The Commodore

This is the first book in my reread of the Hornblower series that is not, in fact a reread. Unfortunately, it is clearly the worst of the Hornblower novels, confirming my suspicion that Forester made a mistake at the end of Flying Colours when he gave Hornblower everything he ever wanted: recognition, wealth, and love. Hornblower with recognition, wealth, and love is just not Hornblower, even if he does yearn to go to sea. Commodore Hornblower is the worst installment in the entire series. Unlike in the first three books, where Hornblower is cleverly making the best out of a bad situation, in this book, he commands a squadron and respect. His situation is actually quite nice! You could do a book about how commanding a squadron brings show more new challenges, but Forester doesn't; Hornblower seems to settle in quickly, without a problem.

Which is really symptomatic of the whole book. It never feels like anything's at stake. In Beat to Quarters, Forester made you feel like this one ship-to-ship battle was of the utmost importance. In Commodore Hornblower, we're constantly told that the war in the Baltic, and thus the whole war with Napoleon, depends on what Hornblower does. But one never really feels that anything significant depends on Hornblower cruising around lobbing bombs from safety and discovering hors d'oeuvres.

It is interesting to note how Forester pulls back from some of the elements of Flying Colours that were intended to wrap things up. In that book, Bush is promoted to captain, but we're told he'll work in a naval yard on account of his wooden leg. Here, he assumes command of an active-duty ship because, well, what's a Hornblower novel without Bush?

(Delightfully, the title page of my 1981 Pinnacle Books edition gives the title as Commodore Hornblower: Number Eight in the Hornblower Saga, The greatest naval adventures of all time! I love it.) show less

After his wedding to Lady Barbara, Hornblower is feeling restless on shore. He jumps at a promotion to Commodore and is soon given wide discretion to harass Bonaparte in the Baltic. But all the while he must ensure that neither Sweden or Russia falls to the tyrant -or worse- joins him. Soon Hornblower is embroiled in politics, seduction, an assassin in the Royal Palace, and a siege in Riga. One false step could ruin his career, and the Admiralty has made it clear that he is to sacrifice every last man before yielding so much as an inch to Napoleon.

Hornblower mellows with age and family. Here Hornblower demonstrates not only his nautical genius, but his tactical cunning in shore battles as well. His ingenuity in addressing hitherto show more unknown problems on land, and his heroics on the battlefield are truly among Hornblower's finest moments.

He is still, of course, irritable as always, but he allows himself to feel more affection for his men now, and he yearns for his son and his wife. He begins to accept (though grudgingly) that he is human and allowed to be both nervous and happy. I love the intrigues of the court and Hornblower's forays into diplomacy. I'm upset with him for some of the things that happen in Russia, but Hornblower never did behave particularly well towards women. His relationship with the officers under his command (especially Mound) were truly touching, and it was good to see Bush again despite his wooden leg.

An excellent addition to the series. Hornblower never fails to impress me with his keen grasp of strategy and the best way to accomplish his objectives whether diplomatically or militarily. Though I do wish he were a tad more tolerant on the subject of the German language - which isn't, after all, as barbaric as all that. show less

Hornblower was the inspiration for Star Trek's Captain James Kirk, as well as Cornwell's Sharpe. Hornblower is more cerebral and socially awkward than Kirk, more educated and refined than Sharpe. In his own right, Hornblower is certainly an engaging and complex character and the series is an interesting study in leadership, and a fascinating portrait of life at sea in the age of sail.

This book catches Hornblower at an interesting time in his life and career--after, seemingly, he's gotten everything he could possibly want. And I admit, at times I was a little irritated with him--particularly when he so casually falls into bed with a Russian Countess. Because yes, here Hornblower is based in the Baltic, and his doings have more to do show more with navigating politics and diplomacy than weathering a storm at sea or maneuvering for the best position for battle. And I do think the series lost something after Hornblower gained so much in rank and position. I think the best books run from Hornblower and the Hotspur to Flying Colours when he captained ships of his own. Which is not to say this book didn't have it's pleasures--I find all the Hornblower books worth a read--I've loved them since my teens. show less

This installment of the saga shows our hero turning from the dull life of a country squire and back into the fight against Napoleon, this time in the far reaches of the Baltic, and there isn't a dull moment. With an increase in rank he finds himself adjusting to the pomp his new title bestows, something new to this man inclined to action rather than appearance, and still he gets in the thick of battle dep enough to have done himself a bad turn by the very end. His hallmark navel ingenuity comes through on more than one occasion, along with the glimpses into his humane and decent spirit in the manner we have come to cherish. The renegade Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz puts in an appearance working for the imperial Russian army, as show more does the Tsar, briefly, along with a number of well-drawn junior officers and military enlistees. Forester manages to spring a number of surprises for us along the way to keep things interesting and ends the whole thing on quite a cliffhanger.
The audio book narration by Christian Rodska adds something to the tale though a couple of the accents were a little tough to make out the first time. This is the kind of adventure story that makes the hours fly especially if one is fond of the details of the way square-rigged warships worked. show less

Hornblower commands a mixed squadron that causes "Serious mischief" in the Baltic while Napoleon invades Russia in 1812. Our hero survives an assault by one of the Napoleonic period's chief assassins...typhoid fever, romances a Russian Countess, prevents an assassination of the czar, and has one of forester's rare techno-fumbles a very early use of percussion caps ...but it's good fun as usual. Oh, and he saves Riga from the French and watches the Prussians changing sides a real game changer at the time.

Once again our hero is called into action. Hornblower is now a Commodore and still refuses to keep his hands clean. He proves that he is just as savvy on land as at sea. With the encroaching of the French upon Russia anyone who knows their history can get a sharp visual of what is about to happen to Napoleon. Marching into Russia with over six hundred thousand men and loosing 90 percent of them during a retreat from the Russian winter is grim. Hornblower is stoic and steadfast, but yet has an uneasiness even in his later years that makes him such a human.

I hadn't read this since my teens. It holds up very well, although the plot is less compelling than the four "top" Hornblower novels, Beat to Quarters, Ship of the Line, Flying Colors, and Lord Hornblower. It's continually amusing to follow the interplay between Hornblower's deliberate performance as a grumpy, laconic commodore, and the reality that senior command does reshape an officer's personality. O'Brian shows the same evolution in Aubrey--with the difference that Aubrey does not mull or introspect or indulge in self-doubt.