Rating: 
Summary: Three Novellas
Review: "During the Crisis" features three novellas by C.S. Forester. The first, best and the only incomplete novella is the first which occurs after "Hornblower and the Hotspur". The second occurs sometime after Mr. Midshipman and Lieutenant Hornblower. The third, I think (I have not completed the entire series yet) should be one of the last things read about HH. I don't know how Forester intended on introducing these three well written, but very chronologically disjointed pieces into the life of HH, but it would seem that his estate put together his remaining notes about HH and published it under the title "During the Crisis". My suggestion to anyone who is reading the Hornblower series for the first time is to pick this book up and read the sections after you have read the books in the order I have mentioned them. Reading this before I read Lieutenant Hornblower would have been enlightening.
Rating: 
Summary: Little Brown & Co! What a RIP.
Review: 'Hornblower During the Crisis', is the 4th of the chronological series of Horatio Hornblower's career in the Royal Navy. CS Foresters was unable to complete this book, but there are a few author notes about how the book would end and two interesting short stories at the end of of the 100 pages of 'Hornblower During the Crisis'. I would recommend reading the first short story after 'Mr. Midshipman', and the last short story after you completed the 11 book series.Of course the writing, and continued story line of Horatio Hornblower is superb even with it being a partial book and story. But, I was not particularly happy that this partiallly completed book of 100 pages cost the same as any other book in the series. I give the rating of 2 stars only due to this fact. Otherwise, I will still continue to look forward to reading the next in the series. I am very much addicted to the story line!
Rating:
Summary: The novel is unfinished and hence not as good as others in t
Review: C.S. Forester died before completing this novel. It is an excellent story of adventure and intrigue up to where it ends and so well worth the read. And of course it is important to read even this unfinished novel as a part of the series of stories of Hornblower's progress up through the navy ranks.
Rating: 
Summary: Right on the mark, but unfinished....
Review: Forester departed this earth in the middle of writing this story. Even so, this is a very good book. All the normal details that you have come to expect are there. Hornblower not quite trusting himself or his decisions, a stickler for rules and regulations, intense clashes of arms with the hated Frenchies... This story is mostly about how Hornblower hands of the Hotspur and heads for the Admiralty to acquire a new ship. His previous admiral, Cornwallis has named him as was the custom when an admiral retires. So, Hornblower is expecting to be made post and gain command of a ship. After leaving the Hotspur, he is being conveyed to England on a watering ship. Along the way, Hornblower is involved in the courts martial of the captain that recently took command of the Hotspur. Apparently, through some blunder in navigation, the Hotspur was lost. The captain and officers are being sent back to England for further orders. They find themselves in the company of Hornblower once again. Along the way, they are briefly chase by a French brig. Hornblower and company contrive to capture the French ship by ruse. They succeed, only to lose the ship soon after to the much larger brig crew that is battened down below. Upon retreating from the ship, Hornblower snatches up the ship spapers and orders. With these papers in hand, he proceeds to Whitehall. His capture of the documents leads to what the rest of the story was actually going to be about. Hornblower will be the leader of a small group of men with the sole purpose of delivering a carefully worded forgery to the French admiral in the hopes that he will quit his santuary and proceed to sea. The orders will direct him to a supposed meeting place with another French fleet. This is where the English line of battle ships will be waiting to pounce. The story never gets that far, but one can only imagine what it would have been like. Hornblower would have been in the thick of things. Probably in command of a small frigate. The other two short stories included with this reading are both interesting. Nothing special, but worth the time it takes to read them. The first is about Hornblower soon after receiving his leutenancy. The second is well into his life. Probably in retirement in the year 1848. This is a very good book. If you are into Hornblower, this is for you.
Rating:
Summary: Cleaning up Forester's Desk
Review: Hornblower During the Crisis is apparently a couple of pieces of left over script that Forester hadn't finished when he died, and was later published. The first half deals with Hornblower's trip home to England as a passenger on a water hoy (a supply ship that brings water to ships of the line). The water how is such a dog that after several days of beating back and forth they are still where they began. When they finally do get a fair wind they are chased by a larger French brig and only by some of Hornblower's usual trickery and bravado do they turn the tables and escape. The battle is a little too unbelievable for me; it relies too much no surprise and a sleeping French crew, which I found beyond the realm of possible. Nevertheless our hero returns safely to England. The second part of the book is another short story about how Hornblower was assigned to be some kind of spy in Spain to deliver fake messages ordering the Spanish fleet out to sea. It's more plausible, but a short story. Despite its shortcomings, the detail of ships and sailing in the early 19th century make the Hornblower series must reading for any man who loves the sea.
