Showing posts with label Military. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Military. Show all posts

The Mauritius Command Summary

The Mauritius Command Summary

The Mauritius Command

Published: 1977

Author: Patrick O'Brian

Book 4 of 21: Aubrey/Maturin Novels

Genres: Action, Adventure, British & Irish, Family Life, Fiction, Historical, Literary, Literature, Medical, Military, Saga, Sea, Suspense, Thriller, Travel


Check out the review of this book here:



Summary

Jack Aubrey and Sophia Williams are married and have twin daughters. They reside in Ashgrove Cottage on his half-pay, which is insufficient to support the household's other navy men. Sophia's mother has lost all of her money, including Sophia's share, and is now living with them. Cecelia, Sophia's little niece, lives with them as well.

Aubrey, as much as he adores Sophia, is eager to return to the sea. Stephen Maturin comes to call, and Aubrey's instructions are brought from the port Admiral soon after. He is assigned command of the HMS Boadicea, a 38-gun frigate.

He picks up orders and Mr. R T Farquhar, a political gentleman, in Plymouth. He's supposed to cruise to Cape Town, where a convoy of ships will gather. They encounter the French ship Hébé, which is escorting a seized merchant ship, not far from home. Both ships are captured by the Boadicea. Aubrey arranges for the rewards to be sent to Gibraltar.

The timely capture enables the ship to send messages home, get a French chef, and obtain the Hébé's English captives, all of whom are capable seamen. The extended cruise across the Atlantic allows Aubrey to train the crew of the Boadicea to his gunnery standards, as well as Maturin and Farquhar to formulate plans.

Aubrey meets Admiral Bertie upon his arrival, who confirms his title as Commodore and authorizes him to raise his broad pendant ('broad pennant' in certain versions). He is given official orders to disrupt French interests in the region, with the goal of capturing Mauritius and La Réunion in the end. Captain Corbett of Néréide, Lord Clonfert of the Otter, an Englishman with an Irish title, and Captain Pym of the Sirius are among the convoy's leaders.

With some of Aubrey's followers onboard, Corbett sailed from the West Indies post. After Aubrey switches men into Corbett's ship, Bonden, Killick, and others get aboard. Corbett is a good captain, but he's a flogger. Bertie informs Aubrey that Clonfert and Corbett are feuding.

Aubrey changes his pendant to the ancient 64-gun line ship HMS Raisonnable for the first 2,000 miles of the trip to the islands. The Caroline is captured; Corbett christens her HMS Bourbonnaise and sends her to Cape Town and England with messages. The remainder of the convoy makes its way back to Cape Town.

Aubrey returns aboard HMS Boadicea and sets sail after hearing that the French had captured several merchant ships. The convoy is trapped in a big cyclone and must return to Cape Town for repairs, where it receives its first letter in months. Due to the water damage to Sophia's letters, Aubrey is unable to comprehend her entire message.

After a landing by Army forces supported by sepoys under the British East India Company, all under the energetic and decisive Lieutenant Colonel Harry Keating, with ships of the convoy on both sides of the island, La Réunion capitulates nearly without loss. Maturin's propaganda and political gatherings help them along the way by explaining why the people should welcome the British with Farquhar as interim Governor. Mauritius proved to be more difficult.

Maturin is killed while boarding the HMS Néréide, which is part of the force dispatched to the Île de la Passe. He's badly hurt, so he keeps an eye on Clonfert while he recovers aboard. The action has been completed successfully. Maturin is assigned to Mauritius in order to continue his work. Captain Pym commands a small group of ships to land men on Mauritius to staff the fort.

Three French ships, Bellone, Minerve, and Victor, as well as two Indiamen, Ceylon and Windham, appear. They attack the fort and then sail into the harbor, catching the British off guard and deciding to attack. The battle lasts for days, with high fatalities, and two British ships eventually go aground.

Iphigenia and the fort at Île de la Passe are abandoned to be retaken by the French, while Sirius and Magicienne are burned to avoid their capture. Clonfert is gravely injured in the neck and head by a splinter, and Néréide is taken. Maturin is onboard a message ship that arrives at La Réunion to notify Aubrey of the losses and the unsuccessful attack on Port Southeast.

Boadicea sails through the night to inspect Île de la Passe for French control, and then pursues Manche and Vénus in a futile attempt to separate them. Aubrey feels his circumstances have altered after contacting Pullings, who has the guns of Windham onboard Emma. Captain Corbett then rejoins HMS Africaine at St Denis. Africaine battles with the Astrée and the French Iphigenie while chasing the French during the night.

The conflict goes horribly, and Corbett is slain in the middle of it after being wounded by his own downtrodden soldiers. When the Boadicea closes in on them, the French take the Africaine but dismast it; Astrée refuses to engage. The fleet arrives in La Réunion, joined by the Otter and Staunch, where the Commodore prioritizes the refurbishment of the Africaine.

