I realized that my library has (almost) the whole Aubrey & Maturin series, and I'd be remiss as a father if I didn't read the dadliest of dadfic, so here we are. Master and Commander works best as a whole mood of an era, with the naturalist Dr. Maturin standing in for the reader as the enthusiast Captain Aubrey goes about the business of naval warfare at the end of the 18th century.

It's a dashing cruise around the Med, taking prizes and running away from bigger ships, as Aubrey tries to work his way up the ladder of promotion and wealth. Meanwhile, there's the business of managing the crew and Lt. Dillion, an Irishman who has a secret history with Maturin. The characterization is amazing, as well as the sheer richness of nautical language, but unless you know a fair big about sailing (and my knowledge tops out at the weather gauge) it can be hard to track the action. The pacing and point of view is a little lumpy, though the first entry in a 20+ book series can be forgiving. I'm excited to slip this in between my other reads.