Hornblower Fic Rec Post
A conversation with the lovely @fyeahmeninroyalnavy prompted me to do a Hornblower fic rec post. I’m sure we have some recs in common ;)
I should probably point out that these are all Horatio/Archie recs, because those are the only ones I read (with rare exceptions).
Slash Fics (in no particular order):
*I feel I have to start with @paraxdisepink’s wonderful saga: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 This is the first H/A series that I read, and it will always have a special place in my heart. The saga starts with Horatio and Archie in El Ferrol and in the end finds them two years after Kingston. And in between, there’s the best (at least to me) fix-it fic ever, No Quarter Given, where Archie gets to be the hero and saves the day (and Horatio).
*Nunc Atque Semper is an angsty one-shot by the amazing @bbcphile. First Hornblower fic I’ve ever read, and what a welcome to the fandom it was! It’s a DKU that will break your heart…
*Speaking of fics that will break your heart, if When The Wind is Southerly doesn’t make you cry, nothing will. It’s a LKU with a (tragic) twist. Worth reading. Multiple times.
*I still don’t remember how I stumbled upon this series, but thank God (and the Wayback Machine!) that I did. Laurel and Rose is a LONG series, very porny LOL!, and so engrossing that I didn’t want it to end. It spans several years (from El Ferrol onward), and has a very weird LKU twist. If you are a H/A shipper and you can overlook the way Archie is resurrected, you will enjoy it a lot.
Modern AUs
*It goes without saying that the incomparable Harboured and Encompassed by @bbcphile has to be on this list. I’m sure that every Hornblower fan has already read this incredible novel. And if you haven’t, do it now!
*Another modern version of Archie and Horatio that I thouroughly enjoyed is this series by esmerelda-t. The other stories in the series are a little difficult to find (you have to follow the “modern AU” tag), but they are worth it. The saga starts with Horatio, Archie (and Simpson, ugh) in high school and takes them into their adult life with lots of twists and turns. A truly enjoyable read.
Non-slash H/A
*Red Sky at Morning is a novel-length fic about Horatio and Archie’s friendship, and the lengths that Archie will go to in order to protect his friend. It’s truly well done, and even though there are a lot of original characters, they are so well written that you will find yourself caring about them too.
There are so many more that I left out, but I had better stop here before this post turns into a novel itself! LOL!
Oh wow, I am so incredibly happy and honored that TWO of my fics are mentioned!!! This made my entire weekend!! Thank you, @hopelessdreamer80 !!!
Hey, my story “Red Sky at Morning” made the cut! Thanks so much for the kind words. I’m right chuffed. :-)
