Part one of my holiday reading this year, Brigadier-General Sir Harry Flashman relates his twilight years in this eleventh and, sadly, penultimate volume of The Flashman Papers (the 'finder' of the papers, George MacDonald Fraser passed away early in 2008).
In three separate episodes ranging ... Read review
It's almost a century and a half since Harry Flashman first sprang into the nation's ... more
consciousness, stealing the show in Thomas Hughes' Tom Brown's Schooldays. From the outset, he was clearly the most valuable man in the book--in his dashing ruthlessness, definitely sexier than that simpering Tom--and it was clear to everyone that he would go on to great things--a glittering military career and the Victoria Cross, no less. Thank goodness that the great man saw fit to pen his memoirs before his death in 1915. We owe a debt of gratitude to George MacDonald Fraser, to whom the papers were entrusted after they appeared in a tea-chest in 1966, for his quite remarkable devotion to their conscientious editing.Flashman and the Tiger, the latest gleanings from the manuscript treasures, comprises three gems. The longest by far is a novella entitled "The Road to Charing Cross" (1878 and 1883-4), in which Harry helps out a "human ferret", Times correspondent Henri Blowitz, to get a remarkable scoop at the Congress of Berlin, only to find himself rewarded by a nasty encounter with Bismarck. In "The Subtleties of Baccarat" (1890 and 1891), Harry helps Bertie the Bounder (that's the future Edward VII to you) deal with a case of suspected "stake-padding" by a senior military man; while in "Flashman the Tiger" (1879 and 1894) our hero is "in Zulu country" on the path of "Tiger" Jack Moran (thanks to Fraser's fastidious endnotes, properly identified as an assassin in the employ of Sherlock Holmes's nemesis, Moriarty.)It's all tremendous stuff. Flashman devotees will be heartened to hear that their hero has lost none of his bluster, wit and fire, but these later memoirs do hint at the possible twinges of age. As he observes sadly, "You think twice about committing murder when you're over seventy." --Alan Stewart
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Advantages: Great fun, well-researched, solid characterisation Disadvantages: A bit of an odd collection
...this year, Brigadier-General Sir Harry Flashman relates his twilight years in this eleventh and, sadly, penultimate volume of The Flashman Papers (the 'finder' of the papers, George MacDonald Fraser passed away early in 2008).
In three separate episodes ranging from his early sixties to his mid-seventies, Flashman proves there's no rogue like an old rogue. In _The Road to Charing Cross_ (by far the longest installment, comprising a ... .../>
The great thing about Flashman is that you read a few hundred pages of this self-confessed poltroon having the most outrageously flamboyant adventures in far-flung locales, before discovering that old Flashy, and sometimes his adversary, are actually the only fictional elements. This larger than life character leaves a very light footprint on recorded history, in spite of his cavorting in salt mines and acting as an immoral adviser to the future ... more
Part one of my holiday reading this year, Brigadier-General Sir Harry Flashman relates his twilight years in this eleventh and, sadly, penultimate volume of The Flashman Papers (the 'finder' of the papers, George MacDonald Fraser passed away early in 2008).
In three separate episodes ranging from his early sixties to his mid-seventies, Flashman proves there's no rogue like an old rogue. In The Road to Charing Cross (by far the longest installment, comprising a good two thirds of the book), Harry foils a plot to assassinate the Emperor of Austria, before dropping an old rival for his wife's affections in hot water in The Subtleties of Baccarat. His final hurrah then appears to take place in Flashman and the Tiger, where the elderly Flashy crosses swords with a man who once saved his life at Rorke's Drift.
The great thing about Flashman is that you read a few hundred pages of this self-confessed poltroon having the most outrageously flamboyant adventures in far-flung locales, before discovering that old Flashy, and sometimes his adversary, are actually the only fictional elements. This larger than life character leaves a very light footprint on recorded history, in spite of his cavorting in salt mines and acting as an immoral adviser to the future Edward VII. "Dirty Bertie" really was dragged into a libel case centering on alleged cheating in a game of baccarat in 1890, and the treaty which Flashman inveigles from a Russian diplomat really was scooped in full by the Times before it had even been formally ratified.
