During the last few months I have searched for something similar to Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series I have given up on that now. Most of the historical seafaring adventures I took a look at are the likes of CS Forester's Hornblower saga: "Bland, usually depressed teenage hero rises from midshipman to admiral." The main target audience are teenage boys, the story is driven by professional success and coming of age problems. (There are variations, e.g. Dewey Lambdin's Alan Lewrie series throws in some Flashman-like elements with only succeeding in making the main character less likable to me.)
O'Brian simply offers more of everything. The characters - which start full grown, we do not have to nurse them through puberty - are of surprising depth, there is witty humour instead of teenage depressions, nevertheless the action sequences are thrilling and meticoulosly choreographed.
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