katekintailbc | Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies by C.S. Forester (Reply)

Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies
C.S. Forester
(Audio)

I held off reading this for a very long time because deep down, I just didn't want the series to end. Knowing that there will be more Hornblower movies made me depressed so I didn't want to finish the books either.

I'm glad I waited a while, because this book was definitely worth building up anticipation to. (If that makes sense; I'm not sure it does) This book had everything- guy bonding moments, uncertain!Hornblower, storms and dire circumstances, morality checks, BRILLIANT saves and clever plans from Hornblower, true love, angst, joy, and a lot more.

The first bit about Hornblower being asked to sacrifice the one thing he holds above his life- his honour- for the good of all felt slightly contrived but the way Horatio agonized over it was fantastic to earread. And the way the situation is resolved made me SO happy.

That mission on its own would have made a great book. But then it kept going with so much more! There's a run-in with a slave ship and some fun, clever manipulation. There are regal parties (I love seeing Hornblower in a stuffy dress uniform when he'd rather be back on his ship) and restless!Hornblower wishing he could just take charge the way he did when he was a captain. Oh, and then he's KIDNAPPED! By PIRATES, no less! He has to deal with abandoning Spendlove to the pirates, which just about broke my heart. That also had a pretty convenient and tidy solution but made me smile and worry a dozen times over. But the adventures don't stop there, even! Hornblower meets one of the world's first millionaires... who isn't at all what he seems, and leads to a huge battle with all the sort of strategy and maneuvering I've come to love in these books. Then, just as Hornblower has to step down from command and is lamenting that, Barbara comes to accompany him home. Their small ship is targeted by a hurricane that half the crew don't survive. But of course Barbara and her dearest husband (not to be confused with her other husband, who isn't her dearest) do and the love between them has never been so strong and beautiful. It's smarmy and too-sweet but it's Hornblower and, damnit, the man deserves every bit of it for once!

As a Hornblower book, this one ranks right up there among my favorites. I know it's not everyone's favorite, and it's full of problems and inconsistencies (as the whole series is). But I love the characters and as far as what they go through, this book makes me incredibly happy. I'm sure I shall re-read it in years to come. I'm so glad the last one in the series was such a great one!