Maturin and Bonden come from Mauritius with news that the HMS Bombay is near, engaged in combat with the French Vénus and Victor. The Boadicea has engaged the French ships. With the assistance of volunteers from the refitting HMS Africaine, Aubrey boards and takes Bombay and Vénus. During the combat, French Commodore Hamelin is killed. Once the surviving French ships have departed, Aubrey devises a strategy to end the battle, and his ships are ready to fight again when they return to Mauritius. Keating is also ready.

With numerous other British sails in view, the Emma approaches the Boadicea. Tom Pullings arrives with the Gazette, which announces Sophia's pregnancy. Aubrey is overjoyed by the news. He then reads Admiral Bertie's letter, in which he is instructed to accompany the fleet at Rodriguez, where he would be aboard the HMS Illustrious alongside General Abercrombie's forces. Based on Aubrey and Keating's initial strategy, the final assault is practically bloodless. After being offered honorable conditions, the French submit.

Clonfert has committed himself at the military hospital at Port Louis since the conflict, unable to face Jack Aubrey, whom he deems a competition. At Government House, a formal meal is held. Maturin, through Mr. Peters, spreads rumors about Aubrey's father gaining influence in London, which Bertie believes. The Admiral assigns Aubrey the task of transporting the dispatches of this victory to England aboard the Boadicea.


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

Action, Aubrey And Maturin, Billy Boyd, British Navy, Character Development, Drama, Diana Villiers, Early 19th Century, High Seas, Historical Fiction, HMS Surprise, Indian Ocean, Jack And Stephen, Jack Aubrey, Jane Austen, Lucky Jack, Master And Commander, Maturin Series, Mauritius Command, Napoleonic Wars, Nautical Terms, Patrick O’Brian, Patrick Obrian, Patrick O Brian, Paul Bettany, Peter Weir, Post Captain, Royal Navy, Russell Crowe, Stephen Maturin, Years Ago


Rating: 95/100
Recommended: 95/100 Yes.

Buy The Kindle Version Here:


Free With Free Audible Trial:


The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels (Hardcover):


Master and Commander (2003) (PG+):


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Any kind of support, even a simple 'like, thumbs up or a small comment' is enough and helps me grow, create and freely do more stuff and work on projects for the benefit of many.
Help me grow into a global force: https://www.patreon.com/namsu
Support with crypto coins/tokens: https://cointr.ee/namsu
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
No comments:

H.M.S. Surprise Summary

H.M.S. Surprise Summary

H.M.S. Surprise

Published: 1973

Author: Patrick O'Brian

Book 3 of 21: Aubrey/Maturin Novels

Genres: Action, Adventure, British & Irish, Fiction, Historical, Literary, Literature, Medical, Military, Sea, Suspense, Thriller, Travel


Check out the review of this book here:



Summary

A convoy led by Aubrey seizes the ships carrying the gold that Spain requires in order to consent to enter the war on France's side. The new First Lord of the Admiralty thinks the large sum is adroit of the Crown and hence not split out with the captives, despite the fact that Spain had not yet entered the war. Smaller sums will be handed to the captains, contrary to the successful convoy's expectations. During the hearings, the First Lord makes a mistake and mentions the identity of intelligence operative Stephen Maturin, placing Maturin in danger.

Maturin is sent to Spain on a mission and will be met in Port Mahon by Aubrey, who is now on blockade duty near Toulon aboard HMS Lively. Aubrey hears from a Catalan rebel at the rendezvous place that his companion has been kidnapped and tortured by French intelligence in Port Mahon, the island having been handed to Spain in the Amiens Peace. Except for Captain Dutourd, Aubrey organizes a rescue expedition, rescuing a devastated Maturin and killing all of the French interrogators.

Aubrey is abducted by bailiffs and imprisoned in a sponging house, a debtors' jail, in England. Sir Joseph is informed of Maturin's capture and Aubrey's dilemma. Aubrey's wedding to Sophia Williams has been postponed because her mother demands that he be debt-free. Aubrey is released when Maturin receives an advance on his donation of money. Sophia meets Aubrey in the middle of the night in a carriage before he assumes charge of his new ship, the HMS Surprise, and they vow to marry no one else.

Aubrey and Maturin board the Surprise on their way to the Sultan of Kampong in the Malay Peninsula to deliver an envoy. Aubrey plans to track down the French squadron led by Admiral Linois, who previously kidnapped him. The crew shows indications of scurvy after being stuck in the doldrums north of the equator. Maturin makes a brief break atop St Paul's Rock on a scorching Sunday. Two major storms hit; the officer who rowed him out drowns, and Surprise is wrecked and forced away. Maturin maintains that the scorching sun has restored his health after the torture and that he survives on bird-fouling water and booby blood. They make a pit break near the Brazilian coast for new food and supplies, as well as to see a sloth; this is Maturin's first trip to the New World. They registered for mail at Rio.

