The Far Side of the World ship and swam for shore; only half of them landing. Eventually, the hopeless situation forced the frigate to surrender. The "Essex" suffered 58 killed, 97 wounded, while the British casualties were 5 dead, 10 wounded. The novel provided part of the title and some of the plot-structure for the 2003 Peter Weir film, "". The fictional USS "Norfolk" morphed into the fictional American-built French privateer "Acheron", and episodes also migrated from other books in the series, including "Master and Commander" and "HMS Surprise". The design and size of the fictional "Acheron" reflect those of the USS "Constitution". In reviewing the
The Far Side of the World US Navy ship off Norfolk, Virginia. Aubrey realizes that Captain Palmer wants to protect members of his crew who are mutineers from the Hermione mutiny of 1797, and thus subject to full punishment if they are taken by the Royal Navy. He tries to get Aubrey to believe that the war between the United States and Britain, the War of 1812, is over, which it is not. That lie was in hopes of helping those men reach the Marquesas where they might be safe from Royal Navy justice. In the Author's Note, O'Brian says that the USS "Norfolk" recalls the