zoom_in Click to enlarge

The Happy Return

▲ ▼

description The Happy Return Overview

The Happy Return is a historical naval novel by C. S. Forester, first published in 1937 and issued in the United States as Beat to Quarters. It introduced readers to Horatio Hornblower, although later books depict earlier stages of his career.

Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the story follows Hornblower as captain of HMS Lydia on a mission in Pacific waters off Central America. It combines prolonged sea operations, combat, difficult command decisions, and Hornblower's relationship with Lady Barbara Wellesley.

help The Happy Return FAQ

Why does The Happy Return have a different title in the United States?

The novel was first published in Britain in 1937 as The Happy Return, but its American edition was titled Beat to Quarters, a naval term for preparing a ship for action. Both titles refer to the same book and the same story.

Is The Happy Return the first Hornblower book in the series chronology?

No. Although it was the first Hornblower novel C.S. Forester published, it is set in the middle of Horatio Hornblower's career during the Napoleonic Wars. Forester later wrote both prequels and sequels, filling in earlier and later periods of Hornblower's life.

What ship does Hornblower command in The Happy Return?

Captain Horatio Hornblower commands the frigate HMS Lydia, which he sails on a secret mission to the Pacific coast of Central America. The story involves naval action against a Spanish warship and a complicated relationship with Lady Barbara Wellesley.

How many Hornblower novels did C.S. Forester write?

C.S. Forester wrote eleven completed Hornblower novels, with The Happy Return (1937) being the first published. The series spans Hornblower's career from midshipman to admiral, though the books were written out of chronological order.

swap_horiz

Looking for The Happy Return alternatives? Compare top competitors ranked & scored

arrow_forward