Fuoco sotto il mare
Tutti i formati dell'opera
Acquistalo
In Libreria
Sinossi
Diretta in Perù per una missione di spionaggio, la Surprise del capitano Jack Aubrey si ritrova all’inseguimento della fregata americana Franklin. Filando di bolina stretta su un mare dai cupi toni viola, le due navi corsare si cannoneggiano ogni volta che sono a tiro finché una notte, sotto una pioggia torrenziale, la Surprise subisce un attacco violentissimo, esplosioni ravvicinate che seminano morte e disalberano la nave. Solo all’alba si capisce la vera causa del disastro: un’eruzione sottomarina che ha fatto sorgere dall’oceano sconvolto un isolotto di rocce nere e ha ridotto la Franklin in condizioni pietose, uccidendone persino il comandante. Il proprietario della nave, Monsieur Dutourd, si arrende a Aubrey e viene «ospitato» sulla Surprise. Uomo colto e raffinato, il francese è un ammiratore di Rousseau, ma più che dai suoi discorsi libertari, che irritano Aubrey poiché minano la rigida gerarchia navale, il pericolo principale è rappresentato dai suoi ricordi: ha già incontrato Stephen Maturin, chirurgo di bordo nonché immancabile compagno di avventure di Aubrey, e questo rischia di far saltare la copertura di Maturin come agente del Servizio d’informazioni britannico. Così, quando Stephen viene fatto sbarcare a Callao per prendere contatto con gli altri agenti e fomentare la rivolta dell’esercito contro il viceré spagnolo, è con estrema angoscia che Jack scopre che Dutourd è sparito. Ha quindi inizio una corsa contro il tempo, perché a rischio non è solo l’esito della missione, ma la vita dello stesso Maturin...
- ISBN: 8830419826
- Casa Editrice: Longanesi
- Pagine: 317
Recensioni
“And jealous now of me, you gods, because I befriend a man, one I saved as he straddled the keel alone, when Zeus had blasted and shattered his swift ship with a bright lightning bolt, out on the wine-dark sea.” —Homer, The Odyssey, Book V — "oínopa pónton" So, "wine-dark sea" is a phrase used quite a Leggi tutto
One of my favorite in the series yet. Imagine being in a sailing ship near an underwater volcano when it decided to erupt and push up to the surface! Ice bergs in the south sea at the tip of South America and a sea battle with an American Man of War and escaping by the skin of their teeth. Struck by Leggi tutto
Doctor Stephen Maturin, an intelligence agent of formidable powers, is dispatched to discomfit the Napoleonic French and their allies. With him comes his particular friend, naval captain Jack Aubrey. Each of them has some successes on this long voyage--Jack takes a truly ridiculous number of prizes- Leggi tutto
The first book by O'Brian that I read -- or 12 pages anyway. Then I put the book down, went back to the bookstore and bought the first five books in his Aubrey/Maturin series. A whole new world of pleasure opened up fifteen years ago that still satisfies today. My favorite section of the book narrate Leggi tutto
The one with Volcanoes and icebergs. Jack and Stephen get soundly mangled between the battles and the frostbite. Lots of chase and be chased. Plus, some intrigue in Peru, lots of cool animals for Stephen, and plenty of prize money.
4.5- so much fun even without understanding all the ship talk! In fact the ship talk is fun too because the vocabulary and particular manners expected between crew and captain are peculiar and strangely fascinating!! This was a book given me by my buddy in a book swap and I’m so glad!
It says something about O'Brian's writing that, despite having a SPOILERIFIC description here on Goodreads, the initial portion of the novel - with the strange behavior of the sea causing everyone concern and dread, a slow build-up to the big reveal - still had power and beauty, even if I had been r Leggi tutto
Better; much better. Still did a ten-page data dump before starting the story, but at least there was a story. Good characterization. The Peruvian excursion was a welcome diversion. Volcanoes, icebergs and shipwrecks, oh my. A recurring theme is hubris, with various characters often counting on favor Leggi tutto
Not to read a handful of the Aubry books is to miss visiting one of the most thoroughly realized and absorbing imaginary worlds in all of English literature. O'Brian may not be as essential to life as Shakespeare, but he makes life richer by far.
What a cracker! In spite of the fact that I am with child to find out what's happening back at the ranch with Diana, I thoroughly enjoyed this - excellent dramatic episodes, and all the usual O'Brian side stories - natural history, medicine, social history, international relations etc etc. As always Leggi tutto
Citazioni
Al momento non ci sono citazioni, inserisci tu la prima!
