Hornblower books in order A series by C. S. Forester
The Hornblower series by C. S. Forester has 11 books, from The Happy Return (Feb 1937) to Hornblower and the Crisis (1967). Read it in order, starting with The Happy Return.
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
Updated September 2026
All 11 Hornblower books in order
- 1.
The Happy Return (Feb 1937)
- 2.
A Ship of the Line (Apr 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)
- 11.
Hornblower and the Crisis (1967)
Hornblower on screen
- HornblowerTV · from Mr. Midshipman Hornblower
- HornblowerTV · from Lieutenant Hornblower
Hornblower FAQ
- How many Hornblower books are there?
- There are 11 Hornblower books, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read the Hornblower books in?
- In publication order, starting with The Happy Return (Feb 1937): 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) · … all 11 below.
- What is the first Hornblower book?
- The Happy Return (Feb 1937).
- What is the latest Hornblower book?
- Hornblower and the Crisis (1967).
- Is the Hornblower series finished?
- There have been no new Hornblower books since 1967; C. S. Forester died in 1966.
Sources: series order and dates from Wikidata and Open Library. Last updated September 2026.