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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
87 of 88 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fraser's Continuing Brilliance,
By
This review is from: Flashman at the Charge (Paperback)
It is unfortunate that you really can't pick up one of these Flashman novels without seeing the words, "bawdy," or "sexy," or "lusty," emblazoned all over the cover. It's done, of course, to help sell the books, but I can't help wondering sometimes whether more discerning readers skip over these titles in the mistaken belief that these novels are nothing more than fleshy potboilers. If this is the case, they are missing what is truly one of the great feats of historical romantic fiction in this century. The premise of these novels is that the "Flashman Papers" were discovered in a Leicestershire attic in 1965. In them, the English soldier and adventurer, Harry Flashman, recounts his adventures throughout the British Empire during the latter half of the nineteenth century. They are helpfully "notated" by the "editor," George MacDonald Fraser, who occasionally comments upon the authenticity of Flashman's recollections. And what do you know! Flashman just happens to have been present at just about every single major military event in English history of these times! Lucky us! In this one, Flashman recounts his experiences leading up to and at the famous Charge of the Light Brigade in the Russian Crimea in 1854. He is subsequently captured by the Russians, escapes, is captured again, escapes again, and with the help of Tajiks and Kazhaks, battles the Russians and makes his way to British-controlled India. Believe me, this is just as fun as it sounds, but what takes it to the highest, most delightful level is the sheer narrative force of Fraser's Flashman, unquestionably one of the most enjoyable narrators ever created. As well as being reliable and honest--qualities a reader hopes at the very least to get in a first person narrative--he is also extremely intelligent, witty, funny, and very, very opinionated. Thus, in describing the Russian peasantry, we don't get a carefully-worded, afraid-to-offend, cautious assessment, we get this: ". . . this dull clown was just standing and letting himself be caned by a fellow half his size, hardly even wincing under the blows. There was a little crowd of serfs looking on, ugly, dirty-looking rascals in hairy blue smocks and rough trousers, with their women and a few ragged brats--and they were just watching, like cowed, stupid brutes." You may wince at his less than diplomatic commentary, but you may be sure you are getting the truth unvarnished, told as only the indefatigable Flashy can do. These novels are also historically accurate, and meticulously researched even to the tiniest detail. From the lay of the land on a battlefield, to a description of the Russian steppes; from the uniforms worn by various regiments of various armies, to the weapons and ordnance available to each; from the subtle nuances inherent in the languages he encounters in central Asia, to the slang routinely used by Englishmen; it is clear that Mr. Fraser has a unique and thorough understanding of England and the British Empire in the nineteenth century. In fact, it is impossible to believe that there might be another living human being who knows more. The reader gets the sense that he is in the hands of a master; there is nothing here which strains credibility. In fact, Mr. Fraser has us so firmly in his stead that the romantic elements strewn liberally throughout these novels barely raise an eyebrow. Thus, the scenes when Flashman is chased by wolves over the snowy steppe in a rickety sleigh, or thrown into a dungeon and threatened with the vilest torture, come across as believable and exciting, rather than foolish or cartoonish. And yes, yes, there are dalliances with beautiful women, but what kind of an adventure/romance would this be without them? In short, the Flashman novels provide everything the lover historical fiction dreams of: exciting and historically accurate plots, careful attention to detail, a thorough knowledge of the subject matter, and, perhaps most importantly, a witty and delightful guide to show us the way. Bravo, Mr. Fraser. Bravo.
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More of the best,
By ensiform (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Flashman at the Charge (Paperback)
To those who have never heard of Flashman, please go look up the book "Flashman" and buy it. If historical fiction is your cup of tea, you'll be hooked. In this entry: Flash signs on to munitions duty as the Crimean War begins to heat up, never suspecting that one day he will unwillingly take part in Colin Campbell's stand (The Thin Red Line) and Scarlett's charge uphill of the Heavy Brigade, not to mention the infamous charge of the Light Brigade... And then be captured, become an unwilling spy and resistance fighter, and of course bed a Russian noble's beautiful daughter... All in a day's work for old Flashy, of course, who would rather be at home. I have little to say about this entry into the Flashman series other than it offers up more of the same, and three cheers for it, and too bad there's not even more of it. Flashy's still a rogue, bluffing his way through horrors, rogering his way into the confidences of the enemy, and sniveling his way out of danger. The facts that Fraser re-creates historical characters and events with a scholar's eye for detail and a great novelist's flair for the story, that Flashman is neatly and unerringly made to be the impetus behind historical events, and the whole exciting yarn is awash in a heady dose of sly wit and knowing parody, all go without saying: this is Fraser, after all, the best historical novelist of all.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Flashman around the world,
By Dan Diamond (Philadelphia, PA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Flashman at the Charge (Paperback)
Too bad they didn't have frequent flier miles in Flashy's day; this Flashman adventure starts in London and sees the character halfway around the world to India, with stops in the Crimea and the Russian heartland. As one would expect, its a story global in scope and as usual for the series, quite true to history. Disparate topics such as the treatment of Russian serfs and the Afghan rebel leaders are woven well into the tale.Another reviewer hits on the only problem in this book: the number of locales strains against the bonds of credulity. Flashman, dispatched to fight in the Crimean War, is basically involved in an entirely different story by the end of the book. I really would've liked to see a little more of the Charge of the Light Brigade and less of Russia. But Fraser does such a great job of painting these historical scenes and Flashy is just so entertaining, that I can't give this book any less than 4 1/2 stars. Since Amazon doesn't offer that feature, there's really no problem in rounding up to 5.
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