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redruedun 's review for:
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower
by C.S. Forester
An unusual book, but a surprising amount of fun!
I actually read this for the first time as a teenager and I remember enjoying it - went back to it on a total whim and, again, had a great time!
Let's get the basics out of the way:
Though this is tagged as a novel, it reads very much like a short story collection. Each chapter tells the tale of an incident, in chronological order, in the navel career of Midshipman Horatio Hornblower. The incidents are not particularly linked and rarely have more than a passing mention of returning characters. I think the whole thing actually reads much better if you treat it like a short story collection rather than a traditional novel.
The stories themselves vary - some are better than others, but I wouldn't say any of them are bad. My favourite was probably the second - the story of the ship with the cargo of rice.
What was good about it?
In a word: Hornblower.
Forester does a really good job at creating a character who is clever, resourceful, competent and born to command men at sea, but isn't a total Mary-Sue/Gary-Stu. Hornblower has flaws, makes mistakes, struggles with shyness, nerves and being taken seriously by the men he is supposed to command. At times he reacts badly to stress, snaps at his men or acts harshly. He also has a sense of honour, a willingness to work hard and a bravery under pressure. He's a complex character, and he was what kept me reading and what made this book so compelling to me.
I also really enjoyed the setting, and I think Forester did a great job at bringing to life what it was like aboard a ship of war. Yeah, I'll admit, a lot of the nautical jargon flew so far over my head that I barely even knew what was going on in some of the action sequences, but it was so immersive I didn't mind too much. I do think the book might have benefitted from a bit more exposition and context (or a little glossary for the landlubbers) but it's not a huge complaint and, really, it's my own ignorance rather than a fault of the book.
So, are there any negatives?
As mentioned above, there's a lot of nautical jargon to keep track of which, if you don't know much about warships (of the period) and sailing, is likely to be a bit intimidating.
There's also a tone to the book which may put some people off: it's very much a story of the glory of the British navy and the incompetence and inferiority of literally everyone else. No matter the situation, the British sailors are always cleverer, stronger, more disciplined, more competent and probably better looking than their French and Spanish counterparts.
If you're looking for a nuanced take on the Napoleonic Wars, you're not going to get it here. They're the bad guys, we're the good guys, it's as simple as that! While I don't think this is intrinsically a bad thing, and I didn't have a problem with it, I think it could put some people off which is why I mention it here.
Overall though, a set of engaging adventure stories with a strong central character - I look forward to reading about the further adventures of Horatio Hornblower!
I actually read this for the first time as a teenager and I remember enjoying it - went back to it on a total whim and, again, had a great time!
Let's get the basics out of the way:
Though this is tagged as a novel, it reads very much like a short story collection. Each chapter tells the tale of an incident, in chronological order, in the navel career of Midshipman Horatio Hornblower. The incidents are not particularly linked and rarely have more than a passing mention of returning characters. I think the whole thing actually reads much better if you treat it like a short story collection rather than a traditional novel.
The stories themselves vary - some are better than others, but I wouldn't say any of them are bad. My favourite was probably the second - the story of the ship with the cargo of rice.
What was good about it?
In a word: Hornblower.
Forester does a really good job at creating a character who is clever, resourceful, competent and born to command men at sea, but isn't a total Mary-Sue/Gary-Stu. Hornblower has flaws, makes mistakes, struggles with shyness, nerves and being taken seriously by the men he is supposed to command. At times he reacts badly to stress, snaps at his men or acts harshly. He also has a sense of honour, a willingness to work hard and a bravery under pressure. He's a complex character, and he was what kept me reading and what made this book so compelling to me.
I also really enjoyed the setting, and I think Forester did a great job at bringing to life what it was like aboard a ship of war. Yeah, I'll admit, a lot of the nautical jargon flew so far over my head that I barely even knew what was going on in some of the action sequences, but it was so immersive I didn't mind too much. I do think the book might have benefitted from a bit more exposition and context (or a little glossary for the landlubbers) but it's not a huge complaint and, really, it's my own ignorance rather than a fault of the book.
So, are there any negatives?
As mentioned above, there's a lot of nautical jargon to keep track of which, if you don't know much about warships (of the period) and sailing, is likely to be a bit intimidating.
There's also a tone to the book which may put some people off: it's very much a story of the glory of the British navy and the incompetence and inferiority of literally everyone else. No matter the situation, the British sailors are always cleverer, stronger, more disciplined, more competent and probably better looking than their French and Spanish counterparts.
If you're looking for a nuanced take on the Napoleonic Wars, you're not going to get it here. They're the bad guys, we're the good guys, it's as simple as that! While I don't think this is intrinsically a bad thing, and I didn't have a problem with it, I think it could put some people off which is why I mention it here.
Overall though, a set of engaging adventure stories with a strong central character - I look forward to reading about the further adventures of Horatio Hornblower!