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Lord Hornblower
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Series: Horatio Hornblower (chronological order), Book 10
- Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
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Shaking off this label, a shy and lonely 17-year-old, Horatio Hornblower, embarks on a memorable career in Nelson's navy on HMS Justinian. In action, adventure, and battle he is forged into one of the most formidable junior officers in the service.
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 129
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 111
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October 1772, Portsmouth. Sixteen-year-old Richard Bolitho waits to join the Gorgon, ordered to sail to the west coast of Africa and to destroy those who challenge the King's Navy. For Bolitho, and for many of the crew, it is a severe and testing initiation into the game of seamanship.
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1 out of 5 stars
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- By Jamie on 28-11-18
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Death to the French
- By: C. S. Forester
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 34
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 29
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 29
This is the story of a rifleman's resourcefulness in a single-handed war against the forces of Napoleon. Separated from his regiment, he uses a band of undisciplined Portuguese guerrillas to battle his way back to his own lines.
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Summary
Exclusively from Audible
Having received strict and confidential orders from high above, C.S. Forester's inimitable hero must recapture The Flame, a brig which has been taken over by a band of mutineers. Voyaging to the Bay of Seine in order to rescue the captive Lieutenant Augustin Chadwick from his disloyal crew, Horatio Hornblower must once more fight for the freedom and safety of his people and country.
In an unexpected turn of events, the now world-weary captain Hornblower is propelled towards the gates of his mortal enemy: Napoleon Bonaparte. Having spent a lifetime trying to defeat the French empire, Horatio is desperate to overthrow his opponents once and for all, but with so many odds against him, the threat of failure hangs in the air.
Hailed by the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Sir Winston Churchill for being 'admirable and vastly entertaining,' C.S. Forester became a hugely influential 20th-century author.
Born in Cairo, raised in London and buried in California, the metropolitan writer experienced huge success with his Horatio Hornblower series as well as with his later works, The African Queen and The Good Shepherd.
His literary genius is perfectly encapsulated within this endlessly entertaining narrative, and his heroic protagonist draws us in to another titillating journey through the Napoleonic wars.
Narrator Biography
Christian Rodska is an English television and voice actor best known for his role in the 1970s series Follyfoot.
From the The Monuments Men and The Eagle of the Ninth to The Likely Lads, Z Cars, The Tomorrow People, Coronation Street, Bergerac and Casualty, his extensive and diverse acting career has led him to become a highly solicited radio and audiobook narrator.
He has now voiced over 150 unabridged audiobooks including Winston Churchill's biographies, Evelyn Waugh's Men at Arms and Sebastian Faulks' A Possible Life. He has been praised for his ability to vary in vocal pace and style, and as such, Christian boasts 12 Earphone Awards from Audiofile Magazine.
More from the same
What listeners say about Lord Hornblower
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Stephen Lake
- 17-02-21
Wonderful story read to perfection
This is possibly the most complete Hornblower tale of all. It has everything and covers so much ground (and sea). Full of action, intrigue romance and in places tragedy. Christian Rodska could not be bettered in his reading of it. Outstanding.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Ben Kane
- 13-02-21
Weakest Hornblower novel
Weak. Almost as if Forester couldn't think of a decent storyline. And as for the love aspect of the? Laughable.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sir Bazile
- 11-12-20
Shiva me Timbers... Ship Shaped & Bristol Fashion.
My hope that the others are as good, has in fact, proved certain. I have been looking F'ard to the series as I have amassed this treasure trove, with the movie popping it's head above the poopdeck every leeward. I have to say that I am more surprised than I thought I was going to be. I assumed it was going to be good, and I am very glad to be proved wrong Sir.
It is very GOOD Indeed Sir.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- S. C. Reston
- 10-12-20
yet another adventure
For those who have followed the trials and tribulations of Hornblower another tale to enjoy. Seniority may slow the pace of our swashbuckling hero, but only a little. Another enjoyable story and maybe his/the end??
1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Dev Preston
- 14-11-20
A great adventure but more on land
I would have enjoyed more on-ship action, but this is still an exciting adventure with more than one major plot twist as the Hornblower series reaches its conclusion. For my taste, the romance elements are rather repetitive and overdone, but I've read and loved enough Hornblower books that I shall forgive that. Chriastian Rodska, the narrator, gives another memorable and masterly performance.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Gabrielle Harvey-Jones
- 15-04-20
A joy!
