Hornblower and the Hotspur (Hornblower Series)

C.S. Foster brings Hornblower to life. You can live the life of a sailor in the
late 1700,s and early 1800's through reading his novels. When you have completed the 11 Hornblower's series try Alexander Kent's Bolitho series.

C.S. Foster brings Hornblower to life. You can live the life of a sailor in the
late 1700,s and early 1800's through reading his novels. When you have completed the 11 Hornblower's series try Alexander Kent's Bolitho series.

So disappointing. I was assured that stories of Horatio Hornblower would be on a par with Shakespeare. Not even close! Barely among the top ten of English authors. Certainly not near the level of Charles Dickens, who himself can not touch Shakespeare with an arrow from any English longbow in the highest wind. His writing was OK like any English student would be before being rejected for entry to Cambridge.

This review is for O'Brian fans thinking of jumping ship. Having shipped with O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin team many times over, I was apprehensive about the Hornblower series. I need not have worried - Hornblower is an excellent antidote to my withdrawal symptoms. Forester never quite achieves the humorous delights of O'Brian - you will find no debauched sloths or antediluvian germans, no mangled aphorisms or horrible puns. No music, either. Perhaps, a certain dimensionality of character is missing with Forester, by comparison. Hornblower is a true naval prodigy from day one, not much of a 'rattle' at all, unlike Jack. He seems to spring fully formed onto the quarterdeck at the age of 17, a paragon of knowledge, sea-lore, honour and virtue. This also means new readers are jumping in at the deep end as regards naval terminology, rather than learning the ropes with O'Brian's bewildered Stephen. O'Brian veterans can already be rated 'able', so this won't be a problem for them. Anyway, Forester doesn't quite dwell on the extraordinary language of the sea with the same glee as O'Brian and the mizzen t'gallant futtock shrouds will give you no pause in Hornblower. The dialogue feels just a little more modern than O'Brian's, but that might be due to the absence of the studious Stephen as well as the protagonist Hornblower's own lack of volubility. O'Brian can be talked about in the same breath as Austen, but I doubt the same honour should be accorded Forester; nevertheless, the books are enjoyable and do the job of satisfying the need for yet another sea journey into adventure and danger and the period feel and ethos is maintained. I did enjoy the TV series and reading the books, I can see how strikingly good the casting was. On this, the third book, we still haven't seen much at all of Sir Edward Pellew, the real life figure common to both Forester and O'Brian, so perhaps his role was developed somewhat for the TV series.

I read this book shortly after it was initially published, in 1967 or 69 or something. It is the 3rd Hornblower novel chronologically but was the last Hornblower novel written by Mr. Forester--and it shows. His writing is probably better and he also knows how he must shape Mr. Hornblower to proceed to his next ship, the Atropos. This was a good read, I've read it 3 times in total. The seamanship is up to standard as are the details. Also, and better than many of the later authors, Hornblower is quite fallible, with strengths and weakness that are evident and figure in how he thinks. This book also points out the British class system of the period better than many of the later authors. Hornblower, during his career, is one of the few characters who've been on both sides of this structure.

Mr. Forester's first Hornblower novel was 'Beat to Quarters'. The series developed from there. Mr. Midshipman H., Lieutenant H. etc came along later. I suspect that when Beat to Quarters was written, Mr. Forester had no idea how popular his character would be.

N.B. As stated in the little description of the book, the picture on the supposed book jacket is incorrect.

Hornblower and the Hotspur by C.S. Forester begins in April 1803, as the Peace of Amiens is coming to an end. Napoleon has had the opportunity to prepare to cross the English Channel and invade Britain. Horatio Hornblower-who, now 27, has gained the rank of Master and Commander and captain the three-masted Hotspur on a dangerous reconnaissance mission that evolves, in his first permanent command. He is relieved to escape his clinging new bride and his pretentious mother-in-law. At least he is not required to demonstrate emotion as he learns how to captain his officers and crew; he is freer to confront his own "accursed unhappy temperament". Even so, he finds himself feeling compassion for a wayward steward whom he allows to jump ship to escape hanging. Hornblower is a distant hero, often torn between duty and humanity, though he feels both as heavy burdens that conflict too often.

