Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Knopf (1995), Hardcover, 394 pages
Description
Captain Harry Flashman's covert missions for Her Majesty's Secret Service have taken him all over the globe--Afghanistan, Borneo, Madagascar, Indian and China--but never before has he encountered so formidable a challenge and attempted to rise to it with such hilarious ineptitude as in his latest adventure.
User reviews
LibraryThing member John5918
Another in the series about Victorian cad, coward, liar and lecher Flashman, of Tom Brown's Schooldays fame (or infamy). In this one Flashy is tricked, lured and/or blackmailed into joining John Brown on his famous raid on Harper's Ferry, part of the run-up to the Civil War in that part of the
This book is as funny and cleverly put together as the others, with a lot of attention to historical detail and plausibility (and Flashman is nothing if not plausible - he spent his life practising it). However it differs from many of the others in that Flashy acts almost bravely at times, and seems to have developed a liking and respect for John Brown, whilst at the same time, of course, trying to cheat him.
Show More
world.This book is as funny and cleverly put together as the others, with a lot of attention to historical detail and plausibility (and Flashman is nothing if not plausible - he spent his life practising it). However it differs from many of the others in that Flashy acts almost bravely at times, and seems to have developed a liking and respect for John Brown, whilst at the same time, of course, trying to cheat him.
Show Less
LibraryThing member santhony
Our intrepid hero, Harry Flashman, is back for volume ten 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 presented in chronological order. Several
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, John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry.
Aside from uproarious fun and games, the Flashman series is set against historical events and actually serves as an educational experience. On to volume eleven of the Flashman Papers.
The first five Flashman novels were presented in chronological order. Several
Show More
installments thereafter acted to fill in gaps in the story. From a chronological standpoint, the adventures of this novel immediately follow those contained in Flashman in the Great Game, wherein we left Flashman on the heels of his wholly unintentional heroics displayed in the great Indian Mutiny of 1857. Harry decamps to South Africa, on the way home to England, where he is hijacked and kidnapped by his old nemesis, Captain John Charity Spring. Spring arranges for Flashman’s transport to the United States, where he expects Flashman to be arrested and arraigned for his exploits which were covered in a previous installment, Flash For Freedom.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, John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry.
Aside from uproarious fun and games, the Flashman series is set against historical events and actually serves as an educational experience. On to volume eleven of the Flashman Papers.
Show Less
LibraryThing member SeriousGrace
If you have been keeping track, the Flashman papers are now in the years 1858 to 1859. Flashman is thirty six years old and back in America where old enemies remember him and new enemies are out to blackmail him. He's not back by choice, though. Someone from his past had an old score to settle. So
Interestingly enough, Fraser decided to scale back the sex scenes for this particular installment. In addition to not having many opportunities to shag the lady next door, Flashman appears to be growing up some. To some he doesn't appear to be as cowardly or as shallow...He still tries to get out of getting out of the October 1859 raid on Harper's Ferry but as usual, is unsuccessful.
Show More
here's Harry, knee deep in the conflicts of slavery...again. This time he's working with "the angel of the Lord," John Brown of Harper's Ferry fame. Yes, THAT John Brown.Interestingly enough, Fraser decided to scale back the sex scenes for this particular installment. In addition to not having many opportunities to shag the lady next door, Flashman appears to be growing up some. To some he doesn't appear to be as cowardly or as shallow...He still tries to get out of getting out of the October 1859 raid on Harper's Ferry but as usual, is unsuccessful.
Show Less
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.
Show More
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.
Show Less
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?
While Flashman’s professed neutrality
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?
While Flashman’s professed neutrality
Show More
on the slavery ‘question’ may be difficult to swallow (at least to this modern reader), his attitude to puritans and fanatics is refreshing. Long live Flashman! Show Less
LibraryThing member antiquary
In effect a sequel to Flash for Freedom, one of the best in the series. This is not so good--Flashy himself is almost a bystander --but it does give a vivid picture of John Brown as a man who deliberately chose martyrdom
LibraryThing member DinadansFriend
I've never brought this up before, but do you realize there's a similarity between Fraser's Flashman, and Terry Pratchett's Rincewind the Wizzard?
Well, maybe you have to be there, and maybe I've got to stop reviewing these two authors one after the other? Flashman comes face to face with the famous
Well, maybe you have to be there, and maybe I've got to stop reviewing these two authors one after the other? Flashman comes face to face with the famous
Show More
American Abolitionist, John Brown. I was surprised to discover that Brown was in reality a very conscious martyr for the Cause! Ah, the media were a poison even in the run-up to the Civil War. It's a good Flashman story. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1994
Physical description
394 p.; 6.25 x 1.25 inches
ISBN
0679441727 / 9780679441724
Local notes
lr 2/3
series: #09 flashman
series: #09 flashman