Read the Novels and Forget Everything Else | On the author of “Master and Commander.”
https://hedgehogreview.com/web-features/thr/posts/read-the-novels-and-forget-everything-else
https://hedgehogreview.com/web-features/thr/posts/read-the-novels-and-forget-everything-else
4 Comments
redhorsejacket@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 18d
Man, I knew that the naval jargon in these books would be impenetrable, but I didn't expect quite the same sesquipedalian loquaciousness from the rest of the text. I'm a fan of the movie, and have heard folks speak highly of the novels, but my drive to read them has been chilled somewhat. Also, boy howdy the author sounds like a jerk
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 17d
the books are actually quite brisk once you get used to it. The plots and characterizations are so strong they overcome the jargon. The movie is biblical. I remember watching it with my dad and he remarked "why people can't make a Star Trek movie like that?" and we laughed because it makes too much sense.
redhorsejacket@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 16d
Hah! I didn't think about the Star Trek comparison, but, now that you mention it, the Galapagos sequences very much have that vibe! The conflict between their military duty versus Maturin's scientific interests, not to mention the conversations about leadership in the Captain's quarters, it is all very Trek-coded.
I've heard that Maturin is practically a card-carrying anarchist in the books, in spite of his service to the Crown. The movie touches on that in a few places, but doesn't fully explore that dynamic. Given what this article says about O'Brien's lack of aptitude for capturing characters' inner lives, do you feel like Maturin's inherent contradictions are well-explored?
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 16d
O'Brien is an odd writer because a lot of things that he doesn't do seem like deliberate choices. you can't have that much negative space simply because you can't do something.
The movie doesn't delve into that aspect of Maturin that much. it is one of the character traits outlined here and there but it doesn't affect the story.