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My reading group decided to try the Hornblower books in response to my nautical adventures. I read the first (the first written, not the first chronologically) while on the Lady, and while it proved great reading when I was dead tired and couldn't think, I wasn't entirely impressed with the writing style. Upon my return the reading group decided to watch the 1951 Gregory Peck movie, which covered the first three books. I really hate watching a movie version first, so I quickly listened to the next 2. (Most fiction is pretty quick at 2.5x!) By the time I was done with those I was hooked, so I continued listening in chronological order, then went back and listened to the first 5 covering the earlier parts of his career.
So, obviously, I enjoyed them enough to inhale 11 books over just a few weeks. And I'm enjoying the British TV version, though it's diverging more and more from the books in needlessly dramatic ways. I don't think it will be a lasting influence on me. Possibly because Hornblower himself is just a bit too human -- the internal narration gives you an intimate view of his insecurities and uncertainties. That's not a bad thing, but at some point it starts to feel a bit indulgent to once again have it spelled out that Hornblower, while participating quite actively in a horrendously cruel and inhuman system, is actually kind of uncertain about the morality of much of it, so it's totally okay, don't worry.
I totally get the comparisons to Vorkosigan now, though. That was definitely the best parts of the books, when Hornblower has to solve problems in unexpected and lateral ways.
So, obviously, I enjoyed them enough to inhale 11 books over just a few weeks. And I'm enjoying the British TV version, though it's diverging more and more from the books in needlessly dramatic ways. I don't think it will be a lasting influence on me. Possibly because Hornblower himself is just a bit too human -- the internal narration gives you an intimate view of his insecurities and uncertainties. That's not a bad thing, but at some point it starts to feel a bit indulgent to once again have it spelled out that Hornblower, while participating quite actively in a horrendously cruel and inhuman system, is actually kind of uncertain about the morality of much of it, so it's totally okay, don't worry.
I totally get the comparisons to Vorkosigan now, though. That was definitely the best parts of the books, when Hornblower has to solve problems in unexpected and lateral ways.