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Flying Colours (Hornblower Saga) Paperback – April 5, 1989

by C.S. Forester (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 2,715 ratings
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Hornblower is captured by the French and faces execution in a Paris prison in this "most satisfying" chapter (Times Literary Supplement) in C. S. Forester's beloved naval adventure series.






Forced to surrender his ship, the Sutherland, after a long and bloody battle, Captain Horatio Hornblower now bides his time as a prisoner in a French fortress. Within days he and his first lieutenant, Bush, who was crippled in the last fight, are to be taken to Paris to be tried on trumped-up charges of violating the laws of war, and most probably executed as part of Napoleon's attempt to rally the war-weary empire behind him.



Even if Hornblower escapes this fate and somehow finds his way back to England, he will face court-martial for his surrender of a British ship. As fears for his life and his reputation compete in his mind with worries about his pregnant wife and his possibly widowed lover, the indomitable captain impatiently awaits the chance to make his next move.
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Previous page
  1. Book 6 of 10
    Hornblower Saga
  2. Print length
    256 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Back Bay Books
  5. Publication date
    April 5, 1989
  6. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.64 x 8.25 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0316289396
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0316289399
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Stacks up with the most exciting and best written adventure stories in the language."―Time

About the Author

C. S. Forester (1899-1966) wrote many highly acclaimed novels, including the eleven-volume Hornblower saga and The African Queen.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Back Bay Books; Revised edition (April 5, 1989)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316289396
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316289399
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.64 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 2,715 ratings

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C. S. Forester

C. S. Forester

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
2,715 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Read
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2022
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This was an especially good our book With plenty of action And intrigue I would recommend it To anyone who is looking for an action field adventure.
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zorba
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, As Usual
Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2012
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There is a certain elegance and simplicity to Forester's Hornblower books and "Flying Colours" is no exception. This is certainly the best of the Hornblower books I've read so far and I am impressed by how easy they are to read, and how hard they are to put down. Forester does not waste words but he squeezes the essence from every last sentence. Of course, Hornblower leads a fairy-tale existence and there are more than a few serendipitous plot turns here. For me, it is the complexity of the character and the author's ability to allow us to get inside Hornblower's head that makes his books so good. Popular fiction rarely comes any better than the Hornblower books.
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Anonymous
4.0 out of 5 stars Hornblower's Triumph?
Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2003
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Flying Colours is the final of the three books that chronicle Hornblower's career as a captain. Following immediately after the apocalyptic end to Ship of the Line, it follows Hornblower -- now awaiting trial for piracy by a furious Bonaparte -- as he tries to escape and get back to England.
Following as it does after the most exciting book in the series, this is a bit of a letdown. It's slower and the drama is more in Hornblower's mind and heart than anywhere else. He faces not only execution at Napoleon's hands, but -- even if he escapes -- trial and ruin in England for his surrender of the Sutherland. His best friend Lt. Bush is crippled, he's cut off from his pregnant wife and secret love. He's at the lowest point of his life.
Of course, you know he's not going to give up. Flying Colours contrasts the vivid action of the novels by showing Hornblower finding his courage in life -- willing to face his own personal problems and demons -- to find the will to go on and try to overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in his way.
It is in this book that the drama of the two previous ones finally pays off. Other have spoiled the plot, but I will note that even if Horatio triumphs, it is not without sacrifice and loss. And the ending has suitable irony -- and fits perfectly with Hornblower's democratic character.
The book does drag a little at times and I was disappointed that Hornblower seemed to forget about his surviving crew once he'd escaped. That knocks the rating down. But otherwise, this a stirring conclusion to the "Captain" trilogy and leaves enough plot threads open to send the reader off to buy the next volume.
6 people found this helpful
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Procopius
5.0 out of 5 stars Hornblower Never Gets Old
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2015
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This is the third book in the original Hornblower trilogy, starting with "Beat to Quarters", written in 1935, followed by "Ship of the Line" and this book, in 1938 or so. The point of view of the narrator is racist, sexist, and greatly biased in favor of the British, but if we can possibly ignore the bygone attitudes of a writer about to witness the rise of Fascism in Germany and just concentrate on the story, we will find Hornblower to be a perfect hero who manages to just get things right, no matter what the circumstances, or the odds against him. And certainly someone to remember and emulate when times get tough!
But if you've enjoyed Patrick O'Brian, do not miss C.S. Forester's Hornblower tales. The setting is exactly the same; the method of operating is different. My guess is O'Brian set out to improve on Hornblower, and did so, by creating a much wider panoply of characters, both aboard ship and on land, and a more complete fictional configuration with the addition of the ship's surgeon who is an incipient naturalist as well as a spy for the British! Finally, O'Brian imbues his characters with the emotional and intellectual problems and challenges of the 20th century at times, which makes Aubrey and Maturin multi-dimensional and somehow much more real than Hornblower ever gets.
But for the pure pleasure of cinematic storytelling, where everything works out well, you can't beat Horatio Hornblower!
2 people found this helpful
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the gunner
5.0 out of 5 stars This is the seventh book in the eleven volume Hornblower Saga following Ship of the Line
Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2014
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Flying Colours

