Flying Colours

I like the entire series. I first read the series while attending Navy OCS MANY years ago. Forester was a popular author in his own lifetime and remains relevant even today. The stories of Hornblowers early life are specially endearing. Highly recommended for adolescents.

Well done, again. Would that the author was alive to continue his good works for those who appreciate his efforts.

Flying Colours is the final of the three books that chronicle Hornblower's career as a captain. Following immediately after the apocalyptic end to Ship of the Line, it follows Hornblower -- now awaiting trial for piracy by a furious Bonaparte -- as he tries to escape and get back to England.Following as it does after the most exciting book in the series, this is a bit of a letdown. It's slower and the drama is more in Hornblower's mind and heart than anywhere else. He faces not only execution at Napoleon's hands, but -- even if he escapes -- trial and ruin in England for his surrender of the Sutherland. His best friend Lt. Bush is crippled, he's cut off from his pregnant wife and secret love. He's at the lowest point of his life.Of course, you know he's not going to give up. Flying Colours contrasts the vivid action of the novels by showing Hornblower finding his courage in life -- willing to face his own personal problems and demons -- to find the will to go on and try to overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in his way.It is in this book that the drama of the two previous ones finally pays off. Other have spoiled the plot, but I will note that even if Horatio triumphs, it is not without sacrifice and loss. And the ending has suitable irony -- and fits perfectly with Hornblower's democratic character.The book does drag a little at times and I was disappointed that Hornblower seemed to forget about his surviving crew once he'd escaped. That knocks the rating down. But otherwise, this a stirring conclusion to the "Captain" trilogy and leaves enough plot threads open to send the reader off to buy the next volume.

Flying ColoursThis is the seventh book in the eleven volume Hornblower Saga following  Ship of the Line (Hornblower Saga) . Hornblower had been is the captain of the two decker, seventy-four gun, Dutch Built, HMS Sutherland. Today, we would refer to this ship as a Ship of the Battle Line or Battle ShipSome might consider the following to be spoilers+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++During the battle in the previous book Lieutenant Bush lost his foot and had to have a stump amputated. While I am not a physician, I have had substantial background in the health care field. It is obvious to me that the author has done some research on both amputations and rehabilitation (Physical Therapist might find those portions interesting (P.T. during the Napoleonic era).The next book in this series is  Commodore Hornblower (Hornblower, 9) . I guess the titles give away some information. If Hornblower made Commodore things must have worked out rather well.I really didn't expect to enjoy this volume as much as the first six. I'm not a big fan of a lot of introspectionAs Plato asked, "...why should we not calmly and patiently review our own thoughts, and thoroughly examine and see what these appearances in us really are?" My response to Plato is because it is typically boring to read about it.I should have known better. The author interspersed plenty of action in the book and even included a little romance.I highly recommend this book and the entire series to fans of adventure stories, naval historians, and French historians and to anybody who just wants to be entertained with good writing.Gunner April, 2014

Horatio Hornblower is a complicated brilliant individual. The series are engaging. As I reread them 30 years later, I realise how much research and talent have been invested into this thoroughly entertaining series.

This is the third book in the original Hornblower trilogy, starting with "Beat to Quarters", written in 1935, followed by "Ship of the Line" and this book, in 1938 or so. The point of view of the narrator is racist, sexist, and greatly biased in favor of the British, but if we can possibly ignore the bygone attitudes of a writer about to witness the rise of Fascism in Germany and just concentrate on the story, we will find Hornblower to be a perfect hero who manages to just get things right, no matter what the circumstances, or the odds against him. And certainly someone to remember and emulate when times get tough!But if you've enjoyed Patrick O'Brian, do not miss C.S. Forester's Hornblower tales. The setting is exactly the same; the method of operating is different. My guess is O'Brian set out to improve on Hornblower, and did so, by creating a much wider panoply of characters, both aboard ship and on land, and a more complete fictional configuration with the addition of the ship's surgeon who is an incipient naturalist as well as a spy for the British! Finally, O'Brian imbues his characters with the emotional and intellectual problems and challenges of the 20th century at times, which makes Aubrey and Maturin multi-dimensional and somehow much more real than Hornblower ever gets.But for the pure pleasure of cinematic storytelling, where everything works out well, you can't beat Horatio Hornblower!

Great stories, you should read the series from the beginning

For a Hornblower story, this doesn't have much naval action, but it does a very nice job of wrapping up the events at the end of the prior book in the series, in which the Sutherland is sacrificed to tear up four French ships enough to disable them so the British fleet can finish them later. There is a lot of suspense and a lot of introspection and personal interaction by Hornblower, which I found more interesting than in past books.

