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The Commodore

By: C. S. Forester
Narrated by: Christian Rodska
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Summary

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.
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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)

What listeners say about The Commodore

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  • Overall
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Excellent

As a lover of the series I wondered if this one would be boring - but no, another gripping tale this time in the Baltic.

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Really good

Glad to have the best narrator back. A cracking story as told by a great writer and story teller.

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1 person found this helpful

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Enter the diplomat

Hornblower's career takes a major change of direction. Challenges abound and hardships endured. Another cliffhanger ending. Brilliant narration.

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Last chapter is missing.

The last chapter is missing. It doesn't make a difference to the story but Audible, it would be good to have the complete book!

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Shiva me Timbers... Ship Shaped & Bristol Fashion.

My hope that the others are as good, has in fact, proved certain. I have been looking F'ard to the series as I have amassed this treasure trove, with the movie popping it's head above the poopdeck every leeward. I have to say that I am more surprised than I thought I was going to be. I assumed it was going to be good, and I am very glad to be proved wrong Sir.

It is very GOOD Indeed Sir.

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  • Overall
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Another excellent performance from Rodska

A perfect combination of adventure , drama, interpretation and performance.
Christian Rodska is a wonderful, nuanced, versatile interpreter of Forester.

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Hornblower in the Baltic

The loose political alliance that Napoleon cobble together starts to fall apart around him. Christan Rodska narrates magnificently.

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Awesome!

Very different to your usual hornblower , but all the better for it . Wonderful descriptions and a solid pace in the arc of European history. Brilliantly narrated !

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Hornblower in evolution


The Commodore, is Hornblower in evolution; revealing a maturer, more measured HH. There is perspective and overview and his adventures in this episode have elements of an historical novel…

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Complete and Enjoyable

Once again Christian Rodska does an amazing job of bringing the characters to life and reading the story very well. I am also glad to report that the "missing chapter 23" has been fixed and the story is complete.

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, and have enjoyed the series immensely thus far.

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5 people found this helpful