Hornblower is assigned to a station off Brest, and soon menaced by the frigate Loire, signalling to Hornblower that war has resumed. But the Hotspur is an audacious ship, under Hornblower, destroying a signal tower, a gun battery, and four frigates armed en-flute, trying to leave Brest for Ireland during a winter storm, a remarkable feat for a sixth rate warship. But on this point, there is also some confusion. The Hotspur carries twenty nine-pounders that would normally classify her as a sixth rate post ship, commanded by a junior post captain. Yet when Hornblower is promoted, he must leave Hotspur, as it is too small to be commanded by a post captain. But apart from such quibbles, a good deal of information on the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic Wars can be gleaned from this novel.

Hornblower's skill in navigation and seamanship enable him to evade rocks in shallow shoals and find safe harbours from savage winds. But Forester allows Hornblower human failing when he fails to capture a Spanish treasure ship, a prize that would have made him wealthy.

Hornblower's demon is to maintain his composure, dignity, and honour as a Royal Naval Officer, so that he is always alone, not just because he is a young captain, but because he has an ingrained fear of failure. He is haunted by responsibility for his ship, his crew, the Royal Navy, and for his dowdy wife Maria. His sense of obligation gives him a degree of sanctity, like a Templar knight-priest. He can be brutal, but with a heavy heart.

Hornblower and the Hotspur (1962) is C. S. Forester's third Hornblower novel chronologically, tenth by publication. Horatio Hornblower has, more out of pity than anything else, gone ahead and married the rather pathetically devoted Maria, his landlady's daughter. But England is mobilizing again for war with France, and Hornblower is immediately put in command of the sloop Hotspur and sent out in advance of an English blockade of Brest, whereupon Hornblower leads various raids against the French.

The running subplot here involves Hornblower's feelings toward his wife and their coming child. When he marries her, he does not love her. While he is at sea, he begins to develop affectionate feelings toward her and the child, although he believes these to be insincere. Amusingly, given Hornblower's inwardly-professed feelings toward Maria coupled with the months on end he spends at sea, they make a remarkably fecund couple.

This is Hornblower's first command, and it is interesting to see him bring his highly self-critical nature to this position. He captains with his usual great diligence and initiative, but he is rarely satisfied with his performance, regardless of the results, and he berates himself over the smallest failings. At times, he takes this frustration out on his men; in all he makes a somewhat mercurial captain. But all this is part of what makes Hornblower such an interesting character - this is a man who, despite numerous successes and fairly rapid promotion, thinks very poorly of himself, and is self-deprecating almost to a career-damaging degree.

As usual, Forester does a solid job of mixing action and drama. Other than a few sections where Hornblower and his crew get bogged down in the minutiae of eighteenth century navigation (which is a challenge and a triumph for Hornblower but isn't very interesting for modern land-based audiences), the pace is quite good.

Aside from Hornblower, the only other character to receive any significant amount of Forester's attention is Lieutenant Bush, but Bush does little other than faithfully follow his orders and do his duty, and he comes off as disappointingly flat here, particularly compared to his treatment in the previous Lieutenant Hornblower. Hornblower's wife, Maria, is a doting caricature in her infrequent appearances.

In all, Hornblower and the Hotspur is a very solid, very entertaining entry in the Hornblower saga, and one that advances his story nicely.