Book seven of the Hornblower saga!This is a truly excellent book with far-reaching consequences for both Lieutenant Bush and Captain Hornblower. If you are reading this review then you have either stumbled across the Hornblower books or are a Hornblower fan who has not yet read book seven. If you have stumbled across this review, start with `Mr. Midshipman Hornblower', the first book in the series which follows the early humble beginnings of Hornblower as a young man.What should seasoned fans expect with this book?Well, the human side to Hornblower which we saw developing in the sixth book `A Ship of the Line' has truly come to the fore in book seven. Hornblower is portrayed as a flawed individual instead of the usual isolated automaton. Human emotions such as regret, envy, anxiety and helplessness feature strongly as part of Hornblower's personality, as the epic events begin to take their toll on the Captain.I was particularly pleased when Hornblower finally realised the true meaning of friendship with Bush and Brown as their adventures progressed. C. S. Forester was an exceptional writer and he certainly ensured the reader experienced a close affinity and connection with the main protagonist. This is felt most keenly in book seven, as you certainly care for the Captain and his small crew.Fans will not be disappointed with book seven.Book seven is written from a different angle than the previous six books, but this helps to keep the reader interested as their beloved character strays away from his usual environment and is thrown into a hopeless situation.Will Hornblower and Bush make it this time?I'm not telling!

This is a review of the Penguin 2006 edition with a short but perceptive four-page introduction by Bernard Cornwell. Written in 1937-38, this was only the third in the series, though it is the seventh in chronological order of Hornblower's life. It was also written at a time when much of his audience would also know their Latin, and when the code of a gentleman still held some sway, but would soon be blasted away by the Second World War.We turn our back against the sea for much of the book, whose journey this time takes us across the heart of France. But the opening sees Hornblower in captured French hands: "It was torture now to be a prisoner ... A caged lion must fret behind his bars in the same way as Hornblower fretted against his confinement." But Forester allows his hero a heavy dose of sinful humanity, with Hornblower contemplating in his cell not only the fate of his pregnant wife back home, but also that of his mistress, Lady Barbara. The title of the book refers to the captain's hope to meet his expected execution in Paris with equanimity: "He hoped he would meet it bravely, go down with colours flying ..."Forester has a keen insight into the British character, remarking, for example, how, "The British genius for invective and propaganda had long discovered that it paid better to exploit trivialities rather than inveigh broadly against policies and principles..." The Daily Express and Daily Mail of the 1930s was much like The Sun of today! Forester also has a psychological insight into those for whom thinking independently is not a valid option; rather, they are happy being led like sheep, those who know their place and are happy to know it: "For a moment Hornblower felt a little twinge of envy of brown, who would never know the misery of helplessness, or the indignity of indecision", but might know "flogging, peril, sickness, death; certainly hardship and probably hunger" in King George's Royal Navy. Some would call this patronising, others realism.There is an argument to be had whether Forester's Hornblower novels glorify war. But a strong riposte can be had to this argument too. Deep in the heart of France and deep in the heart of the daughter of the man who is willing to hide him from French patrols, Hornblower muses that, "These kisses he was giving her meant nothing to him compared with the business of life, which was war - the same war which had killed her young husband, the wasteful, prodigal, beastly business which had peopled Europe with widows and disfigured it with wasted fields and burned villages."Of course, our hero in this story wins the day and lives to fight the frogs again. The story is well-written and perhaps psychologically deeper than the other books, but there is still of course action aplenty. The yarn is quite believable, although credulity is stretched to near breaking-point that Hornblower's journey down the Loire for two hundred miles without trouble from the locals or the authorities is so trouble-free, especially when he has to navigate around such cities as Orleans and Tours. Certainly the political machinations and the informality of the princes sound real. And more especially Hornblower's character is true enough. Despite the glory in the happy ending, and the granting of a knighthood, Sir Horatio "never could contrive to feel proud of himself." Yes, he was happy, but only for about thirty seconds.

Now having read the Hornblower series up to this point I am conceding to myself that Forester is the equal of Patrick O’Brien. Having read the Aubrey-Maturin novels I was reluctant to embark on what I feared might be an inferior precedent. Different, certainly, O’Brien’s attention to detail is greater, but I think Forester has the edge in psychology. I look forward to completing the series.

This is another in the series of Hornblower and another that seems to echo the life of Nelson to some degree, the other being the 'Bolitho' series by Alexander kent (Douglas Reeman) These books echo the filth and tradition, the harshness and the love of the Royal Navy back when we ruled the world and death to all those who dared to try and change that. Sadly, I actually prefer the Bolitho series which is why I gave this a four star rating as opposed to a five but none the less, a very good read.

Bought this for my brother to read again after many years as he considers it,,along with The Happy Return,andA Ship Of The Line,the two immediate predecessors to Flying Colours as being the finest books of it's kind youcan read today.Both were written in quick succession just before the world war and it was many years before theother books appeared and although they are good,the first three are best.