The primary interest for most authors seems to be the role of captain. The independence of command at this time gives the
author scope and often the ship is on detached service. Senior rank presents problems as suspension of disbelief is strained when
fitting fictional fleet actions into a historic context. Forester addresses this by having Hornblower promoted at the end of the war
while Douglas Reeman, writing as Alexander Kent, takes the risk with Richard Bolitho holding flag rank in eleven novels.
Most authors place their characters in the Royal Navy but service in a King's ship isn't universal as we also find the occasional ventures into privateering
and the Honourable East India Company's small naval service the Bombay Marine.
The menu above lists the characters in alphabetical order but the best place to start is probably with Horatio Hornblower