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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: March 2026
Quick Answer
What order should I read the Horatio Hornblower series? Start with "The Happy Return / Beat to Quarters" (1937) and follow publication order through all 13 books.
The complete Horatio Hornblower reading order is listed below in publication sequence.
Publication Order
The Happy Return / Beat to Quarters
1937
Ship of the Line
1938
Flying Colours
1938
The Commodore / Commodore Hornblower
1945
Lord Hornblower
1946
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower
1950
Lieutenant Hornblower
1952
Hornblower and the Atropos
1953
Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies / Hornblower in the West Indies
1957
Hornblower and the Hotspur
1962
Hornblower During the Crisis / Hornblower and the Crisis
1967
The Hornblower Companion (With: Samuel Bryant)
1964
Captain Hornblower R.N.
1965
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