Surprise has been refitted and repainted and now sails around the Cape of Good Hope, which is held by the Dutch, who are Napoleon's allies. They get caught in a violent storm in the seas of the Antarctic Ocean. The ambassador develops a serious illness. They arrived at Bombay, India, to refuel and rest the ambassador after the storms. Maturin encounters a streetwise local girl named Dil, who excitedly takes him on a tour of the city. When Maturin and Dil are watching a parade, they notice Diana Villiers, who has arrived in Bombay ahead of her companion, Richard Canning. They agree to go on a date and spend several days together, after which Maturin proposes to her. She does not respond right away but pledges to do so when Surprise arrives in Calcutta. Maturin discovers Dil dead and robbed of the silver bracelets he had given her, and he arranges for her cremation on the beach.

The ambassador dies on the way to the Sunda Strait, so the Surprise sets sail for the United Kingdom. They meet the China Fleet of the East India Company and return to England unaccompanied. The Surprise sees Linois' squadron in the Indian Ocean a day after departing the China Fleet. Surprise confronts the corvette Berceau, destroying her rigging, before speeding back to the China Fleet to alert them and organize a defense. Aubrey outfits the China Fleet's greatest ships as men-of-war and sends some of his commanders to battle alongside them. The Surprise and the huge Indiamen are being pursued by the French squadron. The Surprise attacks the Marengo, the greatest French cruiser; she is outgunned and in danger when one of the Indiamen engages the French ship from the opposite side, causing the Marengo to retreat. The French squadron is forced to quit the chase due to damage and must refit.

Aubrey is greeted enthusiastically ashore in Calcutta by merchants, including Canning, who are eager to refit the Surprise. They enable him to take gems as freight as a personal incentive, which will win him a substantial award when he arrives in England. During the repair, Canning discovers Maturin with Villiers. Canning smacks Maturin in a jealous rage and Maturin dares him to a battle. Canning attempts to assassinate Maturin but inadvertently injures him. Maturin murders Canning instead of wounding him. Rather than tending to Villiers while he heals on board the Surprise, Maturin persuades him to sail to England on a commercial ship that would leave immediately. Maturin stoically works on himself with the aid of Aubrey and M'Allister, extracting the bullet lodged near his heart. Aubrey looks after his friend through a particularly bad bout of fever, during which the secretive man spills all of his secrets.

Aubrey writes Sophia a message, asking her to meet him in Madeira so he may pay off his obligations. Villiers has returned the ring he gave her, and she has departed with Mr. Johnstone from America, who visited her in Calcutta, Maturin learns in port. Sophia isn't present. Aubrey overtakes the frigate HMS Ethalion, commanded by Heneage Dundas, within a day's sailing and discovers Sophia on board. When they return to England, she swears to marry him.


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

Action, Aubrey And Maturin, Billy Boyd, British Navy, Character Development, Drama, Diana Villiers, Early 19th Century, High Seas, Historical Fiction, HMS Surprise, Jack And Stephen, Jack Aubrey, Jane Austen, Master And Commander, Napoleonic Wars, Nautical Terms, Patrick O’Brian, Patrick Obrian, Patrick O Brian, Paul Bettany, Peter Weir, Post Captain, Royal Navy, Russell Crowe, Stephen Maturin, Years Ago


Rating: 95/100
Recommended: 95/100 Yes.

Buy The Kindle Version Here:


Free With Free Audible Trial:


The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels (Hardcover):


Master and Commander (2003) (PG+):


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Any kind of support, even a simple 'like, thumbs up or a small comment' is enough and helps me grow, create and freely do more stuff and work on projects for the benefit of many.
Help me grow into a global force: https://www.patreon.com/namsu
Support with crypto coins/tokens: https://cointr.ee/namsu
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
No comments:

Post Captain Summary

Post Captain

Published: 1972

Author: Patrick O'Brian

Book 2 of 21: Aubrey/Maturin Novels

Genres: Action, Adventure, British & Irish, Fiction, Historical, Literary, Literature, Medical, Military, Sea, Suspense, Thriller


Check out the review of this book here:



Summary

With the Amiens Peace, Jack Aubrey returns to England and leases a house with Stephen Maturin, with shipmates running the household while he spends time hunting. He is introduced to the Williams family. Sophia Williams, the eldest of three daughters, is courted by Aubrey, while Diana Villiers, Sophia's cousin, is pursued by Maturin. Aubrey wants to marry Sophia, but they aren't ready to commit yet. His riches vanish when his prize agent departs with his money, and the prize court discovers that two commercial ships he took were owned by neutral countries.

The court orders him to refund the worth of the ships (rather than the prize money he expected), which is a figure he cannot afford. On hearing this, Mrs. Williams whisks her girls away to Bath. Aubrey dallys with Diana, putting his friendship with Maturin to the test and demonstrating his indecisiveness on land, in contrast to his resolute methods at sea. To escape Aubrey being kidnapped for debt, Aubrey and Maturin depart England.

