Normally I write these posts for individual books, but I find that difficult with The Horblower Series. There are eleven of these books total. I have currently read the first three books. To this point, the books begin right where the last left off. Instead of reading all eleven books back to back, I have decided to break them up. On my trip in Croatia, I was unable to locate the next Hornblower novel, and read Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations instead. I will write an In Conclusion post for that novel soon. This gave me the idea that it would be more enjoyable to break up The Hornblower Series rather than forcing myself to trudge through them. With that, I would like to write a brief opinion of each as I complete them.

Mr. Midshipman Hornblower

As I mentioned in my Currently Reading post, I watched the Hornblower series as child with my father. I’ve seen six out of the eight episodes that were released. Episodes ran about an hour and a half long. Therefore, when I saw that there were eleven books, I imagined I’d seen most of it. However, by the end of the first book, you are through the first three or four episodes of the show. So far Midshipman Hornblower was the book the show most accurately depicted. It follows young Hornblower as he joins the Navy. He soon discovers the politics of the sea, as well as the physical hardship. The book is very episodic. It is not just a bunch of people sailing slowly around on the water, but instead, bounces from event to event. I remember watching the movie Master and Commander and wishing everyone would suddenly drown so the movie would be over, and I could leave. I found this much more interesting (but I have not read the book so maybe that’s better). Anyone that enjoys historical fiction I think will really enjoy this book.

Lieutenant Hornblower

When I began this book, I was a little puzzled and not sure I was going to enjoy it. I never like seeing a show before reading the story, but with these I saw the show when I was so young it couldn’t be helped. The story is not told from Hornblower’s perspective, but instead, another officer’s. This really threw me at first because I was not as familiar with the other character, from my previous experience with the television show. However, the deeper I got in the story the more brilliant I thought this perspective was. After having just read a book from solely Horatio’s perspective, it was interesting to see how he was viewed by others. The story is again filled with adventures, and the writing is detailed, but somehow, the narrative feels fast-paced. I was reading this at the bar one night, and the guy sitting next to me looked at what I was reading and was like “Oh! Hornblower!” I just found it funny because it almost sounded like the way you would speak of a friend. This was another great one, and again, I highly recommend.

Hornblower and the “Hotspur”

I have enjoyed each of these books more than the last so far. Hotspur is a great story. The narrative returns to being told through the eyes of Hornblower. The young commander finds himself trying to balance his naval duties with his marital ones. I do not think you need to read these books in order, but I would recommend it. The series could almost be combined into one book; the story is so seamless, but a book that would be way too long. That leaves me debating whether to read the next book, Hornblower During the Crisis. It is technically the fourth book, but it is also unfinished. I haven’t decided whether I should read it, or skip it and read this one after I have completed the rest of the series. As for Hotspur, it was another great addition to the series, and left me excited to begin another.