Commodore Hornblower (published as The Commodore in the UK) appeared from Michael Joseph in 1945. Hornblower, promoted to Commodore, commands a small squadron sent to the Baltic in 1812 with secret orders to negotiate with Sweden and Russia against Napoleon. The diplomatic mission requires subtlety — Hornblower must encourage Swedish and Russian resistance to France without committing Britain to alliance terms that London cannot accept.
The novel operates on two levels: the naval (coastal engagements with French privateers, the technical challenges of Baltic navigation) and the political (meetings with Tsar Alexander I, negotiations with Swedish Crown Prince Bernadotte). Hornblower discovers that he is as talented a diplomat as he is a sailor — and equally uncomfortable with both roles. His insecurity in drawing rooms mirrors his competence at sea.
The Baltic setting allows Forester to paint a wider historical canvas than the Mediterranean novels: the buildup to Napoleon’s invasion of Russia, the fragility of the anti-French coalition, and the enormous stakes of the 1812 campaign provide backdrop to Hornblower’s personal story.
Collecting Commodore Hornblower
First edition (Michael Joseph, London, 1945, as The Commodore): Blue cloth with dust jacket.
Market values:
- First edition with jacket, fine/fine: $200–$500
- Without jacket, very good: $50–$120
- US first (Little, Brown, as Commodore Hornblower): $100–$250