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Originally Posted by Gray Owl
I'm opening my self to criticism on this but the Hornblower series are good reads but I'm spoiled after reading Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series. I found that I became more involved in the lives of Lucky Jack and his temperamental Doctor friend they became realer and I found myself caring more about the world they lived in. Hornblower is more reserved and not so open. Still they are good sea stories and I recommend them to my land locked friends.
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I think most people agree that O'Brian was much the better storyteller. That said, I never liked his books much because I felt they were long on adventure, which is good for most people, but short on history. Forrester's books felt to me like they were detailing an actual career of the time. C. Norcote Parkinson was so affected that he wrote a 'biography' of Hornblower, complete with 'official' portraits of Hornblower and his wife.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Life-Times.../dp/0750921099
Since I much prefer history to adventure stories (funny, since I love Edgar Rice Burroughs) I prefer Hornblower. For a different opinion ask Onkel Neal.
