Adventure

The novel's principle setting is the high seas in an area of turbulent politics, piracy, revolution and difficult weather. As an admiral of the Royal Navy, Hornblower's sworn and obvious duty is to protect British interests in the area, gaining whatever ground can be obtained without involving England in any unwanted political entanglements. He carries out this duty at Admiralty House, in Kingston, and aboard primarily two ships, HMS Crab, a tiny vessel, and HMS Clorinda, a frigate.

The novel relates a series of adventures during the years 1821 to 1823; although the experiences are fictional they contain many historical elements, and the revolutionary activities described are derived from several historical accounts. All the ships mentioned in the novel represent fictionalized ships of historically-appropriate type. While most of the persons mentioned in the text are fictional, some, such as Bolívar, are fictionalized representations of individuals of historical significance. Though...