Hornblower and the "Atropos" cover art

Hornblower and the "Atropos"

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Hornblower and the "Atropos"

By: C.S. Forester
Narrated by: Nicolas Coster
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About this listen

In the wake of a humbling incident aboard a canal boat in the Cotswolds, young Captain Horatio Hornblower arrives in London to take command of the Atropos, a 22-gun sloop barely large enough to require a captain. Her first assignment under Hornblower's command is as flagship for the funeral procession of Lord Nelson.

Soon Atropos is part of the Mediterranean Fleet's harassment of Napoleon, recovering treasure that lies deep in Turkish waters and boldly challenging a Spanish frigate several times her size. At the center of each adventure is Hornblower, whose blend of cautious preparation and spirited execution dazzles friend and foe alike.

©2009 C Forester (P)2009 Phoenix Books, Inc. Genre Fiction Historical Mystery Sea Adventures Thriller & Suspense Fiction Adventure Suspense
All stars
Most relevant
Great story, painful listen! Slow, plumy, droning on and on! Had to speed it up to avoid falling into a coma! If I could swap this for the Christian Rodska one I would. Problem is for some reason it wasn’t available when I purchased it. DON’T BUY THIS ONE.

Bring back Christian Rodska

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If you could sum up Hornblower and the "Atropos" in three words, what would they be?

interesting well researched

What aspect of Nicolas Coster’s performance might you have changed?

His speach was a little slow and laboured at times.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It wasn't a book I couldn't put down, but I couldn't wait to get back to it once I had stopped.

Any additional comments?

it is a shame that the reader (although very good in himself) wasn't the same reader as all the other Hornlower books so far.

Review

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I thoroughly enjoy the hornblower series but sadly am having to cope with the reader. his slow, laconic, often stilted rendering comes over as pompous. Even exciting battles are rendered with the slow, ponderous and unemotional voice which makes the young hornblower sound as if he is an octogenarian looking forward to soaking his feet in some Epsom salts. i'm sure the publishers wanted something that sounded of the period but sadly all they have achieved is something that sounds old, and tired. I will persevere with the rest of the series in the hope that the reader discovers some passion.

a classic, spoilt by the reading

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very good book but the narration was poor.
slow with poor inflections. annoying because there is a better one available

poor narration

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Like all the Hornblower books, "Hornblower and the Atropos" is a brilliantly written, exciting and insightful work of historical fiction. Why then the three stars? I'm afraid the narration was just not up to the very high standard set by Christian Rodska who reads the other Hornblower books available on Audible.

A brilliant book, a mediocre narrator

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