Rating:
Summary: Cleaning up Forester's Desk
Review: Hornblower During the Crisis is apparently a couple of pieces of left over script that Forester hadn't finished when he died, and was later published. The first half deals with Hornblower's trip home to England as a passenger on a water hoy (a supply ship that brings water to ships of the line). The water how is such a dog that after several days of beating back and forth they are still where they began. When they finally do get a fair wind they are chased by a larger French brig and only by some of Hornblower's usual trickery and bravado do they turn the tables and escape. The battle is a little too unbelievable for me; it relies too much no surprise and a sleeping French crew, which I found beyond the realm of possible. Nevertheless our hero returns safely to England. The second part of the book is another short story about how Hornblower was assigned to be some kind of spy in Spain to deliver fake messages ordering the Spanish fleet out to sea. It's more plausible, but a short story. Despite its shortcomings, the detail of ships and sailing in the early 19th century make the Hornblower series must reading for any man who loves the sea.
Rating:
Summary: A book for the completist
Review: I am just reading the Hornblower series for the first time and reading them in the publishers order. Hornblower During The Crisis is an unfinished book, seriously unfinished, the main story only runs 129 pages and would have been wonderful if he had finished the novel (the author passed away). Bundled with 2 other very short stories this book really isn't worth the price.
Rating: 
Summary: Doesn't feel like a fragment
Review: I have read the first, numbered half of the Hornblower Saga (from "Midshipman" up to "Beat to Quarters"), and I very much enjoy the series. I like Hornblower's ability to meticulously plan, the human way in which he is so self-critical (something all people probably can relate to), and his ability to unerringly know the right moment to take a risk in order to enhance the fruits of his careful planning. However, I was reluctant to pay full price for something that was, essentially, half a novel. And so it was with mixed feelings that I purchased "Hornblower During The Crisis." I was pleasantly surprised. I just finished reading the book, and I can say that I did not feel at all cheated out of my money. It would have been pleasant to have actually read the rest of the story, instead of reading a synopsis that describes its ending, but all the elements from the other Hornblower books are here: and, ultimately, it did not leave me with the feeling that I'd read an incomplete thing. If other Amazon shoppers are considering buying this book, but have the same concerns I had, I feel comfortable in telling them that they probably won't regret the purchase.
Rating:
Summary: Doesn't feel like a fragment
Review: I have read the first, numbered half of the Hornblower Saga (from "Midshipman" up to "Beat to Quarters"), and I very much enjoy the series. I like Hornblower's ability to meticulously plan, the human way in which he is so self-critical (something all people probably can relate to), and his ability to unerringly know the right moment to take a risk in order to enhance the fruits of his careful planning. However, I was reluctant to pay full price for something that was, essentially, half a novel. And so it was with mixed feelings that I purchased "Hornblower During The Crisis." I was pleasantly surprised. I just finished reading the book, and I can say that I did not feel at all cheated out of my money. It would have been pleasant to have actually read the rest of the story, instead of reading a synopsis that describes its ending, but all the elements from the other Hornblower books are here: and, ultimately, it did not leave me with the feeling that I'd read an incomplete thing. If other Amazon shoppers are considering buying this book, but have the same concerns I had, I feel comfortable in telling them that they probably won't regret the purchase.
Rating:
Summary: Worth it if you are reading the series...even if you dont.
Review: I too was a little cautious of paying 13 bucks (or 10 something here) for a book that really only had 100+ some odd pages, when compared to the rest of the series (the rest of the series run about 250-350 on average). The story was fairly interesting. Not as good as the others in the series. But If you are to read the whole series you shouldn't be too cheap to spend the extra cash on 1 book of a series. I think it would be foolish to hold out on 1 book of a series to "not get your moneys worth of 100 or so pages." My advise, JUST READ IT!
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