Whoever found Ioan Gruffudd for the role of Hornblower should be rewarded 10 times over and then some. This book is chock full of fantatic pictures and great insite into the making of this exciting series. I laugh out loud at some of the humor laced throughout this book. The pictures are worth owning this book for on their own, is a must own for any fan of Hornblowaaahhhhh!

I love this book. Aside from the tons of great pictures of the cast, it gives a lot of background on all the characters - including the boat that they used to for filming.

There are brief synopsis' on all the movies as well as a brief rundown of the characters we meet in each movie.

Wonderful interviews, beautiful pictures, and indepth characterization from the actor's perspective.

This is a great book for any Hornblower fan!

If you are a Hornblower fan you must have this book! First, the photographs are amazing including captures from the hit A & M mini series to back stage candids, technical details and beautiful portraits of the stars. Second, the written commentary if fantastic. The writer goes into details of the complexities of filming in a foreign place, supplying food, costumes, transportation and everything else. It also talks about the Grand Turk, the ship they filmed the mini series on. It was interesting to read about how the crew from the film had to work with the crew that actually operated the ship, the movie sailing cast and the makeup and wardrobe people, all on what seems to be a pretty small ship. This book is very well done, and really should be owned by any true Horatio Hornblower fan.

In this extremely well told tale, Captain Josiah Peabody, USN leads the frigate Delaware against British interests in the War of 1812. This story nearly has it all. The action crackles like a thunderous broadside, and the duel, the romance, and personal complexity of the captain are sure to satisfy even the most glutted reader. My only problem with this work was that it didn't continue to include a multi-volume series.
As a single book, it is an outstanding piece of naval fiction, certainly ranking as one of the best sea tales of all time. It is difficult not to come away from this work with a spring in your step, and the images evoked will sing in your memory with all the infectious brilliance of the Marine Band aboard the Delaware powering the fife and drum. Anchors Away!

This book takes place in the war of 1812 and is about the story of an intelligent, brave American captain who manages to break the Brittish blocade. He goes on a journey of harrassment of trade and of raiding and destruction. It is a very interesting book that shows what a life of an American Captain at that time must have been like and also shows us an interesting story with lots of action to keep you entertained as well as a believable plot.

This book has all the makings of a series that could have been created to parallel Hornblower but in the American Theatre and with an American captian.

The plot is tight, the book well written and the problems of neutrality and family that face Peabody and his foe are interesting and keep you reading further.

Peabody has a totally different set of bias, beliefs and weaknesses than Hornblower. They are played out very well throughout the entire book.

It is a shame that we haven't seen more of the captain, but then no author lives forever.

Before you buy however I would point out that first editions of this book are fairly easy to come by, at least here in NE. But whatever edition you buy, buy it.

Captain Horatio Hornblower is a collection of three short novels originally published in 1937 and 1938 as "Beat To Quarters", "Ship of the Line" and "Flying Colours". All are set during the Napoleonic wars roughly between 1807 and 1811. The great success of these stories led Forester to write a number of Hornblower prequels and sequels, all of which are still read widely. It also spawned a long list of successors, some of which are excellent although none fully measure up to Forester in my opinion.

Beat To Quarters introduces Hornblower taking HMS Lydia into the Pacific Ocean to insight a rebellion against the Spanish. The story takes a number of twists including Hornblower finding his ally is a madman, a change in the political situation and the introduction of Lady Barbara Wellesley, the fictional sister of the Duke of Wellington.

Ship of the Line finds Hornblower commanding HMS Sutherland for a cruise in the Mediterranean. Hornblower not only must face the French but he must deal with a superior officer who would like to see him fail.

Flying Colours begins where Ship of the Line ends. Hornblower is a prisoner in France and must find a way to escape.

I thought that I knew these stories fairly well having seen the 1951 film Captain Horatio Hornblower staring Gregory Peck. However the novel is quite different in several areas. Perhaps what surprised me the most was the level of violence, sex and swearing that was included in the novel. I hadn't expected the violence to be as graphic, the sex to be as obvious or the swearing to be present at all. The novel has a gritty realism that was not matched in the genre until the 70s.

