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Flashman

(Flashman Papers #1)

George MacDonald Fraser

4.06 · Rating details · 13,037 ratings · 1,114 reviews

Coward, scoundrel, lover and cheat, but there is no better man to go into the jungle with. Join Flashman in his adventures as he survives fearful ordeals and outlandish perils across the four corners of the world.

Can a man be all bad? When Harry Flashman’s adventures as the reluctant secret agent in Afghanistan lead him to join the exclusive company of Lord Cardigan’s Huss ...more

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Paperback, 323 pages

Published 1999 by HarperCollins (first published January 1st 1969)

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Jul 05, 2009 Stephen rated it liked it

Shelves: humor-and-satire, rogues-and-scoundrels, historical-fiction, 1954-1969

Harry Paget Flashman is NOT your typical morally-challenged but likeable scoundrel who you can’t help but love because of his sharp wit and buckets o’ charm.

No…he’s an ASSHOLE…a big one. A rapacious, lecherous, despicable scumbag with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. I’m talking such odious funtivities as:

**Having sex with his Father’s mistress, and then beating and sexually assaulting her when she refuses his subsequent advances.

**Forcibly selling his Indian concubine to a passing artille ...more

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Oct 07, 2019 Henry Avila rated it really liked it

Harry Flashman anti-hero extraordinaire, soldier, coward, liar, womanizer, thief , charlatan, drunkard, in one word...scoundrel joined the British Army at 17, in the service of the Queen, after being expelled from the famed Rugby School, a little intoxicated, his father Henry a wealthy widower with a mistress Judy, of the same ilk as son, isn't too concerned quite busy with his gallivanting. So in 1839 as the former Princess becomes the newly crowned Queen Victoria (1837) , ruling England Flashm Harry Flashman anti-hero extraordinaire, soldier, coward, liar, womanizer, thief , charlatan, drunkard, in one word...scoundrel joined the British Army at 17, in the service of the Queen, after being expelled from the famed Rugby School, a little intoxicated, his father Henry a wealthy widower with a mistress Judy, of the same ilk as son, isn't too concerned quite busy with his gallivanting. So in 1839 as the former Princess becomes the newly crowned Queen Victoria (1837) , ruling England Flashman gets a different occupation also, ruling a saddle, enters a cavalry regiment under the legendary incompetent Lord Cardigan. An unwanted duel with a very unfriendly chap occurs, yet honor must be preserved at any cost. Harry is petrified and can't think of any way to skip this big honor. Soon afterwards forced to marry an innocent , pretty though not bright girl, Elspeth he seduced. Her relatives demand this and wanting to stay conscious ...agrees, lacking fortitude in his character a church wedding naturally transpires. Sent not willingly to India and then Afghanistan to fight a horrific war, sounds familiar ? Flashman doesn't believe in or care about his greatest objective is to remain alive. The British flee Kabul when the local tribes gather in the countless thousands to drive out the invaders, the luckless Harry is once again led by another incompetent General Elphinstone, disaster follows the British army as they dwindle in numbers trying to escape, unfortunately both he and the lord were historical figures, God save the Queen. The exciting vicious battle in a small fort as the desperate Flashman and a few others are surrounded by angry Afghans seeking revenge for the many insults and offences they have endured from the British, foreigners are hated here owing to good reasons.

With swords in hand, Afghans slice anyone in their way, gore is not unknown, somehow through luck or skill survives his many adventures, Harry showing his true colors, becoming sick; tired of fighting... rather be with the beautiful women nearby, he will try to charm. War or peace his nature doesn't vary an iota , lusting for the unattainable . Wishing to be back in calm England, having pleasurable situations, will anyone disparage his sentiments ? Since the adept George MacDonald Fraser wrote twelve of these diverting books you can guess if our friend lives to experience other adventures and boast about them to his family an acquaintances maybe not too accurate but nevertheless quite entertainingly. A sense of fun and amusement flows all through this lively tale of the unlikely protagonist or antagonist if you prefer, depending how you feel about Lieutenant Flashman he is not perfect far from it, but a more realist view of soldiers. An officer and a gentleman they're not, most are tough fighters doing the dirty work the politicians clamor for but keep their own clothes clean. This unchanging custom continues today for better or worse. ...more

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Nov 30, 2017 Cecily rated it liked it

Shelves: postmodern-meta, historical-fict-pre-20th-c

This is the first book of the Flashman papers, much-loved by many. It purports to be the memoirs of a Victorian officer. In this book, he serves in Afghanistan and India. The cover art encapsulates the plot and tone.

