The Road to Samarcand
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'You are in for the treat of your lives. Thank God for Patrick O’Brian: his genius illuminates the literature of the English language, and lightens the lives of those who read him' Irish Times
'Any contemporary novelist should recognize in Patrick O’Brian a Master of the Art’ Sunday Telegraph
‘The best historical novels ever written’
New York Times
Product Description
A classic Patrick O’Brian novel, back in print after many years.
When Derrick’s missionary parents are tragically murdered he is entrusted to his gruff uncle Sullivan, Captain of The Wanderer. After surviving a killer typhoon on the South China Sea, and accompanied by their eccentric elderly cousin, they set off across land to discover the treasures of Central Asia.
Derrick befriends a fierce Mongol warrior and must help him battle a ruthless Chinese warlord. Given a gift of priceless jade, the group is pursued into the inhospitable mountains of Tibet where they are caught between fierce mountain monks and a terrifying unnamed creature that stalks them through the snow.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I read a rather bad review on this book, so approached it with care - but I was very quickly drawn in, and immersed in the proper Patrick O'Brian atmosphere. Within a few pages, the schip's boy is told to "pipe down.... you must learn how to parse..... now cut along"
The book was written in 1954, and plays in the 1930s (or possibly 1950s), and for me reads like a precursor, a finger-exercise, to O'Brian's Magnum Opus. It *is* rather 1950s, with a funny talking Chinaman and Norwegian (or possibly Swede)and the problems are sometimes solved in a slightly deus-ex-machina manner; but, for the O'Brian fan, this is a real o'Brian, with pre-echoes of Aubrey & Maturin. And even of another familiar character: "Auntie is a very strong-minded woman, not at all unlike a Mrs Williams, the wife of one of my colleagues."
A most enjoyable book, and if you love the Aubrey/maturin series, you might very well love this. If you do not know OBrian, please start with 'Master & Commander' and read that series before you read this - and I envy you, because you have the treat of a lifetime in store.
The Road to Samarcand has a touch of the Biggles series about it, and would not do for a first taste of O'Brian. But for the aficionado, cut along and buy this book. There are good protagonists that you can warm to, even if they are rather bloodthirsty at times; landscapes a-plenty, with long travels through the heart of Asia, plenty of interesting characters to meet, lots of scrapes and problems to be solved: a yarn to say 'Sir' to. In Sullivan there is a proto-Aubrey, and in the Professor a strong dose of Maturin. I recommend it to your pleasure!
The book was written in 1954, and plays in the 1930s (or possibly 1950s), and for me reads like a precursor, a finger-exercise, to O'Brian's Magnum Opus. It *is* rather 1950s, with a funny talking Chinaman and Norwegian (or possibly Swede)and the problems are sometimes solved in a slightly deus-ex-machina manner; but, for the O'Brian fan, this is a real o'Brian, with pre-echoes of Aubrey & Maturin. And even of another familiar character: "Auntie is a very strong-minded woman, not at all unlike a Mrs Williams, the wife of one of my colleagues."
A most enjoyable book, and if you love the Aubrey/maturin series, you might very well love this. If you do not know OBrian, please start with 'Master & Commander' and read that series before you read this - and I envy you, because you have the treat of a lifetime in store.
The Road to Samarcand has a touch of the Biggles series about it, and would not do for a first taste of O'Brian. But for the aficionado, cut along and buy this book. There are good protagonists that you can warm to, even if they are rather bloodthirsty at times; landscapes a-plenty, with long travels through the heart of Asia, plenty of interesting characters to meet, lots of scrapes and problems to be solved: a yarn to say 'Sir' to. In Sullivan there is a proto-Aubrey, and in the Professor a strong dose of Maturin. I recommend it to your pleasure!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the first Patrick O'Brian novel I have read and I really enjoyed most of it. It features a cosmopolitan cast of characters who start off on a sailing ship on the South China Sea then embark on an overland expedition to central Asia via Beijing, Mongolia and Tibet.
The era in which the novel is set is difficult to decipher. At first I thought that we were dealing with the 19th century, But then a car makes an appearance. So early 20th. Then Russian communists pop up. 1920s? Then to my astonishment in the final chapter a helicopter appears. Rather confusing!
The ending was really disappointing. A new baddie appears. Out of context with no back story. And there is an improbable deus-ex-machina moment. The final chapter seems horribly rushed, as if O'Brian had reached his quota of words and prematurely fast-forwarded his characters to the end of their journey. Most unsatisfactory. If only he had continued in the same fine vein as the rest of the novel, I would have happily given it five stars as most of the book was a joyous and gripping adventure tale.
Despite my disappointment with the ending, I will nevertheless be keeping my eye out for other O'Brian novels in future.
