Military Adventure in the Age of Sail

The novel's principle setting is the high seas during a time of war; Napoleon Bonaparte's military adventures threaten England, and only a strong naval response keeps the French aggression at bay and ensures the survival of the British Empire. As a captain of the Royal Navy, Hornblower's sworn and obvious duty is to engage the enemy at every opportunity. He admirably carries out this duty with H.M.S. Sutherland.

The novel relates a sea voyage from May to October of 1810; although the voyage is fictional, it contains many historical elements, and the maritime combat described is realistic and, at least in part, derived from historical accounts. The ships mentioned represent fictional ships of an historically-appropriate type; the crews and most characters are entirely fictional. All aspects of the novel are related to sea adventure; most of the action takes place at...