post-WW2 era, as one example. And I’m inclined to agree). P G Wodehouse, at the height of his powers, could go toe-to-toe with any writer of his period.
And I think things have become even more so today. It is incredibly hard for any writer, once established, to shake off the mantle of genre. It’s almost as if the literati say, ‘Oh, what a wonderful book you just wrote. Now go sit in your cage and churn out more just like it for the rest of your life.’
Yet there have been numerous examples of writers whose works were all over the place in terms of theme and genre. Shakespeare, of course. Thackeray. Evelyn Waugh penned *Brideshead Revisited* and the wildly hilarious *Scoop*. Graham Greene for God’s sake.
But write what’s deemed to be genre fiction and you get put into a ghetto of sorts. And are not allowed to come out.
If you haven’t read Patrick O’Brian, know that his Aubrey/Maturin novels completely transcend the boundaries of historical fiction. They are deep dives into an era, into the question of friendship, and the limitations of duty. I have often called them a 20-volume literary high-wire act, and I think the analogy holds. An unbelievable achievement, one that will never be duplicated. And one very much worth the investment of time for any reader.
>I have tried to pick up different authors, of a similar style and a similar time period, but nothing scratches my itch for more of the same.
That is always a bad idea. Some things are genre, or subgenre defining because they are special.
But try different authors. Have you ever read for example Dorothy Dunnnett?
>What do you do when a series from an author you respect and admire is over?
I space out the books, and then change genres, and do not look for “copies” of it, because I know they will disappoint me. If I feel the urge I might like at fanfic though but not buy similar things.
Many good suggestions but I’m here to suggest you could also begin the series again…
Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall series
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell – alternative fiction of a magical bent
And then just because they inspired my username, Dorothy Sayers’s Lord Peter Wimsey books
Finally, maybe Dickens? Pickwick Papers could be a good one to start. My favorite is Bleak House, but I know it’s long and intimidating lol.
It’s a completely different genre (far future SF), but Ian M Banks’s Culture novels hit some of the same notes for me.
Le Carré for sure
O’Brian had the ability to write in the early 1800s style. For something completely different but also familiar, try Jane Austen.
Fully agree with you. I was expecting non stop swashbuckling like the Hornblower series, but in fact the Aubrey and Maturin books are a much more interesting look at friendships, industrialising Britain (and Ireland – Irish history is very much a blind spot of British education!), all sorts of stuff.
For a completely different scene, but not totally different subjects, Iain Banks’ Culture series might do the trick. Sadly he died a few years ago and honestly we’ve been robbed
A bit of a leftfield choice here, but an incredibly accurate and well.written depiction of the leadup to and the Battle of Waterloo as seen from the perspective of the English in Brussels at the time is “An Infamous Army” by Georgette Heyer.
She is primarily known as the inventor of the Regency romance, and this book does have romance, but it is also very well written and researched, Heyer bought a number of Wellingtons private letters in the 1930s to get a feel for how he spoke.
Apparently they used to recommend it at Sandhurst (the British military school) for its vivid depiction of the battle.
Something else just occurred to me: the Palliser series by Anthony Trollope. Victorian era novels about English politics and society. His prose is marvelous, characters engaging, social commentary and history fascinating.
Dorothy Dunnett – Lymond Chronicles – one notch above Patrick O’Brian for me.
If you’re looking for a combination of era and quality of prose, Jane Austen is about as close as you can get (though expect less gunnery practice).
Other people have suggested them in this thread, but I would also put in my vote for Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. I finished O’Brian and started on 19th century authors and I find that these two had a huge influence on O’Brian. (I’ve heard of O’brian being referred to as Jane Austen fan fic.)
You’re right. No one comes close. I re-read the series every few years and they never grow old. I’ve probably read the whole series half a dozen times?
Anything by C.S. Forester should do it. Also Sharpe’s War
This is a common situation with Patrick O’Brian readers. Once you become accustomed to his prose other writers feel obvious and simplistic. I reread the series several times before I was willing to make the effort to find another author. I wouldn’t try anyone else in the seafaring genre, it’s not the genre, it’s O’Brian. John le Carre and Neal Stephenson held my attention.
See if you like the Physician by Noah Gordon or I Claudius or the King Must Die by Renault
Patrick O Brien really carved out that niche for himself. So there’s no-one quite like him.
Re general suggestions, aside from some good ones already mentioned: For weird and satirical Victorian-era international adventures, there’s also George MacDonald Fraser’s Flashman series. Not for everyone, but he has his moments.
Perhaps you should circumnavigate the Disc, next?
Terry Pratchett’s the Discworld unparalleled. As has been mentioned, it is very much a genre series, but the writing transcends genre. Some of the books are detective thrillers, other books are fantastical adventures, others are deeply poignant ruminations on life and death. All are hilarious and full of deeply clever writing.
It’s also as English as they come, if that interests you.
If you fancy a spin on the genre you could try the temaraire series by naomi novak, spins it out by having dragons involved. I found the first few interesting but lost track at some point and haven’t got back into it yet.
I would say “terry pratchett” but he doesn’t really have anything naval in discworld interestingly. He writes in a socially satirical way, it’s very funny. Maybe go for the watch series (pre/ early industrial revolution police series) or the moist von lipwig series (going postal, making money and raising steam) which are also industrial revolution (and maybe the Truth which is about the first newspaper).
>What do you do when a series from an author you respect and admire is over?
in the case of O’Brien’s masterwork, you … start over.
Because, you see, you’ve started at the top. the Aubrey-Maturin novels are some of the greatest english fiction ever written – not merely of that genre, but any fiction.
Source: somebody who’s maybe read too many books.
Patrick O’Brien is my second favourite historical novelist. My first is Dorothy Dunnett. Her book are even more rewarding – but also more complex.