A rake’s adventures

Harry Flashman is a self-aware, shameless, shrewd, cowardly opportunist who describes himself as “A scoundrel, a liar, a cheat, a thief, a coward - and, oh yes, a toady.” (Note that he doesn’t mention his treatment of women.)

He joins up; fights; escapes; sleeps ...more

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Dec 06, 2008 Manny rated it really liked it

Shelves: too-sexy-for-maiden-aunts

I've just been looking at the other reviews, and every guy likes Flashman. Every single one. I'm afraid I do too. What does that say about us? I often wonder why women put up with men at all.

...more

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Sep 14, 2011 J.G. Keely rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, humor, reviewed, novel, uk-and-ireland, adventure

How do we distinguish between the author and the characters he writes? There are readers who assume that if a main character does something racist or sexist, that means the author is, too. But then, characters can also transform into cockroaches, commit interplanetary genocide, and die gloriously in a hail of bullets without the author having to undergo those experiences, himself.

Even in an autobiography, the author still isn't writing himself--he's writing one biased version, crafting coherent ...more

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Jul 10, 2021 Daren rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, uk-author, military, india, 4-star, uk, afghanistan

The Flashman books are written as satire of the classic Victorian schoolboy / military character. They are presented as the compiled memoir, looking back across his life at the age of around 80, written by Flashman. The original Flashman character is taken from the book 'Tom Brown's Schooldays' by Thomas Hughes, where he was the school bully.

Flashman's story here (and the remainder of the series, I understand), is bedded in accurate history. The main characters and events are all real, just with The Flashman books are written as satire of the classic Victorian schoolboy / military character. They are presented as the compiled memoir, looking back across his life at the age of around 80, written by Flashman. The original Flashman character is taken from the book 'Tom Brown's Schooldays' by Thomas Hughes, where he was the school bully.

Flashman's story here (and the remainder of the series, I understand), is bedded in accurate history. The main characters and events are all real, just with Flashman embedded in them. It is incredibly clever, and well pulled off.

No getting around it, Flashman - is a horrible character. He is a caricature of all the bad parts of your typical British public schoolboy. He is vain, cowardly (and a bully), manipulative, racist, misogynistic and self-entitled. He is a true anti-hero. And yet, the saving grace of all these character flaws, is that he is completely aware of them, and in his story he does nothing to hide them. He willingly lies to the other characters, but not to the reader, and this makes him, in a strange way, a subject for pity.

This is the first of the Flashman Papers series, and primarily covers the period 1839 to 1842. As the first book, it outlines his expulsion from Rugby School (similar to the story in Hughes' book, but from Flashman's perspective, he irons out some untruths), and his subsequent enlistment in the Eleventh Light Dragoons. There was clear reasoning in his choosing the Dragoons, as they had recently returned from India, and there was little chance of them being sent back in the near future - cowardly Flashman wanted only to draw his salary and look good in his uniform, not engage in any battles!

Events of course transpire such that he must be transferred, and he find himself packed off to India, and henceforth Afghanistan as a herald to Major-General Elphinstone. As we know (me from reading Dalrymple's Return of a King), the first Anglo-Afghan war ended with the entire British garrison be massacred. Flashman, of course, finds a way to survive, and becomes one of only two survivors to make it out of Kabul, and is subsequently invalided back to England, and his young wife.

I thought the weaving of history and fiction masterful, and Flashman despicable, however hugely entertaining. I own another three Flashman books, and will continue the series.

I must also note that the Flashman character almost certainly provided some inspiration for Lord Flashheart in the Blackadder series.

