Mr. Midshipman Hornblower

I first read this book long ago, in childhood; I own it now only as one-third of [b:The Young Hornblower Omnibus: Mr Midshipman Hornblower, Lieutenant Hornblower and Hornblower and the Hotspur 84761 The Young Hornblower Omnibus Mr Midshipman Hornblower, Lieutenant Hornblower and Hornblower and the Hotspur C.S. Forester https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1353053139l/84761.SY75.jpg 85850123], but these books were originally published separately and I prefer to review them separately.This book is not really a novel: it's a series of related but separate short stories with their own titles:1. The Even Chance2. The Cargo of Rice3. The Penalty of Failure4. The Man Who Felt Queer5. The Man Who Saw God6. The Frogs and the Lobsters7. The Spanish Galleys8. The Examination for Lieutenant9. Noah's Ark10. The Duchess and the DevilThe first story describes Horatio Hornblower's entry into the Royal Navy as a 17-year-old midshipman; the other stories describe episodes from his first five years, leading up to his promotion to lieutenant. His initial experiences are miserable, but on the whole his life improves gradually (two steps forward, one step back) as time goes on and he begins to gain some confidence in his career. He already had some knowledge of French; while held captive in Spain at the end of this book, he learns Spanish. Both languages will be useful to him later.The stories are diverse and entertaining, showing Hornblower undertaking a wide variety of tasks in different places, from England to Lebanon. Forester delights in exploring every kind of action that the Royal Navy might be involved in at the end of the 18th century; and it all has a feeling of authenticity.Hornblower himself is an odd and rather interesting character: intelligent but self-critical, rather stiff and socially uncomfortable, deaf to music and unable to sing or dance, not much of a drinker. Likeable in his way, but a man of his time and place.