Lieutenant Hornblower by C. S. Forester
Aug. 28th, 2022 09:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
regshoeLieutenant Hornblower (1952) is the seventh Hornblower book in publication order, the second in internal chronology and was sanguinity's recommendation for which one I should read next to get a feel for the better parts of the series. This was a good idea!
The book opens with the first meeting between Hornblower and Bush, currently both lieutenants—and Bush senior to Hornblower, which was an interesting contrast to later events. They are bound for the Caribbean, on a mysterious mission having something to do with confounding the plans of the Spanish and a ship commanded by a tyrannical, unreasonable and abusive captain. The first few chapters establish quite how miserable the captain is going to make this voyage for them, the other lieutenants and everyone else; but then... he very fortunately and mysteriously has a fall down a hatchway, and his physical and mental state following the accident are such as oblige the other officers to relieve him of command. The first lieutenant, Buckland, takes charge; Hornblower and Bush both move up a rung of the carefully delineated hierarchy of lieutenants; and the ship goes on its way to Hispaniola, where a series of dramatic and variously successful battles with the Spanish ensue. But what, our lieutenants constantly worry, will the naval command in Jamaica make of their decision to oust the captain—and might a poor showing in those dramatic battles lead to a harsher judgement on them?...
I enjoyed this one! The book is written mostly from Bush's point of view—though Forester does a certain amount of slightly inelegant head-hopping—and so we get to see Hornblower a) from the outside and b) through the eyes of Bush, who thinks Hornblower is perfect. He's as intelligent, courageous and resourceful as the most ideal naval officer could hope to be; his hands tracing out the ship's route on a map on the table are so deft and beautiful; he's so maddeningly reticent about his feelings in general and what he knows about the captain's accident in particular... Bush himself is rather less likeable as a POV character, being cheerfully prejudiced against Spaniards, pressed men, less-than-perfect naval officers, etc. (there's a hilarious bit where Hornblower's behaviour makes Bush think he might be a coward, and he's like 'Well, if he's a coward then I take back everything I said about how amazing he is, that's the worst!'). But his view of Hornblower is so entertaining, and their developing friendship so sweet, that I liked them both anyway. At one point Bush, injured in a dramatic shipboard battle, is in hospital and Hornblower brings him some of the local tropical fruits—including what's only the second pineapple Hornblower has ever seen! That's true love, surely.
The twists and turns of the plot, with those dramatic descriptions of battle, were also very good fun—there are some especially memorable bits about the use of red-hot cannonballs when firing on ships, first employed by the Spanish against our heroes, who then turn the tables on them. The main action takes place on and around the Samaná peninsula in what's now the Dominican Republic; for some reason the publishers of the edition I read chose for a cover illustration an old map of the area which clearly shows Samaná as an island, and this confused me for a bit as the characters talked about crossing over to it on the mainland and referred to it as a peninsula. But I looked it up on a modern map and it is definitely a peninsula, so there you go.
From the vivid and ghastly picture in the early chapters of life on a ship under an arbitrary tyrant of a captain, to the lieutenants' worries about how their decision to relieve the captain of command will be taken by their superiors, to all the rest of the talk about promotion and hierarchy and How Things Work Here in Nelson's Navy, this book also seemed much more explicitly aware than The Happy Return of how horrible an environment the Navy is and of the mental toll that takes on the characters. Even though Hornblower's thoughts are not described directly to us here, it's much clearer how his messed-up patterns of thought result directly from the demands the Navy makes of him. Actually I think Bush's POV, with his observation of Hornblower's changes in mood and self-imposed emotionless Perfect Officer facade, and his more straightforward sympathy with Hornblower's human side, helped quite a bit.
