Book #63: The Far Side of the World

63 books in, and I'm slowly whittling down the total left to read. I'm well into single figures now, and loving all the books I'm reading! Some have been great, and a few... not so great! But this challenge has really widened my horizons for reading!

Book 10 in the Aubrey & Maturin Series, and the second half of the film Title, 'The Far Side of the World' sees the story follow closely on from Treason Harbour, almost as though it's a two part novel! It picks up with HMS Surprise at Gibraltar, on it's way back to England for it to be retired from service. HOWEVER Jack is given one more mission to undertake before returning to England. To protect whalers in the South Pacific from a US Frigate, the USS Norfolk.

So once again they set sail on a voyage around the world, always good fun, nothing ever happens... right?

Well aside from being stranded on a spit of land, having a 'Jonah' on board (someone deemed unlucky), horrendous weather, losing the captain overboard and even more horrendous weather... nothing really happens!

The book is a chase of epic proportions, covering thousands of miles, and whereas previous books are full of battles, the action here takes different forms. From battling through a Typhoon, to daring surgeries at sea. Like with all the other books, the ending is abrupt enough for you to feel satisfied, but at the same time, desperate for much much more!

This book does lots to dispel the myth that women had no place at sea during this time, with two women on board HMS Surprise, and also the inclusion of a polynesian ship full of women, who at one point try to castrate Stephen and Jack!

All in all, whilst not the most action packed book in the series so far, a thoroughly enjoyable one!

The Far Side of the World: 2.5cm

Total read so far: 63 books, 187.5cm

Total left to read: 57 books, 5.5cm

It's within touching distance!