Captain Horatio Hornblower was written when Forester was in his thirties and before he had thoroughly polished his craft. While it might have a few rough edges it is a tremendously powerful, action-filled novel. The shy, self-doubting, self-deprecating but outwardly implacable Hornblower is one of the great characters of adventure stories. If one were restricted to reading only one novel of "wooden ships and iron men" then that novel should be Captain Horatio Hornblower.

This is a great book and definately one of the best Hornblower books ever. All the ingredients for a great adventure story. Exotic locations, a mad dictator, romance, hardship, friendhsip and the big ship to ship dual with the Natividad is one of the best action scenes I've ever read (and I read a lot of Action/Adventure).

The whole Hornblower series is brilliant and I would recommend them to anyone who enjoys good rattling yarns.

"Captain Horatio Hormblower" was first published as "The Happy Return" in 1937. It was then renamed "Beat to Quarters." These books, unfortunately, stop on the return to England. But "Beat to Quarters" is available on Amazon.com. There are more reviews there.

Forester's main character, Gen Curzon, is from the old school, where one does not question orders, nor does one make waves. That being said, from a military leadership perspective, if one has a method, even if it doesnt work, it will continued to be used time and time again. Curzon's character is a representation of the level of British generalship in WWI. Unyielding, unimaginative, and willing to toe the line at all costs, with the blood and treasure of England.
The story has a humor woven throughout the narrative. It looks at Curzon's social climbing, his promotions (through no fault of his own, and his old school belief system. If it werent for the tradgedy of the hundred of thousands of lives which were expended based on the unimaginative battle techniques, it would be a very humorous story. Unfortunately, the death toll of WWI is a sobering reminder, thanks to Forester, of the repercussions of Generalship as displayed by Curzon.
HIghly recommended. An excellent insight into the class structure of the British Army of WWI.

This is one of the best books I have ever read. I bless the day many years ago--in college, I think--when I found it in a bookstore quite by accident (for I am not a naval buff and have read none of the Hornblower novels.) It was out of print for many years, and I welcome it back.

This is an anti-war novel written by a military historian who grieves over the way his country fought the Great War. It has parts which are hilariously funny (Curzon's courtship and marriage, the family he marries into, the wedding night (nothing graphic here, of course--Forester is a gentleman); it offers a scathing view of England's class system at work; it is dead right (is there a pun here?) in dealing with trench warfare.

Buy it, savor it, re-read it. If you happen to teach, assign it to your students along with All Quiet on the Western Front. This is a GREAT book!

Forester is best known for his works of historical fiction with maritime themes. _The African Queen_ and the exceptionally wonderful Hornblower series are his best known works. _The General_ takes a completely different tack on multiple levels.

- On a simple level, _The General_ is Forester's only foray into ground conflict. Herbert Curzon (the title character) is an "old school" cavalry man who is promoted (several times) during World War I and eventually has responsibility for large numbers of land forces: infantry, artillery, etc.

- On a deeper level, I think that this is Forester's "anti-war" tome. His subtle, yet indelible, criticisms of the bloody trench-war tactics wielded by Generals who believed in honor through sacrifice. Millions of young lives were sacrificed in useless and ridiculous frontal assaults that benefited only the casket makers.

Curzon is a mildly interesting character, consumed with his Generalship and taking only brief moments away from the war. During one such break, he meets his wife-to-be, the daughter of a Duke. His in-law peers are none too happy to have their daughter marrying "beneath her".

Without deeply analyzing Curzon's motives - which appear relatively pure - Forester makes it crystal clear that such social climbing had enormous benefits for one's military career. Curzon is portrayed as an honorable man. But he is not very bright, nor skilled tactically or strategically. He is exceptionally dutiful and is filled with a sense of honor at all cost. It is this belief among the British military leadership that leads to the needless deaths of so many.

