The Recurring Cast
Character · The Royal Navy · 11 books

Horatio Hornblower

Horatio Hornblower is a naval officer who rises from midshipman to admiral, brilliant, brave and full of self-doubt.

Spoiler-free profile written for The Recurring Cast.

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Character facts

First appearance
The Happy Return (1937)
Latest appearance
Hornblower and the Crisis (1967)
Books
11 (11 as lead)
Series
Hornblower
Author
C. S. Forester
Circle
The Royal Navy

Where to meet Horatio Hornblower

Horatio Hornblower first appears in The Happy Return (1937), as the lead, book 1 of the Hornblower series.

Buy The Happy Return

Every book with Horatio Hornblower

In publication order, with the size of their role in each.

  1. 1937LThe Happy Returnlead · HornblowerBuy
  2. 1938LA Ship of the Linelead · HornblowerBuy
  3. 1938LFlying Colourslead · HornblowerBuy
  4. 1945LThe Commodorelead · HornblowerBuy
  5. 1946LLord Hornblowerlead · HornblowerBuy
  6. 1950LMr Midshipman Hornblowerlead · HornblowerBuy
  7. 1952LLieutenant Hornblowerlead · HornblowerBuy
  8. 1953LHornblower and the Atroposlead · HornblowerBuy
  9. 1958LHornblower in the West Indieslead · HornblowerBuy
  10. 1962LHornblower and the Hotspurlead · HornblowerBuy
  11. 1967LHornblower and the Crisislead · HornblowerBuy

Appears most often with

CharacterBooks together
William BushHornblower's loyal first lieutenant7
Lady Barbara WellesleyHornblower's great love6
Maria MasonHornblower's first wife5
BrownHornblower's coxswain3