The Commodore

By: C. S. Forester

Narrated by: Christian Rodska

Exclusively from Audible

In the ninth instalment of the series, C.S. Forester transports us to the quaint village of Smallbridge. Predictably restless and eager to embark on his next adventure, Horatio Hornblower dreams of returning to the seas and commanding his next ship.

Now happily married to Lady Barbara Leighton and widely celebrated for his recent successes with the navy, Hornblower has been knighted and appointed a commodore.

Fortunately for Horatio, his uneventful days as village squire are soon interrupted when he is sent word from the Admiralty. Ordered to embark upon a diplomatic and military mission to protect Britain's Baltic interests, Horatio is quick to choose a squadron and leave his small village life behind.

Fighting against the savage Baltic weather, Hornblower must impede Napoleon from conquering Sweden and Russia and, as always, ensure that no French privateer can prevent him from achieving his goals.

Hailed by the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Sir Winston Churchill for being 'admirable and vastly entertaining,' C.S. Forester became a hugely influential 20th-century author.

Born in Cairo, raised in London and buried in California, the metropolitan writer experienced huge success with his Horatio Hornblower series as well as with his later works, The African Queen and The Good Shepherd.

His literary genius is perfectly encapsulated within this endlessly entertaining narrative, and his heroic protagonist draws us in to another titillating journey through the Napoleonic wars.

Narrator Biography

Christian Rodska is an English television and voice actor best known for his role in the 1970s series Follyfoot.

From the The Monuments Men and The Eagle of the Ninth to The Likely Lads, Z Cars, The Tomorrow People, Coronation Street, Bergerac and Casualty, his extensive and diverse acting career has led him to become a highly solicited radio and audiobook narrator.

He has now voiced over 150 unabridged audiobooks including Winston Churchill's biographies, Evelyn Waugh's Men at Arms and Sebastian Faulks' A Possible Life. He has been praised for his ability to vary in vocal pace and style, and as such, Christian boasts 12 Earphone Awards from Audiofile Magazine.

©1945 C.S. Forester (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Christian Rodska recounts this naval war adventure with the gusto of Commodore Hornblower as he travels the seas. Hornblower assumes command of a ship undertaking voyages rivaling those of Napoleon and his army of adversaries. We hear the compassion, wit, and intelligence with which Hornblower commands his ship. The politics of the times, the responsibilities of leadership, and the trials of serving at sea in a century gone by are captured in this narrative depiction of British naval life." ( AudioFile)

Note: Last Chapter IS missing as of July 2020.

Nothing new to add here as everyone who‘s listened to the first six novels is already aware that each one is fantastic, despite the distinct and abrupt endings. In fact, this novel simply stops in the middle of the third word of the last chapter.
This novel is a solid 3-star story, but Rodska’s 5-star narration raises its overall average to 4-stars.

Another great Hornblower story.

Christian Rodska is a great narrator. It's hard to believe you're listening to just a single person read. Can't wait to start the next in the series.

Great story

The story is well told but stops before the is finished. It left off the final chapter. I don’t understand why they did that.

An excellent historical novel

This is one of the best novels that describes the life of a Royal Navy life.

Wonderful read

One of the greatest authors of the last century; bringing history to life. Spellbinding adventure made all the more exciting as the story is based upon the true life war records of one of England's greatest naval officers. I would highly recommend both the storyline and author.

Ripping Yarns, all of them!

Narrated superbly, you can just about hear the wind in the rigging. It is well worth listening to them in chronological order - start at the very beginning, with Mr Midshipman Hornblower. You won't regret it - I find the series totally addictive.

Thrilling but technical

Hornblower gets up to his usual adventures, saving the world yet again. The book is a pretty dense one, however, and draws on a bit, veering into military detail. Great performance by Rodska as always!

Oops

It was a good story, but would have been much better if the last chapter would have been read. It is funny that you pay Audio for access and get cut short. I want to thank the reviewer who posted where the last chapter could be found. Fadedpages.com

Missing last chapter

Christian Rodska does a fine job speaking this book but the last chapter is missing.

Missing Last Chapter, as already noted by another

I love all of the Hornblower books, and this one had an accomplished performance. However, as noted by reviewer Kathryn below, the last chapter is missing. After I saw Kathryn's comment, I confirmed it by checking the printed book in the library. I don't understand why Audible doesn't correct or explain this. It's still worth listening to, but find a printed copy and spend an extra 5 minutes to finish the story.