Beat to Quarters, by C. S. Forester
By Peter on Jul 11, 2009 in C. S. Forester, Classical novel, Excellent book, Historical Fiction, World literature, bestseller, book review
This was the first book C. S. Forester wrote about Horatio Hornblower. However, in terms of the internal chronology of the series, it is the fifth. In England its
In Beat to Quarters (the US title) we find Hornblower, having been promoted to Captain, on a secret mission to the Pacific with his ship HMS Lydia, a 36 gun frigate, to support a rebel against the Spanish Empire in Central America and damage the Spanish naval presence there, the Natividad. The Natividad is a 50 gun Spanish ship of the line, thus a tall order for Hornblower to handle. Yet his order is “to take, sink, burn or destroy” Natividad.
Hornblower soon finds that the Spanish noble is a little bit different from what he had expected, and that perhaps all is not exactly as supposed. The Spanish noble calls himself El Supremo, views himself as more or less divine, and tolerates nothing but absolute obedience. However, Hornblower has little choice in the matter. His orders are clear. So he joins forces with the madman.
Then he sets out the capture the powerful Spanish frigate Natividad, which is the key to Spanish naval control of the American Pacific coast. And, indeed, as it turns out he has to fight not only one, but two fights with the Spaniard. And both are spectacular fights, well worthy of Horatio Hornblower. The first is a clever night action. The second is a battle at sea with the two ships battling it out side by side with gunsmoke and roaring guns in a fight to death.
And when Hornblower returns to England, he carries with him a passenger he had to pick up in Panama, Lady Barbara Wellesley. She turns out to be a wonderful lady and, as well, an excellent whist player. So now the newly married Hornblower gets engaged in another type of battle altogether.
Beat to Quarters is a spectacular, very entertaining book. It is easy, when reading Beat to Quarters, to understand why the Hornblower saga so quickly acquired such a large following.
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