They find that war is impending when visiting Christy Pallière, the French captain who had seized Aubrey's first command of Sophie before the ceasefire. All English subjects are being rounded up by the French authorities. Maturin dressed as an itinerant bear trainer and Aubrey as Flora, the bear, Aubrey, and Maturin flee over the Pyrenees to Maturin's farm. They go to Gibraltar, where Aubrey and Maturin join a ship owned by the British East India Company. The ship is taken by the privateer Bellone, but Aubrey, Maturin, and the other passengers are rescued by a British squadron.

Mr. Canning, a wealthy Jewish businessman in England, offers Aubrey a letter of marque. Mrs. Williams and Cecilia are among the guests at the same party at Queeney's. Sophia stayed at home with Frances, unaware that he would be there. Mrs. Williams hears about Maturin's Spanish castle and his medical expertise, elevating his importance in her eyes. As Aubrey walks outside, an inept thief approaches him; Mr. Scriven reveals himself to be a beneficial ally, understanding the law of debt and where Aubrey may be secure from bailiffs. He and Maturin make their way to The Grapes, secure in the Savoy's Liberty.

Aubrey declines Canning's offer to command HMS Polychrest. Polychrest is a strange spacecraft that was designed as an experimental weapon but has since been abandoned. Tom Pullings should be promoted to lieutenant, he requests. Polychrest is structurally weak and sails poorly, and Parker, the first lieutenant, is unpunished. Admiral Harte, who stands to profit financially from any prizes acquired, gives Aubrey a free hand. Aubrey does not win any prizes, much to Harte's dismay. The merchants thank him after he drives the French privateer Bellone aground outside a Spanish port. Aubrey is sent to escort convoys across the English Channel by Harte. Aubrey has a reputation for loitering in port while having an affair with Diana. Maturin is dispatched to Spain on an intelligence collecting operation. Aubrey's buddy Heneage Dundas advises Maturin to warn Aubrey about his reputation with the Admiralty when he returns.

Aubrey becomes enraged when Maturin does so, and the two resolve to fight in a duel. Aubrey contacts Diana, but she is found with Canning, putting a stop to Aubrey's interest in Diana. Aubrey is given orders to attack the French port of Chaulieu in order to sink French troopships and gunboats as well as the Fanciulla. Because of Parker's severe treatment, the crew is planning a rebellion. Maturin hears their scheme and alerts Aubrey. Aubrey puts the instigators and a few loyal crew members in a ship's boat then launches the attack. He regrets his acrimonious comments to Maturin. Polychrest runs aground during the combat in Chaulieu. Three of the ship's boats are led by Aubrey to board and capture Fanciulla. Polychrest, which founders soon after leaving Chaulieu, is refloated by the successful mariners, and the crew is transferred to Fanciulla. Aubrey and Maturin rekindle their relationship after the war.

In Fanciulla, Aubrey returns to England and is appointed to Post-captain. With his debt still looming over him, he requests any instruction. HMS Lively's Captain Hamond has taken leave to sit in Parliament, and he has been designated as the ship's interim captain. When Maturin returns from Spain, he informs Sir Joseph Blaine, the chief of naval intelligence, that the Spanish would declare war as soon as four ships carrying bullion from Montevideo arrive safely in Cadiz. Sophia begs Aubrey to carry her and her sister to the Downs at Maturin's request. Aubrey and Sophia vow not to marry anyone else while onboard; Aubrey is too penniless to provide a marriage settlement acceptable to Mrs. Williams. Maturin is a good friend of Sophia's, yet he refuses to follow her advice and propose to Diana. While at the opera, he notices Diana being held captive by Canning; his anguish is palpable.

Maturin does not get compensation for his intelligence work, but he does request that Lively be included in the squadron dispatched to intercept the Spanish. The Admiralty accepts, and Maturin is tasked with negotiating the surrender of the treasure fleet. Maturin has been involved in espionage operations for Britain, according to Aubrey, because of his temporary position and relationship with the Admiralty. Aubrey recognizes that his friend has a side that he is unaware of. The Spanish convoy refuses to surrender, resulting in a fight. The Mercedes explodes, and the other three Spanish frigates (Fama, Clara, and Medea) surrender. Clara, bearing the prize, salutes Lively with her colors, much to the delight of the captain. Then he goes after Fama. He invites two of the Spanish captains, as well as Dr. Maturin, to supper, and they toast Sophia.


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

Action, Aubrey And Maturin, Billy Boyd, British Navy, Character Development, Drama, Early 19th Century, High Seas, Historical Fiction, Jack And Stephen, Jack Aubrey, Jane Austen, Master And Commander, Napoleonic Wars, Nautical Terms, Patrick O’Brian, Patrick Obrian, Paul Bettany, Peter Weir, Royal Navy, Russell Crowe, Stephen Maturin, Years Ago


Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 95/100 Yes.