4.5 stars, rounded down. ...more

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May 30, 2010 Sally rated it it was amazing

A magnificent read about an appalling man. You get a good feel for Flashman's character early on. With his unflinching and intelligent take on the people and situations surrounding him you feel very much a part of the action. It is extremely well written and a very entertaining book.

Given the current situation in Afghanistan, it's pretty poignant too. I was laughing till I snorted in public at the description of the incompetence of Major-General Elphinstone; then within moments nearly in tears a ...more

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Oct 12, 2016 Nigeyb rated it really liked it

There's a recurring theme to the reviews I've read of 'Flashman' which is that whilst, by his own happy admission, he is a racist, scoundrel, bully, cad and coward, Flashman is also an engaging storyteller who has the happy coincidence to be an active participant in the middle of momentous historical events.

George MacDonald Fraser has done a magnificent job of evoking the Britain, India and Afghanistan of 1839 to 1842, and the literary conceit that what we are reading is the first part of a cac ...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Evan Leach rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, 1960-1969, humor-and-satire, english-literature, novels, adventure

I am not a big historical fiction buff, but I fell head-over-heels in love with this book. The very premise is awesome: in 1857, Thomas Hughes wrote a novel based heavily on his own experiences as a schoolboy. The villain of the book is a boy called Flashman, a bully, drunkard, and general asshole. Naturally, 100 years later George MacDonald Fraser decided to write a series of historical novels starring a grown up Flashman as the “hero.” The result, at least in Fraser’s original book, was pure m I am not a big historical fiction buff, but I fell head-over-heels in love with this book. The very premise is awesome: in 1857, Thomas Hughes wrote a novel based heavily on his own experiences as a schoolboy. The villain of the book is a boy called Flashman, a bully, drunkard, and general asshole. Naturally, 100 years later George MacDonald Fraser decided to write a series of historical novels starring a grown up Flashman as the “hero.” The result, at least in Fraser’s original book, was pure magic.

Flashman picks up right where Hughes left off, in 1839. The recently expelled Flashman is forced to find an occupation after being expelled from school for drunkenness, and chooses the army in the hopes of landing a cushy post with no real demands. Unfortunately, Flashman ends up getting shuttled off to India and then Afghanistan, just in time to take place in the First Anglo-Afghan War. Flashman is, by his own admission, a coward, scoundrel, and overall crummy human being. He may also be the greatest anti-hero I have ever encountered and is a thoroughly entertaining main character.

The book is written as a sort of diary penned by Flashman in his old age, later discovered by Fraser (who provides endnotes). The book honestly feels like it was written in the 19th century, and not in a bad way. Fraser is pitch-perfect writing in Flashman’s style, and overall the prose in this book is top notch. The plot is also perfectly paced and Fraser does a great job in knowing where to draw out the suspense and where to cut to the chase, so to speak. I have nothing but praise for MacDonald’s writing and the pages flew by for me. The book is also very funny. I was turned onto this book (in part) because I have been nostalgically re-reading Douglas Adams’ books (for the 3rd-4th time) in order to review them for this site, and have been in the mood for British humor. Flashman is not as goofy as Adams’s Hitchhiker books, but it is extremely clever and has plenty of laugh out loud moments.

The historical aspect of this book is also compelling. While I am a bit of a history buff, I do not read much historical fiction as I can’t help but feel I’d be better served just reading the actual history (truth being stranger than fiction and all that jazz). I am not an expert on the First Anglo-Afghan War, so I cannot speak to Fraser’s accuracy. But he has a reputation for being rock solid regarding his history, and I found that to be completely true. I was continually referring to Wikipedia during Flashman’s exploits, to determine whether this or that crazy historical occurrence was accurate, and it invariably was. While the character Flashman is fictional, the history his adventures take him through is very real and I actually learned a lot in reading this book.

One word of caution. Flashman is supposed to be an asshole. He is also a 19th century asshole, and to some degree a product of his time. Through the course of his book he says and does many things that are racist and/or sexist. If reading about a fictional character doing these sorts of things will upset you, this is not the book for you. However, keep in mind (a) he is supposed to be awful, and (b) he is supposed to be a 19th century Englishman, and if you think all 19th century Englishmen regarded their Indian subjects as their equals it’s probably time to think again. Remember, this book purports to be the journal of a man living in 1839. Many of the men who would fight & die to end slavery in the U.S. Civil War weren’t even born yet. So hand-wringing over the lack of political correctness in this book seems incredibly stupid, but I include this paragraph as fair warning.