The many historical figures that pepper the book are drawn with just as much care as their fictional counterparts, and if you aren't entirely sure which is which (I was caught out by Princess Kralta), then that's a tribute to MacDonald Fraser's skill.
Just as Royal Flash dabbled with Anthony Hope's Prisoner of Zenda, Flashman and the Tiger sees our antihero caught up in another fictional universe as he struggles against the machinations of Colonel 'Tiger Jack' Moran. I'm still not sure what I think of this quirky little crossover, but I do enjoy seeing a certain 'Great Detective' get the occasional metaphorical bloody nose, as he's far too smug for his own good.
It's hard to find any signficant faults with Flashman and the Tiger. It's fair to say that the final episode, from which the book takes its name, is probably the slightest of the tales related, and the cover, with its lurid scene of battle in Africa, while Flashman stands posing with a Zulu shield and a roguish wink, doesn't really reflect on the contents, which on the whole show a much older Flashman moving more in political spheres than the purely military.
But these really are nit-picking quibbles. This is a rollicking collection of meticulously-researched adventure stories, with a brilliantly-drawn main character and no end of sex, violence and lively language. It's anthology nature makes it feel more like an expansion pack than a complete Flashman novel (an impression reinforced by the fact that each of the three adventures takes place across several years and tells at least two more or less separate stories), but it's no less brilliant for all that. I was particularly taken with the ending which, given that the twelfth and final Flashman novel deals with Flashy's exploits in 1868, long before any of the adventures related here, provides a fitting little coda to the old cad's lecherous career.
Flashman and the Tiger is available, as they say, from all good bookshops, for £7.99, and from Amazon for significantly less. My local bookshop has several Flashman books involved in the inevitable Buy 2, Get 1 Free table, so I strongly advise you to keep your eyes open and shop around.
Advantages: Another stormer Disadvantages: The last story is not up to the usual standard
...the Tiger" is the latest Flashman novel to be published. It is actually a collection of three stories, "The Road to Charing Cross" (1880s), "The Subtleties of Baccarat" (1890/1) and "Flashman and the Tiger" (1879 and 1894).
These clearly show Flashman at the end of his army career - but did you think he'd stop getting into trouble? Not a hope. These are just deadly struggles transposed to a different arena and instead of avoiding shot and shell ... ...and the Tiger" deals with Flashman in the Zulu war (briefly) and in London society the rest of the time (not much difference). This is perhaps the silliest of the stories. It's enjoyable, but bears all the hallmarks of being written at great speed with coincidences that your averge tabloid journalist would flinch at. It was originally published in the "Daily Mail" (I think) in 1975 and is none the better for it. MacDonald Fraser being the writer ...
FionaR 15.02.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Flashman and the Tiger - George MacDonald Fraser
Advantages: beutifully written, detailed and wickedly funny Disadvantages: there are beter volumes in the series
...most recent addition to the Flashman papers is a slight deprture from his other Flashman novels in that it consists of three short stories covering three adventures in the life of the great victorian cad, Harry Flashman, including the part he played against the Zulus at Rorke's drift. The format works well in setting out some lesser adventures which would have been difficult to spin into entire novels in thier own right, and casts light on some of ... ...the great men of his age, Flashman is in the background as history is being made. Funny and enjoyable throughout, this is a worthy edition to a fine series and comes highly recommended. Read any one of the Flashman novels and I guarantee you will end up reading the lot. ...
Squonk 11.03.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Flashman and the Tiger - George MacDonald Fraser
Product Information for "Flashman and the Tiger - George MacDonald Fraser" »
Product details
Author
George MacDonald Fraser
Title
Flashman and the Tiger
Genre
Historical Fiction
Type
Fiction
ISBN
385721080
EAN
9780385721080
Manufacturer's product description
When Sir Harry Flashman, V.C., the celebrated Victorian soldier, scoundrel, amorist and self-confessed poltroon's memoirs first came to light 30 years ago, the world was finally illuminated about what became of the celebrated cowardly bully from Tom Brown's Schooldays. Now, in addition to the other famous adventures of Flash Harry contained in the Flashman Papers, come three new episodes in the career of this eminent "if disreputable" adventurer. The title piece touches on two of the most spectacular military actions of the century and sees Flashman pitted against one of the greatest villains of the day and observing, with his usual jaundiced eye, two of its most famous heroes.
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