Buy The Kindle Version Here:


Free With Free Audible Trial:


The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels (Hardcover):


Master and Commander (2003) (PG+):


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Any kind of support, even a simple 'like, thumbs up or a small comment' is enough and helps me grow, create and freely do more stuff and work on projects for the benefit of many.
Help me grow into a global force: https://www.patreon.com/namsu
Support with crypto coins/tokens: https://cointr.ee/namsu
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
No comments:

Master and Commander Summary

Master and Commander Summary

Master and Commander

Published: 1969

Author: Patrick O'Brian

Book 1 of 21: Aubrey/Maturin Novels

Genres: Action, Adventure, Fiction, Historical, Literary, Medical, Military, Sea, Suspense, Thriller


Check out the review of this book here:



Summary

In April of 1800, the book begins. Jack Aubrey, a shipless lieutenant wasting away in the Royal Navy port of Mahon in Minorca, meets Stephen Maturin, an impoverished Irish-Catalan physician, and natural philosopher, at a play at the Governor's Mansion.

During the performance, Maturin elbows Aubrey, who is "half a beat ahead" on the measure. The guys, who are both at personal low points, handle the situation as a question of honor, exchanging names and preparing for a duel.

Aubrey learns later that evening that he has been promoted to commander and has been assigned command of the 14-gun HM Sloop Sophie. When Aubrey runs into Maturin on the street the next day, his excitement overpowers his hatred, and he asks Maturin to dinner.

Aubrey plays the violin, and Maturin plays the cello, and the two men discover a common love of music. Aubrey invites Maturin to join his ship after learning of his occupation. Maturin agrees, despite the fact that his competence as a physician extends much beyond that of a navy surgeon.

Sophie is dispatched to the Mediterranean to escort a small convoy of cargo ships. With the help of his new first lieutenant, James Dillon, a wealthy and aristocratic Irishman, Aubrey uses the chance to get to know his men and mold them into a fighting unit.

Dillon and Maturin had met as members of the United Irishmen, a club committed to Irish home rule and Catholic emancipation (a fact they kept to themselves). When Dillon is assigned to intercept an American ship suspected of harboring Irish rebels, he has a moral problem and seeks to assist them to evade arrest.

Maturin, who has never been aboard a man-of-war, has trouble understanding nautical etiquette, so O'Brian has the crew explain naval vocabulary and the official process of awarding prize money for captured enemy vessels to him (and the reader). Maturin is regarded like a landsman by the crew, but without offense. He enjoys the opportunity to study uncommon birds and fish as a natural philosopher.

After completing his convoy responsibilities, Admiral Keith allows Aubrey to cruise the Mediterranean on his own, in search of hostile French merchants, which he finds. Sophie confronts and defeats the Cacafuego, a Spanish 32-gun xebec-frigate, despite losing a number of crew members, including Dillon, in the terrible battle.

A triumph against such odds would typically earn Aubrey formal acclaim, promotion, and a large sum of money, but his superior at Mahon is Captain Harte, with whose wife Aubrey has been having an affair. Harte makes sure Aubrey doesn't get any of those things, but he can't stop Aubrey from earning a reputation as one of the Royal Navy's outstanding young combat captains.

Sophie is seized while on escort duty by a fleet of four big French warships. Captain Christy Pallière, a Frenchman, is kind, telling Aubrey about his relations in Bath and feeding him well. After being paroled by the French, Aubrey and his men miss the Algeciras Campaign but are able to view the combat from Gibraltar. Aubrey is acquitted in a court-martial for the loss of his ship.


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

Action, Aubrey And Maturin, Billy Boyd, British Navy, Character Development, Drama, Early 19th Century, High Seas, Historical Fiction, Jack And Stephen, Jack Aubrey, Jane Austen, Master And Commander, Napoleonic Wars, Nautical Terms, Patrick O’Brian, PatrickObrian, Paul Bettany, Peter Weir, Post Captain, Royal Navy, Russell Crowe, Stephen Maturin, Years Ago



Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 95/100 Yes.

Buy The Kindle Version Here:

Free With Free Audible Trial:

The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels (Hardcover):

Master and Commander (2003) (PG+):

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Any kind of support, even a simple 'like, thumbs up or a small comment' is enough and helps me grow, create and freely do more stuff and work on projects for the benefit of many.
Help me grow into a global force: https://www.patreon.com/namsu
Support with crypto coins/tokens: https://cointr.ee/namsu
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
No comments:

The Kite Runner Summary

The Kite Runner Summary

The Kite Runner

Published: 29, May 2003

Author: Khaled Hosseini
Genres: American, Asian, Cultural, Education, Family, Fiction, Heritage, Historical, Literature, Military, Political, Professional, Saga, Technical, War


Check out the review of this book here:



Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

Abdul Salam Yusoufzai, Afghanistan, Alberto Iglesias, Ali Danish Bakhtyari, America, Amir And His Father, Atossa Leoni, Beautifully Written, Brutal, California, Cast, David Benioff, Ever Read, Elham Ehsas, High School, Highly Recommend, Homayoun Ershadi, Kabul, Khalid Abdalla, Khaled Hosseini, Long Time, Marc Forster, Middle East, Muslim, Nabi Tanha, Pakistan, Religion, Sect, Shaun Toub, Shia, Splendid Suns, Sunni, Taliban, Thousand Splendid, United States, USA, Well Written, William Horberg,



Summary

Amir, a rich Pashtun boy, and Hassan, the Hazara son of a servant of Amir's father Ali. Flying kites was a way for the two boys to get away from the horrifying reality they were living in. Hassan is an excellent "kite runner" for Amir, predicting where the kite will fall without having to look at it. Hassan's mother, Sanaubar, abandoned him and Ali, while Amir's mother died in delivery. Both boys are adored by Amir's father, a wealthy businessman whom he lovingly refers to as Baba. He makes it a point to purchase Hassan the exact same items that he buys Amir, much to Amir's chagrin.

