Specify Appertaining To Books Beat to Quarters (Hornblower Saga: Chronological Order #6)
Title | : | Beat to Quarters (Hornblower Saga: Chronological Order #6) |
Author | : | C.S. Forester |
Book Format | : | Paperback |
Book Edition | : | Deluxe Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 324 pages |
Published | : | September 30th 1985 by Back Bay Books (first published 1937) |
Categories | : | Historical. Historical Fiction. Fiction. Adventure. Classics |
C.S. Forester
Paperback | Pages: 324 pages Rating: 4.28 | 9323 Users | 346 Reviews
Commentary To Books Beat to Quarters (Hornblower Saga: Chronological Order #6)
June 1808, somewhere west of Nicaragua-a site suitable for spectacular sea battles. The Admiralty has ordered Captain Horatio Hornblower, now in command of the thirty-six-gun HMS Lydia, to form an alliance against the Spanish colonial government with an insane Spanish landowner; to find a water route across the Central American isthmus; and "to take, sink, burn or destroy" the fifty-gun Spanish ship of the line Natividad or face court-martial. A daunting enough set of orders-even if the happily married captain were not woefully distracted by the passenger he is obliged to take on in Panama: Lady Barbara Wellesley.
List Books During Beat to Quarters (Hornblower Saga: Chronological Order #6)
ISBN: | 0316289329 (ISBN13: 9780316289320) |
Edition Language: | English |
Series: | Hornblower Saga: Chronological Order #6, Hornblower Saga: Publication Order #1 |
Characters: | Horatio Hornblower |
Rating Appertaining To Books Beat to Quarters (Hornblower Saga: Chronological Order #6)
Ratings: 4.28 From 9323 Users | 346 ReviewsComment On Appertaining To Books Beat to Quarters (Hornblower Saga: Chronological Order #6)
I quite enjoyed "Beat to Quarters" and thought it was a fine sea-adventure tale; I didn't understand most of the nautical terms used so some of the action probably went over my head--however, I never felt lost or completely confused. I enjoyed the writing style, which was pleasant and easy to read, with plenty of humorous touches. The ocean battles were exciting and dramatic; Hornblower was a good character, and the strategies he uses were interesting and never boring.The first time I read Beat to Quarters I was 15 years old, and I loved it. I loved the adventure of a seven month voyage to Central Americas western coast, I loved the murderous and megalomaniacal villain, I loved the sound of all the nautical terms I didnt understand, and I loved the action, especially the epic final battle between the Lydia and the Natividad.Coming back to it more than two decades later, it is a pleasure to discover that I like it even better at 43. I now appreciate just how
I have never thought about the total allegiance a crew would need to have towards their captain and how the captain would go about establishing such respect. This book was a little heavy on the 'ship' side for me (descriptions of ship life - running a ship, steering a ship, etc) so I skipped over some pages. Overall it is a good read. For some reason, I really liked the El Supremo character, a crazy, maniac of a leader but kind of fun for me to picture. Maybe my kids should call me "La Suprema".

***May contain Spoilers***"Beat to Quarters" has introduced me to a fantastic character in seaman Horatio Hornblower. The notes on the author claim that Hornblower is one of the most famous English heroes, rivaled only by Sherlock Holmes (and of course, James Bond). This is a marine naval story with fantastic battles between ships, good detail about what it's like to be months or years at sea, and touching aspects to how relationships develop in close quarters. I really enjoyed the
Wow, the half of series.I would never have thought that I ever would hold Beat to Quarters (The Happy Return) in my hands. Is it the passion for naval stories or the passion for English-written books that brought it to me? Could I ever imagine of reading at least some of the H. H. stories? Yes, I could. But I have to admit that my imagination often overtakes my own skills...It is apparent that Beat to Quarters was written first, maybe because H. H. is not the same as in previous books; and
Before there was "Master and Commander," there was Horatio Hornblower. The name might sound goofy to modern ears, but for a few generations, it has been synonymous with high seas adventure in the age of sail. Created in the late 1930s by C. S. Forester, the character has endured a long, successful series of novels and short stories, a feature film starring Gregory Peck, and a series of TV movies starring Ioan Gruffold. It even influenced other pop culture pieces, such as Star Trek. The director
Hornblower was the inspiration for Star Trek's Captain James Kirk, as well as Cornwell's Sharpe. Hornblower is more cerebral and socially awkward than Kirk, more educated and refined than Sharpe. In his own right, Hornblower is certainly an engaging and complex character and the series is an interesting study in leadership, and a fascinating portrait of life at sea in the age of sail. Beat to Quarters (The Happy Return in British editions) is sixth chronologically, but was the first one
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