Hornblower and the Hotspur is just the sort of book to inspire youngsters to want to do the right thing. The temptations of doing the wrong thing, of looking the other way, or of chasing the golden fleece are all present. You see Commander Hornblower dealing with these temptations, and enjoying the rewards and pains of pursuing the right course. Also, he is often rewarded for taking the time to do his homework (such as his never-ending charting of the coastal inlets in Brittany). Few modern novels create some upright and forthright heroes for young people to model themselves after.
Older fans of C.S. Forester and the Hornblower series will also be rewarded by the fascinating details of how a small sloop can successfully challenge frigates, shore batteries, and even the French army itself! If you are a sailor or have some interest in the subject, you will be richly rewarded by the many fine details that Mr. Forester provides about the special challenges of storms, the European coast, and running a long-term blockade of Europe after the Peace of Amiens breaks down in 1803.
Those who have been waiting for Hornblower to "get a life" will be pleased to see that his attachments to shore, family, and to those nearest to him increase greatly in this book. As a result, he has to think about the consequences more carefully as he faces death . . . and what will happen to others if he fails.
In a fascinating series of "almost asides" Hornblower has great problems with his personal servants in this novel. By novel's end, he has had three of them . . . each of whom has presented him with great challenges and frustrations. These scenes help establish Hornblower's lack of priority for personal comfort, and the vulnerability that can be created for you if those close to you fail to do their duties.
To me, the most rewarding part of the book came in the many sections that explored what it means to be courageous. Hornblower certainly doesn't see himself that way. In fact, in some cases he merely sees himself as having noticed the problem and having acted faster than others. In other cases, his physical weaknesses (including a propensity to seasickness) make his duty difficult. He gives himself no credit for soldiering on under the circumstances, but rather feels inferior for his vulnerability. An unfortunate incident leaves him in a quandary about whether to do his duty "by the book" or to deal with the situation with compassion. Although he unswervingly follows his compassion, he constantly upbraids himself for having done so. The message seems to be that courage is overcoming your obstacles and limitations, regardless of the price, but is not something that one should rejoice in. The term "stiff upper lip" kept coming to mind as I read this novel.
The ultimate appeal of Hornblower is that he is a slightly brighter, more determined version of "everyone" out there who ever wanted to do the right thing, make a way in the world, and build a rewarding life. His weaknesses, foibles, and doubts simply serve to make his concerns and himself real to all of us who read about him . . . and secretly yearn to keep the French bottled up in Brest by our outstanding seamanship.
If the Star Trek holodecks were really available, I'd like to create a program to be Hornblower on the Hotspur (as long as I didn't have to suffer too much from seasickness). I would certainly want to have the trustworthy Mr. Bush (from the novel) along side me.
After you finish the book, I suggest that you think of Hornblower's experiences as a metaphor for making the right choices in a career and personal life. What challenges have you found that are similar to those that Hornblower dealt with in this book? How do you think that Hornblower would have responded to these challenges? What can you learn from these "thought experiments" that could help you in the future?
When choosing among life's routes, be sure to consider the stern, rocky paths for the rewarding challenges they provide!

I began reading the Hornblower series after reading a few others in the genre (Alexander Kent - Richard Bolitho, Jay Worrall - Charles Edgemont, S. Thomas Russell - Charles Hayden). I find Hornblower refreshing in a particular way, because the others (I now see) sort of follow the "Sharpe" model -- a significant part of the narrative tension in the books is caused by the main character having to serve under a nincompoop, or being unjustly accused or suspected of something that the reader knows is inaccurate. However, in the Hornblower books, the narrative tension is mainly the action itself. In other words, it is refreshing to read stories where the character simply succeeds on merit, and not necessarily having to overcome or ignore stupid superiors or suffer constant jibes due to his upbringing. Hornblower succeeding and progressing on his merits is certainly contrary to the essentially oligarchic system in the early 19th Century British navy, but having done so -- without really seeking or currying favor -- is very gratifying from the reader's standpoint.

The third book in Forester's Hornblower series is, like Lt. Hornblower, one heck of a ride and possibly the best in the series. In this novel, the freshly married Horatio is posted to blockade duty of Brest, France in his first command -- the sloop Hotspur. His duty is not an easy one. He is at sea for months on end, unable to see his new wife and often with nothing to do. This blockade duty is interrupted by occasional daring forays against Napoleon's navy, which explode with the action narrative that only Forester can deliver.
By now, the characters feel like old friends. Hornblower is still filled with doubt and an over-bearing conscience -- sometimes even unclear why he married Maria. But his courage and daring, his honor and leadership are finally making a name for him. Lt. Bush is solid and strong and his first officer. Even Admiral Cornwallis becomes familiar as Hornblower's mentor and admirer. And on shore there is Maria, Hornblower's tenuous link to the real world -- with her simple love for her husband.
I have only two complaints. First is one you will find throughout my reviews of this series -- no maps. A map of Brittany would be the most helpful thing in the world while reading this novel. I was occasionally utterly confused as to what was going on (such as when Hornblower escapes a French frigate to the west -- which makes sense if you know the geography well).
My other minor complaint comes later in the series. This was written after the original trilogy of Beat to Quarters, Ship of the Line and Flying Colours. But it contradicts the continuity. Many of the adventures that take place in this novel are "later" referenced as having taken place on the Indefatigable when Hornblower was a Lieutenant. Bush seems to have forgetten the events in this book. These problems in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the book, but retentive sticklers for continuity might be annoyed.
That trivia aside, this is a fantastic adventure.

