Hornblower and the Atropos

Horatio Hornblower is back, taking command of a new ship and a new crew. The ship — the Atropos, a worthy vessel for another installment in the unfolding Hornblower saga. The crew — a collection of able seamen ready to assist Hornblower on his latest adventure. Only, one of these crew members is not quite like the others and presents a unique challenge for our hero over the pages of the novel.

Hornblower and the Atropos was penned by C. S. Forrester in 1953 and marked the end of a blistering period of creativity for the author. Forrester released novel-length Hornblower volumes in 1950, 1952, and 1953, with a short story published in The Saturday Evening Post in between in 1951. After The Atropos, readers would need to wait another five years for another tale of adventure and excitement on the high seas, but Hornblower would return yet again in 1958's Hornblower in the West Indies.

Taking place in the aftermath of the Battle of Trafalgar, the book sees the fictional tale of Horatio Hornblower intertwining with the true events of history as Forrester enjoys a playful game of cat and mouse with his real-life influences.