The reverse of the medal /

What makes O'Brian's acclaimed Aubrey/ Maturin series such a remarkable accomplishment is that the only formula the author uses is the complex personalities of his British sea captain, Jack Aubrey, and his ship's surgeon, Stephen Maturin. In this 11th book of the series (e.g., The Far Side of the World, Audio Reviews, LJ 5/1/95), Jack's sense of honor‘so devious at sea, yet so naïve on shore‘is exploited by French spies who wish to descredit him as part of a plot to undermine the British war effort against Napoleon. Jack is set up to save a stranger from a mugging and then is given some stock tips as a reward. When he profits, his reputation is ruined and the unthinkable occurs: Jack is drummed out of the service after public exposure in the stocks. This is the darkest of O'Brian's novels, following Jack's case through the corrupt courtroom system and the plotting of rival political parties. Stephen's response to Jack's tragedy is moving, exciting, and consistent with everything the reader has come to know about these two fascinating characters. Using his reptilian calm to win enormous sums at the gaming tables, Stephen purchases the "Surprise," no longer a ship of the line, to set Jack up as a privateer. Followers of the series encounter some of their favorites: Tom Pullings, the midshipman turned post captain; Diana Villers, Maturin's dashing, difficult wife; and reader Patrick Tull. Recommended for all collections.‘Sharon Cumberland, Seattle Univ. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.