Comparing Authors
I think I've posted this before, but it might be time for it again. Anyway, it's something I wrote, looking at two of the most famous writers of Age of Sail/Naval Adventure.
Dave
On Comparing Forester and O’Brian
C. S. Forester and Patrick O’Brian are noted writers of Naval Adventure or Age of Sail fiction. Both have created memorable characters and have written many wonderful stories, yet their writing styles differ greatly.
Forester penned eleven Horatio Hornblower novels and a handful of short stories during the middle third of the twentieth century. He was a modern writer and his tales of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries read as would be expected of a twentieth century author. He writes plainly, using as few words as possible to convey all elements of the story. To a great degree, he is a minimalist, often allowing what isn’t on the page to tell a part of the tale. Because he wrote with a modern, straight-forward simplicity, Forester’s books are easy to read. Even complex storylines are clearly laid out and easy to follow.
O’Brian’s work seems to have been written at the time the stories take place, even though he created the twenty-one Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin books during the last third of the twentieth century. Master and Commander, along with other novels in the series were created after Forester wrote the Hornblower series, and yet they seem to be much older works. One wonders if O’Brian deliberately wrote in the manner of the time, or if what emerged was his natural voice. Being written in the style of an earlier age can make O’Brian’s work more difficult to comprehend, especially for the modern casual reader. One might find it necessary to re-read occasional passages to ensure that they are fully understood, although the need to do so does not detract from the overall quality of his work.
Writing in a more modern style caused Forester to focus more closely on his main character and the more elemental parts of the plot. Writers of today are often told that if it doesn’t relate directly to the story or help advance the tale, then it shouldn’t be in the story. Forester apparently agreed with this idea, because he rarely strays. He also appears to have written these stories with a deadly serious attitude, even in those few scenes where something rather humorous occurs. In Hornblower and the Atropos, Lord Nelson’s funeral barge nearly sinks beneath Hornblower. In Ship of the Line, Hornblower and members of a raiding party are forced to return to HMS Sutherland without a stitch of clothing on. One might wonder if Forester ever chuckled to himself as he penned these scenes, so serious is he in relating them.
The need to eliminate all but the most essential parts of the story never seems to have bothered O’Brian. As one reads the Aubrey/Maturin canon, it is possible to find one following one subplot or another, often with no visible link to the primary tale. At times, characters or situations appear and seem to be unresolved when the particular book ends. Yet in the next, or even many books later, those individuals and circumstances reappear and now have a bearing on the primary story thread. O’Brian also seems to have had a bit broader and a bit more ribald sense of humor. After assuming command of Sophie in Master and Commander, Aubrey goes through unsigned correspondence left by her previous captain. Amongst the letters is one to Lord Keith requesting a courts martial for a seaman accused of sodomizing a goat. In discussing the matter with Stephen Maturin, Jack Aubrey announces that the goat naturally would have to be slaughtered and awarded to the mess (group) that reported the individual’s reprehensible act. A shocking situation no doubt, but one can picture O’Brian grinning as that scene grew on the page. No doubt such things did occur in the naval service, but it would stretch one’s imagination to consider Forester ever writing about it, or Hornblower ever discussing it.
It is a well known fact that Forester wrote the Hornblower series in somewhat random order. He began at the time Hornblower was already a post captain and worked forward from there. As the years went by, he often went back and filled in gaps in the story. That somewhat haphazard approach often resulted in discrepancies between the back story elements of the earlier books and the events related in those written at a later date that covered the earlier parts of Hornblower’s career. In Beat to Quarters (The Happy Return), Hornblower is said to have been a lieutenant during the battle with the Spanish Castilla. Yet in Hornblower and the Atropos, when the action actually occurs, he is already a post captain. In the earlier works, mention is also made of Hornblower’s time as a post captain. The number of years he has held his commission, plus his stated age in the early books does not add up to what is presented in the overall story.
As nearly as can be ascertained, O’Brian wrote the Jack Aubrey Stephen Maturin stories in chronological order. Even so, there are reputed discrepancies in Jack’s earlier career, but they do not seem as glaring as those noted in the Hornblower saga.
Both writers do a remarkable job of creating unique main characters. Hornblower seems to be a bit more straight-laced, an individual who seems to be obsessed with his career and who constantly fears failure. Hornblower is a worrier, one who cannot see his abilities or understand that others see him as a successful naval officer. On the other hand, Aubrey has a more ambivalent attitude towards his career. Truth, he does worry about failure, but at the same time he seems more relaxed about it and appears to take life as it comes.
Because of his more modern writing style, Forester concentrates character development on Hornblower. He does develop many secondary characters to a certain extent, but he rarely gives more than a cursory look at the common seamen aboard ship. The relationship between Hornblower and the crew is almost always portrayed as captain or officer on one level and crew on another. On the other hand, O’Brian isn’t afraid to take the reader forward and below decks, and to explore the lives of the crew. Additionally he isn’t beyond having Aubrey and his fellow officers relate those in the crew.
Surely the writing styles of the two differ, and individual readers may find that they prefer one to the other. Forester’s work is straight forward and easy to read. Hornblower is a complex, sometimes melancholy, and often self-depreciating character who succeeds despite himself and the odds Forester places before him. O’Brian writes in a more complex style which may be more difficult to follow. Aubrey is certainly a complex person with as many attributes and faults as any other fictional character. O’Brian also creates a more involved plot line and recruits a larger number of secondary characters to flesh it out. Both authors have created stories that are worth reading and hard to put down. Aficionados of Naval Adventure or Age of Sail fiction are best served in reading the works of both, for each is a master of the genre.