Hassan's cleft lip was surgically fixed, and he paid for it. Baba, on the other hand, is harsh with Amir, believing him to be weak and lacking in bravery, and has threatened to physically beat him if he complains about Hassan. Rahim Khan, Baba's best friend, provides Amir with a softer fatherly figure in the form of Rahim Khan, who understands and encourages Amir's passion in writing, which Baba deems to be a female-only pursuit. Amir questions why his father consumes alcohol, which is banned by Islam, while he is sitting on Baba's lap rather than being shooed away as a bother. Baba reminds him that the Mullahs are liars and that the only true sin is thievery, which may take various forms.

Assef, an older child with a sadistic penchant for violence, mocks Amir for mingling with a Hazara, whom he regards as an inferior race whose members only belong in Hazarajat, according to him. Assef is only half-Pashtun, with a German mother and a blond-haired, blue-eyed German look. He plans to assault Amir with brass knuckles one day, but Hassan protects him, threatening to use his slingshot to take out Assef's eye. Assef retreats but vows to avenge himself one day.

Amir wins the local kite-fighting contest one victorious day, finally earning Baba's approval. "For you, a thousand times over," Hassan says to Amir as he races for the final cut kite, a wonderful trophy. Hassan, on the other hand, meets Assef in an alleyway after discovering the kite. Assef physically beats and rapes Hassan for refusing to give over the kite. Amir sees the crime but is afraid to interfere.

He understands that if he fails to bring the kite home, Baba would be disappointed in him. He feels terrible about it, but he knows that speaking about it will ruin his chances of winning Baba's affections, so he stays quiet about it. Following that, Amir maintains a distance from Hassan, as his guilt prevents him from connecting with the youngster. Hassan's mental and physical health starts to decline.

When questioned by Baba, Amir realizes that things would be easier if Hassan were not around, so he hides a watch and some cash beneath Hassan's mattress in the hopes that Baba would force him to leave. Despite the fact that Baba deems "no conduct more horrible than stealing," he forgives him. Hassan and Ali go nevertheless, much to Baba's dismay, because Hassan has informed Ali what happened to him. Amir is no longer plagued by daily reminders of his weakness and treachery, but he continues to live in their shadow.

Five years later, in 1979, the Soviet Union engaged militarily in Afghanistan. Baba and Amir flee to Peshawar, Pakistan, before settling in a run-down apartment in Fremont, California. Baba gets his first job at a petrol station. Amir attends San Jose State University to further his writing talents after graduating from high school. Baba and Amir supplement their income by selling secondhand things at a flea market in San Jose every Sunday.

Amir meets Soraya Taheri, a fellow refugee, and her family there. Even though Baba has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, he may still help Amir by begging Soraya's father for permission to marry her. He agrees, and the two tie the knot. Baba passes away shortly after. Amir and Soraya had a wonderful marriage, but they find much to their dismay, that they are unable to produce children.

Amir establishes himself as a successful author. Amir gets a call from his father's best friend (and boyhood father figure) Rahim Khan fifteen years after his wedding. Khan, who is dying, requests that Amir pay him a visit in Peshawar. "There is a way to be decent again," he says cryptically to Amir.

Hassan and Ali are both deceased, according to Rahim Khan. Ali was murdered after he stepped on a land mine. Hassan and his wife were assassinated because Hassan refused to let the Taliban take Baba and Amir's residence in Kabul. Ali was infertile and not Hassan's biological father, according to Rahim Khan. Hassan was Amir's half-brother, as he was the son of Sanaubar and Baba. Finally, Khan informs Amir that he has summoned him to Pakistan in order to request that he save Hassan's kid, Sohrab, from an orphanage in Kabul.

Amir seeks for Sohrab with the help of Farid, an Afghan cab driver, and Soviet war veteran. They discover that a Taliban official frequently visits the orphanage, bringing cash and typically taking a girl with him. He occasionally picks a guy, most notably Sohrab. Amir learns where to find the official from the orphanage director, and Farid gets an appointment at his house by claiming to have "personal business" with him.

Amir encounters the Taliban commander, Assef, who exposes his true identity. As a dancing boy, Sohrab is kept in Assef's residence. If Amir can defeat Assef in a battle, Assef offers to release him. Assef then severely assaults Amir, shattering multiple bones, until Sohrab fires a brass ball into Assef's left eye with a slingshot. Sohrab assists Amir in leaving the residence, where he passes out and awakens in a hospital.