Curzon learns little during the course of his successful military career. The same tactics are employed over and over again with dismal results.

I rate this book nine out of ten. If you haven't read Hornblower, you _must_ read the entire series first. It is not be missed. If you are already a Forester fan, read the _General_ for a completely different perspective on combat and the nature of conflict.

If you find this classic by Forester, snap it up. Written in a razor-sharp style, The Barbary Pirates recreates America's first formal naval engagement since the Revolutionary War. Stephen Decatur and the core of young naval officers at the heart of this remarkable story are more than American heroes, they are icons of dash and bravery, and intelligence. This book is an excellent introduction to one of the least-known periods of American history, a time when her Navy was young and the Barbary States---Morocco, Tunis, Tripoli and Algiers---terrorized the Mediterranean and Europe.

However, this is not a review. American Reprint Company of Mattituck, NY, does not have a license to reprint this book. I represent the American interests of the CS Forester estate (our agency is Harold Matson Co, Inc.) and can state without a doubt that American Reprint Co. and its ilk (like Amereon) repeatedly through the years illegally reprint works that are out of print. Every agent and publisher around has had unpleasant experiences with these pirate publishers. The fact that Amazon deals with them is amazing.

Between 1785 and 1805, the United States was at the mercy of the Barbary Pirates. The Barbary Pirates, actually fundamentalist Moslems, waged war against those who weren't Moslems. The Barbary States, Morocco, Algiers, and Tripoli, were engaged in a centuries long war with Christendom. They fought all of Christianity and enslaved their captives. When the American frigate USS Philadelphia was on blockade duty off Tripoli in 1804, she tried to capture the Tripolitans but ran aground on the shoals. To prevent her from falling into enemy hands, Steven Decatur, who said "My country right or wrong," burned the ship with the help of a Neapolitan ship, captured by Decatur and his men, and named the Intrepid. A MUST READ for anybody who loves history.

Horatio is self-analytical whilst being completely honourable; an 'old-fashioned' hero. CSF succeeds in developing the character as he weaves in the turmoil of HH's profession and -- somewhat ragged -- personal fortunes. A wonderful read!

I just finished reading _Mr. Midshipman Hornblower_. I also watched the A & E 4 part series based on the book. *LOVED IT! * But, then I also love Cornwell's _Sharpe_ series, and he says he wrote that because there were no more _Hornblower_ books. I also love Trek & see alot of similarity in the way Hornblower perceives duty to how Picard does, and how Kirk charges ahead where angels fear to tread as Hornblower does. I have also read Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/ Maturin and Weber's Honor Harrington-- both Hornblower and Sharpe are better soldiers and characters. There is little humanity to those officers, little questioning of duty or rightness of action. I look forward to reading _Lt. Hornblower_ and the next "New Frontier" Trek novels, by Peter David, another Hornblower-like captain. If you are interested in the _Hornblower_ series start with this book.

Just as the Hornblower novels were not written in chronological order, this combination is #1, 2 and, I think, 5 (Not counting the short story "Hornblower's Temptation" in book "H..during the Crisis"). Same with "Indomitable Hornblower" 3 novels in one cover, but not in sequence. Not knocking the Novels, but the concept seems odd

'Long Before Forty' is C. S. Forester's superbly written and wonderfully compelling autobiography. The first hundred pages deal with his growing up in England, his schoolboy adventures, and the beginnings of the thought process that would lead to his magnificent literary career. Next, Forester details his heartbreak and triumph as a budding writer. The third act of this wonderful work deals with the step-by-step, nuts-and-bolts way in which Forester constructed many of his most famous works, including the fantastic Hornblower series. This is a book for anyone who loves the author's thrilling novels and short stories, as well as for anyone who wishes to learn more about what it takes to write and not give up!