Dave
On Comparing Forester and O’Brian
C. S. Forester and Patrick O’Brian are noted writers of Naval Adventure or Age of Sail fiction. Both have created memorable characters and have written many wonderful stories, yet their writing styles differ greatly.
Forester penned eleven Horatio Hornblower novels and a handful of short stories during the middle third of the twentieth century. He was a modern writer and his tales of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries read as would be expected of a twentieth century author. He writes plainly, using as few words as possible to convey all elements of the story. To a great degree, he is a minimalist, often allowing what isn’t on the page to tell a part of the tale. Because he wrote with a modern, straight-forward simplicity, Forester’s books are easy to read. Even complex storylines are clearly laid out and easy to follow.
O’Brian’s work seems to have been written at the time the stories take place, even though he created the twenty-one Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin books during the last third of the twentieth century. Master and Commander, along with other novels in the series were created after Forester wrote the Hornblower series, and yet they seem to be much older works. One wonders if O’Brian deliberately wrote in the manner of the time, or if what emerged was his natural voice. Being written in the style of an earlier age can make O’Brian’s work more difficult to comprehend, especially for the modern casual reader. One might find it necessary to re-read occasional passages to ensure that they are fully understood, although the need to do so does not detract from the overall quality of his work.
Writing in a more modern style caused Forester to focus more closely on his main character and the more elemental parts of the plot. Writers of today are often told that if it doesn’t relate directly to the story or help advance the tale, then it shouldn’t be in the story. Forester apparently agreed with this idea, because he rarely strays. He also appears to have written these stories with a deadly serious attitude, even in those few scenes where something rather humorous occurs. In Hornblower and the Atropos, Lord Nelson’s funeral barge nearly sinks beneath Hornblower. In Ship of the Line, Hornblower and members of a raiding party are forced to return to HMS Sutherland without a stitch of clothing on. One might wonder if Forester ever chuckled to himself as he penned these scenes, so serious is he in relating them.
The need to eliminate all but the most essential parts of the story never seems to have bothered O’Brian. As one reads the Aubrey/Maturin canon, it is possible to find one following one subplot or another, often with no visible link to the primary tale. At times, characters or situations appear and seem to be unresolved when the particular book ends. Yet in the next, or even many books later, those individuals and circumstances reappear and now have a bearing on the primary story thread. O’Brian also seems to have had a bit broader and a bit more ribald sense of humor. After assuming command of Sophie in Master and Commander, Aubrey goes through unsigned correspondence left by her previous captain. Amongst the letters is one to Lord Keith requesting a courts martial for a seaman accused of sodomizing a goat. In discussing the matter with Stephen Maturin, Jack Aubrey announces that the goat naturally would have to be slaughtered and awarded to the mess (group) that reported the individual’s reprehensible act. A shocking situation no doubt, but one can picture O’Brian grinning as that scene grew on the page. No doubt such things did occur in the naval service, but it would stretch one’s imagination to consider Forester ever writing about it, or Hornblower ever discussing it.
It is a well known fact that Forester wrote the Hornblower series in somewhat random order. He began at the time Hornblower was already a post captain and worked forward from there. As the years went by, he often went back and filled in gaps in the story. That somewhat haphazard approach often resulted in discrepancies between the back story elements of the earlier books and the events related in those written at a later date that covered the earlier parts of Hornblower’s career. In Beat to Quarters (The Happy Return), Hornblower is said to have been a lieutenant during the battle with the Spanish Castilla. Yet in Hornblower and the Atropos, when the action actually occurs, he is already a post captain. In the earlier works, mention is also made of Hornblower’s time as a post captain. The number of years he has held his commission, plus his stated age in the early books does not add up to what is presented in the overall story.
As nearly as can be ascertained, O’Brian wrote the Jack Aubrey Stephen Maturin stories in chronological order. Even so, there are reputed discrepancies in Jack’s earlier career, but they do not seem as glaring as those noted in the Hornblower saga.
Both writers do a remarkable job of creating unique main characters. Hornblower seems to be a bit more straight-laced, an individual who seems to be obsessed with his career and who constantly fears failure. Hornblower is a worrier, one who cannot see his abilities or understand that others see him as a successful naval officer. On the other hand, Aubrey has a more ambivalent attitude towards his career. Truth, he does worry about failure, but at the same time he seems more relaxed about it and appears to take life as it comes.
Because of his more modern writing style, Forester concentrates character development on Hornblower. He does develop many secondary characters to a certain extent, but he rarely gives more than a cursory look at the common seamen aboard ship. The relationship between Hornblower and the crew is almost always portrayed as captain or officer on one level and crew on another. On the other hand, O’Brian isn’t afraid to take the reader forward and below decks, and to explore the lives of the crew. Additionally he isn’t beyond having Aubrey and his fellow officers relate those in the crew.
Surely the writing styles of the two differ, and individual readers may find that they prefer one to the other. Forester’s work is straight forward and easy to read. Hornblower is a complex, sometimes melancholy, and often self-depreciating character who succeeds despite himself and the odds Forester places before him. O’Brian writes in a more complex style which may be more difficult to follow. Aubrey is certainly a complex person with as many attributes and faults as any other fictional character. O’Brian also creates a more involved plot line and recruits a larger number of secondary characters to flesh it out. Both authors have created stories that are worth reading and hard to put down. Aficionados of Naval Adventure or Age of Sail fiction are best served in reading the works of both, for each is a master of the genre.