Harry Flashman: the unrepentant bully of Tom Brown's schooldays, now with a Victoria Cross, has three main talents - horsemanship, facility with foreign languages and fornication. A reluctant military hero, Flashman plays a key part in most of the defining military campaigns of the 19th century, despite trying his utmost to escape them all. Expelled from Rugby for drunkenness, and none too welcome at home after seducing his father's mistress, the young Flashman embarks on a military career with Lord Cardigan's ...
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Harry Flashman: the unrepentant bully of Tom Brown's schooldays, now with a Victoria Cross, has three main talents - horsemanship, facility with foreign languages and fornication. A reluctant military hero, Flashman plays a key part in most of the defining military campaigns of the 19th century, despite trying his utmost to escape them all. Expelled from Rugby for drunkenness, and none too welcome at home after seducing his father's mistress, the young Flashman embarks on a military career with Lord Cardigan's Hussars. En route to Afghanistan, our hero hones his skills as a soldier, duellist, imposter, coward and amorist (mastering all 97 ways of Hindu love-making during a brief sojourn in Calcutta), before being pressed into reluctant service as a secret agent. His Afghan adventures culminate in a starring role in that great historic disaster, the Retreat from Kabul.
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If you've seen the TV series Blackadder, you know the Lord Flasheart. This is his progenitor fully fleshed out. A conceited, cowardly, underhanded, womanizer with an ego the size of one of the more massive continents. His one saving grace? Total honesty about himself. Over ten novels, author Fraser takes Old Flashy on a tour of world events and gets him, often reluctantly, caught up in world-turners where, against all odds, he is acclaimed a hero in spite of his best efforts to slither out of danger at every turn. If you're up for some intriguing insights on history, manly (and strictly non-PC) sexual encounters, high adventure, and dark comedy, take a dip. You might find a bit of Old Flashy in yourself ... if you're honest.
Pflavia
Feb 27, 2016
Flashman
I picked up Flashman because it references Ruritania, a particular interest of mine and slogged through to find the reference. The book is well written and interesting from an historical perspective. However, I really cannot encourage anyone to read it. The lead character (in this instance a true anti-hero) is despicable. I have no doubt such people did then and still do exist, but does anyone really want to know them? Had the author made him humorous, Flashman might, possibly, have been bearable. This was not the case. I will definitely NOT read any of the sequels.
jfwag3
Jul 31, 2008
Great Read
If you are looking for a great read with a bit of historical adventure you've found it. Be prepared for some very sexist humor and attitude but overall a VERY entertaining book. Despite all of his flaws, and there are many, Flashman is a memorable character whom you can't help but like. His brutal honesty and ability to extracate himself from some very sticky situations make for a great story full of action and laughter as well as some historical accuracy.
