Buy new:
-37% $11.99
FREE delivery Sunday, May 12 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$11.99 with 37 percent savings
List Price: $18.99

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Sunday, May 12 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Wednesday, May 8. Order within 23 hrs 23 mins
In Stock
$$11.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$11.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$9.78
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Shipped fast and reliably through the Amazon Prime program! Book may contain some writing, highlighting, and or cover damage. Shipped fast and reliably through the Amazon Prime program! Book may contain some writing, highlighting, and or cover damage. See less
FREE delivery Tuesday, May 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Monday, May 13. Order within 8 hrs 8 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$11.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$11.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

C. S. Forester
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies (Hornblower Saga (Paperback)) Paperback – November 2, 1989

by C.S. Forester (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 2,224 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$11.99","priceAmount":11.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"11","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"td7VMkV%2FpeJ2wkd4hp9Y9cD37Y8fOM2W6NwuFomBNaFtYQvmTP9uY1O%2Fn2GLk1pRMNkFkRDxD5XdIaBGOR2Ddkd04OpUdwVji5bePeyoz3E%2Fzhs2GfCojJrJhPU%2BEUbEKzPp72HSpPQ%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$9.78","priceAmount":9.78,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"78","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"td7VMkV%2FpeJ2wkd4hp9Y9cD37Y8fOM2WnioolQZMtPKo6iQNwnUUmeyI7YhcZcF2NWo5K0mMy%2FDvf4W9kgqADl4AgpKnQuuQj4rQlAehFN3BmfTq0n3Qnvc3eFyE6Da3Jy3BrHBa1wpP4KiwXVuluiUG%2BZwTEKWj9Xk9qsNS8evkycr15rs1EZdLazCm53NN","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Hornblower confronts pirates, revolutionaries, and a blistering hurricane in this "excellent" installment (The Atlantic) in C. S. Forester's beloved saga of naval adventures.






In the chaotic aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, the legendary Rear Admiral Lord Hornblower struggles to impose order. Serving as commander-in-chief of His Majesty's ships and vessels in the West Indies, Hornblower confronts a formidable array of hostile forces. The war is over, but peaceful it is not.







"A rattling good story." --New York Times
Previous page
  1. Book 9 of 10
    Hornblower Saga
  2. Print length
    352 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Back Bay Books
  5. Publication date
    November 2, 1989
  6. Grade level
    10 - 12
  7. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.88 x 8.25 inches
  8. ISBN-10
    0316289418
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0316289412
  10. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies (Hornblower Saga (Paperback))
$11.99
Get it as soon as Sunday, May 12
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Lord Hornblower (Hornblower Saga (Paperback))
$11.89
Get it as soon as Sunday, May 12
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Commodore Hornblower (Hornblower Saga)
$13.36
Get it as soon as Sunday, May 12
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Excellent...What makes Forester's novels so winning is not so much their firm foundation of authenticity as it is the engaging, honest character of their commanding officer."―Atlantic Monthly

"Readers are in for the best treat they have had in years."―San Francisco Chronicle

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Back Bay Books (November 2, 1989)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316289418
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316289412
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 10 - 12
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.88 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 2,224 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
C. S. Forester

C. S. Forester

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
2,224 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

John Mark Hansen
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Adventure, Historical narrative, & Romance
Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2023
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed seeing how Hornblower thinks through problems & finds solutions. His weaknesses make him real & likeable. I also learned alot about the history of that time period.
Helpful
 Report
Ralph White
4.0 out of 5 stars Five Desperate Adventures in the Twilight of Hornblower's Career
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2007
Verified Purchase
This, the last in C. S. Forester's Hornblower series, is very unlike the novels which proceeded it. This book is segmented into five stand-alone short stories, the first four of which could be read in any order. The fifth story needs to be last as it relates Admiral Hornblower's retirement from active duty and return to Britain with his wife, Barbara, whom we first met in "Ship of the Line." The Napoleonic wars are over, Bonaparte is in prison for the second time, in St. Helena, and our aging (46) hero is in the twilight of his career. He is effectively waging a police action defending British interests in the Caribbean and fighting stateless piracy (the terrorism of that age). In the first story Hornblower discovers through stealth that a French ship in New Orleans has taken on six hundred muskets and bales of French uniforms. When he learns the the captain plans on racing to St. Helena, freeing Bonaparte, and restoring the French Empire, we are off to the last naval engagement of the Napoleonic wars. In the second story Hornblower engages a large topsail schooner, the Estrella del Sur, in a desperate race to prevent her cargo of slaves from reaching it's destination, Havana. Flying Spanish colors, she takes refuge in San Juan. Hornblower's plans to capture this much faster ship pits his daring and ingenuity against his opponent's two knots superiority in speed. The third story takes place entirely on land, on the island of Jamaica. Hornblower and his secretary, Mr. Spendlove, are captured and held for ransom by pirates. The pirates' impregnable lair is on a ledge on the face of a high cliff. The conclusion involves a weapon we see here for the first time, a ship mortar, which fires bombs with a timed fuse. The fourth story has a more historical setting, Bolivar's defeat of royalist forces in Venezuela's fight for independence from Spain. Readers familiar with Lord Cochrane's campaigns in Chile and Peru will see his persona recreated in Mr. Charles Ramsbottom. He is the wealthy son of a Bradford wool merchant, and arrives in Kingston harbor in his private yacht, a decommissioned brig. Eventually we discover that he is what was then called a "Liberal," come to the assistance of the revolutionary, Bolivar.

C. S. Forester hasn't lost his knack for a tale: "There was something just over the horizon of his mind, some stirring of an idea. And within a second the idea was up over the horizon, vague at present, like a hazy landfall, but as certain and as reassuring as any landfall. He could not help glancing over at the Estrella, sizing up the tactical situation, seeking further inspiration there, testing what he already had in mind."
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
John W. Mills
5.0 out of 5 stars the whole series are extraordinary
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2023
Verified Purchase
I was hooked in the first book and now the saga is complete. Well done Mr Forester you wrote an exceptional tale that will be read for generations to come.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Mitch Teemley
5.0 out of 5 stars Satisfying wrap-up to a brilliant great character-driven adventure series.
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2019
Verified Purchase
The Hornblower series has provided one of the great vicarious adventures of my life. The brave, brilliant, self-loathing yet vain Horatio is as real to me as any admired--and at times exasperating--friend. Forester never ran out predicaments or contradictions for Horatio, perhaps because he was so rooted in the author's own humanity.

*Admiral Hornblower* concludes the series (there is a very short final story that takes place when Lord Hornblower is a retired peer of the realm). In the final novel (chronologically), HH faces five crises and reaches an overdue reconciliation with the equally noble Lady Barbara.*

*There are some unresolved affairs of the heart that Forester may or may not have addressed had he lived to write more Hornblower novels.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Roger J. Buffington
5.0 out of 5 stars Hornblower finally makes Admiral -- but the Napoleonic Wars are over...
Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2011
Verified Purchase
"Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies" is the final full-length Hornblower novel, although there are a few short stories set after this one. In this novel, Hornblower has finally made Admiral, and has been posted as Commander-in-Chief of the rather small British naval force in the West Indies. The Napoleonic Wars are over but the times are nonetheless dangerous and complicated. There are several more or less self-contained stories set in this context, and largely they are entertaining and enjoyable. During this time frame South America is in full Revolution against Spain, and of course this ends up involving our hero. In this novel C.S. Forester also evidences a keen understanding of British naval politics of the times, and this is very interesting as well.

My favorite line in this novel, which I have never forgotten, is the one in which Hornblower, now a full Admiral and feeling the full weight of responsibility for the actions of his subordinates, suddenly realizes a sympathy with the Admirals who had been his own superiors as a more junior officer. This observation is true in most walks of life and in its own way is quite profound.

This is an enjoyable Hornblower novel and if not the best of the series nonetheless is authentic Hornblower through and through. Highly recommended. RJB.
6 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Lance Brennan
4.0 out of 5 stars The end of the 'Game"
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2013
Verified Purchase
The last of the Hornblower saga, chronologically speaking, Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies, is more a set of linked short stories than its coherent predecessors. It does contain, however, many of their attractions: the quick-witted and introspective Horatio, worthy opponents, and interesting story-lines.
Moreover, these are set accurately in the culture and history of the post-Napolenic period, and enlivened by their geographical location in the lush West-Indies. The book also benefits from the arrival of Lady Barbara, who surprises Hornblower more than once in the final stories in the book.
Forrester had lost none of his ability to tell a story in clear prose, carrying his reader along so they regret its end: however satisfying that might be.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Naseem Halim
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Hornblower!
Reviewed in India on February 20, 2023
Verified Purchase
C S Forester 's wonderful series about life in the British Navy is the stirring account of Horatio Hormblower's adventures, from his lowly beginnings as a Midshipman to a peer of the realm and an Admiral.
The books span 30 years , through the Napoleonic wars and afterwards...
These books have been a favourite read for almost 60 years !
Report
Magnus
4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best - but the kindle version is weird
Reviewed in France on March 19, 2022
Verified Purchase
I found this one of the more interesting and clever of the Hornblower books. The stories show a wide range of themes and plots - all set in the West Indies.

However, the kindle version is almost unacceptably formatted. There are random line breaks, and at several places, it is clear that there are important words missing. The glossary at the end is completely unusable.

Still, even with those shortcomings, most of the text is intact, and thanks to the captivating story fully enjoyable.
Report
Heider Vakilzadeh
5.0 out of 5 stars Im Original einfach besser
Reviewed in Germany on May 5, 2013
Verified Purchase
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.
One person found this helpful
 Report
J. Cooper
5.0 out of 5 stars Hornblower at his very best
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 1, 2010
Verified Purchase
Rear Admiral Lord Hornblower! He's certainly come a very long way since his humble beginnings as a seasick Midshipman.

Hornblower in the West Indies is not a single book like previous instalments. Instead it is a collection of five short stories describing Hornblower's adventures in these exotic isles following the climax of the Napoleonic Wars post Waterloo. The stories describe Hornblower's life as he polices the Indies in order to help settle the turbulence caused by the lengthy wars spanning the globe.

As ever, nothing runs smoothly for Hornblower and pretty swiftly he is involved in plots concerning piracy, slavery and rebellion. For me, these short stories are some of the most creative and exciting aspects of the Hornblower saga; this is Forester at his pinnacle.

When buying the book, don't expect the usual 300 page single novel and you won't be disappointed. The quality of the stories speaks for themselves and fans of the series will be in for a real treat with the tenth instalment.

As the final book beckons, I can safely say that Hornblower has been an absolute pleasure to read. If you have the slightest interest in naval warfare, please don't miss this series, its simply too good.
6 people found this helpful
 Report
Nicholas Casley
4.0 out of 5 stars The Admirable Admiral
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 1, 2009
Verified Purchase
Written in 1957, it is the tenth in order of Hornblower's career - it's now the year 1821 - but the ninth to be written by CS Forester. Instead of the usual twenty or more chapters, instead we have five titled ones.

This review is of the smart new Penguin editions that have Bernard Cornwell writing an introduction. Cornwall adds that, like the very first in the series (Mr Midshipman Hornblower), the tenth volume "strictly ... is not a novel but another collection of short stories." Cornwell meditates momentarily on the source of Forester's characterisation of our hero and concludes "that the greatest part of Hornblower sprang from Forester himself ... There is no other way, I am certain, that such a series of novels could have been written." (This also, of course, says much about Cornwell and the source of Sharpe, his own literary creation.)

In the first of the five stories in this volume, we see Hornblower experiencing such new-fangled concepts as paddle steamers, independent South American nations, proper showers, tinned food, millionaires, and cornets. We also witness in this excellent five-star story Hornblower's apparently one-and-only visit to the United States. Later in this book, we also see Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, even Venezuela.

In the second story, Hornblower's name is seemingly as synonymous - and as feared - as Drake's had been in the Caribbean over two hundred years earlier. Out at sea and chasing ships, "here were the old symptoms, as recognisable as ever, the quickened heartbeat, the feeling of warmth under the skin, the general restlessness. There was something just below the horizon, vague at present, like a hazy landfall ..." Another good story; it's just a shame that the ending is so predictable.

Pirates and kidnapping are the subjects of the third story. On getting close to the pirates' lair, Forester's tongue partly in cheek, the author writes how our hero "suddenly realized that the almost legendary career of the great Lord Hornblower might have been terminated then and there, that his future biographer might have had to deplore the ironic chance which after so many pitched battles, brought him death at the hands of an obscure criminal in an unknown corner of a West Indian island." (Interestingly, Forester makes an error here in referring to Hornblower's presence at the siege of Riga being "nearly twenty years before": in fact, it was only nine years earlier, in 1812, a fact he notes in the very next story!)

The fourth story is in truth a little far-fetched, featuring an Anglo-Venezuelan millionaire from Bradford with a penchant for yachting in ex-Royal Navy vessels. (Did Forester have someone in mind from his own life?) Final victory to Hornblower is this time reached by a short battle of wits. But in the final story, on his homeward voyage having completed his tour of duty, our hero has nature herself to battle with in the shape of a hurricane. Success this time is partly due to a lovely bunch of coconuts. I kid you not!

That final comment will, I hope, tempt you to satisfy your curiosity. This is a fine set of stories chronicling the high watermark of a brave and clever man's career. If I may appear flippant by referring to him as `our hero', he himself is ever the man of true self-conscious humility: an admiral who is truly admirable.
3 people found this helpful
 Report