What order should I read C. S. Forester's books in?

Read each series in its own order: start Hornblower with The Happy Return. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.

What is C. S. Forester's most famous book?

Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (1950) is C. S. Forester's most widely read book.

Are C. S. Forester's books connected?

11 books belong to 1 series (Hornblower); the other 38 books stand alone.

Does C. S. Forester write under a pen name?

Yes: C. S. Forester has also published as Cecil Scott Forester.

Which C. S. Forester books have been adapted?

4 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The African Queen (film, 1951), Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (as Hornblower, TV), Lieutenant Hornblower (as Hornblower, TV) and The Good Shepherd (as Greyhound, film, 2019).

C. S. Forester books in order

British novelist, "Hornblower" author

Lived: 1899–1966
Country: United Kingdom
Books: 49
Series: 1
Also writes as: Cecil Scott Forester

Literary fiction

C. S. Forester published 40 novels, 1 novella, 2 non-fiction books, 2 children's books and 4 other books, beginning with Beat to Quarters (1937). The series is Hornblower (11 books, starting with The Happy Return). 13 feature Horatio Hornblower. The best-known is Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (1950).

Updated September 2026

Hornblower books in order (11)Series page

Reading order: 1 The Happy Return (1937) · 2 A Ship of the Line (1938) · 3 Flying Colours (1938) · 4 The Commodore (1945) · 5 Lord Hornblower (1946) · 6 Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (1950) · 7 Lieutenant Hornblower (1952) · 8 Hornblower and the Atropos (1953) · 9 Hornblower in the West Indies (1957) · 10 Hornblower and the Hotspur (1805) · … all 11 below

1.
The Happy Return (Feb 1937)
239 pages
Buy
2.
A Ship of the Line (Apr 1938)
323 pages
Buy
3.
Flying Colours (1938)
278 pages★ 3.2 (5 ratings)
Buy
4.
The Commodore (1945)
271 pages
Buy
5.
Lord Hornblower (1946)
245 pages
Buy
6.
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (1950)
258 pages★ 4.2 (10 ratings)Adapted for TV
Buy
7.
Lieutenant Hornblower (1952)
306 pages★ 3.6 (8 ratings)Adapted for TV
Buy
8.
Hornblower and the Atropos (1953)
319 pages
Buy
9.
Hornblower in the West Indies (1957)
Buy
10.
Hornblower and the Hotspur (1805)
Buy
11.
Hornblower and the Crisis (1967)
Buy

Books featuring Horatio Hornblower (13)

Beat to Quarters (1937)
324 pages★ 3.7 (6 ratings)
Buy
Captain Horatio Hornblower (1939)
583 pages
Buy
The Ship (1943)
237 pages
Buy
Commodore Hornblower (1945)
318 pages
Buy
The Young Hornblower (1950)
633 pages
Buy
Hornblower Takes Command (1954)
223 pages
Buy
Hornblower in Captivity (1955)
224 pages
Buy
Hornblowers Triumph (1955)
223 pages
Buy
By C. S. Forester - Hornblower and the Hotspur (1962-06-16) [Hardcover] (1962)
342 pages
Buy
Hornblower Goes to Sea (1963)
191 pages
Buy
Long Before Forty (1967)
253 pages
Buy
Captain Hornblower R.n (1987)
576 pages
Buy
Hornblower During the Crisis (1999)
165 pages
Buy

Where to start with C. S. Forester

Start here
The Happy Return
Book 1 of Hornblower, the series that includes Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, C. S. Forester's most-read book.
Shortest way in
Beat to Quarters
One of the most-read, at about 324 pages.

Standalone novels in order

The Voyage of the Annie Marble (1929)
277 pages
Buy
Death to the French (1932)
187 pages
Buy
The African Queen (1935)
198 pagesAdapted for film
Buy
The Gun (1939)
191 pages
Buy
The Captain from Connecticut (1941)
324 pages
Buy
Payment Deferred (1943)
265 pages
Buy
Rifleman Dodd (1943)
189 pages
Buy
Brown on Resolution (1946)
242 pages
Buy
The General (1947)
251 pages
Buy
The Sky and the Forest (1948)
219 pages
Buy
Randall and the River of Time (1950)
332 pages
Buy
The Good Shepherd (1955)
310 pagesAdapted for film
Buy
The Man in the Yellow Raft (1971)
189 pages
Buy
The Nightmare (1981)
Buy
The Pursued (2011)
218 pages
Buy
Plain Murder (2012)
204 pages
Buy

Novellas in order

Sink the Bismarck! (1958)
131 pages
Buy

Non-fiction in order

Nelson (1929)
232 pages
Buy
The Age of Fighting Sail (1956)
284 pages
Buy

Children's books in order

Poo-Poo and the Dragon (1942)
142 pages
Buy
The Barbary Pirates (1953)
174 pages
Buy

Other books in order

Hunting the Bismarck (1959)
109 pages
Buy
The Last Nine Days of the Bismarck (1959)
138 pages
Buy
The Hornblower Saga (1992)
Buy
Lieutenant Hornblower (Hornblower Saga (1999)
Buy

Film and TV adaptations

The African Queen (1951)Film · from The African Queen
HornblowerTV · from Mr. Midshipman Hornblower
HornblowerTV · from Lieutenant Hornblower
Greyhound (2019)Film · from The Good Shepherd

About C. S. Forester

Cecil Louis Troughton Smith, best known by his pen name C. S. Forester, was an English novelist known for writing tales of naval warfare, such as the 12-book Horatio Hornblower series depicting a Royal Navy officer during the Napoleonic Wars.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

C. S. Forester FAQ

How many books has C. S. Forester written?: C. S. Forester published 40 novels, 1 novella, 2 non-fiction books, 2 children's books and 4 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read C. S. Forester's books in?: Read each series in its own order: start Hornblower with The Happy Return. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
What is C. S. Forester's last book?: Long Before Forty (1967).
What is C. S. Forester's most famous book?: Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (1950) is C. S. Forester's most widely read book.
Are C. S. Forester's books connected?: 11 books belong to 1 series (Hornblower); the other 38 books stand alone.
Does C. S. Forester write under a pen name?: Yes: C. S. Forester has also published as Cecil Scott Forester.
Which C. S. Forester books have been adapted?: 4 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The African Queen (film, 1951), Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (as Hornblower, TV), Lieutenant Hornblower (as Hornblower, TV) and The Good Shepherd (as Greyhound, film, 2019).