About book Admiral Hornblower In The West Indies (1989)
This review is for the complete 11-book series of THE HORNBLOWER SAGA by C.S. Forester, which I just finished reading last night.[Note: Individual books have individual star ratings (mostly 5-star, a few 4-star), but the descriptive review will be the same for each, and encompass the entire series, as follows.]Actually, I just finished reading the complete series for the second time, the first being as a teenager some 30 years ago.It's remarkable to me that I have only just this moment realized that my own timeline regarding the two readings corresponds almost exactly to the age progression experienced by the main character in the course of these 11 novels.It's a 30-year journey unlike any other I have ever taken in books - full and deep and satisfying.This is the epic saga of fictional British naval hero HORATIO HORNBLOWER, who goes from a 17-year-old midshipman to a 46-year-old admiral during the "golden age of sail" which encompasses the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century.I'll list the 11 books in chronological order (not the order they were written), which is the best way, I believe, to read them:- MR. MIDSHIPMAN HORNBLOWER- LIEUTENANT HORNBLOWER- HORNBLOWER AND THE HOTSPUR- HORNBLOWER DURING THE CRISIS- HORNBLOWER AND THE ATROPOS- BEAT TO QUARTERS- SHIP OF THE LINE- FLYING COLOURS- COMMODORE HOWNBLOWER- LORD HORNBLOWER- ADMIRAL HORNBLOWER IN THE WEST INDIESI've read other sea-faring novels, but to me, Forester earns the crown.Why?Many reasons, but I'll list just three:1. All the rousing action you could ask for in a well-paced adventure series...2. ...coupled with a complex main character. This is the true secret of the Hornblower books - that Hornblower himself is not some one-dimensional, infallible, faultless hero. On the contrary, he is filled with self-doubt and doesn't always choose the best course, especially in personal matters. But by building the main character this way, Forester allows you to recognize, empathize, and eventually care deeply about him - rooting for his success rather than merely expecting it. It's this complex characterization that complements and actually allows for the heroics of the plot - because it all comes at a price.[One price is so high that, as a teenager, I couldn't believe that Forester had actually done it. I can't go into detail because this is a spoiler-free review, but something happens that is so devastating that literally for entire books afterwards, I kept expecting Forester to make amends. But it doesn't happen. And finally, as an older adult - knowing it will happen, knowing there will be no reprieve - I realize Forester was saying, "This is the price of war."]3. The Language of Sailing Ships: I'm not nautically-minded, and there is much use of nautical language in these books. But rather than being annoyed, I had a very different reaction. First, I learned a few things. But much more importantly, I also grew to appreciate the language itself, whether I understood its technical details or not. To me, it became like poetry. Or even music.And I loved it.All 11 books.It's an investment, to be sure.But, for those "able-bodied", a wonderfully entertaining journey awaits.Should you set sail?Aye-aye!
What I thought was a novel turned out to be a series of 5 distinct yet connected short stories of Hornblower's time as Admiral of the Fleet in the West Indies. They were all very good, each showing that Hornblower was still quite himself, although now in middle age & of high station. He still didn't mind getting his hands dirty (as dirty as a captain would, at any rate) & had trouble restraining himself at times. Each story seemed to highlight at least one of his traits. I found the one about his honor most enlightening. While we know he is vain & concerned about appearances, I hadn't realized just how far that went.1 - St. Elizabeth of Hungary - Hornblower must balance himself, his honor, against the good of all. This illustrates the concept of honor better than any other story I've ever read, I think.2 - The Star of the South - Hornblower proves he's a man of his word & yet slicker than a New York lawyer.3 - The Bewildered Pirates - A bad situation all around. Again, Hornblower's innovative thinking resolves the situation.4 - The Guns of Carabobo - A really neat look at the freedom fighting in South America. Gives a pretty good thumbnail sketch.5 - The Hurricane - Hornblower's toughness & seamanship is highlighted again, but Lady Hornblower proves she's his match in all ways.This was a wonderful series. There were excellent snapshots of the history of the time, all true from the little I know & researched. The way Forester displays the facts in intimate settings makes them unforgettable & puts them into their historic place. For instance, in this book, canning is discovered & what it meant to people is very well displayed.After listening to this book, I read "The Last Encounter", the final Hornblower story in the chronology. Well done! The short stories all were & I highly recommend reading them & all the book in chronological order, if at all possible. While each is self-contained, there are cliff hangers between novels & the history flows far better.I'm sorry I waited so long to read this series. Christian Rodska did a very serviceable job reading the audio editions. At times his accent got too thick, but generally only with a single character at a time, so it was OK if a bit annoying. Still, all in all, well done & a great way to get through to books this spring when so much weeding & mowing had to be done.
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Hornblower was the inspiration for Star Trek's Captain James Kirk, as well as Cornwell's Sharpe. Hornblower is more cerebral and socially awkward than Kirk (or O'Brien's Aubrey), more educated and refined than Sharpe. In his own right, Hornblower is certainly an engaging and complex character and the series is an interesting study in leadership, and a fascinating portrait of life at sea in the age of sail. In the course of reading several books in the series Hornblower begins to feel real in a way few fictional characters do. I'd say he's easily as indelible and remarkable a literary creation as Sherlock Holmes--and just as brilliant in his field as Holmes was as a detective. And one of the great pleasures of the series is seeing Hornblower through the course of his career, from callow Midshipman to Admiral. Like the first book chronologically, Mr Midshipman Hornblower, this is more a collection of related short stories than a true novel. I think for that reason few Hornblower fans would name it among the best in the series. For me, though, it's among the most memorable. I remember the first story/chapter especially well--even after decades. Not to mention the picture of the hurricane later on. This may not be among the best in the series--but it's still greatly enjoyable.
—Lisa (Harmonybites)
Noticed it on the shelf and decided to re-read (third time, I believe), and I think I was more satisfied at the end than my first reading. I recall the first time, being frustrated that the story had ended and there would be no more adventures, but this time, having re-read the stories multiple times over and having considered the totality of Hornblower's life and career, I'm happy that it ends as it does; sort of like the great athlete who goes out on top instead of hanging on too long, so you only remember him at his best. Hornblower shows his age at times, but in the crisis, he's still the same Hornblower that can annoy you with his self-doubt, make you laugh with his dry wit, and amaze you with his daring and good fortune. Maybe some people get frustrated at what they perceive as a lack of development but the fact that I can always remember Hornblower as the unmoved hero is one of things I like the best and why I return again and again.
—Garrett
This is the last complete novel in the chronology of its leading character, the redoubtable Horatio Hornblower of the British Navy. (Other Hornblower books were written, but they were either incomplete novels or they were written out of chronology with the narrative.) Though not quite the end of Hornblower's life story as chronicled by C.S. Forester, it is a bit of a farewell, nonetheless. Comprising several novellas all set in the Caribbean Sea, the book is episodic but well tied together. Hornblower is still a master sailor and still filled with self-doubt, and Forester's nautical prose is still as clear and musical as ever. Each of the sequences is rich in detail, and a last segment dealing with a storm at sea is an utterly brilliant word-picture of nature at its most terrifying. It's becoming clear that there are only superb Hornblower books. It is one of the most consistent and enjoyable characters ever put into print over several books, and I am sorry to see the series nearing its end.
—Jim
