Horatio Hornblower
Feb. 28th, 2010 12:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kindkitI've started reading the Horatio Hornblower novels. They're short and sort of popcorny, so I'm already on the third one. This is my impression of the books so far:
Needless to say, I'm enjoying them quite a lot.
Captain Hornblower: I must speak to no one, lest any human contact besmirch my PERFECT STRONG SILENT MASCULINITY. So I'll just stalk around scowling and privately doubting my perfect strong silent masculinity. And hating myself. OMG I'M SO LONELY.
Lt. Bush: *casts longing looks*
A Crisis: *approaches*
Hornblower: Jargonize the topsails! Obfuscate the futtock-shrouds!
Bush: Have I mentioned how much I admire you? I mean, in the last five minutes or so? Because I really, really admire you.
Hornblower: Ha hm. *goes away blushing and thinks about how much he admires the brave and manly Bush LOOK I DIDN'T NAME THE CHARACTER OKAY*
Another Crisis: *approaches*
Bush: Oh, look, another crisis! Perhaps there'll be a situation of terribly grave danger. Or I might be wounded. In either cases, I would then be permitted to hold your hand in a manly way.
Narrator: Bush loves Hornblower like a son. I said LIKE A SON. Yes. Really. Stop sniggering and listen to me!
Needless to say, I'm enjoying them quite a lot.
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Date: 2010-03-01 01:05 am (UTC)Because I read the first two by internal order and felt no pressing need to continue...but I think I'm missing out.
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Date: 2010-03-01 02:14 am (UTC)I think the first three published books (The Happy Return aka Beat to Quarters, A Ship of the Line, and Flying Colours) are worth reading in themselves if you're fond of Age of Sail stuff. And Flying Colours in particular is very slashy. I got bogged down midway through the next book, The Commodore, because Forester seemed to have mostly lost interest in characterization and the book turned into a dull slog through Napoleonic Wars battles. So I just skimmed the rest of that one and the next, Lord Hornblower, to follow Bush and the Hornblower-Bush friendship.
I do plan to read Mr. Midshipman Hornblower and Lieutenant Hornblower (especially the latter, for the Bush POV and the slashiness) but I'm definitely not feeling any urge to read the books that Bush isn't in.
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Date: 2010-03-01 02:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-01 02:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-01 02:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-01 02:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-01 02:37 am (UTC)I say, and then ctrl-click.