An Atlas and Geographical Guide to the Aubrey-Maturin Novels

Readers of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels always clamored for maps. One of the few gripes I generally heard from readers was that O'Brian's books, published in the U.S. by W. W. Norton, always included the same ship diagram from Liber Nauticus. After a dozen volumes or so, readers thought the publisher might dispense of this diagram, lovely though it is, and instead include a useful map or series of maps to the book's action. Since names of places and political borders have changed over the centuries, and more than a few Pacific islands have come and gone, this would be extremely useful to modern readers. As O'Brian mixed real and fictional places without giving a nod or a wink, it would be all the more useful.

        With John Hattendorf, a distinguished professor of maritime history at the Naval War College, in Newport, Rhode Island, again advising, I created a geographical companion book and atlas to the series. Each chapter of Harbors and High Seas details the geographical meanderings and naval actions of one of O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels took place, distinguishing between fictional and real places. Pictures from period sources, including the Naval War Chronicle, one of O'Brian's main inspirations, show the way places looked during the Napoleonic wars.

        As of 2000, Harbors and High Seas , published by Henry Holt, is out in a third edition covering all twenty books in the series.

“For armchair seafarers who follow every adventure of Captain Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin but have no idea where on earth Christmas Island is, let alone how far it is from Annamooka, here is the ideal Baedeker. Book by book, journey by journey, knot by knot, King provides a geographical guide to Aubrey and Maturin's adventures. In fact, all that's missing here is a do-it-yourself model of Aubrey's ship, HMS Surprise.” –  Kirkus Review

“Carefully maps and illustrates the oceans, ports, islands, and actions, book by book...of the Aubrey-Maturin series.” –  Los Angeles Times

The assorted world travels of Aubrey and Maturin can leave you geographically adrift. With not a moment to lose, help is but one bookstore away. Harbors and High Seas...comes in handy if you're reading the series over a number of years and need a quick reminder of past plots.” –  Chicago Tribune

“A worthy, stirring guide to the world of the British Navy in the age of sail.” – Pequot Pilot