This is the seventh book in the eleven volume Hornblower Saga following  Ship of the Line (Hornblower Saga) . Hornblower had been is the captain of the two decker, seventy-four gun, Dutch Built, HMS Sutherland. Today, we would refer to this ship as a Ship of the Battle Line or Battle Ship

Some might consider the following to be spoilers
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

During the battle in the previous book Lieutenant Bush lost his foot and had to have a stump amputated. While I am not a physician, I have had substantial background in the health care field. It is obvious to me that the author has done some research on both amputations and rehabilitation (Physical Therapist might find those portions interesting (P.T. during the Napoleonic era).
The next book in this series is  Commodore Hornblower (Hornblower, 9) . I guess the titles give away some information. If Hornblower made Commodore things must have worked out rather well.
I really didn't expect to enjoy this volume as much as the first six. I'm not a big fan of a lot of introspection
As Plato asked, "...why should we not calmly and patiently review our own thoughts, and thoroughly examine and see what these appearances in us really are?"
My response to Plato is because it is typically boring to read about it.
I should have known better. The author interspersed plenty of action in the book and even included a little romance.

I highly recommend this book and the entire series to fans of adventure stories, naval historians, and French historians and to anybody who just wants to be entertained with good writing.

Gunner April, 2014
7 people found this helpful
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Avid Reader.
5.0 out of 5 stars Fine work.
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2022
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Well done, again. Would that the author was alive to continue his good works for those who appreciate his efforts.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Mukunda
5.0 out of 5 stars Super
Reviewed in India on January 11, 2018
Verified Purchase
Yet another classic tale of Hornblowers adventure and the human touch at the end on prospects and position. Went through very fast regretfully
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画伯
5.0 out of 5 stars シリーズに他の本と同じく物語をたのしんでいる。
Reviewed in Japan on March 8, 2021
Verified Purchase
著者の性格かどうかわからないが、文章が結構わかりにくい。
人物描写が面白い。
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PiccoSquare
5.0 out of 5 stars Passes With Flying Colours!
Reviewed in Canada on May 18, 2014
Verified Purchase
I can't resist sea stories of the early 19th c in British sailing ships; it's in my blood I think. I cut my teeth on Patrick O'Brian (note the "a" in the family name, not to be confused with the Patrick O'Brien with an "e"). Forrester is the best, a good writer, the tales are based loosely on earlier events of those distant times, very accurate, tho I have to give O'Brian the nod for accuracy. I think Forrester is a better writer but not quite as meticulous in his historical minutiae, and Hornblower's constant and deep self deprecation is a bit off-putting for a good tale, but probably more real. None-the-less! A great tale (maybe intended as a movie script?) and I will continue to work my way through the series.
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Heider Vakilzadeh
5.0 out of 5 stars Im Originaltext einfach am Besten
Reviewed in Germany on May 5, 2013
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Ich habe den Hornblower-Zyklus auf Deutsch schon an die 10 Mal gelesen. Das erste mal jetzt auf Englisch. Und es sind vele Details einfach viel besser zu begreifen und der Slang der Zeit kommt viel besser rüber.
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Roderick Crampsie
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Australia on November 26, 2015
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Typical Forester in detail. Typical Hornblower in personality
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