Book 55: Young Hornblower

NUMBER: 55
TITLE: Young Hornblower: Three Complete Novels: Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, Lieutenant Hornblower, Hornblower and the Atropos
AUTHOR: C.S. Forester
STARTED: July 3, 2006
FINISHED: July 10, 2006
PAGES: 672
GENRE: Fiction

FIRST SENTENCE: A January gale was roaring up the channel, blustering loudly, and bearing on its bosom rain squalls whose big drops rattled loudly on the tarpauliin clothing of thsoe among the officers and men whose duties kept them on deck.

SUMMARY: [From Penguin Publishers] The Young Hornblower - a truly formidable force in His Majesty's Service.

The seventeen-year-old Hornblower became notorious as soon as he stepped on board ship - as the midshipman who was seasick in Spithead. But he was soon to gain his sea legs.

Amid battle, action and adventure he proves himself time and time again - courageous in danger, resourceful in moments of difficulty and decisive in times of trouble. The reader stands right beside him as he prepares to fight his first duel, feels the heat as he battles to control a blazing ship and shares his horror as he experiences for the first time the panic of the Plague.

REASON FOR READING: Beth got me addicted to the A&E series and I needed to read them for myself.

THOUGHTS: In this series, Forester has created a remarkable and highly memorable character. Hornblower is an enigma of a man, with each page of the story revealing just a hint more about his mind and character. He is superhuman and pedestrian, strong of mind and, yet, doubtful of his abilities, real and ideal, perfect and flawed – Hornblower is full of dichotomies that make him a wonderful character, but also completely human at the same time. It is through his eyes that the reader learns about the triumphs, tribulations, and troubles that come from serving in His Majesty’s Navy.

It is because of Hornblower that the novel is readable and, more importantly, addictive. Forester’s writing alone is certainly not enough to keep the pages turning. The narrative’s flow is jerky at best, with some moments beset with unnecessary detail – I don’t need to know the cards played in every trick in a game of whist to know that Hornblower can count cards – and others greatly lacking in description. If the series is set on the high sees, I want to hear about the sound of the wind in the sails, the creak and splash of the wooden bow on the waves, and the tangy scent of cannons before they fire. Forester seems to take for granted that his readers know about life on a tall ship. They may be sexy, but I certainly have never been on one.

Aside from the creation of Hornblower’s character, the one thing Forester excels at is keeping the reader in the story. Like the drama of war on the high seas, Forester’s novel is full of hurry up and wait moments. The naval battles of the Napoleonic war were heated and dramatic, but between the firing cannons, there was a lot of sailing around with nothing but the open water on the horizon. Forester shows the reader these long stretches of time without completely boring them. During these moments, he fills the narrative in with Hornblower’s internal monologue. Watching the character debate with himself is as addictive as trashy T.V., but much more fulfilling. It is in these moments that the essence of the series is created. It is a story about a man, just trying to survive and do his duty.

Forester has created a wonderful character in an otherwise flawed novel. If the books did not focus so wholly on Hornblower as a man, this series would float about as well as one of the Indefatigable’s anchors.

MISCELLANEOUS: Hornblower is a naval officer, so no real buckling of swashes here.

KEEP/SHARE/CRINGE(?): Sadly, it has to go back to the library, but I plan on getting a copy of the series for myself.
RATING: 7/10 [Very Good]

CR: Reckless by Shannon Drake
RN: One for the Money by Janet Evanovich (If Kristy reads it before I'm done with my current read)