Showing posts with label Saga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saga. 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:

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:

Dracula Summary

Published: May 26, 1897

Author: Bram Stoker

Genres: Fiction, Gothic, Horror. Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Saga, Vampires

Check out the review of this book here:


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

Adam Sandler, Al Lewis, Bela Lugosi, Bella Swan, Breaking Dawn, Christian Camargo, Christopher Lee, Claes Bang, David Niven, Dominic Purcell, Eclipse, Edward Cullen, Fiction, Frank Langella, Gary Oldman, George Hamilton, Gerard Butler, Gothic, Horror, Iconic, Jack Palance, Jacob Black, John Carradine, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Keith-Lee Castle, Leslie Nielsen, Life and Death, Lon Chaney Jr., Luke Evans , Max Schreck, Midnight Sun, Morgan Freeman, Mystery, New Moon, Paranormal, Richard Roxburgh, Romance, Rudolf Martin, Saga, Thomas Kretschmann, Twilight, Twilight Saga, Vampires, Udo Kier

Summary:

Jonathan Harker, a freshly certified English solicitor, pays a visit to Count Dracula at his Carpathian Mountains castle in order to assist the Count in purchasing a home near London. Harker walks the castle, ignoring the Count's warning, and sees three vampire women; Harker is rescued by Dracula, who presents the women with a tiny kid tied within a sack. Harker wakes up in bed; Dracula departs the castle shortly after, abandoning him to the ladies; Harker manages to flee with his life and ends up insane in a Budapest hospital.

Dracula boards a ship bound for England, laden with dirt from his castle. The captain's log recounts the crew's disappearance until he is left alone at the helm to keep the ship on track. When the ship goes aground in Whitby, an animal like a big dog is seen leaping ashore.

Lucy Westenra discusses her marriage offers from Dr. John Seward, Quincey Morris, and Arthur Holmwood in a letter to Harker's fiancée Mina Murray. Lucy accepts Holmwood's offer, but the three of them remain friends. Mina goes to Whitby with her friend Lucy for a vacation. Lucy starts to sleepwalk. Dracula chases Lucy once his ship arrives. Mina receives a letter informing her that her vanished fiancé is unwell, and she travels to Budapest to care for him. Lucy develops a serious illness. Professor Abraham Van Helsing, Seward's former instructor, determines the nature of Lucy's illness but refuses to reveal it.

He diagnoses her with severe anemia. Van Helsing decorates her chamber with garlic blossoms and fashions a necklace out of them. The garlic blossoms are removed by Lucy's mother, who is unaware that they repel vampires. Lucy and her mother are scared by a wolf while Seward and Van Helsing are out, and Mrs. Westenra dies of a heart attack; Lucy dies shortly after.

Following Lucy's burial, newspapers describe a "bloofer woman" (beautiful lady) stalking children in the night, which Van Helsing deduces is Lucy. When the four arrive at her grave, they discover that she is a vampire. They pierce her heart, decapitate her, and stuff garlic into her mouth. Jonathan Harker and Mina, his now-wife, have returned to the fight against Dracula.

As the men begin their quest for Dracula, everyone remains in Dr. Seward's asylum. Only vampires from their country may rest on Earth, according to Van Helsing. Renfield, Seward's patient, is a crazy man who consumes vermin to absorb their life energy, and Dracula speaks with him. Dracula employs Renfield to get access to the asylum after learning of the group's scheme against him. He assaults Mina three times in secrecy, each time drinking her blood and forcing her to drink his blood on the third visit. Unless Dracula is destroyed, she is doomed to become a vampire after her death.

Many earth boxes are discovered while the men search for Dracula's homes. Each of the boxes is opened, and wafers of sacramental bread are sealed within, rendering them worthless to Dracula. They try to capture the Count at his Piccadilly home, but he manages to flee. They discover that Dracula is escaping with his final box to his castle in Transylvania. Mina has a flimsy psychic link to Dracula, which Van Helsing uses to follow Dracula's movements via hypnosis. They are pursuing him, led by Mina.

The hunters in Galatz, Romania, broke apart. Van Helsing and Mina travel to Dracula's castle, where the professor kills the vampire ladies. On the river, Jonathan Harker and Arthur Holmwood are following Dracula's boat, while Quincey Morris and John Seward are following them on land. The hunters converge and attack Dracula's box when it is eventually put onto a wagon by Szgany men.

Harker cuts Dracula's neck and Quincey stabs him in the heart after routing the Szgany. Mina is set free from her vampiric curse as Dracula crumbles to dust. In the struggle against the Szgany, Quincey is gravely wounded. He succumbs to his wounds, content in the knowledge that Mina has been saved. Seven years later, Jonathan Harker writes that the Harkers have a son called Quincey.


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

Buy The Kindle Version Here:


Audio CD:


Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) (R):


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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)