There are twelve (12!) Flashman novels and I could not be more excited to tackle the lot. This book featured a thoroughly enjoyable anti-hero, razor-sharp writing, a fine sense of pace and plot, and plenty of laughs. I really can’t recommend this book highly enough. 5 stars. ...more

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Jan 28, 2011 Louise rated it it was ok

Shelves: unfinished

Flashman was picked as the February book for the NeoGAF bookclub. I thought I would like the adventures of Flashy based on the first few pages. Who wouldn't like a story that starts off with being expelled from Rugby school for drunkenness?

Unfortunately, after reading 1/3 of the book, I can't continue. Flashy is an unapologetic ass! I'm usually fine with antiheros, but this one takes it too far. Flashy's treatment of women is awful and while this could be the norm for his time and his class, it ...more

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Nov 16, 2009 Mike (the Paladin) rated it did not like it · review of another edition

There are a lot of these...one was enough for me. Flashman is in a way the primary example of an anti-hero. The books are comedies about a cowardly, bullying,thief who always comes out looking like a hero through a combination of cunning and luck. I thought the idea sounded funny but I found the actual book rather annoying. All I can suggest is try it and see, I didn't care for them.

I wrote that review a long while back, I thought I'd give a short example from "early on". Flashman in facing a du ...more

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Apr 18, 2008 Raegan Butcher rated it it was amazing

Meet Harry Flashman, decorated hero of the Victorian age. He also happens to be a liar, a lecher, a bully, and a sniveling coward, and that is what makes these comic historical novels so funny.He is also gloriously un-PC, which seems to ruffle some dainty feathers these days. Great stuff.

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Mar 11, 2018 James rated it it was amazing

Oh boy, I’ve got to admit that I did love this one.
The last ‘unputdownable’ novel I read was Irvine Welsh’s ‘The Blade Artist’. Needless to say, 'Flashman' features an equally foul and notorious protagonist, whose depravity, shameless bullying and honourless scheming kept me reading on about his life in acute disbelief.
The fact that Flashman’s justification for his actions is often hilarious and at times insightful does not redeem him in any way. The fact that he is honest enough to openly and Oh boy, I’ve got to admit that I did love this one.
The last ‘unputdownable’ novel I read was Irvine Welsh’s ‘The Blade Artist’. Needless to say, 'Flashman' features an equally foul and notorious protagonist, whose depravity, shameless bullying and honourless scheming kept me reading on about his life in acute disbelief.
The fact that Flashman’s justification for his actions is often hilarious and at times insightful does not redeem him in any way. The fact that he is honest enough to openly and constantly admit that he is a cowardly, toadying rake does not redeem him either. After all, this is a character who is capable of carrying out incredible violence against women (and please don’t anyone utter the phrases ‘man of his time’ and / or ‘too much political correctness’).
Flashy's story serves as an unwavering, fascinating and repeated confirmation of the fact that the supposed heroes paraded by the establishment are often not the beacons of shining light which they’re declared to be. And most importantly of all: Flashy’s glaring flaws kept me reading on at a quick pace, for his enthralling magnetism was almost on par with Tolkien’s Gollum or Welsh’s Begbie, i.e. you just have to read on to find out what they’ll do next.
Despite his flaws, Flashy often provided a refreshingly honest account of the incredible events he lived through and his part in them. He was often quick to point out that the likes of Iqbal and Hudson were better men than him, and that he undeservedly profited from their actions. Indeed although I’m reluctant to admit it, Flashy’s self-awareness is the one quality about him that’s endearing (not redeeming). That said, I hardly ever felt sympathy for him whenever he found himself in a funk - I only read on in my impatience to discover how he would overcome his latest setback.
All of which makes Flashy a highly engaging character through which to discover the large-scale Afghan catastrophe which was caused by the likes of Macnaghten and Elfinstone. Their blunders could be considered hilarious had they not inflicted such unimaginable human misery upon their own side. So many great British soldiers were lost for nothing, and it seems incredible to think that the Brits took over Afghanistan only to end up losing it so embarrassingly. Elfinstone must easily rank as the leading commander in military history for vacillating indecisiveness.
Incidentally I did some research on the Afghan puppet king, Shah Shujah, who the Brits installed in Kabul. Although this novel makes no bones about the brutality of the Afghan tribes, the savagery of the puppet King is not referred to. However his brutality was just jaw-dropping: a King power-hungry enough to have his own brother blinded, and who frequently insisted on mutilating (nose, ears, tongues, genitalia) his servants and courtiers for the slightest perceived misdeeds after he fled into exile.
Finally I should also add that Macdonald Fraser’s writing makes for easy reading, so that I never felt bogged down by the first person narrative. It’s amazing to think this novel was written in the sixties, given the author's brisk style which still manages to be literary and (by all accounts) historically accurate.
All in all a highly entertaining yarn but I will try to find something else to read before returning to Flashy’s world. ...more

