Master and Commander
The first novel in the Aubrey-Maturin series and the natural entry point to O'Brian's best-known work.
Author guide
Patrick O'Brian Books in Order
Patrick O'Brian (1914–2000), born Richard Patrick Russ, wrote literary and historical fiction, short stories, poetry, naval history, and biographies of Pablo Picasso and Joseph Banks. His twenty-volume Aubrey-Maturin series follows Captain Jack Aubrey and Dr Stephen Maturin during the Napoleonic Wars. Several early books were published under his birth name, Richard Russ.
historical fictionnaval fictionliterary fictionshort storiesbiography
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
Read in order
Books by series
novel series · completed with an unfinished posthumous continuation
Aubrey-Maturin
Twenty completed naval novels about Captain Jack Aubrey and Dr Stephen Maturin, followed by a posthumously published unfinished continuation.
- 1 Master and CommanderAmazon ↗
Book 1 · novel · 1969
- 2
Post CaptainAmazon ↗Book 2 · novel · 1972
- 3
H.M.S. SurpriseAmazon ↗Book 3 · novel · 1973
- 4
The Mauritius CommandAmazon ↗Book 4 · novel · 1977
- 5
Desolation IslandAmazon ↗Book 5 · novel · 1978
- 6
The Fortune of WarAmazon ↗Book 6 · novel · 1979
- 7
The Surgeon's MateAmazon ↗Book 7 · novel · 1980
- 8
The Ionian MissionAmazon ↗Book 8 · novel · 1981
- 9
Treason's HarbourAmazon ↗Book 9 · novel · 1983
- 10
The Far Side of the WorldAmazon ↗Book 10 · novel · 1984
- 11
The Reverse of the MedalAmazon ↗Book 11 · novel · 1986
- 12
The Letter of MarqueAmazon ↗Book 12 · novel · 1988
- 13
The Thirteen-Gun SaluteAmazon ↗Book 13 · novel · 1989
- 14
The Nutmeg of ConsolationAmazon ↗Book 14 · novel · 1991
- 15
Clarissa OakesAmazon ↗Book 15 · novel · 1992
- 16
The Wine-Dark SeaAmazon ↗Book 16 · novel · 1993
- 17
The CommodoreAmazon ↗Book 17 · novel · 1994
- 18
The Yellow AdmiralAmazon ↗Book 18 · novel · 1996
- 19
The Hundred DaysAmazon ↗Book 19 · novel · 1998
- 20
Blue at the MizzenAmazon ↗Book 20 · novel · 1999
- 21
The Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack AubreyAmazon ↗Book 21 · unfinished-novel · 2004 Optional
novel series · completed
Golden Ocean
A two-novel historical adventure series set during George Anson's voyage around the world.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (8)
- Caesar: The Life Story of a Panda-LeopardAmazon ↗
novel · 1930
- Wang-Khan of the ElephantsAmazon ↗
novel · 1933
-
Hussein: An EntertainmentAmazon ↗novel · 1938
-
TestimoniesAmazon ↗novel · 1952
- The CatalansAmazon ↗
novel · 1953
- The Road to SamarcandAmazon ↗
novel · 1954
- Richard TempleAmazon ↗
novel · 1962
Nonfiction (2)
Short fiction (5)
-
Beasts RoyalAmazon ↗short-story-collection · 1934
- The Last Pool and Other StoriesAmazon ↗
short-story-collection · 1950
- The Walker and Other StoriesAmazon ↗
short-story-collection · 1955
- The Chian Wine and Other StoriesAmazon ↗
short-story-collection · 1974
- No Pirates Nowadays and Other StoriesAmazon ↗
short-story-collection · 2014
Poetry (1)
- The Uncertain Land and Other PoemsAmazon ↗
poetry-collection · 2019