H. M. S. Surprise

Set in the Royal Navy during theearly 19thCentury'sNapoleonic Wars, O'Brian'sepic,twenty-volume "masterpiece" (David Mamet,New York Times)tracesthe enduring friendship between naval officerJack Aubrey and physician (and spy) Stephen Maturin.Theirsharp wit, heart-stoppingaction,andexquisitely rendered backdrophaveearnedmillions ofdevoted fansworldwideas well as comparisonsfromC. S. Forester,toJane Austen,toShakespeare.In theover fortyyears since their initial publication in theUnited States,these"addictively readable" (Patrick T. Reardon, Chicago Tribune)storieshave become a beloved part of the canon.

Including volumes one -Master and Commander- through three-H. M. S. Surprise-this first installmentprecedesthe release ofvolumes fourthrough twenty over the coming year.Every one of thesebeautifully redesigned editions aresure to be treasured byPatrick O'Brianenthusiasts and welcome generations of new readersto one of the greatest literarysagasof all time.