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Mar 08, 2015 Philip rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: afghanistan-iraq, central-asia, great-game, 5-stars, re-read, british-empire, fiction, humor, historical-fiction, fiction-series

UPDATE: So just (finally!) finished Peter Hopkirk's The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia, and thought I'd like to read basically the same story as told through George Fraser's "Flashman" books. So it seemed like an obvious place to start would be with (duh) Flashman In The Great Game...except that it's not; the REAL place to start is here, with Flashy's first adventure in Afghanistan, (and then after that, it's really Flashman at the Charge which for the most part is about the UPDATE: So just (finally!) finished Peter Hopkirk's The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia, and thought I'd like to read basically the same story as told through George Fraser's "Flashman" books. So it seemed like an obvious place to start would be with (duh) Flashman In The Great Game...except that it's not; the REAL place to start is here, with Flashy's first adventure in Afghanistan, (and then after that, it's really Flashman at the Charge which for the most part is about the Crimean War, and so not really part of the Great Game, but then the last section is Yakub Beg who is totally Great Game; and then we finally complete the trilogy with Flashman in the Great Game - whew!).

I first read this book about six years ago, but had forgotten much of the actual plot. However, reading this on the heels of Hopkirk was a great choice - it really brought his more historical telling to life. As usual, Fraser does a masterly job of manipulating his plot to place Flashy in the middle of all the critical events - the murder of Burnes, the betrayal (and murder) of Macnaghten, the retreat from Kabul, the last stand at Gandamak, and finally the Siege of Jalalabad. And so while it may not necessarily be the best "Flashman" - Fraser (and to a lesser degree, Flashy himself) improves and matures in later books - it is definitely the place to start.

Only drawback in reading this book right now was the unfortunate synchronicity with America's own "retreat from Kabul," which - while less of a disaster for the Americans than the original was for the Brits (though not by much) - will be an even greater humanitarian catastrophe for the Afghan people. Not that I think we should have stayed there longer...no one's ever been able to conquer or "fix" Afghanistan, and if we couldn't accomplish anything lasting after 20 years, I don't see how another two or three would make a difference, but...well, I don't really know what I think, other than that it is just going to be brutal and tragic and yet another distraction from all the other problems in the world that require our immediate attention. Sigh...

ORIGINAL REVIEW: My good friend (and Goodreads buddy) Jim has been trying to get me to read Flashman for years, but somehow I never got around to it. However, finally picked this up and was totally hooked - there's a reason he's become such an iconic figure. He's like a 19th Century Forrest Gump - if Forrest was British, way smarter, and a total (yet for some reason, still likeable) asshole.

