The Hornblower Saga: Captain Hornblower (Set 2)

C.S. Forester, The Hornblower Saga, Captain Hornblower. London: The Folio Society, [2019]. First printing thus. 228 × 150 × 24–29 mm. 4 vols (see below). Type: Bulmer. Printed and bound by Neografia in three-quarter blue cloth with a cloth front board printed and blocked with a different design by Joe McLaren for each volume. Aside from plates, McLaren has also contributed chapter headings, frontispieces and illustrations for the titles. Blue four-volume slip case printed with repeat wave design and blocked in gold (titled as above). The second set in the series. The four volumes are as follows:

[1] C.S. Forester, Hornblower and the Atropos, introduced by Bernard Cornwell, illustrated by Joe McLaren. Pp. [i–iv] v–xii [xiii–xx], [1–2] 3–270 [271–276]: [4] leaves of black and white plates (facing pp. 56, 128, 196 and 239). Endleaves printed with wave design in orange and blue. Five maps are on pages [xv–xx].

[2] C.S. Forester, The Happy Return . . . Pp. [i–iv] v–x [xi–xvi], [1–2] 3–219 [220–224]: [4] leaves of black and white plates (facing pp. 85, 125, 160 and 206). Endleaves printed with wave design in green and blue. Four maps are on pages [xii–xvi]. 

[3] C.S. Forester, A Ship of the Line . . . Pp. [i–iv] v–xi [xii–xvi], [1–2] 3–250 [251–256]: [4] leaves of black and white plates (facing pp. 103, 127, 169 and 229). Endleaves printed with wave design in dark yellow and blue. Two maps are on pages [xv–xvi]. Concludes with the short story ‘Hornblower’s charitable offering’.

[4] C.S. Forester, Flying Colours . . . Pp. [i–iv] v–xi [xii–xvi], [1–2] 3–215 [216]: [4] leaves of black and white plates (facing pp. 65, 96, 135 and 185). Endleaves printed with wave design in two shades of blue. A map is on page [xv]. Concludes with the short story ‘Hornblower and His Majesty’. 

Nelson’s funeral, a war ship commission, aiding the odious el Supremo in the Spanish revolt and being taken prisoner by the French – this new series of four volumes of C. S. Forester’s tales sees Horatio Hornblower engage in furious battles and acts of diplomacy across the globe. Originally written as stand-alone tales, this new collection brings all the novels and stories together in chronological order, the better to follow the burgeoning naval career of Forester’s affable protagonist during the Napoleonic Wars. This is the real Horatio Hornblower – the naval captain who inspired a film and television series – presented exactly as Forester intended you to meet him. Illustrator Joe McLaren returns with his evocative black-and-white series illustrations and naval-inspired binding designs in this highly desirable collection that also includes meticulous reproductions of Forester’s maps: fascinating visual depictions of Hornblower’s voyages.

Condition

Fine books unlikely to have ever been read, with tight bindings and clean, bright pages. All housed in a fine slipcase with minor shelf-wear. No bumps, nor dings. A beautiful set.