In his autobiography, Long Before Forty, C.S. Forester chronicles his life and details how he wrote his Hornblower series. This is a captivating book for anyone who has read the Horatio Hornblower books as well as anyone who is interested in the mysterious workings of the human mind. A unique and timeless book.

I bought this book 'blind' from Amazon. I had no knowledge of its contents and only my respect for C.S.Forester's writing to guide me. I had hoped it would be an explanation of naval warfare at the time of the Napoleonic wars. In fact it turned out to be a remarkable account of the Anglo-American conflict of 1812. My initial disapointment was largely offset by the quality of the book.

Forester's style is a rather odd mixture of American usages and occasionaly archaic English, (It reminded me vaguely of Churchill's).I also found his punctuation to be a little odd, though fashions do change in this matter, in spite of Fowler. His writing here is far less 'commercial' than the famed Hornblower series as is befitting a historical study rather than adventure fiction.

Those however are the only moot points of this critique. What is really remarkable is the degree and quality of the research that has gone into this book. Forester borders on the astounding.It is (sadly) rare to find a writer so thoroughly in command of all the aspects of his subject. Every relevant element of this conflict, from the quality of the armaments, the weather, through to the political situation, the journalism of the day and the opinions and abilities of the statesmen and military commanders, is honestly and I believe realisticly evaluated. Whilst he occasionally borders on the pedantic; the work is balanced by the excellent accounts of the sea battles. Readers familiar with 'Hornblower' may find these accounts lack high drama - no-one puts out quarter inch shell fuses with their fingertips -but the precision and exactitude of the details are worthy compensations. This is not fiction, it is a well researched, well written documentary; by an author who is informed, conciencious and intelligent. An excellent book.

This fascinating and engaging book is the only critical/literary biography about novelist C S Forester (1899-1966) in print. It stands up very well as both a biography and a work of literary criticism. Lovers of the Horatio Hornblower novels, always hungry for more insights into the great captain's life, will find in this book a treasure trove, for a fictional character can only be truly understood when one knows more about the actual source of the character -- C S Forester. But this book covers all of Forester's major works, not just the Hornblower series. Author Sanford Sternlicht spins the tale of Forester's paradoxical and complex life and personality with the engaging touch of the novelist himself, but with the distance necessary for a critical biography. Sternlicht provides compelling and thorough insights into nearly all of Forester's writings [the few exceptions being two plays, a children's book, and some non-Hornblower short fiction], which include his novels (The African Queen, The General, Payment Deferred, the entire Hornblower saga, Hunting the Bismarck, and many more), history (The Age of Fighting Sail, and others), biography (Josephine: Napoleon's Empress, and others), and two travelogues. Forester's appeal and great popularity as a writer of fiction is examined in detail by Mr Sternlicht, who clearly knows his subject matter well. This is a revised edition of the 1981 first edition published by G. K. Hall, one of the TWAYNE'S ENGLISH AUTHOR SERIES books. Having read both editions, I can say without hesitation that the revised edition is a fresh and informative as the first, and that it is indeed a "revised" edition, with considerably more detail provided about Forester's home life (Sternlicht acknowledges new sources of information, including the significant addition of Forester's oldest son, John).

Forester's writing has a tremendous true-to-life, "verismo" quality which transports the reader into the time and place of the novel in hand. He achieved this by having an almost encyclopedic knowledge of those times and places, and by being able to put that knowledge to brilliant use in the some of the most fascinating books I have ever read, books which bear many, many readings and which stand up so well to those readings that one is left wanting even more Forester to read. He was truly a giant of popular culture, not just in America and Britain but worldwide, from the late 1930's to the 1960's. Sanford Sternlicht provides a very welcome door into the life and works of C S Forester, and this new book will be a very welcome addition to your bookshelf.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the adventures of Hornblower and the way he was able to capture the Natividad, a much larger ship. Ioan Gruffudd knows how to use his acting abilities to portray the emotions of the characters such as Hornblower, Bush, and Lady Barbara. I honestly could not tell that it was his voice doing the characters which makes for a very entertaining listen.