Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Knopf (2000), Hardcover, 368 pages
Description
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. Flash Harry is back! The first new Flashman novel since Flashman and the Angel of the Lord, this is the long-awaited new instalment of the Flashman Papers. When Sir Harry Flashman, V.C., the celebrated Victorian soldier, scoundrel, amorist and self-confessed poltroon’s memoirs first came to light thirty 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. As always with George MacDonald Fraser, Flashman’s adventures are related with verve, dash and meticulous historical detail.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member dougwood57
'Flashman and the Tiger'; consists of a novella and two short stories. The shorts, which involve an infamous baccarat scandal that touched the Prince of Wales, and the unexpected fallout from the Rorke Drift military disaster are a definite improvement over the novella, which treats an
The novella occupies roughly two-thirds of the book and wanders along aimlessly. If you are unfamiliar with Flashman and especially the Royal Flash (Flashman) you are likely to be more confused than amused.
Fraser is not at his best here. Recommended only for established Flashman fans. If you are new to to Harry Flashman, best start in the beginning, Flashman: A Novel (Flashman).
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assassination attempt of Emperor Franz Josef in the 1880's. The novella occupies roughly two-thirds of the book and wanders along aimlessly. If you are unfamiliar with Flashman and especially the Royal Flash (Flashman) you are likely to be more confused than amused.
Fraser is not at his best here. Recommended only for established Flashman fans. If you are new to to Harry Flashman, best start in the beginning, Flashman: A Novel (Flashman).
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LibraryThing member Meggo
A perfectly serviceable Flashman book, full of innuendo, callous disregard for morality, and cringing cowardice - Flashman fans will enjoy it. But to be honest, I prefer the younger Flashy, rather than the 70-year old version - young legs can run faster and farther, after all.
LibraryThing member jztemple
The recent death of George McDonald Fraser has brought a close (maybe permanent, maybe not?) to this delightful series of books. I have had the pleasure of following this series every since the release of the first book back in the sixties. The Flashman novels combine history (including substantial
The Flashman novels could be dismissed as sensationalized light reading , but Fraser cleverly tied his character into most of the major events of the last sixty years of the nineteenth century, a Victorian Zelig or Forrest Gump. Flashman casually mentions this minor detail or that simple observation, then Fraser in his assumed role as editor of the Flashman papers meticulously explains in the endnotes how these mentions by Flashman confirm the truth of his narrative, since only if Flashman was there could he have known about this fact or that. Fraser's endnotes also round out the historic details of the narrative, giving background and elaboration to the history-as-I-lived-it tales told by Flashman. It all works wonderfully, even if you somewhat suspect that some details are being outrageously fabricated.
I very strongly recommend these books to anyone who has an interest in history and is willing to keep an open mind towards the womanizing and the language (the n-word appears quite a bit, but completely in character for Flashman). I would suggest the best way to read them is in order of publication. This doesn't follow Flashman's own life chronology, but the books published later often make reference to previous editions of the "Flashman Papers" and so is more fun for the reader to follow.
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endnotes) with sex, action, adventure and the secret pleasure of enjoying the exploits of one of the most notoriously popular non-politically correct characters of 20th Century literature. Flashman is a womanizer, a coward, a scoundrel and a cheat, but in the novels, which are all narrated by Flashman himself, he is utterly honest with his readers. He is a man not proud of his faults, but certainly unabashed about them.The Flashman novels could be dismissed as sensationalized light reading , but Fraser cleverly tied his character into most of the major events of the last sixty years of the nineteenth century, a Victorian Zelig or Forrest Gump. Flashman casually mentions this minor detail or that simple observation, then Fraser in his assumed role as editor of the Flashman papers meticulously explains in the endnotes how these mentions by Flashman confirm the truth of his narrative, since only if Flashman was there could he have known about this fact or that. Fraser's endnotes also round out the historic details of the narrative, giving background and elaboration to the history-as-I-lived-it tales told by Flashman. It all works wonderfully, even if you somewhat suspect that some details are being outrageously fabricated.
I very strongly recommend these books to anyone who has an interest in history and is willing to keep an open mind towards the womanizing and the language (the n-word appears quite a bit, but completely in character for Flashman). I would suggest the best way to read them is in order of publication. This doesn't follow Flashman's own life chronology, but the books published later often make reference to previous editions of the "Flashman Papers" and so is more fun for the reader to follow.
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LibraryThing member MrsPlum
Discovering Flashman has been my highlight for 2010.
Fraser’s skills as a novelist and historian is such that he created a character who remains ultimately likeable, despite his treatment of women. There have been many such men in life – why not in art?
This was my first foray into the world of
Fraser’s skills as a novelist and historian is such that he created a character who remains ultimately likeable, despite his treatment of women. There have been many such men in life – why not in art?
This was my first foray into the world of
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Flashman and I can thoroughly recommend it as a starting point. Flashy is at his charming best with the ladies, and toadying best with his foes. His account of the Zulu attack on Rorkes Drift is spine chilling. Show Less
LibraryThing member YossarianXeno
George MacDonald Fraser took the loathsome Flashman character from Tom Brown's schooldays and turned him into a cowardly soldier-spy anti-hero who finds himself caught up in the major global events of the 19th century and consistently puts his own self interest first in getting out of them alive.
