JACK AUBREY & STEPHEN MATURIN: MASTER & COMMANDER & OTHER ADVENTURES

This BBC Radio 4 collection, broadcast programs of Aubrey-Maturin adventures dating from 1995 to 2018, is a mixed bag but still provides much enjoyment. The early episodes, MASTER AND COMMANDER and POST CAPTAIN, are highly abridged and have uneven casting. But the last four adaptations, all full-cast dramatizations, benefit from the polished, engaging, amiable performances of David Robb as Aubrey and Richard Dillane as Maturin. The supporting cast is professional, and the sound effects convincing, although the effects, lines spoken at a distance, and some voices or accents can make understanding difficult. Nonetheless, the high quality of the later episodes--especially Robb's and Dillane's acting--saves the program, which overall is notably entertaining. An archival interview with the author, who died in 2000, is included. W.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2022]