Aubrey–Maturin series Times" Best Seller list. These novels comprise the heart of the canon of an author often compared to Jane Austen, C. S. Forester and other British authors central to the English literature canon. The 2003 film "" took material from books in this series, notably "Master and Commander", "HMS Surprise", "The Letter of Marque", "The Fortune of War", and particularly "The Far Side of the World". Russell Crowe played the role of Jack Aubrey, and Paul Bettany that of Stephen Maturin. Patrick O'Brian's "The Golden Ocean" (1956) and "The Unknown Shore" (1959) both depict fictional pairs of young men, loosely
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World fog bank to evade pursuit. Aubrey's officers tell him that "Surprise" is no match for "Acheron", and that they should abandon the chase. Aubrey points out that the "Acheron" must not be allowed to plunder the British whaling fleet. He orders the "Surprise" refitted at sea, rather than returning to port for repairs. Shortly afterwards, "Acheron" again ambushes "Surprise", but Aubrey slips away in the night by using a decoy raft and ship's lamps. Following the privateer south, "Surprise" rounds Cape Horn and heads to the Galapagos Islands, where Aubrey is convinced that "Acheron" will prey on Britain's whaling fleet.