The Hornblower Companion

Rating:
Summary: Second Half Is More Interesting
Review: This book is basically divided into two parts - the first is a series of maps showing the areas where the various Hornblower books take place, and the routes he took. The information is pretty basic, and Forester doesn't go much into tactics or anything in detail - just a straight map and some comments. The second part, though, is practically a book on the "making of" Hornblower, his writing career and his insights into his own life and that of his fictional creation. This is where the real meat is, and well worth the price on its own. You realize how much of Forester was in Hornblower - of course, this is often true of many fictional characters, but here you can see the extent of the parallels in personality. Not essential for your Hornblower collection, but well worth a read nonetheless. For those with a desire for much more detail, track down C. Northecote Parkinson's "Life and Times of Horatio Hornblower, a fictional biography which is impeccably researched and "fills in the gaps" which Forester didn't chronicle about the naval hero.

Rating:
Summary: Gone through Hornblower and still hungry?
Review: We all are. This one will help, but you'll still be hungry. The Hornblower Companion is the best effort I've ever found to pull all the Hornblower books into a line and examine how they fit together. A reference book.

Rating:
Summary: Gone through Hornblower and still hungry?
Review: We all are. This one will help, but you'll still be hungry.

Rating:
Summary: Gone through Hornblower and still hungry?
Review: We all are. This one will help, but you'll still be hungry. The Hornblower Companion is the best effort I've ever found to pull all the Hornblower books into a line and examine how they fit together. A reference book.