There's quite a lot of naval warfare in The Mauritius Command. I still don't really follow the fighting, but I am coming to like it, though I can hardly explain why.
I found the novel bittersweet. I fear that the weight of life and years has cast a permanent pall over the outsized good-natured puppy that was Jack Aubrey in Master and Commander. I mean, he's still good-natured and he's pretty upbeat for most of the story. But I miss his terrible, terrible jokes, and his unfathomable enjoyment of them. I suppose even puppies have to grow up eventually. But still.
It's a good read; I'll give it an 8.