The Second Horatio Hornblower Tale of the Sea The nineteenth century dawns and the Napoleonic Wars rage as Horatio Hornblower is ordered to the Caribbean and dangerous waters. New Lieutenant Hornblower's latest ship is HMS Renown, a sound vessel whose captain is unfortunately of rather unsound mind. When ordered to attack a Spanish anchorage, the chain of command breaks down and it requires all of Hornblower's seafaring cunning to avert disaster. As cannons pound and splinters fly aboard their beleaguered vessel, and the ...
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The Second Horatio Hornblower Tale of the Sea The nineteenth century dawns and the Napoleonic Wars rage as Horatio Hornblower is ordered to the Caribbean and dangerous waters. New Lieutenant Hornblower's latest ship is HMS Renown, a sound vessel whose captain is unfortunately of rather unsound mind. When ordered to attack a Spanish anchorage, the chain of command breaks down and it requires all of Hornblower's seafaring cunning to avert disaster. As cannons pound and splinters fly aboard their beleaguered vessel, and the men are forced to engage at close quarters, the young lieutenant knows that to save his ship and crew he must prove himself a master of the high seas . . . This is the second of eleven books chronicling the adventures of C. S. Forester's inimitable nautical hero, Horatio Hornblower. Featuring an exclusive introduction by Bernard Cornwell, creator of Sharpe 'One of the best. Everyone interested in war, or in human nature, should read this fascinating tale' The Times Literary Supplement
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I read the Hornblower series as a young man, and now I am exploring them again forty years later. I am still impressed by their technical accuracy and strength of character development. In "Lieutenant Hornblower" there is a memorable sequence in which Hornblower is using captured enemy equipment to heat iron cannon balls. He overdoes it, and some of the balls melt. Unlike so many fake macho heroes in adventure novels, he admits that he made a stupid mistake. In other words, this hero is also sometimes a klutz like the rest of us. I also can point out that this book refutes a standard charge that unlike O'Brien, Forester has no sense of humor. The ruminations of the crew about their paranoid, delusional captain are a priceless example of Forester's subtle humor. This novel also depicts the original meeting of Hornblower and his trusted friend Bush, and indeed it is told from Bush's point of view,although still in the third person. And for the first and last time, Hornblower is subordinate to Bush. He is respectful, but obviously the smarter man who will move up the chain of command more rapidly.
The book also has a romantic element, as here Hornblower meets Maria for the first time. A rousing adventure, well-written and a worthy "prequel" to the tales of Captain Hornblower!
nebo57
Apr 14, 2011
Excellent
I love these Hornblower novels. First time thru the series and trying to read them in chronological order. Only wish I had read them years ago.
