Tom McGregor

I picked this up in a secondhand bookshop primarily because of the lavish, glossy prints that are scattered throughout. It's nothing remarkable in and of itself—the prose in particular is an example of how fawning official works can be—and insights into the characters or the world of O'Brian's novels are thin on the ground. The account of the making of the film is solid enough, though, and I found the sections on how exactly they set about recreating the world of the Napoleonic navy particularly interesting. Even the photographs showing the development of gangrene in young Lord Blakeney's arm, because yes, I am a ghoul. *g*… (meer)

This was an interesting book, but more due to its fascinating subject - Elizabeth, and the politics and machination of the era - than due to any writing style. It is not that the writing is particularly bad, it just doesn't make the story come alive. Perhaps that is due to the fact that is written as the book of the movie, rather than a book that inspired a movie?

That said, it is an easy read, and entertaining. I had seen the movie before, so i could picture it in my mind's eye much of the time.… (meer)