It probably helps to have at least a basic knowledge of the British Empire and its colonial skeletons, but there are so many events from that period that I've heard of but don't really understand - the Khyber Pass, the Light Brigade, Balaclava, etc. - and these books look like a really enjoyable way to learn a little history. As I'm currently sitting in a really lame Sheraton in Borneo, I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of Flashman's Lady, which is about Flash's adventures with James Brooke, the "White Rajah" of Sarawak. ...more

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Aug 02, 2007 George rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The first book in what is almost certainly the finest series of historical comic novels ever written. Over the series, written over a 30 year period, Harry Flashman becomes one of Victorian England's most decorated military heros while in actuality he's its most craven coward. There's scarcely anyone of importance in history that he doesn't eventually meet. The books heavily satirize Victorian society and morality. Flashman himself is not only a coward, but is also a bully, a scoundrel, a cheat, The first book in what is almost certainly the finest series of historical comic novels ever written. Over the series, written over a 30 year period, Harry Flashman becomes one of Victorian England's most decorated military heros while in actuality he's its most craven coward. There's scarcely anyone of importance in history that he doesn't eventually meet. The books heavily satirize Victorian society and morality. Flashman himself is not only a coward, but is also a bully, a scoundrel, a cheat, and a lecher, and only those things on his good days. While he revels in wallowing in the Garden of Earthly Delight, he invaribly pays heavily for his sins by winding up at virtually every British military disaster, and a few American ones as well, of the 19th Century, and it appears there were an astonishing number. "Flashman" and the rest of the books are highly accurate historically and heavily footnoted.

This book introduces Mr. Flashman, a character, borrowed or stolen perhaps, from one of Victorian England's most famous boy hero novels, "Tom Brown's School Days" where Flashman appears as one of Rugby's worst villians and greatest bullies of young stalwarts like Tom Brown and projects what he must have become after being tossed out of Rugby for drunkeness in "School Days". After convincing his father to pay for a commission in the calvary, he bounces from one problem to another before winding up in India and eventually in Afghanistan, where he is swept up in Britain's first Afghan war.

In the 1830's, England decided to indulge in a little regime change and set up a new king in Kabul, propping him up with British troops and English gold, before sending out one of its worst generals, Lord Elphinstone, to take command. Eventually, everything crumbles around them and the army decides to retreat out, on foot, in the winter, leading to one of England's greatest disasters, as only one man managed to return to India on his own, while thousands died in the snowy passes. In "Flashman", it turns out there were two. How he survives is a comic delight.

There are legions of Flashman fans across the world, particulary in expat communities. I've never been in a country where I failed to find them. However, be warned that these are among the least PC novels around in many respects, even by current standards, much less Victorian ones. ...more

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Sep 15, 2015 Ms.pegasus rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: anyone interested in history

Recommended to Ms.pegasus by: my husband

Shelves: fiction, history

A braggart, bully, liar, cheat, lecher, racist, cad, wastrel and coward — how does author George MacDonald Fraser make a riveting and even sympathetic character out of such material? He pulls it off with deceptive ease. First, there is the backdrop of Victorian hypocrisy. Behind a public show of prudery and self-satisfied morality flourished a robust traffic in prostitution and indifference to social injustice. Abroad, diplomats cynically formed duplicitous alliances while jockeying for power an A braggart, bully, liar, cheat, lecher, racist, cad, wastrel and coward — how does author George MacDonald Fraser make a riveting and even sympathetic character out of such material? He pulls it off with deceptive ease. First, there is the backdrop of Victorian hypocrisy. Behind a public show of prudery and self-satisfied morality flourished a robust traffic in prostitution and indifference to social injustice. Abroad, diplomats cynically formed duplicitous alliances while jockeying for power and pursuing a policy of destabilizing local regimes. A caste of blue-bloods promoted incompetence in government. In the military the combination of class preferment and the practice of purchasing commissions produced some of the greatest military debacles in history. Finally, Flashman labors toward the modest and quite modern aspiration of self-preservation. The lengths his “betters” go to endanger him in the name of Victorian brio create a series of humorous predicaments. The reader experiences a certain satisfaction seeing Flashman's quick wit and pragmatism emerge time after time triumphant.

