Lord Hornblower

I've been reading the Hornblower series in chronological order and, having completed “Lord Hornblower”, I've only “Hornblower In The West Indies” left (a handful of short stories excepted). This close to the end, it is “Lord Hornblower” that I have enjoyed the least of all. Hornblower is a complex, faulty character, admirable and unlikable in equal turns, drawn by Forester with great depth, skill and insight. Each book takes us deep into his extraordinary head.

But in Lord Hornblower we perhaps get a little too much of Hornblower's psyche, and not enough story. And Hornblower's psyche can wear a little thin. I can't decide at this point whether I like him or not. He veers too far into self-analysis, and emerges in self-pity. His infidelity with Marie discomforts me enormously. Perhaps because by this point I have come to greatly admire Barbara, Lady Hornblower. Perhaps because I'm reluctantly aware of my own weaknesses, and Hornblower reflects them more than I really care to admit. Perhaps it's the way Forester moves quickly on from Hornblower's grief following the deaths of Bush and Marie. Hornblower is made to seem a little colder and more detached than usual, although I consider this Forester's doing more than Hornblower's.

It's difficult, I'm not analytical enough to pin it down completely, but I wasn't transported so completely into this book as the others in the series. Nevertheless, even Forester's worst Hornblower novel is a fine read, and if you've got this far you've no choice. But be prepared for a little disappointment.