H. M. S. Surprise vs The Fortune of War: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Ship physicians, Jack Aubrey, Stephen Maturin, Aubrey, Maturin, Naval History
H. M. S. Surprise
“But I put it to you, my lord, that prize-money is of essential importance to the Navy.”
"Few, very few books have made my heart thud with excitement. H.M.S. Surprise managed it." —Helen Lucy Burke, Irish Press In H.M.S. Surprise, British naval officer Jack Aubrey and surgeon Stephen Maturin face near-death…
vs
The Fortune of War
“The warm monsoon blew gently from the east, wafting HMS Leopard into the bay of Pulo Batang.”
Sixième épisode des aventures maritimes du capitaine Jack Aubrey.
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- H. M. S. Surprise has the widest readership — 224 ratings behind its score.
Scores by source
| H. M. S. Surprise | The Fortune of War | |
|---|---|---|
| Hardcover | — | 4.3 (49) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (224) | 4.5 (169) |
Reception
| H. M. S. Surprise | The Fortune of War | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 224 | 169 |
| Editions | 33 | 27 |
| Citations | — | 3 |
| Film adaptations | — | 1 |
| Wikipedia attention | — | 1082 |
| Pages | 414 | 312 |