Sohrab learns about Amir's plans to return to America and maybe adopt him. American officials, on the other hand, want proof of Sohrab's orphan status. Amir informs Sohrab that he may have to return to an orphanage for a short time due to a glitch with the adoption procedure, and Sohrab commits suicide, afraid of going to an institution.

Amir is finally successful in returning him to the United States. After he gets adopted, Sohrab refuses to interact with Amir and Soraya until Amir talks about Sohrab's father Hassan, and kites, as well as demonstrating some of Hassan's talents. Sohrab finally offers Amir a crooked grin, which Amir welcomes wholeheartedly as he runs the kite for Sohrab, adding, "A thousand times over, for you."


Rating: 100/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

Buy The Kindle Version Here:


Free With Free Audible Trial:


The Kite Runner 2007 (PG-13):


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Any kind of support, even a simple 'like, thumbs up or a small comment' is enough and helps me grow, create and freely do more stuff and work on projects for the benefit of many.
Help me grow into a global force: https://www.patreon.com/namsu
Support with crypto coins/tokens: https://cointr.ee/namsu
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
No comments:

World War Z Summary

An Oral History of the Zombie War
Published: 12, September 2006

Author: Max Brooks

Genres: Action, Fiction, Horror, Horror Comedy, Humor, Military, Post-Apocalyptic, Satire, Science Fiction, Supernatural, Thrillers, War

Check out the review of this book here:


Useful search related words & keywords:

Brad Pitt, Creepy, Fascinating, Good Read, Great Book, Great Read, Highly Recommend, Mad Max, Much Better, Oral History, Outbreak, Pandemic, Really Enjoyed, Survival Guide, The Hot Zone, Walking Dead, Well Written, World War, Zombie Genre, Zombie War

Summary:

It's been nearly two decades since the beginning of the apocalyptic global pandemic known as the Zombie War, and about ten years since humanity triumphed. The novel's framing device follows "Max Brooks," the author of the Zombie Survival Guide (referred to simply as "the civilian survival guide" in this book) and a UN Postwar Commission agent, as he travels the world interviewing survivors of the zombie apocalypse.

Although the exact cause of the zombie plague is unknown, the first cases of what would become a global pandemic were reported in China. The virus is thought to be ancient and was released as a result of the Three Gorges Dam's geological disruption. The Politburo is concerned that the outbreak will be perceived as a sign of weakness by foreign powers, so it is attempting to conceal it (much like it did with the SARS outbreak in 2002–2004).

Realizing that large-scale security sweeps for zombies can't be hidden, the Politburo creates a military crisis with Taiwan to divert attention away from the sweeps. Despite the lockdown, human trafficking, refugees, and the black market organ trade continue to spread the plague to neighboring countries. The first large-scale, widely publicized outbreak occurs in Cape Town, South Africa, earning the disease the moniker "African Rabies."

As a result, the public dismisses the outbreak as a severe strain of rabies affecting primarily poor African countries (mirroring how the first name used to refer to HIV, "Gay-related immune deficiency", treated it as a disease that only affected a minority group). Despite medical experts' warnings, world governments and the general public respond to the growing epidemic with total complacency, refusing to invest resources in disaster response and prevention for a full year.

Israel is the only country that has taken reports of the infection seriously, owing to a policy instituted after the surprise of the Yom Kippur War that requires its intelligence community to consider every threat, no matter how ridiculous. Israel declares a "voluntary self-quarantine," shutting down its borders and erecting a massive wall around its entire perimeter. Israel abandons the Palestinian territories in order to retreat to a more defendable position (including all of Jerusalem).

To persuade its neighbors that the quarantine is not a land grab, Israel allows all uninfected Palestinians safe passage into its borders before they are completely closed. This refugee policy, combined with the loss of Jerusalem, led to a brief but bloody civil war among Israel's right-wing ultra-orthodox, which was put down by the IDF.

The majority of other countries do not take Israel's quarantine seriously. Because of its overconfidence in its ability to suppress any threat and a desire to avoid causing panic during an election year, the United States does little to prepare. Although special forces teams are able to contain small-scale domestic outbreaks, a widespread effort is never launched: "brushfire wars" sap the US of political will, and the widely distributed and marketed placebo vaccine Phalanx creates a false sense of security.

A journalist reveals the following spring that Phalanx does nothing to prevent zombification and that the infected are not rabies victims but walking corpses, sparking the "Great Panic." As countries realize the true scope of the disaster, order breaks down around the world, and for a time, the rioting and breakdown of essential services kills more people than the zombies. As the undead take over entire regions, millions of terrified refugees flee to safety: Iran's attempts to stem the flow of refugees from Pakistan result in a nuclear exchange that obliterates both countries. 

To put an end to and prevent mutinies, Russia decimates its own military. Because zombies, unlike humans, are unaffected by nerve gas, Ukraine uses its stockpile of chemical weapons against large groups of refugees and soldiers to separate the infected from the uninfected.

