Mr. Midshipman Hornblower

In January 1794, a young man receives his debut posting, taking his first steps into a maritime career that will take him to the very uppermost echelons of the British navy — not to mention into, and out of, the jaws of death on many occasions. This man is Horatio Hornblower, a hero for many and one of the most iconic figures in adventure literature.

Only this Hornblower is a little different from the one we might expect. Published in 1950, Mr. Midshipman Hornblower is the sixth novel in C. S. Forester's well-loved series, but our author opts to take us back to the start, showing us where it all began and whetting our appetite for further adventures to come. Over ten chapters — each a self-contained episode in its own right — we witness the early career of a legend in the making and the trials, tribulations, and triumphs that characterize life on the high seas.

Whether you choose to read this book first or you prefer to plot the course of the author and explore his own literary development in the order of publication, you're in for a treat.