C. S. ForesterCecil Scott "C.S." Forester was the pen name of Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (1899—1966), an English novelist who rose to fame with tales of naval warfare including the now famous series about Horatio Hornblower. He was born in Cairo and educated at Alleyn's School, Dulwich College, and Guy's Hospital, although he did not complete his studies.

During World War II, Forester moved to the United States where he wrote propaganda to encourage that country to join the Allies. He eventually settled in Berkeley, California.

The Hornblower series is mainly set within the period of the great wars with France during which our hero is promoted from Midshipman to Commodore & a peer of the realm. Books from the series have been made into a film and a television series. He also wrote a stand alone HNF novel.

Series: Horatio Hornblower

Year  Book  Comment
    Born
     At 17 joins Royal Navy as a Midshipman aboard Justinian when he becomes famous for being seasick in Spithead
1794 Mr. Midshipman Hornblower Transferred to Indefatigable under the command of Sir Edward Pellew Hornblower is assigned a number of duties until he is taken prisoner whilst in command of a prize La Reve
1796 The Hand of Destiny Lt. Hornblower negotiates a mutiny (Short story)
1799 Hornblower & the Widow McCool
(aka Hornblower's Temptation)
Lt. Hornblower joins Renown and the Channel Fleet where he has dealings with a captured Irish rebel (Short story)
1801 Lieutenant Hornblower With a mad captain Renown is sent to the Caribbean. Hornblower plays a leading role in guiding the ships officers and is promoted Commander & given Retribution. However with the Peace of Amiens declared his promotion is not confirmed.
1803 Hornblower & the Hotspur Promoted to Commander Hornblower is given the sloop Hotspur and as part of the channel fleet blockades Brest
1805 Hornblower & the Crisis
(aka Hornblower During the Crisis)
Hornblower is sent to Spain as a spy to try and get the combined fleet to sail. He is successful & the Battle of Trafalgar follows.
1806 Hornblower & the Atropos Promoted Captain he is given the sloop Atropos. After arranging Nelson's funeral he is sent to the Mediterranean & Turkey
1808 The Happy Return
(aka Beat to Quarters)
Given command of the Frigate Lydia he sails to the pacific to aid a rebellion against Spain by her colonies.
1810 A Ship of the Line Given command of the Sutherland he joins a Mediterranean squadron. His ship is sunk engaging superior numbers in Rosas bay. He is taken prisoner
1810 Hornblower's Charitable Offering Captain Hornblower encounters marooned prisoners of war (short story)
1810 Flying Colours Escaping his captors he travels across France to Nantes where he recaptures the cutter Witch of Endor & escapes
1812 Hornblower and His Majesty Hornblower commands the Royal Yacht Augusta (short story)
1812 The Commodore
(aka Commodore Hornblower)
Promoted Commodore he is given a squadron & sent to the Baltic where he aids the Russians
1814 Lord Hornblower Recovering from fever Hornblower is sent to quell a mutiny aboard a brig in the Bay of the Seine. He arranges the surrender of Le Harve and takes part in the final defeat of Napoleon.
1818 Hornblower in the West Indies
(aka Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies)
Admiral Lord Hornblower is Commander in Chief of the West Indies station
1848 The Last Encounter The retired Admiral of the Fleet encounters a descendant of Napoleon
(Short story)
Omnibus editions
  The Young Hornblower Content varies dependant upon publisher/publication date
  Captain Hornblower R.N. Hornblower and the Atropos, The Happy ReturnA Ship of the Line
  Admiral Hornblower Flying Colours, The Commodore, Lord HornblowerHornblower in the West Indies
  Captain Horatio Hornblower Beat to Quarters, A Ship of the LineFlying Colours
  The Indomitable Hornblower Commodore Hornblower, Lord HornblowerAdmiral Hornblower in the West Indies
  Horatio Hornblower The CommodoreLord Hornblower
  Hornblower one more time The Hand of Destiny, Hornblower's Charitable Offering, Hornblower and His Majesty
  Hornblower Addendum - 5 Stories The Hand of Destiny, Hornblower & the Widow McCool, Hornblower's Charitable Offering, Hornblower and His Majesty, The Last Encounter
     
  The Hornblower Companion A series companion from the author describes all the incidents as they appeared in the ten novels

 

Series: n/a
1813 The Captain from Connecticut Features Captain Josiah Peabody, USN.

AOS Naval Non Fiction

Series: n/a
  Nelson A Biography of the famous Admiral
  The Age of Fighting Sail : the Story of the Naval War of 1812 A look at the Naval War of 1812
  The Barbary Pirates The US expedition Including the first landing on foreign soil by the US Marines.

AOS Other Nautical Fiction

Series: n/a
  To the Indies A Spanish Don joins  one of Columbus's last voyages.

 


Modern Era Naval Fiction

Series:
Year Book Comment
WWI Brown on Resolution
(aka Single-Handed)
A seaman alone on an Island must fight a German Battleship
WWII The Good Shepherd 48 hours in the life of an American escort commander during the Battle of the Atlantic
WWII The Ship Five light British cruisers must get a vital convoy to Malta.
WWII Hunting the Bismarck
(aka The Last Nine Days of the Bismarck
or Sink the Bismarck)
The  hunt for the German battleship Bismarck
Short Story Anthologies
WWII The Man in the Yellow Raft  
WWII Gold from Crete  

The author’s official web site is (The C.S.Forester Society)

Link to forum for this author

© 2008-2023 David Hayes (Astrodene)