The Aubrey-Maturin series

Patrick O'Brian - Read and reread over many years

Based mainly of the first book in the series but with elements pick from throughout the series a major film called "Master and Commander" starring Russell Crow was made. The books are very well researched from book a naval and historic perspective. Patrick knows his stuff. The stories are a good read too.

If you only read a couple of the books read:
Master and Commander and Desolation Island. The first shows what he knows about ship of the line and how a ship works alongside a good story. The second had me on the edge of my seat during the chase. I will say no more about the chase except it has to be read.

The middle to end series of books require prior knowledge of the series but are fair read on their own.

The full series list is below. I have read the whole series several times and I am not a reader. I was given a hard back version of the final book for Christmas one year but it was not that good. So have not reread that one.

1. Master and Commander (1970)
2. Post Captain (1972)
3. HMS Surprise (1973)
4. The Mauritius Command (1977)
5. Desolation Island (1978)
6. The Fortune of War (1979)
7. The Surgeon's Mate (1980)
8. The Ionian Mission (1981)
9. Treason's Harbour (1983)
10. The Far Side of the World (1984)
11. The Reverse of the Medal (1986)
12. The Letter of Marque (1988)
13. The Thirteen Gun Salute (1989)
14. The Nutmeg of Consolation (1991)
15. Clarissa Oakes (1992) - (The Truelove in the USA)
16. The Wine-Dark Sea (1993)
17. The Commodore (1995)
18. The Yellow Admiral (1996)
19. The Hundred Days (1998)
20. Blue at the Mizzen (1999)
21. The Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey (2004) - (21 in the USA)