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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
First published book of the Horatio Hornblower series did not disappoint. This Napoleonic War adventure provides plenty of tense drama with detailed battle scenes waged upon the high seas. Barbaric villains, exotic locations, feisty women and a surprisingly complex hero round out this swashbuckling and highly entertaining tale.
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The first in the series set in the Pacific. Two encounters with the Natividad"","" a ship of the line with almost twice the firepower of Hornblower's Lydia. A madman. Romance. And the endless sea.
Long ago I read the first Aubrey Maturin book and absolutely hated it. Easily one of my most hated fiction books of all time. To this day I am baffled at the popularity of the series. Maybe later books are vastly better. Maybe people didn't read them in order. I don't know.
The Hornblower books are one of those things that I've always been vaguely aware of. I had always associated them with bad, mindless best seller pablum. Like a 1930s James Patterson, all action, no nuance. For some reason I came across a copy of this and decided to give it a go. I'm glad I did because it was nothing like what I expected.
There is some action -- quite a bit of it -- but there was far more characterization of Hornblower than I expected. Forester does a tremendous job of giving us someone who is, outwardly, the pinnacle of British captaincy during the Napoleonic era. But, because we are privy to his inner thoughts and feelings, we understand how much of it is a facade and how deep his inner turmoil runs.
The Hornblower books are one of those things that I've always been vaguely aware of. I had always associated them with bad, mindless best seller pablum. Like a 1930s James Patterson, all action, no nuance. For some reason I came across a copy of this and decided to give it a go. I'm glad I did because it was nothing like what I expected.
There is some action -- quite a bit of it -- but there was far more characterization of Hornblower than I expected. Forester does a tremendous job of giving us someone who is, outwardly, the pinnacle of British captaincy during the Napoleonic era. But, because we are privy to his inner thoughts and feelings, we understand how much of it is a facade and how deep his inner turmoil runs.
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In which Captain Hornblower suffers from ever changing orders.
Lady Barbara appears. She's good at whist. Also nursing.
You can kind of tell it's the first written. Some of the backstory hinted at doesn't line up with the backstory written about in Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, Lieutenant Hornblower & Hornblower and the "Atropos".
Bush isn't a terribly developed character in this book.
"Leeway" is a sailing term!
Hornblower is stiff-necked like crazy. You can really see the similarities to the Seafort books. I think the problem with Seafort is he has no friends to pull him out of funks. (IIRC).
Lady Barbara appears. She's good at whist. Also nursing.
You can kind of tell it's the first written. Some of the backstory hinted at doesn't line up with the backstory written about in Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, Lieutenant Hornblower & Hornblower and the "Atropos".
Bush isn't a terribly developed character in this book.
"Leeway" is a sailing term!
Hornblower is stiff-necked like crazy. You can really see the similarities to the Seafort books. I think the problem with Seafort is he has no friends to pull him out of funks. (IIRC).
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Excellent story of adventure on the high seas. History, intrigue, great battles, and even romance- this classic has it all! I read this in four short evenings with the winds and rain of Autumn in Alaska.