The era in which the novel is set is difficult to decipher. At first I thought that we were dealing with the 19th century, But then a car makes an appearance. So early 20th. Then Russian communists pop up. 1920s? Then to my astonishment in the final chapter a helicopter appears. Rather confusing!
The ending was really disappointing. A new baddie appears. Out of context with no back story. And there is an improbable deus-ex-machina moment. The final chapter seems horribly rushed, as if O'Brian had reached his quota of words and prematurely fast-forwarded his characters to the end of their journey. Most unsatisfactory. If only he had continued in the same fine vein as the rest of the novel, I would have happily given it five stars as most of the book was a joyous and gripping adventure tale.
Despite my disappointment with the ending, I will nevertheless be keeping my eye out for other O'Brian novels in future.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I read Chris Barker's review on this book, so approached it with care - but I was very quickly drawn in, and immersed in the proper Patrick O'Brian atmosphere. Within a few pages, the schip's boy is told to "pipe down.... you must learn how to parse..... now cut along"
The book was written in 1954, and plays in the 1930s (or possibly 1950s), and for me reads like a precursor, a finger-exercise, to O'Brian's Magnum Opus. It *is* rather 1950s, with a funny talking Chinaman and Norwegian (or possibly Swede)and the problems are sometimes solved in a slightly deus-ex-machina manner; but, for the O'Brian fan, this is a real o'Brian, with pre-echoes of Aubrey & Maturin. And even of another familiar character: "Auntie is a very strong-minded woman, not at all unlike a Mrs Williams, the wife of one of my colleagues."
A most enjoyable book, and if you love the Aubrey/Maturin series, you might very well love this. If you do not know O'Brian, please start with 'Master & Commander' and read that series before you read this - and I envy you, because you have the treat of a lifetime in store.
The Road to Samarcand has a touch of the Biggles series about it, and would not do for a first taste of O'Brian. But for the aficionado, cut along and buy this book. There are good protagonists that you can warm to, even if they are rather bloodthirsty at times; landscapes a-plenty, with long travels through the heart of Asia, plenty of interesting characters to meet, lots of scrapes and problems to be solved: a yarn to say 'Sir' to. In Sullivan there is a proto-Aubrey, and in the Professor a strong dose of Maturin. I recommend it to your pleasure!
The book was written in 1954, and plays in the 1930s (or possibly 1950s), and for me reads like a precursor, a finger-exercise, to O'Brian's Magnum Opus. It *is* rather 1950s, with a funny talking Chinaman and Norwegian (or possibly Swede)and the problems are sometimes solved in a slightly deus-ex-machina manner; but, for the O'Brian fan, this is a real o'Brian, with pre-echoes of Aubrey & Maturin. And even of another familiar character: "Auntie is a very strong-minded woman, not at all unlike a Mrs Williams, the wife of one of my colleagues."
A most enjoyable book, and if you love the Aubrey/Maturin series, you might very well love this. If you do not know O'Brian, please start with 'Master & Commander' and read that series before you read this - and I envy you, because you have the treat of a lifetime in store.
The Road to Samarcand has a touch of the Biggles series about it, and would not do for a first taste of O'Brian. But for the aficionado, cut along and buy this book. There are good protagonists that you can warm to, even if they are rather bloodthirsty at times; landscapes a-plenty, with long travels through the heart of Asia, plenty of interesting characters to meet, lots of scrapes and problems to be solved: a yarn to say 'Sir' to. In Sullivan there is a proto-Aubrey, and in the Professor a strong dose of Maturin. I recommend it to your pleasure!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Don't Waste Your Time
Have only read one O'Brian novel before, Master and Commander. Fairly enjoyed that so starting reading the road to Samarcand after seeing it on sale in a bookshop. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Bridgey
Ripping yarn for adventurous boys (girls, and grown-ups)
This is a very early Patrick O'Brien - published around 1950-something or other - so it predates O'Brien's wonderful Aubrey/Maturin series by quite some way. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Crookedmouth
Not good
I've read all the Aubrey novels and the Picasso biography and thought they were universally marvellous. This book is not in the same league. Read more
Published on 19 Jan 2010 by S. Williams
A bit bland
I love the Master and Commander series but I never got past ten pages with this one.
Published on 4 Nov 2009 by Dermie X
The Road to Samarcand
This unexpected land journey is fascinating and marvellous, especially with an atlas. Knotty problems like moral reasons for war, racism, different faiths and human endurance... Read more
Published on 16 Aug 2009 by Sr Avril Landay
Always a page turner
Patrick O'Brian is readable. I bought this book sight unseen on his name alone, I have yet to regret my purchase.
Published on 10 July 2009 by M. Taplin
A Disappointment
I have been a fan of Patrick O'Brian for many years - particularly his Aubrey/Maturin series but also his earlier books. So this was a disappointment. Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2008 by Chris Barker
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