Ship of the Line (1938)

Action-filled adventure in the Mediterranean: "Ship of the Line" was the second story written in C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower series. As the name implies, Captain Hornblower has command of the ship of the line in this book set during the Napoleonic Wars. Although his ship of the line is an old, unweatherly 74, Hornblower successfully takes her on a cruise off the French and Spanish Mediterranean coast. This book features great naval action, including cutting-out expeditions and a lively

This was the second Horatio Hornblower book that I read, although I had seen the A&E TV series. As a devotee of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series, I was pleasantly surprised with this Hornblower book and I found Hornblower a much more authentic character than the superman of the TV series. Still, it is hard for me not to compare Hornblower with Captain Aubrey: although I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I find Aubrey a much more fun and likable character than Hornblower. Hornblower is a much more serious and deep character who is driven by self-doubt.

This is a very good book, and I recommend it to anyone with an interest in naval warfare or historical fiction. It is an action-filledt account of naval life and warfare during the Napoleonic era. C.S. Forester started a genre with Horatio Hornblower, and this book is packed with action and adventure.

I didn't care for how this one began... or ended. This just reinforces my belief that I liked Hornblower much better when he was a junior officer. Can't wait to see how he makes out from here, though. ( )

A solid Hornblower book, although as always, not quite up to the standard of the earlier/later books (the ones written later, set earlier). In this book, Hornblower's extreme anxiety about his social and monetary position is highlighted perhaps more than in any other of the series; it makes for uncomfortable reading, as one does grow to love him but also grows to see that he can be quite an awful creature to Maria. ( )

A solid Hornblower book, although as always, not quite up to the standard of the earlier/later books (the ones written later, set earlier). In this book, Hornblower's extreme anxiety about his social and monetary position is highlighted perhaps more than in any other of the series; it makes for uncomfortable reading, as one does grow to love him but also grows to see that he can be quite an awful creature to Maria. ( )

This was the first Hornblower book to leave you on a cliffhanger. It was quite enjoyable. Hornblowers little quirks are amusing most of the time, which makes him more human-seeming. In this story, Hornblower is captain of the Sutherland, an ugly two-deck ship of the line fit for only the lowliest captain. His "love interest" Lady Barbara marries an admiral, to whom Hornblower finds himself reporting. The admiral is a moron, though, and this creates no small amount of problems. The best success Hornblower realizes is when he is away from the fleet and on his own.

All in all, it's an entertaining yarn and full of action. It certainly is one of the better Hornblower novels. ( )