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Over the series he becomes a hero of the empire, associated by his nation's press with either success or glorious action in defeat, despite the fact he was usually just putting his survival first. His principal interest, apart from himself, is sleeping with as many women as possible. In the modern world we now inhabit his behaviour and language is shocking, even though it might have been more commonplace in the 19th century. He is duplicitous, sexist and racist; Fraser clearly enjoyed re-creating him, a great contrast to the heroic figures novelists often populate books with. The earlier books in the series are perhaps the best. This novel is three short stories, and though entertaining is less absorbing than some of the earlier Flashman novels. Show Less
LibraryThing member florasuncle
Repetitive, dull and boring. I get the joke – that just about any military action or political intrigue in the second half of the 19th century – Flashman was involved in it. And despite his best efforts to the contrary, he comes out of it feted as a hero. OK. Got that. But it wears thin after
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50 pages, let alone after 12 novels. Mind you, the meeting with Sherlock Holmes was brilliant. Perhaps I have been unfair. Show Less
LibraryThing member DinadansFriend
This is a collection of three novellas from the Flashman Papers, and up to the mark, indeed, one of Fraser's better Flashmans, actually. The Tiger of the title shouldn't be taken as a hint we're going to India, for it is a reference to "Tiger" Moran, the attempted assassin of Sherlock Holmes. We
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also get Isandwhana, and an attempt on the life of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor. Funny. Show Less
LibraryThing member SeriousGrace
The premise for Flashman and the Tiger is simple...sort of: This set of papers is actually made up of three different time frames with three different titles: "Road to Charing Cross" (1878 - 1883-1884), "Subtleties of Baccarat" (1890-1891) and "Flashman and the Tiger (1879 & 1894). This is the
In "Subtleties of Baccarat" the Prince of Wales is accused of cheating at baccarat, a French card game. Flashy is caught in the middle when a group of five men ask that he confront the cheater for an explanation.
In "Flashman and the Tiger" confronts Tiger Jack, someone he met earlier (hence 1879 and 1894). At this point the year is 1894 and Flashy is now 72 years old. Tiger Jack is not out to get our man Harry directly. Instead, he is looking to punish Flashman through the ruination of Flashman's teenage granddaughter. For the history buffs in the crowd, Oscar Wilde makes an appearance at the end.
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first time in the Flashman papers that there has been a change in pattern. Each of these sections is only a minor episode in Flashman's career. In "Road to Charing Cross" Flashman has found himself, once again, in an adventure he didn't count on. He goes to France for President "Sam" Grant, who can't speak french. The plot thickens when he agrees to help a Times reporter by the name of Blowitz. Blowitz wants to be the first to scoop the story of the amendment of the San Stefano Treaty. For the history bluffs: Flashman is one of the first to ride the famed Orient Express, only he isn't impressed. He prefers the steamship.In "Subtleties of Baccarat" the Prince of Wales is accused of cheating at baccarat, a French card game. Flashy is caught in the middle when a group of five men ask that he confront the cheater for an explanation.
In "Flashman and the Tiger" confronts Tiger Jack, someone he met earlier (hence 1879 and 1894). At this point the year is 1894 and Flashy is now 72 years old. Tiger Jack is not out to get our man Harry directly. Instead, he is looking to punish Flashman through the ruination of Flashman's teenage granddaughter. For the history buffs in the crowd, Oscar Wilde makes an appearance at the end.
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LibraryThing member santhony
Our intrepid hero, Harry Flashman, is back for volume eleven of the Flashman Papers, a narrative of the life and times of one of the most ne’er-do-well wastrels to ever grace the pages of a published autobiography.
The first five Flashman novels were largely presented in chronological order.
The first and longest such story, reunites Flashman with one of his earliest and most formidable antagonists, Otto Von Bismarck (from Royal Flash), in an attempt to save the life of the Austrian Emperor and avoid the outbreak of World War.
The second short story involves the Prince of Wales (future Edward VIII) and a card game in which one of the idle aristocrats is suspected of cheating. The final story, and in my opinion the best, matches Flashman against a man from his past, Tiger Jack Moran, a blackguard scoundrel even worse than Flashy. Our hero endeavors greatly to save the virtue of his granddaughter from the clutches of Moran with a delicious twist.
As in the previous Flashman novels, our Harry is revealed as the premier coward and opportunist of his era; faults which he quite willingly admits and even boasts of. Much as a prior day Forrest Gump, he has a way of finding himself among the most powerful and famous personages of his era, as he takes part in the great events of the period, in this case Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, Otto Von Bismarck, Oscar Wilde and Sherlock Holmes.
Aside from uproarious fun and games, the Flashman series is set against historical events and actually serves as an educational experience. On to volume twelve, the final installment of the Flashman Papers.
The first five Flashman novels were largely presented in chronological order.
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Several installments thereafter acted to fill in gaps in the story. This edition is somewhat different in that it consists of three shorter stories (essentially novellas) which were taken from previous packets; shorter stories which have been grouped together to fill out a book. The first and longest such story, reunites Flashman with one of his earliest and most formidable antagonists, Otto Von Bismarck (from Royal Flash), in an attempt to save the life of the Austrian Emperor and avoid the outbreak of World War.
The second short story involves the Prince of Wales (future Edward VIII) and a card game in which one of the idle aristocrats is suspected of cheating. The final story, and in my opinion the best, matches Flashman against a man from his past, Tiger Jack Moran, a blackguard scoundrel even worse than Flashy. Our hero endeavors greatly to save the virtue of his granddaughter from the clutches of Moran with a delicious twist.
As in the previous Flashman novels, our Harry is revealed as the premier coward and opportunist of his era; faults which he quite willingly admits and even boasts of. Much as a prior day Forrest Gump, he has a way of finding himself among the most powerful and famous personages of his era, as he takes part in the great events of the period, in this case Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, Otto Von Bismarck, Oscar Wilde and Sherlock Holmes.
Aside from uproarious fun and games, the Flashman series is set against historical events and actually serves as an educational experience. On to volume twelve, the final installment of the Flashman Papers.
Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1999
Physical description
368 p.; 8.72 inches
ISBN
0375410244 / 9780375410246
Local notes
lr 2/3
series: #12 flashman
series: #12 flashman