The main plot of the book finishes about three-quarters of the way through, with our lieutenants found not guilty of mutiny against the captain and Hornblower promoted to commander, and the rest of the book is spent on a digression about what happens during the immediately intervening peace of Amiens—Bush on half-pay, and Hornblower without even that due to an unfortunate administrative situation, struggling to make ends meet in Portsmouth. In some ways this bit felt more like the beginning of a book—before war starts up again and the adventure continues!—than the ending, and it's certainly an odd pacing choice. However, there's a lot more in there about Hornblower's carefully concealed emotions and his terrible suffering and how much Bush loves him, so it was pretty enjoyable anyway. :D
I think my plan is to go back to publication order after this—so A Ship of the Line next, and then Flying Colours, which I'm assured contains some very good hurt/comfort.
sanguinity's recommendation for which one I should read next to get a feel for the better parts of the series. This was a good idea!The book opens with the first meeting between Hornblower and Bush, currently both lieutenants—and Bush senior to Hornblower, which was an interesting contrast to later events. They are bound for the Caribbean, on a mysterious mission having something to do with confounding the plans of the Spanish and a ship commanded by a tyrannical, unreasonable and abusive captain. The first few chapters establish quite how miserable the captain is going to make this voyage for them, the other lieutenants and everyone else; but then... he very fortunately and mysteriously has a fall down a hatchway, and his physical and mental state following the accident are such as oblige the other officers to relieve him of command. The first lieutenant, Buckland, takes charge; Hornblower and Bush both move up a rung of the carefully delineated hierarchy of lieutenants; and the ship goes on its way to Hispaniola, where a series of dramatic and variously successful battles with the Spanish ensue. But what, our lieutenants constantly worry, will the naval command in Jamaica make of their decision to oust the captain—and might a poor showing in those dramatic battles lead to a harsher judgement on them?...
I enjoyed this one! The book is written mostly from Bush's point of view—though Forester does a certain amount of slightly inelegant head-hopping—and so we get to see Hornblower a) from the outside and b) through the eyes of Bush, who thinks Hornblower is perfect. He's as intelligent, courageous and resourceful as the most ideal naval officer could hope to be; his hands tracing out the ship's route on a map on the table are so deft and beautiful; he's so maddeningly reticent about his feelings in general and what he knows about the captain's accident in particular... Bush himself is rather less likeable as a POV character, being cheerfully prejudiced against Spaniards, pressed men, less-than-perfect naval officers, etc. (there's a hilarious bit where Hornblower's behaviour makes Bush think he might be a coward, and he's like 'Well, if he's a coward then I take back everything I said about how amazing he is, that's the worst!'). But his view of Hornblower is so entertaining, and their developing friendship so sweet, that I liked them both anyway. At one point Bush, injured in a dramatic shipboard battle, is in hospital and Hornblower brings him some of the local tropical fruits—including what's only the second pineapple Hornblower has ever seen! That's true love, surely.
The twists and turns of the plot, with those dramatic descriptions of battle, were also very good fun—there are some especially memorable bits about the use of red-hot cannonballs when firing on ships, first employed by the Spanish against our heroes, who then turn the tables on them. The main action takes place on and around the Samaná peninsula in what's now the Dominican Republic; for some reason the publishers of the edition I read chose for a cover illustration an old map of the area which clearly shows Samaná as an island, and this confused me for a bit as the characters talked about crossing over to it on the mainland and referred to it as a peninsula. But I looked it up on a modern map and it is definitely a peninsula, so there you go.
From the vivid and ghastly picture in the early chapters of life on a ship under an arbitrary tyrant of a captain, to the lieutenants' worries about how their decision to relieve the captain of command will be taken by their superiors, to all the rest of the talk about promotion and hierarchy and How Things Work Here in Nelson's Navy, this book also seemed much more explicitly aware than The Happy Return of how horrible an environment the Navy is and of the mental toll that takes on the characters. Even though Hornblower's thoughts are not described directly to us here, it's much clearer how his messed-up patterns of thought result directly from the demands the Navy makes of him. Actually I think Bush's POV, with his observation of Hornblower's changes in mood and self-imposed emotionless Perfect Officer facade, and his more straightforward sympathy with Hornblower's human side, helped quite a bit.
