Hornblower and the Atropos by C.S. Forester

Midshipman Hornblower or Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies. But it's not so disconnected that one can read it as a series of interesting short stories, like Mr. There's no strong throughline it comes across as a series of random incidents at a random point in Hornblower's career. It's good overall, but it just lacks a certain overall something that made it the weakest of the Hornblower novels I've read thus far.On this publication order reread, where it's the eighth book, I would rank it as the weakest with the exception of Commodore Hornblower.

(The last line is a killer.) Not to say that the middle is bad, in fact it's frequently good, what with a German prince and his short-tempered doctor serving aboard Atropos, a diving expedition to recover lost treasure, and a man who gets shot in a duel but grits his teeth and carries on for several days anyway. The high points are definitely the beginning, with the canal trip and Nelson's funeral, and the end, with the escape from the Turks, the capturing of Castilla, and the coming of pox to Hornblower's family. I enjoyed this, but for the first time, I felt as though I was reading 'just another' outing in the Hornblower saga. On my original chronological readthrough of the series, where this is the fifth book, I found it the most disappointing so far: At the center of each adventure is Hornblower, Forester's most inspired creation, whose blend of cautious preparation and spirited execution dazzles friend and foe alike.Hornblower and the Atroposby C. S. Soon Atropos is part of the Mediterranean Fleet's harassment of Napoleon, recovering treasure that lies deep in Turkish waters and boldly challenging a Spanish frigate several times her size. Her first assignment under Hornblower's command is as flagship for the funeral procession of Lord Nelson. ' In the wake of a humbling incident aboard a canal boat in the Cotswolds, young Captain Horatio Hornblower arrives in London to take command of the Atropos, a 22-gun sloop barely large enough to require a captain. Very Good Condition, some edge and shelf wear, some rubbing to edges and corners, slight lean, dust-jacket shows some edge and shelf wear, some rubbing, chipping, creasing and small tears to edges and corners (see photographs) Michael Joseph, 1953, hardcover, dust-jacket

Hornblower and the Atropos by C.S. Forester