After zombies take over New York City, the US military sets up a high-profile defense in the nearby city of Yonkers in the hopes of restoring public order through a show of military might. The "Battle of Yonkers," on the other hand, is a disaster; Cold War-era weapons and tactics designed to disable vehicles and wound or frighten the enemy are ineffective against zombies, who use human wave attacks, can only be killed by direct brain damage, and have no self-preservation instincts. On live television, the unprepared and demoralized soldiers are routed. Human civilization has been on the verge of collapse for several weeks.

The government of South Africa adopts the Redeker Plan, a contingency plan drafted by apartheid-era intelligence consultant Paul Redeker. It proposes the creation of small safe zones, with large groups of survivors being abandoned in special zones as human bait, acting as a deterrent to the undead while allowing those in the main safe zones to regroup and recover. Governments all over the world assume similar plans will work. The US government establishes a safe zone west of the Rocky Mountains, relocating its headquarters to Honolulu, Hawaii.

Those who are left east of the Rockies are told to flee north, as zombies will freeze solid in the cold. Many panicked and unprepared civilians flee to the northern Canadian and Arctic wildernesses, where eleven million people perish from starvation and hypothermia.

Other safe zones are being established around the world by surviving governments. Scotland and Ireland are the only parts of the United Kingdom that remain. Except for safe zones in the Danish and Iberian peninsulas, as well as the Alps, continental Europe is nearly completely overrun. Russia withdraws to trans-Ural Siberia, while India creates safe zones in the Himalayan valleys. Due to its island geography and disproportionately strong military, South American nations retreat west of the Andes Mountains, while Cuba becomes a bastion against the undead.

In the Pacific, Australia establishes a safe zone in Tasmania, while Japan chooses to evacuate its citizens to Russia's Kamchatka peninsula, which is colder. China's Politburo, on the other hand, refuses to make any strategic retreats, making it the war's worst-affected country. Half of China's military revolts against the Politburo's incompetence, and the new government implements the Redeker Plan by retreating north to Manchuria, killing its leaders with a nuclear strike.

Within their new, limited borders, the surviving safe zones spend the next seven years gradually rebuilding their industrial base. The USS Saratoga then hosts a United Nations conference off the coast of Honolulu. While many countries are content to wait for the zombies to decompose naturally, the US President insists that they must go on the offensive to reclaim the planet. The US military reinvents itself to meet the specific strategic requirements of fighting the undead, including the distribution of semiautomatic weapons, retraining soldiers to aim for zombie heads and employ volley firing strategies, and the invention of the "lobotomizer," a melee weapon designed to quickly destroy a zombie's head, all in the name of leading by example.

The military begins the three-year process of retaking the contiguous United States from both undead swarms and groups of hostile human survivors, backed by a resurgent US wartime economy. Because each zombie is an independent fighting unit with no logistical lines or command structure to target, the war is a large-scale campaign of total extermination, slowly clearing and securing every mile of territory, because even a single surviving zombie could restart the infection cycle.

Other nations that voted to attack launch their own offensives: Russia, whose armories are severely depleted, relies on large stocks of World War II-era tanks, firearms, flamethrowers, and ammunition to wage a costly offensive against the undead.

The United Kingdom takes a patient but methodical approach, clearing its territory five years after the war's official end. France, determined to reclaim its pride and reputation after a string of humiliations and defeats dating back to World War I, charges headlong into the undead, its armed forces displaying incredible bravery at an exorbitant cost. As the war draws to a close, an unnamed British Army general observes that there are "enough dead heroes for the end of time."

The world is still heavily damaged ten years after the official end of the Zombie War, but it is slowly recovering. Hundreds of millions of zombies still roam the ocean floor, mountains above the snow line, and arctic regions like Scandinavia, Siberia, and northern Canada. During the recovery, there have been numerous political and territorial shifts. Cuba has evolved into a democracy and now has the world's most prosperous economy.

Tibet is liberated from Chinese rule, becoming a democracy and home to Lhasa, the world's most populous city. Following a religious revolution, Russia has become The Holy Russian Empire, an expansionist theocracy that has implemented a repopulation program that keeps the country's few remaining fertile women as state broodmares. 

North Korea is devoid of people, with the entire population believed to have fled to underground bunkers or died in the outbreak. Iceland has been completely depopulated, and it remains the world's most heavily infested country due to a lack of a properly equipped military force and a large influx of infected refugees. 

Shorter life expectancies, limited access to running water and electricity, and an ongoing nuclear winter have all contributed to a lower overall quality of life.

Despite this, the vast majority of those who have survived have hope for the future, knowing that humanity has come back from the brink of extinction.


Rating: 95/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

Buy the Kindle version here:


Free with free Audible trial: (This audio may not be free)


World War Z (Unrated)


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Any kind of support, even a simple 'like, thumbs up or a small comment' is enough and helps me grow, create and freely do more stuff and work on projects for the benefit of many.
Help me grow into a global force: https://www.patreon.com/namsu
Support with crypto coins/tokens: https://cointr.ee/namsu
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)