Like any good series, this one is ripening as I go through it and get to know the characters. These books can be a bit hard to read with all the naval lingo, but I really like the characters, the adventures, and all of the historical details.

In that regard, what interested me about this book was the plotting. The plotting of most popular fiction is climactic--that is, a tightly constructed series of events driving on to an explosive conclusion. By contrast, O'Brian's plots are episodic--a sequence of episodes, some of which are woven together but others of which appear to stand in isolation from the others, at least in the course of a single book. But as you follow the two main characters, Captain Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin, from book to book, these episodes build to produce an increasingly satisfying effect. Plot elements like battles, discoveries, secrets, betrayal, romance, &c. turn out to be building blocks for a much larger story about two men and how they change and evolve in their lives.

What a complicated task O'Brian set for himself, and how wonderful that he had the talent to pull it off.

If you're a fan of Patrick O'Brian, you don't need a review to tell you how good the Aubrey Maturin series is.

If you have never read any of these books, I can only give them my highest recommendation. If you enjoy historical novels I suspect you will be quickly hooked. If you start here, you will only have to backtrack two books to get the story from the beginning.

I have the read the entire series and H.M.S. Surprise is one of my very favorites. The books are set in the Napelonic era. Jack Aubrey is an officer in the British navy. Stephen Maturin is a naturalist (and more - he's a spy). H.M.S. Surpise has the exotic setting on the Indian subcontinent, the adventure of the sea, villains, intrigue, heroes, and humor.

If you've ever read Horatio Hornblower and enjoyed it, I think you will find that O'Brian's work surpasses Forester's. Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series is also somewhat similar, but again O'Brian's writing is better.

"H.M.S. Surprise" is the most enjoyable of the first three books in Patrick O'Brian's famed Aubrey-Maturin Series. The characters have been established, and the reader is now familiar with O'Brian's archaic, mannered prose. So let the dice fly!

This third book covers a lot of turf, and not just in terms of nautical miles. Captain Jack Aubrey remains in debt, having been cheated out of his prize money by a greedy, unsophisticated bureaucrat. His debts put his engagement to the gorgeous Sophie Williams in jeopardy, as Ms. Williams is under the guardianship of a money-loving harridan straight out of Jane Austen. So Jack must once again take to the high seas to (literally) seek his fortune.

Dr. Stephen Maturin also has romantic troubles - he remains smitten with the scandalous, rebellious beauty Diane Villiers (who also caught Jack's eye), but Villiers has taken flight to India with her keeper/lover, the rich trader Canning. Maturin also suffers unbelievably when a stupid government official blows Maturin's cover as a spy, leading to a dramatic rescue attempt by Aubrey and his crew.

The majority of the novel is given over to the voyage to Cambodia via India, and Cap'n Jack and Dr. Maturin get a dozen chances to battle storms, the French, haughty and insufferable passengers, the horrifying plight of children in India, and in Jack's case, the hard-won affections of a sloth.

By far the most humorous of the first three novels, "H.M.S. Surprise" also has thrills to spare. O'Brian writes with a unique style that takes some getting used to, but once you are into the rhythms, it becomes quite enjoyable. And very few authors can write such a harrowing action scene - if you saw the movie "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World," in this book you will see the inspiration for the scene where Dr. Maturin operates on himself to remove a bullet. I leave it to you to compare whether the movie tops the book.

Do not start the Aubrey-Maturin series with this book, as good as it is. If you have not started this series, get yourself a copy of "Master and Commander" and get sailing!

"HMS Surprise" is the third installment in Patrick O'Brian's seminal work of literary art depicting the friendship and adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin. In this latest journey, Aubrey, a shining example of the Napoleonic-era fighting sea captain serving in the Royal Navy, and Maturin his ship's surgeon and secret agent of British naval intelligence, travel south through the waters of the Atlantic and into the Indian Ocean. Of note in this book is that O'Brian captures the magic that continues through the remainder of the series; in retrospect "Master and Commander" looks more of an introductory volume, and "Post Captain" a necessary bridge between this volume and the first. "HMS Surprise" is the better of the first three books. In all fairness, all three are great, but I have found this story to be the most enjoyable on a first and second read.

The story begins with Maturin's capture by French agents at the Port a Mahon, now occupied by Napoleon's forces. The adventure continues as Maturin secures a ship for Aubrey to protect the China Fleet - and for Stephen's own purpose: to pursue his lost love across the world to India. Once in the Indian Ocean, Jack Aubrey must unite a disparate convoy of merchant vessels to fend of the attacks of a dangerous squadron of French frigates who mean to prey on the British trade. Stephen Maturin forges a friendship with a homeless Indian child and devises a means to rescue Dianna Villiers, his love, from her so-called protector. A number of memorable adventures occur, including being stranded on a barren rock, a drunken sloth, a tense `fleet' action, a duel and finally the outcome of Stephen's desire of Dianna.

"HMS Surprise" is a rewarding story, and I highly recommend it. The book is one of the most fully written of the series, it just is satisfying in and of itself; once you move past it into the deeper waters of O'Brian's stories the reading becomes addictive and each individual book is not enough - you will need `just one more'.

Though not as chock full o' combat as the previous installment -- and certainly not as the first volume -- this third volume of the Aubrey-Maturin series is nevertheless a stunning accomplishment. Don't get me wrong: there's riveting combat, but it's not the focus. O'Brian's concern here seems to be plot and character development. The subplots that get advanced are the respective romances of both Jack and Stephen, and we get deeper insights especially into Stephen, who -- much as I love Jack -- is swiftly becoming my favorite of the duo, not to mention one of my favorite literary creations of all time. In short, this is an amazing read, and the ending (I won't give it away, but the book is aptly titled) can't fail to leave you moved and thrilled.