What does Hornblower symbolize? I analyzed a number of the novels and have found the answer: America! No, you say, can't be. Well, I will support my claim. In one of the books, I believe it was Lieutenant Hornblower but I am not sure, his birthdate is given as July 4, 1776. I am pretty sure of this, and in Hotspur the year is 1803, and Horatio is 27. Not only that, but Horatio is a more a symbol of American ideals than British. Just a common man becoming one of the most powerful men in the British Navy? But in America, this is not quite so farfetched. He also often thinks about inequality in the Navy and other 'subversive' things that seem perfectly natual in America, such as the abolition of prize money. In any case...
The first two novels, Mr. Midshipman and Lieutenant Hornblower, were good books, but I thought the excellent films based off them pretty much encompassed everything (except Hornblower's down and out days at the end of Lt.). I hear that Hotspur will soon be made into movies in the series, and it will probably be the best yet. Horatio has been given command of a small ship, H.M.S. Hotspur, and has to deal with a cowardly steward, a French frigate twice his size, and the intracacies of espionage even before the fleet arrives. The departure of his friend Adm. Pellew and having no friends in the service, the taking of a Spanish telegraph station, a nighttime raid on French shipping all add to the mounting action. The crowning moment is when Horatio sacrifices great riches to protect the fleet. Horatio is the perfect role model, dashing, gallant, courageous. But he is also perpetually worrying, feeling inferior, and with doubts of his abilities. This is an excellent, action-packed book that also has many moral messages. I can't wait to move on to the Captain books, and I am also going to try Patrick O'Brian's books, as the films have made me slightly obsessed with this period and subject.

This is the third Hornblower novel by way of continuity, following "Mr. Midshipman Hornblower" and "Lieutenent Hornblower" and it is one of the very best Hornblower novels. Horatio Hornblower has been promoted to Commander, and is now captain (not a Post-Captain) of HMS Sloop Hotspur, which is given the important duty of monitoring the French port of Brest. Captain Hornblower and First Lieutenant Bush are now fully developed as characters, and their long association together takes form in this novel. Here, Hornblower is now gaining a reputation as an unusually competent and resourceful officer, as the storied Admiral Cornwallis takes Hornblower under his wing as mentor. Nonetheless, this is a time of great stress and danger for Hornblower. The British Navy is exerting every ounce of Britain's strength against Napoleon, and the British fleet is all that stands between the Corsican tyrant and world domination. Hotspur, commanded by Hornblower, is responsible for monitoring Brest, which is where Napoleon's next move against Britain is expected to first come from. Hornblower is truly "the tip of the spear." This is a great story.
"Hotspur" is one of the key Hornblower novels and I highly recommend it to Hornblower afficianados and anyone who just likes a good novel of the days of "wooden ships and iron men." By the way, it makes for a nice sequence of reading if you follow "Hotspur" with "Hornblower During the Crisis." You'll see why when you read the latter.
The Hornblower novels are in my opinion the best naval adventure series in all of literature and "Hotspur" is one of the very best of the series. What more can one say?

This is not only the best of the Hornblower novels, but in my opinion, it is the best sea yarn I have read. I've had the pleasure of reading O'Brien, Conrad, Kent, Morrison et al, but none come close to the sweeping maritime panorama, character development, and smoke-filled naval action of this taut thriller. Read it and savor it several times; it will grow on you. At the beginning (1803), we find a penniless Hornblower getting married to Maria in one of his few ill-considered decisions. He then proceeds to Plymouth harbor to take command of the Hotspur, a 6th rate sloop of 22 guns, and the smallest ship in the English navy worthy of a Commander's ranking. Hornblower's orders from Channel Fleet commanding Admiral Lord Cornwallis are to scout the French naval base at Brest and gather intelligence as the fragile Peace of Amiens appears to be threatened by the ever-acquisitive Napoleon.Bonaparte. Hornblower must risk his ship to gather useful intelligence of the growing French navy, but not cross the "line" and give Napoleon an excuse to declare war. Without delving into the plot any further, suffice to say that Hornblower must use his brains, initiative, and superb nautical skills to outwit the French, exposing his tiny sloop numeous times in fulfillment of his orders. What sets this book apart from others of this genre was Forester's exceptional story-telling skills, his ability to make ship, crew and sea come to life. You can almost feel the power of the gale as it lays Hotspur over for days on end, how Hornblower meets every test, and grows into a superb captain and leader of men. In the bargain, the reader learns about the skill required in handling a square-rigged naval vessel.

