Patrick O’Brian Reading Order

4 books (1998–2009)

Patrick O'Brian's Anthologies series consists of four short story collections published between 1998 and 2009, presenting a complete series that should be read in publication order. The volumes include Rough Water: Stories of Survival from the Sea, High Seas: Stories of Battle and Adventure from the Age of Sail, Great Modern Stories, and Short Stories: The Thoroughly Modern Collection, drawing on O'Brian's expertise in historical fiction and non-fiction.

Start with Rough Water: Stories of Survival from the Sea, the first of 4 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	Rough Water: Stories of Survival from the Sea 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	High Seas: Stories of Battle and Adventure from the Age of Sail 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Great Modern Stories 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Short Stories: The Thoroughly Modern Collection 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

21 books (1969–2004)

Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series comprises 21 historical fiction novels published between 1969 and 2004, following the naval careers of Captain Jack Aubrey and ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin during the Napoleonic Wars. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Master and Commander, as each installment builds on the relationships and events of previous books. O'Brian's meticulous historical research and vivid depiction of naval life have made this one of the most acclaimed historical fiction series ever written.

Start with Master and Commander, the first of 21 books in the Aubrey/Maturin series.

#	Title
1	Master and Commander 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Post Captain 1972Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	H.M.S. Surprise 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Desolation Island 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Mauritius Command 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Fortune of War 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Surgeon's Mate 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Ionian Mission 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Treason's Harbour 1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Far Side of the World 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	The Reverse of the Medal 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	The Letter of Marque 1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	The Thirteen-Gun Salute 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	The Nutmeg of Consolation 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	The Truelove / Clarissa Oakes 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	The Wine-Dark Sea 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	The Commodore 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	The Yellow Admiral 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	The Hundred Days 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Blue at the Mizzen 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	21: The Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (1974–1987)

Patrick O'Brian's three-book non-fiction series spans from 1974 to 1987 and explores historical subjects through detailed narrative accounts. The series comprises Men-of-War, Picasso, and Joseph Banks, each standing as a complete work that can be read independently but is best experienced in publication order. This finished series offers readers comprehensive examinations of its subjects delivered through O'Brian's scholarly yet accessible prose style.

Start with Men-of-War and read in order.

#	Title
1	Men-of-War 1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Picasso 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Joseph Banks 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2014–2014)

Patrick O'Brian's collection of three short stories and novellas was published in 2014 as a complete series. These historical fiction pieces should be read in publication order beginning with No Pirates Nowadays, followed by Noughts and Crosses, and concluding with Two's Company. This standalone collection offers a sampling of O'Brian's shorter work across his established genres.

Start with No Pirates Nowadays and read in order.

6 books (1974–2019)

Patrick O'Brian's Short Story Collections series comprises six books of short stories and poems published between 1974 and 2019. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with The Chian Wine. O'Brian's collections draw on his expertise in historical fiction and non-fiction, offering readers a range of nautical tales and adventure stories alongside poetry.

Start with The Chian Wine, the first of 6 books in the Short Story Collections series.

#	Title
1	The Chian Wine 1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Rendezvous and Other Stories 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Collected Short Stories 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	No Pirates Nowadays and Other Stories: Three Nautical Tales 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Beasts Royal: Twelve Tales of Adventure 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Uncertain Land and Other Poems 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

8 books (1930–1962)

Patrick O'Brian's eight standalone novels were published between 1930 and 1962 and should be read in publication order, beginning with Caesar. The complete series spans historical fiction and non-fiction works across the author's early career. Each novel stands alone, allowing readers to enter at any point, though following the publication sequence provides insight into O'Brian's evolving style and interests.

Start with Caesar, the first of 8 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	Caesar 1930Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Hussein 1938Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Testimonies 1952Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Catalans 1953Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Road to Samarcand 1954Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Golden Ocean 1956Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Unknown Shore 1959Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Richard Temple 1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible