Horatio Hornblower Books in Order
Below you'll find the complete list of Horatio Hornblower books in publication order. This is generally the recommended reading order for the series.
Reading order verified: January 2026
Publication Order
The Happy Return / Beat to Quarters
Buy on Amazon1937
Ship of the Line
Buy on Amazon1938
Flying Colours
Buy on Amazon1938
The Commodore / Commodore Hornblower
Buy on Amazon1945
Lord Hornblower
Buy on Amazon1946
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower
Buy on Amazon1950
Lieutenant Hornblower
Buy on Amazon1952
Hornblower and the Atropos
Buy on Amazon1953
Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies / Hornblower in the West Indies
Buy on Amazon1957
Hornblower and the Hotspur
Buy on Amazon1962
Hornblower During the Crisis / Hornblower and the Crisis
Buy on Amazon1967
The Hornblower Companion (With: Samuel Bryant)
Buy on Amazon1964
Captain Hornblower R.N.
Buy on Amazon1965
Frequently Asked Questions
The recommended reading order for the Horatio Hornblower series is publication order: 1. The Happy Return / Beat to Quarters (1937), 2. Ship of the Line (1938), 3. Flying Colours (1938), 4. The Commodore / Commodore Hornblower (1945), 5. Lord Hornblower (1946), and 8 more. This is generally the best way to experience the story as the author intended.
The Horatio Hornblower series by C.S. Forester contains 13 books. The series began in 1937 and continues to be a popular choice for readers.
The Horatio Hornblower series is written by C.S. Forester. You can find more books and series by this author on our website.
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