Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (Hornblower Saga (Paperback))

As a retired US Naval officer, I have loved the sea all my life and after viewing the Hornblower A & E series I was curious how close to the books by C.S. Forester the series aligned itself. When I first started reading the book I became so immersed I finished it in 3 days. There are 11 books in the series although Forester wrote a 12th which is difficult to locate. I recommend the reader does NOT follow the read by publish date but by the actual progression of this wondrous story covering an era when a man was as good as his word. Forester is one of the best authors I have read. Perhaps this quote from Ernest Hemingway will compel you: "I recommend Forester to every literate I know".

Mr. Midshipman Hornblower is a 1950 novel by C. S. Forester. It is, chronologically, the first book in the eleven-book Hornblower series, although Forester wrote it sixth. It reads and flows considerably more like a sequence of short stories than a novel. In 1794, the young Horatio Hornblower enters the Royal Navy as a midshipman. Britain is involved in military action against France and Spain (it is the dawn of the Napoleonic Wars), and Hornblower has adventures in and out of combat. The gawky, seasick Hornblower is an interesting character. He is intelligent, brave, and clever, but he is also extremely introspective, self-critical, and insecure, which makes him an unnecessarily harsh judge of himself, as he typically focuses on what he perceives as his cowardice and dishonesty. To a large degree, the way Forester handles and develops this character is what keeps things interesting. Forester's writing is not for everyone. He is short on the physical details of characters and rather long on the use of two hundred year old naval jargon. This latter gives his writing a profound ring of authenticity, although it may prove somewhat inscrutable at times to most twenty-first century landsmen. Mostly, though, the stories and dialogue flow coherently. With a collection of entertaining if largely unremarkable stories, Mr. Midshipman Hornblower is a solid introduction to the Hornblower series for those desiring to read them chronologically.

Mr. Midshipman Hornblower is without a doubt one of the best novels I have ever read regardless of genre. My exposure to C.S. Forester's classic works was a little unorthodox. Unorthodox that unlike most books I have read I saw a cinematic adaptation before reading the novel rather then the other way around. The A & E presentation was very good and entertaining and I new that these were books that I had to read and so I did. The book is stupendous. As another reviewer has stated the readability is very good. The book does not have the depth of Melville but is definitely not juvenile its prose or topics. The book introduces us to one Horatio Hornblower who spends the majority of the novel as a Midshipman aboard His Majesty's Frigate the Indefatigable. We follow Horatio for a few years in his journey from a novice with no confidence in himself and no experience as a leader and watch his maturation into a very resourceful and charismatic leader. Along the way we are treated to adventures all across the English Channel, Northern France, Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. The novels were written the mid 20th century and take place shortly after the French revolution. The novels are action packed and the prose, although dated, is to the point with few wasted words or tales. Much happens to young Horatio in this one novel. I heartily recommend this book to anyone.

The Horatio Hornblower Series is my favorite group of books I've ever read. C.S. Forester gives an expert portrayal of life at sea in the 19th century Royal Navy that is too good to miss. If you like the great ships of the line of the 17th-19th century, you should read this series. About the book as an individual: MR MIDSHIPMAN HORNBLOWER is my favorite book out of the first three I've read. Why? The first book seems a lot longer and takes place over a MUCH longer time period than the others so far. And this is one of two of the books where Hornblower isn't a captain. I liked this book and if you like Master and Commander, sailing, the military, or the 19th century, you owe it to yourself to by this book.

The "Horatio Hornblower" books cannot be beat for adventure, excitement, and historic depiction. These novels of the British navy during the Napoleonic wars depict a man of average, or even below average physical ability, who relies on his mind, struggles with moral issues, and wins through with courage and planning. Hornblower's success is often shown to stem from his productive activity -- his motto: "Do it now." Interestingly, Hornblower thinks he is a coward, even while he illustrates the true nature of courage -- he is embarrassed for being afraid in the face of danger, even while he leads the way.

I have finally begun to read Forester's Hornblower series, starting chronologically with respect to the fictional world of course. This is one series I've been intending to read for quite some time, and I don't plan to stop with just the first book.As opposed to great and wonderful descriptions of naval battles, Forester uses a series of loosely connected short stories to acquaint the reader with the Hornblower character. Traveling from place to place, ship to shore, command to command, Hornblower is thrust into various situations which begin to define his command style and ability.I urge everyone who is looking for a good classic to read, begin reading the Hornblower series. A little fun fiction helps you out every now and then.