I read several of the Hornblower books years ago. At that time, I vowed to acquire them all and start from the beginning (in chronological order).
This is a great series! I just finished this, the third in the series. Hornblower is becoming quite experienced in ship handling. Bush, who was introduced in the previous book, is now is first lieutenant. Hornblower has been promoted to commander, one step below post captain, and given command of a sloop-of-war of 18 guns.
He becomes a vital part of the Inshore Squadron during the blockade of Brest. C.S. does a wonderful job of describing the situations.
Points of interest in this book: Hornblower get married and has a son, Hornblower is involved in shore excursions on enemy shores, Hornblower is involved with the taking of the Spanish treasure fleet, Hornblower fights a duel between his sloop (18) and a heavy French frigate (44).
There is one nagging point that I have. C.S. spends a lot of time letting the reader know about Hornblowers thoughts. It's especially bad when Hornblower has self doubts. But, once you get used to this style, the book flows quickly.
The conclusion of the book is quite sudden and is left wide open for the series to continue.
I hope to see Bush and Hornblower together again. Maybe he will even reacquire his steward, Doughty.
Good book!

I love the Hornblower Books and I love the Character. But of all the Hornblower books this one is my favorite.
We see our hero in the most frightning challenge of his life and he fails. He is unable to back out of a marriage that he doen't really want, but then decides that since he's doing it he will go all out.
We see the newly subordinate Bush becoming even more impressed with his former junior. Bush's ability to not object to this dramatic change is the only part of the novel that stretches credulity a bit, however since Hornblower saved his life in the last one a mittagating factor exists.
We see very little ship to ship combat, (after all Hotspur is a tiny ship.) but once again Characters steal the show. From his gentleman's gentleman that he doesn't want, to the french fishing boat captains to the various officers he encounters all make the novel richer and richer.
If the new movies are done in chronological order this should be the next book adapted. I wait with baited breath.

If you enjoy pre-20th century historical fiction and have a passion for nautical themes, then you will enjoy this 3rd book of Forester's Hornblower series. This series is not written as an epic novel involving a multitude of characters, political angles, or unrelated background events. This series has focused upon the events of Horatio Hornblower ONLY, which I personally enjoy the simplicity yet very entertaining story line. Some advice to readers with minimal knowledge of nautical terminology though, you will be visually lost and not grasp the understandings of the of the tactical ship's situation unless you have a 'Sailing fundamentals or Sailing terminology' book to accompany the books.
'Hornblower and the Hotspur' contains the continued character development and life of Horatio Hornblower. He is given his first official command of a sloop of war and begins to encounter a number of challenges with his newly desired responsibilities. He begins to learn the political life and struggles of being a captain while being torn with his own personal beliefs. Also, Horatio passively allows himself to become married without truly wishing to marry his bride and learns that life at sea is often much more rewarding than being a married civilian. But, the continued excitement of amphibious invasions, ship to ship combat laced with strategic sailing and knuckling whitening stress of being torn apart by jagged reefs is all present. I am looking forward to what happens next in 'Hornblower During the Crisis'.

Although Hornblower and the Hotspur is the third installment chronologically in the Hornblower series, it was one of the last written. Paradoxically, perhaps it might have the least harmony with modern readers. Hornblower stands for values that many people have rejected or would at least find quaint. Hornblower and the Hotspur is a first rate naval action story that worked on many levels when it was written. Unfortunately, some of these levels no longer strike a chord with modern readers.
Hornblower and the Hotspur begins with Hornblower's wedding. It is obvious from the beginning that Hornblower did not want to get married. The fearless Hornblower is too soft hearted to break a woman's heart. He realizes that he could have taken advantage of her and left her broken hearted but has married her and made her deliriously happy instead. Unfortunately, most modern readers would not find this chivalry believable. Much has changed since Forester first published this novel nearly 40 years ago. Modern heroes are expected to sleep with the women and then sail away ignoring heartbreak and possible progeny. Many modern readers would see Hornblower as a sap.
For the majority of Hornblower and the Hotspur, Hornblower is at sea. It is 1803 and the brief peace is ending. France and England are set to engage in yet another war. France is amassing a huge army to invade England. The parallels to World War II would have been obvious to the readers of 1962. England has a small army and would be unable to stay free if the huge army from the continent were ever able to cross the English Channel.
Another parallel is in the mention of the soldiers who were drafted to serve a tyrant. Hornblower regrets having to kill Frenchmen in the way that modern Britons would have regretted the necessity of killing Germans in WWII.
A subtext is Hornblower's coming to terms with his family life. Many of the original readers would have been WWII veterans who perhaps married in haste and made the best of raising their "baby-boom" families.
In spite of all this, Hornblower and the Hotspur is about sea chases, broadsides, furious storms and night actions. Forester tells a marvelous sea tale that stands the test of time. It's sad that some its original values have been lost and that some of the parallels are no longer relevant. Hornblower and the Hotspur is too good a story to fade with time.

