Product Description

An omnibus edition compromising of four C S Forester's classic seafaring tales about Horatio Hornblower, namely: Flying Colours, The Commodore, Lord Hornblower and Hornblower in the West Indies.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9384 in Books
• Published on: 1990-05-31
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 768 pages

About the Author
C. S. Forester was born in Cairo in 1899, where his father was stationed as a government official. He studied medicine at Guy's Hospital and, after leaving Guy's without a degree, he turned to writing as a career. His first success was Payment Deferred, a novel written at the age of twenty-four and later dramatized and filmed with Charles Laughton in the leading role. In 1932 Forester was offered a Hollywood contract, and from then until 1939 he spent thirteen weeks of every year in America. On the outbreak of war he entered the Ministry of Information and later he sailed with the Royal Navy to collect the material for The Ship. He made a voyage to the Bering Sea to gather material for a similar book on the United States Navy, and it was during this trip that he was stricken with arteriosclerosis, a disease which left him crippled. However, he continued to write and in the Hornblower novels created the most renowned sailor in contemporary fiction. He died in 1966.

Customer Reviews

Some of the best of CS Forester
This collection of the final 4 Hornblower books continues on from "A Ship of the Line", and leaves the reader wishing that CS Forester had written many more Hornblower sagas. As always, the author's insight into the complex character that is Hornblower is striking, and combined with the excitement that lurks with each turn of the page and the sea-sickeningly descriptive battles, this omnibus contains some of the best of CS Forester. Hornblower changes dramatically throughout the collection, maturing from a condemned, love-sick unknown with little self respect, to a pompous and successful admiral, though the vitality of the character remains constant throughout.
"Flying Colours", the first part in this omnibus, answers the nagging questions about what happens to Hornblower after his surrender and capture in "A Ship of the Line". The third part, "Lord Hornblower", involves Hornblower quelling a mutiny, and then he is involved in a series of betrayals, narrow escapes and treachery at the time of Napoleon's first exile and return to France in 1814-15. "Hornblower in the West Indies", though set in peacetime, describes Hornblower in various difficult situations as an abnormally active Admiral, but the "The Commodore", (the second part) is a darker, more serious book and possibly the highlight of this set of Hornblower books. It involves Hornblower on his first major command, taking a squadron into the Baltic in 1812, and although there is less direct naval action CS Forester puts him at the forefront of all types of political and strategical difficulties, from preventing an assassination to devising subtle amphibious techniques to hold off the seige of Riga. Hornblower's cold, calculating decision making and the agonies of command are mixed well with the chaos of 1812.
The four books in this omnibus combine to give a further fascinating insight into Hornblower and provide excellent reading throughout.

A review of the Admiral Hornblower omnibus.
For all those with a knowledge or interest in history, or for those with a passion for the sea, this book makes a truely gripping read. The book contains the final chronicals of Horation Hornblowers life, brilliantly and dexturously written by the late C.S. Forrester. The style of writing beautifully invokes the period, and the madjesty and danger of life at sea. Be advised though, if you do intend to read Forrester, the books will be much enhaced if you read the previous two omnibus novels ('Mr Midshipman Hornblower', and 'Captain Hornblower RN'). All in all, a truely gripping read.

Final volumes of Hornblower's adventures
This collection brings together the last four Hornblower novels. The first, "Flying Colours" picks up where the previous collection ended, with Hornblower in French custody. This is also the most unusual novel as it's almost entirely set on land and introduces another lover to Hornblower's life. The following novels take us to the baltic, back to France and to the Carribean and are a mixed bunch. "The Commodore" is possibly the most traditional of this collection and showcases once again Hornblower's ability to think unconventionally and act boldly. "Lord Hornblower" feels very much like a sequel to "Flying Colours" and inflicts even greater emotional troubles on Hornblower. "Hornblower in the West Indies" is set some years later and feels rather inconsequential in comparison with earlier books. A must have for any fan of naval heroics.