Tuesday, July 17, 2007

A Sailor's Delight!

The other day, as I was sailing The Crab (as I call my '98 Suburu Outback) to the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, a thought occurred to me: the great C.S. Forester never killed off the good Viscount Hornblower, as my second-favorite author, J.K. Rowling, is poised to do with her young hero. Therefore I present you Hornies with a new challenge. I am asking you to submit a title and synopsis of a Hornblower fan-fiction novel that you would like to see published. As this is a family blog, please omit any language that would offend youthful Hornies. For example, there is no need for any insinuations of an improper relationship between young Horatio and the grizzly old salt Master Bowles (we've all heard those rumors already - they have been repeatedly refuted!).

Lastly, I know all of you hornies are drooling over the news from California that I teased you with last week. I promise a formal announcement is forthcoming soon. I am in the process of verifying all my information - the HornBlog is dedicated to true Hornblower news, not unfounded rumor! All shall soon be brought to light! Huzzah!

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

An Impossible Feat!

I begin today with a simple question: which Horatio Hornblower novel is the best? With so many great works of art to choose from, this would appear to be a challenge bigger than any faced by Horatio himself!

Don't feel like you have to rush to answer, my little Hornies. This debate will be a running feature of this humble space. Take your time to formulate a cogent argument and then post it as a comment on the Hornblog. In one year's time I will assemble a panel of judges to consider the merits of each case. The winning entrant will then receive a leather-bound copy of his or her favorite tome.

So which is my favorite, you ask? Huzzah, fair Hornies! I won't tip my hand so easily. But as a certified Horn snob, I tend to believe that Forester's most financially successful novels were not always his greatest. Sure, it's easy to say that Mr. Midshipman Hornblower or Hornblower in the West Indies are the best of the bunch. But how about undergroung classics like Hornblower and the Hotspur? Ponder these matters well, my friends.

I'll leave you with this juicy morsel: my sources in California have indicated that there is a "MAJOR announcement" coming in the next few weeks that will involve our favorite literary hero. What is this announcement in regards to, you ask? I'll let you know as soon as I do. Keep checking the Hornblog! Huzzah for England and for Viscount Hornblower!

Monday, July 2, 2007

Welcome Aboard!

Welcome, fellow Hornies! This is the first and only blog dedicated to Horatio Hornblower, the young British naval officer whose life and times are chronicled in the works of C.S Forester. From his misadventures as a midshipman through his command of the H.M.S. Sutherland, his bout with typhus, and his promotion to Viscount Hornblower, we will cover every aspect of this remarkable man's career. For now, I would merely like to mention the noblest qualities possessed by our hero: his sense of duty and his drive to succeed. In the spirit of young Hornblower, I ask that you strive for a similar sense of duty and success in reading this blog and in posting thought-provoking responses. Ahoy, Hornies!