Hornblower is promoted to Commander, not quite a post rank yet, and given command of a small ship, the H.M.S. Hotspur. He is sent for two years at sea patrolling off Brest as part of the English blockade of French ports. Hotspur is a small vessel that can maneuver close inshore so our hero is supposed to sail close enough to peer into the harbor and report any suspicious activity. The large fleet is farther offshore so Hornblower has independence to sail where he thinks best. The rocks are tricky, the winter weather worse, but through it all the men of the sea navigate back and forth. Maybe out of boredom, Hornblower always manages to stir up some action. He harasses coastal shipping, and engages in "cutting out" invasions in the dead of winter. One of the best part of the whole Hornblower series is the accuracy and detail with which the life aboard vessels is depicted. You can almost feel the

Hornblower and the Hotspur by C.S. Forester begins in April 1803, as the Peace of Amiens is coming to an end. Napoleon has had the opportunity to prepare to cross the English Channel and invade Britain. Horatio Hornblower-who, now 27, has gained the rank of Master and Commander and captain the three-masted Hotspur on a dangerous reconnaissance mission that evolves, in his first permanent command. He is relieved to escape his clinging new bride and his pretentious mother-in-law. At least he is not required to demonstrate emotion as he learns how to captain his officers and crew; he is freer to confront his own "accursed unhappy temperament". Even so, he finds himself feeling compassion for a wayward steward whom he allows to jump ship to escape hanging. Hornblower is a distant hero, often torn between duty and humanity, though he feels both as heavy burdens that conflict too often.

Hornblower is assigned to a station off Brest, and soon menaced by the frigate Loire, signalling to Hornblower that war has resumed. But the Hotspur is an audacious ship, under Hornblower, destroying a signal tower, a gun battery, and four frigates armed en-flute, trying to leave Brest for Ireland during a winter storm, a remarkable feat for a sixth rate warship. But on this point, there is also some confusion. The Hotspur carries twenty nine-pounders that would normally classify her as a sixth rate post ship, commanded by a junior post captain. Yet when Hornblower is promoted, he must leave Hotspur, as it is too small to be commanded by a post captain. But apart from such quibbles, a good deal of information on the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic Wars can be gleaned from this novel.

Hornblower's skill in navigation and seamanship enable him to evade rocks in shallow shoals and find safe harbours from savage winds. But Forester allows Hornblower human failing when he fails to capture a Spanish treasure ship, a prize that would have made him wealthy.

Hornblower's demon is to maintain his composure, dignity, and honour as a Royal Naval Officer, so that he is always alone, not just because he is a young captain, but because he has an ingrained fear of failure. He is haunted by responsibility for his ship, his crew, the Royal Navy, and for his dowdy wife Maria. His sense of obligation gives him a degree of sanctity, like a Templar knight-priest. He can be brutal, but with a heavy heart.

1803, the Peace of Amiens is breaking down, the French navy is building ships and Napoleon is massing a army for a jump across the Channel. Hornblower, along with thousands of other officers and sailors, return to the Royal Navy. He is named Commander, given a sloop of war and a first rate crew. The book is full of action, both on land and on the sea. It also has French fish, Spanish gold and Hornblower's new bride. You may find yourself, as I do, wondering how somebody who acts so brave out of need one second, can be so paranoid or spineless the next, but this is what makes Hornblower seem so human to me. Even his greatest flaw, marrying a woman he has no true love for, makes him as human as you can make a character out of a book. Hornblower is no sword swinging, hard-drinking, God's-gift-to-women character. No, Hornblower is just a seasick, I-hope-my-pants-are-on-right, I-better-write-to-my-wife character.

