Lieutenant Hornblower

Better than the first one and a nice introduction to Mr. Bush's character. The writing is still neat and on the point.

This is the second Hornblower book chronologically and the seventh in publication order, and it’s a fun read. It is the only book written from a point of view other than Hornblower’s, and if you’re familiar with the characters it’s interesting to see him from Bush’s point of view (and to take a break from some of Hornblower’s neuroses), and if you’re not, this choice still works in a “Nick in the Great Gatsby” kind of way.

Especially since the relationship between Bush and Hornblower is at the heart of this volume, and it was great to watch that develop. There’s a lot of tension in the first quarter with Captain Sawyer, and Forrester is a good enough writer to make the quieter parts near the end tense, too, and the middle has a lot of action, but it’s the growing friendship between the title and viewpoint characters that kept me invested.

(I will note that the way Maria is written towards the end is very “written by a man in the 1950s” and Bush’s PoV does not help, so that may be something to be aware of.)

This is a book I remember enjoying when I was younger and it was fun to revisit.

This book is a mixed bag, in which Hornblower's luck runs back and forth between bad and good. He has his first meeting with Bush, who turns out to be a loyal colleague and friend. But they're both initially subject to the tyranny of an insane captain.

After they get past that, the middle part of the book is mostly relatively cheerful, and Hornblower's career seems to be progressing well; until peace is declared and he finds himself abandoned in poverty in England. As the book ends, war is looming again, and his career begins to recover.

Overall, the book shows the young Hornblower gaining confidence and maturity, and becoming fit for an independent command. His abilities help him to make his way forward even in dire circumstances.

Unfortunately, just as his luck is turning for the better, he saddles himself with a wife who doesn't suit him. I find Maria frankly tiresome, and she remains for the next five books (8 years of his life), mostly but not always offstage.