Most of Forrester's central characters are ordinary chaps in extraordinary situations, doing the obviously proper thing.

For example, the shell that fell at Hornblower's feet from the rigging: I missed this on the tv, but in the book F describes how the only thing H can do is pull out the fuse; diving for cover or throwing it over the side is not an option, however tempting, because (a) it won't stop him being killed or injured and (b) it will damage the ship and injure the crew and (c) it will seriously impair his ship's fighting capacity. He is embarrassed and puzzled by being taken as a hero simply for doing what any sensible man would have done.

Another example: in Brown on Resolution, set in WWI, Brown, a rating, is stranded on a small island when his ship is sunk by a German ship. Instead of surrendering, he turns sniper and picks off as many of the enemy as he can; even though he knows he is likely to be caught and shot, or abandoned to starve to death: not to continue to fight isn't an option, any more than it would be on board ship.

I think F wanted to show how fine qualities are present in most of us, only coming to the fore in extreme situations: "bringing out the best", as the platitiude has it. O'Brian's characters, on the other hand, are all slightly larger than life: they are all "characters", albeit highly creditable ones; and more like real life for being less idealised.

How about George McDonald Fraser's Flashman?

Steve