Posted by Terry Doyle on January 27, 1997 at 07:55:20:
In Reply to: Do Vance fans like Patrick O'Brian's sea books? posted by Brian McCue on December 09, 1996 at 13:18:27:
: On the basis of rather slender evidence, I have formed the hypothesis that people who like JV books would also like Patrick O'Brian's books about the Hornblower-era adventures of Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin.
: Has anybody out there read enough of both to have formed an opinion?
: Brian McCue
At the risk of stating the obvious, O'Brian is *recreating* the past while Vance is creating future worlds, never worlds and universes in splendid proliferation. This is no denigration of O'Brian's work; indeed impressive and English fit for a king.
His long series (I bought and read no. 17, _The Commodore_ in which Aubrey receives fleet rank) is a record of amazing persistence and his construction of the 18th century sailing and the British royal navy is an impressive achievement and (as far as one book is fair sample). I read _TC_ with admiration and enjoyment - much more tightly controlled than Vance, but rich language and precision or writing, no doubt.
My point is that Vance's work is of nearly pure invention, while O'Brian's is of re-invention. Liked the latter well enough to buy _Master and Commander_, but doubt that I'll get through (what?) 25 books in the series.
Terry Doyle