The main plot of the book finishes about three-quarters of the way through, with our lieutenants found not guilty of mutiny against the captain and Hornblower promoted to commander, and the rest of the book is spent on a digression about what happens during the immediately intervening peace of Amiens—Bush on half-pay, and Hornblower without even that due to an unfortunate administrative situation, struggling to make ends meet in Portsmouth. In some ways this bit felt more like the beginning of a book—before war starts up again and the adventure continues!—than the ending, and it's certainly an odd pacing choice. However, there's a lot more in there about Hornblower's carefully concealed emotions and his terrible suffering and how much Bush loves him, so it was pretty enjoyable anyway. :D
I think my plan is to go back to publication order after this—so A Ship of the Line next, and then Flying Colours, which I'm assured contains some very good hurt/comfort.
no subject
Date: Aug. 28th, 2022 04:46 pm (UTC)On Bush's opinions and how they affect his likability -- I always thought it odd that the fandom brushes all those pro-brutality, pro-prejudice opinions aside to make him their pet teddy bear. (She says, as if she herself doesn't cherish William Bush!) But as you point out, the strength of his loyalty and affection for Hornblower does a very great deal to endear him to the reader.
(btw,
Forester is sometimes a bit odd in his choice of how to end a novel, but this one is notably so with that long Portsmouth coda. (The movies shift the Peace of Amiens section to the beginning of the next story, Hotspur, which canonically begins two weeks after Lieutenant ends. And it works well there: the Portsmouth bit about marrying Maria and getting the new ship fits very smoothly as the opening to Hotspur.) My own suspicion about why Lieutenant ends so late is so that Forester can sneak Wellard's death in there, thereby leaving Hornblower as the only man standing who knows for certain what happened to Sawyer. (And Hornblower will never tell!)
Yes, the pineapple scene in hospital is wonderful -- in the fandom, pineapples are very much the symbol of their love and affection. (I hesitate to say how many pineapples I've written into my own stories!) I'm also very fond of Hornblower running to Bush when he's wounded and cradling his head in his hands -- and Bush smiles, because it's Hornblower. Aw! I also like the lemonade, and Hornblower throwing himself to his knees by Bush's stretcher when he's brought up on deck for transfer to the hospital. (Throwing oneself to one's knees beside your
beloved'sfriend's stretcher is always a good look!)it's much clearer how his messed-up patterns of thought result directly from the demands the Navy makes of him.
Yup, yup. It's a prominent theme in Mr. Midshipman and Hotspur, too, the two novels that immediately bookend this one by internal chronology.
Huzzah, I'm so glad you enjoyed Lieutenant! I'm interested to hear what you make of Ship of the Line, and I look forward to you getting into the juicy h/c of Flying Colours.
no subject
Date: Aug. 29th, 2022 10:01 am (UTC)Yes, I can see those differences between Bush and Hornblower leading to some interesting conflict between them, if Hornblower was only a little bit more open about his feelings to Bush... hmm. I like the idea about Georgian vs. 20th-century standards, that's an ingenious interpretation.
My own suspicion about why Lieutenant ends so late is so that Forester can sneak Wellard's death in there, thereby leaving Hornblower as the only man standing who knows for certain what happened to Sawyer. (And Hornblower will never tell!)
Aha, another ingenious theory!
in the fandom, pineapples are very much the symbol of their love and affection.
This is unfortunately hilarious to me, because in Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, another of my fandoms, pineapples represent one major character's descent into deliberate magically-induced madness (for complicated plot reasons, involving pineapples). Ah well, it's a versatile symbol :D However, the head-cradling moment was definitely another favourite of mine, and Hornblower falling to his knees beside Bush's stretcher is also excellent (as is the following, 'Careful with those slings,' snapped Hornblower—ah, these emotionally repressed characters and their strong emotions...)
