Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (Hornblower Saga: Chronological Order, #1)

310 pages

English language

Published April 22, 1998 by Little, Brown.

ISBN:: 9780316290609
OCLC Number:: 98164278

(1 review)

Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (published 1950) is a Horatio Hornblower novel written by C. S. Forester. Although it may be considered as the first episode in the Hornblower saga, it was written as a prequel; the first Hornblower novel, The Happy Return ("Beat to Quarters" in the U.S.), was published in 1937.

13 editions

oxytocin reviewed Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (Hornblower Saga: Chronological Order, #1) by C. S. Forester

Sailship fun with nationalism

4 stars

Most of this book is exciting 18th/19th century sailing mechanics with wind strategy, and trying to capture the other ship without destroying it (I enjoyed it!). The cast is (almost) only men. And there are frequent commentaries on how badly organized the other navies/armies are, in comparison to the English ones.

The prose is not the best one I’ve ever read, but it’s easy to read and the chapters are independent episodes, which makes it a good snack.

Subjects

Hornblower, Horatio (Fictitious character) -- Fiction.
Midshipmen -- Fiction.
Great Britain -- History, Naval -- 18th century -- Fiction.