What is the author's tone in Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C. S. Forester?

The novel is told from the third-person, limited, point of view. The narrator is entirely effaced, unnamed, and completely reliable. Hornblower, the main character, is the protagonist and central figure in all of the scenes in the novel. The narrator divulges internal thoughts of the protagonist, but not of other characters. The majority of the story is told through action and dialogue; revealed thoughts are frequent but generally are used for characterization rather than plot development. The novel, originally published as a series of short stories, retains the same point of view throughout, which assists in narrative continuity and an evenness of tone.