And I look forward to all those other books!
no subject
Date: Aug. 30th, 2022 02:01 am (UTC)Re the Portsmouth coda, it may also be that Forester was trying to shove all his thoughts about Bush and Hornblower's first years together in there while he had the chance. After finishing Lieutenant, it was a full decade before Forester came back to that era of Hornblower's life.
btw, do you have any theory of (or even interest for) how Sawyer came to fall?
no subject
Date: Aug. 30th, 2022 05:51 pm (UTC)Well, there you go, then, perhaps it is an appropriate fandom parallel. :D
Re the Portsmouth coda, it may also be that Forester was trying to shove all his thoughts about Bush and Hornblower's first years together in there while he had the chance.
That's understandable! And very nice it was too, although I was slightly annoyed at Forester apparently going out of his way to avert the 'only one bed' trope so deliberately. :P
btw, do you have any theory of (or even interest for) how Sawyer came to fall?
I mean, I assume he was leaning over the hatchway and Hornblower gave him a shove, but will never ever admit to it... I don't think there'd be so much focus on Hornblower Not Saying Anything About It if he had nothing to do with it! What are your theories?
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Date: Aug. 30th, 2022 06:16 pm (UTC)What are your theories?
I think Hornblower was protecting Wellard. If Hornblower, master strategist, was gonna off his captain, he wouldn't leave it to chance -- that push could have come out much more badly for everyone. I don't think even Hornblower's sleep-dep can explain how sloppily it was done, given how cogently he was arguing during the mutiny planning session that one must keep the eventual Court of Inquiry and its biases in mind.
No, I think Wellard was the one who, seeing Sawyer leaning over the open hatch, impulsively pushed him in, and Hornblower, first on the scene, took charge and arranged a cover-up.
no subject
Date: Aug. 31st, 2022 04:14 pm (UTC)I think Hornblower was protecting Wellard. If Hornblower, master strategist, was gonna off his captain, he wouldn't leave it to chance -- that push could have come out much more badly for everyone.
Oh, of course, that makes a lot more sense! (Although, hmm, I think that makes the nosy questions the other characters keep asking Hornblower about it somewhat worse, if they're asking him to give someone else away rather than admit to something he did...).
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Date: Aug. 31st, 2022 04:34 pm (UTC)(Although, hmm, I think that makes the nosy questions the other characters keep asking Hornblower about it somewhat worse, if they're asking him to give someone else away rather than admit to something he did...)
It also explains Hornblower's absolute refusal to say anything about what happened, even in confidence, even to someone he likes and trusts. If his silence was only on his own behalf, maybe he'd give Bush the hint during the Peace of Amiens (or maybe not, but he might!) But if he was protecting someone else? Never. He's taking that to his grave.
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Date: Aug. 31st, 2022 07:07 pm (UTC)It also explains Hornblower's absolute refusal to say anything about what happened, even in confidence, even to someone he likes and trusts.
So it does! I wonder whether Bush basically knows what happened and just wants Hornblower to confirm it (this is what I thought while reading, but if I got it wrong then I can't really assume that :P ), or whether he has no idea and is really curious? I hope he does realise that Hornblower is shielding Wellard, so he can admire him even more for it.
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Date: Sep. 1st, 2022 04:30 pm (UTC)*slaps Bush's roof* This bad boy can fit so much admiration in it...!
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Date: Sep. 1st, 2022 05:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Aug. 29th, 2022 03:47 am (UTC)Bush is totally my pet. I will admit it to all the world. Also a man of his time, o'course. Have you come across the Bolitho books? Thomas Herrick, the sidekick in those books, is even more of a teddy-bear and even more adorable.
no subject
Date: Aug. 29th, 2022 10:07 am (UTC)Have you come across the Bolitho books?
No, I hadn't! Even more cool naval books, excellent :D —and Thomas Herrick sounds lovely.