[Fstbttms]

As previously noted, the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian are great, hands down the best historical fiction ever written, never mind what the subject matter is. Better than Conrad, better than Forrester, hell, better than Melville. I have read the entire series at least three times. It really has spoiled me for anything else. And while the movie tried hard, it can't hold a candle to the novels. And to top it off, O'Brian even has the crew scrubbing his ship's bottoms from time to time!