Lord Hornblower

By: C. S. Forester

Narrated by: Christian Rodska

Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Exclusively from Audible

Having received strict and confidential orders from high above, C.S. Forester's inimitable hero must recapture The Flame, a brig which has been taken over by a band of mutineers. Voyaging to the Bay of Seine in order to rescue the captive Lieutenant Augustin Chadwick from his disloyal crew, Horatio Hornblower must once more fight for the freedom and safety of his people and country.

In an unexpected turn of events, the now world-weary captain Hornblower is propelled towards the gates of his mortal enemy: Napoleon Bonaparte. Having spent a lifetime trying to defeat the French empire, Horatio is desperate to overthrow his opponents once and for all, but with so many odds against him, the threat of failure hangs in the air.

Hailed by the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Sir Winston Churchill for being 'admirable and vastly entertaining,' C.S. Forester became a hugely influential 20th-century author.

Born in Cairo, raised in London and buried in California, the metropolitan writer experienced huge success with his Horatio Hornblower series as well as with his later works, The African Queen and The Good Shepherd.

His literary genius is perfectly encapsulated within this endlessly entertaining narrative, and his heroic protagonist draws us in to another titillating journey through the Napoleonic wars.

Narrator Biography

Christian Rodska is an English television and voice actor best known for his role in the 1970s series Follyfoot.

From the The Monuments Men and The Eagle of the Ninth to The Likely Lads, Z Cars, The Tomorrow People, Coronation Street, Bergerac and Casualty, his extensive and diverse acting career has led him to become a highly solicited radio and audiobook narrator.

He has now voiced over 150 unabridged audiobooks including Winston Churchill's biographies, Evelyn Waugh's Men at Arms and Sebastian Faulks' A Possible Life. He has been praised for his ability to vary in vocal pace and style, and as such, Christian boasts 12 Earphone Awards from Audiofile Magazine.

©1946 C.S. Forester (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

I've never read a Hornblower book that wasn't well worth reading

Napoleon's return gives little joy to a war weary world and Hornblower is caught in the middle of it all. Far from the sea and yet in some very hot water. Can he escape from the French Empire's "justice"?

Excellent but not my favorite Hornblower

Like all of the Hornblower series, this is a great read though probably my least favorite of the series. Hornblower seems to be a little inconsistent from the established, a few things are left unfinished, and his decisions seems to be inconsistently unwise. Still, a good read.

Review

Great story. Well said and wonderful description of this period in English history.
Highly recommended.

Good story, great reading

Christian Rodske's narration is brilliant as always. I preferred the first part of the story, where Hornblower is sent to deal with a mutiny, to the later part where he's in France. Perhaps it's because one feels that Hornblower is at his best when on a ship.

First in a Line

This is arguably the best of the Hornblower series. It is the only one to get a R rating. Although, the other writers who followed the amazing line of British Frigate captains, and war heroes such a Anson, Nelson, St Vincent and many more. However, we only rember The unfortunate Sacred whose ship Guerriere fell victim to Constitution, we haven't seen a novel featuring Chesapeake v. Shannon. You don't build warships of that day out of fir.

Classic

Some novels are perfect for listening in the car. Well written, fast paced, amusing, plot-driven. When the narrator is talented a three hour drive disappears. The Hornblower series is perfect for this and this narrator is as well.

Great story telling! Great narration!

Why doesn't Audible have the last book in the series????? Why???

well written and well read!

Hornblower ' s Brilliance in War is Always a Treat

The excellent Hornblower series is well represented with this addition. Forester has a way of so enveloping you in the thought process of Hornblower, this marvel of stategy, contrasted with his shortcomings that you find his adventures irresistible. Masterfully read as well. Listen to the audio books in order of his career not the order they were originally written for best effect.

Good Read

Would you consider the audio edition of Lord Hornblower to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print edition, I have only listened to the series.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The pllot was very good. However the part where he leads the rebellion was far fetched.

What does Christian Rodska bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Christian Rodska was perfect for this read.

Not as fulfilling as the others

Lord Hornblower is good, but not great when contrasted with the other books of this genre. I found it difficult to reconcile this version of Hornblower with the faithful character of previous novels. This novel seems to be a study of his frailties and is at times bordering on something non of the other books were in the slightest....slightly boring.