I have loved revisiting this series of books - which I first read when I was a girl. The writing is still enthralling, the sense of period is faultless and the pace of the action is tumultuous. Christian Rodska makes a truly excellent job of reading the entire series!
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- fran
- 23-07-19
gripping
Wonderfully told, a naval version of Sharpe, have read all of Hornblower's books except the final one, so that'll be next.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 14-09-18
Just Wonderful!
Once again a master class in storytelling. I believe this to be the final book? A hard act to follow.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- xtn5964546
- 27-04-21
the last chapter missing
The last chapter of the book is missing and can be found at the end of "Hornblower and the crisis".
Did the editor not even check the number of chapters?!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- B. A. Cass
- 08-04-21
Quite a weak ending to the series, in my view.
This was very well produced and narrated, and rattles along at a cracking pace, based at the end of the French Napoleonic era, which is perhaps appropriate for a person whose naval career has been tied up in the series of Anglo-French wars, but I feel it is let down slightly by the ending, which seems to leave many personal matters unresolved.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Hideko Nakajima
- 03-07-17
Where's the last?
Listened to whole series, but then last one not available?!?!?!?!!!! Why is this! All books in a series should be available. The recording exists!
7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Michael
- 09-12-11
Classic
Some novels are perfect for listening in the car. Well written, fast paced, amusing, plot-driven. When the narrator is talented a three hour drive disappears. The Hornblower series is perfect for this and this narrator is as well.
5 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Thomas
- 07-03-12
Good Read
Would you consider the audio edition of Lord Hornblower to be better than the print version?
I haven't read the print edition, I have only listened to the series.
Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?
The pllot was very good. However the part where he leads the rebellion was far fetched.
What does Christian Rodska bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Christian Rodska was perfect for this read.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Merlin
- 27-02-12
Good story, great reading
Christian Rodske's narration is brilliant as always. I preferred the first part of the story, where Hornblower is sent to deal with a mutiny, to the later part where he's in France. Perhaps it's because one feels that Hornblower is at his best when on a ship.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- James J. Peveler
- 22-11-11
Top Adventure
In some ways the Hornblower series is better than Patrick O???Brian???s Aubrey/Maturin series but, for me it lacks the depth of emotions displayed in the Aubrey/Maturin relationship.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 24-11-13
Missing text
Any additional comments?
I have read and loved all the Hornblower books in the past, but decided to try out the audio versions because I love a good reader. Christian Rodska is an excellent performer, and it's delightful to hear him bring out different accents and ways of speaking to reflect the different characters and it especially tickles me to hear him pulling back from the microphone so he can give a quarter deck shout when the text calls for it.
The problem I am having is most likely with the editor for this audio series. Like with Commodore Hornblower, this novel has missing text. Not an entire chapter this time, but it's kind of a huge moment in chapter 14 when (spoilers) Hornblower tells his wife the fate of Bush. I listened to the passage three times to make sure that I was correct, that the editor actually cut out so vital a piece of the text, and yes indeed he did. Barbara's after reaction, Hornblower's lame follow-ups, etc. are all there, but the line thoughtlessly blurted out right before the party is gone. I hope that someone re-edits and corrects this series at some point, Christian Rodska is too good a reader and Forester is too good a writer to be mishandled like this.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Robert
- 30-08-17
I've never read a Hornblower book that wasn't well worth reading
Napoleon's return gives little joy to a war weary world and Hornblower is caught in the middle of it all. Far from the sea and yet in some very hot water. Can he escape from the French Empire's "justice"?
1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- kathrine kaaris
- 17-08-17
Klischees und Wiederholungen dominieren die Sprache.
Schwache Geschichte mit vielen Klischees. Ist mit den ersten 3 Romanen nicht zu vergleichen.
Die einzelne Charaktere sind schwach gezeichnet und menschlich nicht glaubwürdig.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Martin
- 24-05-15
Love these Books!
the reader is superb. Far better than movies.... I can hardly wate to stare a new book. I have tried to read them myself but finding quite time is hard.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jean
- 27-09-12
Old fashion story telling
This book was written in 1946 and like all of C. S. Forester's books it seems to be better in audio version than written. It flows like the old fashion story telling while sitting around the fireplace. There is less sailing in this book but there is some sailing action. Most of the battles take place on land while Commodore Hornblower is the governor of an area of France. This book covers the fall of Napoleon and his return from Elba. Hornblower is made a Lord in this book and Lady Barbara joins him in France. More information about etiquette of the peerage in this book. Christian Rodska does a gread job narrating the story.
5 people found this helpful