This novel was written after 'Beat To Quarters', but chronogically takes place before.

This was my favorite in the series. A landlubber all my life, Mr. Forester's writing brings the seaman's life to vivid imagery.

Hornblower is in command of the Hotspur and for part of the story is autonomous on the seas, indulging in his spirit of adventure. Every sea battle is unique. It's during the time of the Napleonic war from the British point of view.

I've read this novel a few times. Even knowing what happens next, once I start reading I can hardly put it down.

Great GREAT book.

I'm truly hooked on this series. Hornblower is a character that thinks outside of the box. I always look forward to see what ingenious way he will resolve an issue. His personal life is interesting for a fictional character. He doesn't fit with many stereotypes that I typically see in novels.

I highly recommend this series. The books seem to get better as the series progresses. I already have my hands on the next book and look forward to reading it.

The Hornblower books get better with every installment. Hornblower is a wonderful character, flawed, nuanced, introspective, and dynamic. Forester's obvious knowledge of his subject brings a compelling and even instructive verisimilitude to the historical setting. Hornblower's little domestic troubles add a nice rounding touch the otherwise stalwart naval scenes.

This is the next Hornblower chronologically, it was not the next one written. Now that the series is completed it makes sense to read it as Hornblower's career progresses in the Royal Navy.

The whole series is a pleasure to read full of action and adventure; with enough time for a little romance.

Get acquainted with one of the most popular characters in modern literature.

After reading this you will be back for more. And that is a wonderful thing.

Fantastic shape and just what a newly made Hornblower junkie could ask for - a great cover, great "hand", easy to hold, lightweight and arrived before I could even start to wonder when my order might arrive! Just like being the store!

Hornblower and the Hotspur by C.S. Forester begins in April 1803, as the Peace of Amiens is coming to an end. Napoleon has had the opportunity to prepare to cross the English Channel and invade Britain. Horatio Hornblower-who, now 27, has gained the rank of Master and Commander and captain the three-masted Hotspur on a dangerous reconnaissance mission that evolves, in his first permanent command. He is relieved to escape his clinging new bride and his pretentious mother-in-law. At least he is not required to demonstrate emotion as he learns how to captain his officers and crew; he is freer to confront his own "accursed unhappy temperament". Even so, he finds himself feeling compassion for a wayward steward whom he allows to jump ship to escape hanging. Hornblower is a distant hero, often torn between duty and humanity, though he feels both as heavy burdens that conflict too often.

Hornblower is assigned to a station off Brest, and soon menaced by the frigate Loire, signalling to Hornblower that war has resumed. But the Hotspur is an audacious ship, under Hornblower, destroying a signal tower, a gun battery, and four frigates armed en-flute, trying to leave Brest for Ireland during a winter storm, a remarkable feat for a sixth rate warship. But on this point, there is also some confusion. The Hotspur carries twenty nine-pounders that would normally classify her as a sixth rate post ship, commanded by a junior post captain. Yet when Hornblower is promoted, he must leave Hotspur, as it is too small to be commanded by a post captain. But apart from such quibbles, a good deal of information on the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic Wars can be gleaned from this novel.

Hornblower's skill in navigation and seamanship enable him to evade rocks in shallow shoals and find safe harbours from savage winds. But Forester allows Hornblower human failing when he fails to capture a Spanish treasure ship, a prize that would have made him wealthy.

Hornblower's demon is to maintain his composure, dignity, and honour as a Royal Naval Officer, so that he is always alone, not just because he is a young captain, but because he has an ingrained fear of failure. He is haunted by responsibility for his ship, his crew, the Royal Navy, and for his dowdy wife Maria. His sense of obligation gives him a degree of sanctity, like a Templar knight-priest. He can be brutal, but with a heavy heart.

The third chronological novel is one of the best in the series, in my opinion, because of its fast-pacing and strong character development. Hornblower is analyzed by the author in a very detailed way and the reader gets to feel every emotion and conflicting decision the protagonist makes. The only criticisms I have of the book is that first, there is so much action that it is difficult to follow the naval jargon at times, and second, Hornblower's flaws are not emphasized as much as I would like. For example, it seems that he is almost portrayed as a saint who makes few to no mistakes. That doesn't make sense considering his youth and inexperience as a naval commander in this book. Still, it's a great read and I enjoyed every chapter.