This is the first of the Flashman books. The 80 year old Flashman, having been showered with medals and honors is writing his memoirs, — confiding to the reader the true history of his time. That, at least, is the conceit of the books. Fraser resurrects the bully in Thomas Hughes' TOM BROWN'S SCHOOL DAYS. The school is Rugby, ruled by headmaster Thomas Arnold, rod in one hand and Bible in the other. (Although Arnold had passed on by then, this was the same Rugby that Charles Dodgson attended and forever looked back on as a formative trauma of childhood). Flashman is expelled for, of all things, drunkeness. While Arnold upbraids him with sanctimonious reproaches, Flashman reflects: “...he was a hypocrite I think, like most of his generation. Either that or he was more foolish than he looked, for he was wasting his piety on me.”

Expelled from Rugby, Flashman persuades his father to purchase his commission in a regiment just returned from India, and therefore not likely to be posted to active duty any time soon. The commander is Lord Cardigan whom Fraser has animated with a speech impediment reminiscent of Elmer Fudd. Cardigan, of course, is famed for leading the charge of the light brigade. This is still well before that fateful debacle. Flashman offers his assessment: “He was God's own original fool, there's no doubt about that — although he was not to blame for the fiasco at Balaclava; that was Raglan and Airey between them....He was just stupid, too stupid ever to be afraid....For all that, he could never be called a bad soldier. Some human faults are military virtues, like stupidity, and arrogance, and narrow-mindedness....”

Fraser is at his best when he mingles thrilling fictional episodes with real historic events. For this reason, the early sections of the book felt a bit slow to me. The writing becomes vivid when Flashman is plucked from his cozy billeting and tumbles into Afghanistan. Historical authenticity is enhanced by Fraser's use of footnotes citing authoritative sources to argue controversial points in Flashman's narrative. Fraser brings history to life. Rather than feeling bewildered by the historical details, my interest was piqued. I eagerly consulted online sources for more details about the first Anglo-Afghan War, an event of which I was totally ignorant. Flashman introduces the military commander Lord Elphinstone at the center of this disaster as follows: “Elphy ably assisted by McNaghten, was about to reach the peak of his career; he was going to produce the most shameful, ridiculous disaster in British military history.” That event in 1842 was the annihilation of some 16,000 British soldiers, family members and camp followers in an attempted retreat from Kabul.

I highly recommend these books to anyone interested in a combination of history and great writing.

NOTES:
Peter Hitchens writes an excellent commentary on the series in his blog:
http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.u...
...more

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Jan 12, 2008 Lena rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Let me begin this review by saying that my star rating has less to do with the quality of the book and more with the fact that it was a bad match for my reading tastes.

I became interested in the Flashman books after hearing them described as a much-loved series of historically accurate, comic fiction. Though title character Harry Flashman is a self-described coward and cad, he does have a certain charm as he describes how he repeatedly finds himself in the middle of one British military disaste ...more

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Apr 11, 2014 Mr. Matt rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, 2014, anti-hero

Harry Flashman, despite every effort to stay out of harm's way, finds himself propelled into one life threatening event after another. Eventually he winds up in Afghanistan for the start of the first Anglo-Afghan war. And despite all this, I can't help but love the bastard.

Harry Flashman is the nineteenth century version of Archer. He is a bumbling buffoon with a knack for being in the right place at the right time. Time after time he winds up in trouble, but somehow he always winds up smelling Harry Flashman, despite every effort to stay out of harm's way, finds himself propelled into one life threatening event after another. Eventually he winds up in Afghanistan for the start of the first Anglo-Afghan war. And despite all this, I can't help but love the bastard.

Harry Flashman is the nineteenth century version of Archer. He is a bumbling buffoon with a knack for being in the right place at the right time. Time after time he winds up in trouble, but somehow he always winds up smelling like roses. A desperate ride from Afghan horsemen, for example, makes him seem heroic rather than a coward, and he winds up serving as unofficial courier for the British commanders. His attempt to surrender himself, the flag and the fort outside Jallalabad is seen, in light of the fortunate last minute rescue, as a heroic last stand for flag and country. Throughout it all, I can't help but chuckle. It all reminds me of Archer.

Of course, like Archer, Flashman is, well, kind of a dick. He sleeps with other officer's women. He lies to friends and he cheats to win a duel against a far better man. He swears like a sailor, and is contemptuous of those beneath his station and, of course, the natives. And so on. And, perhaps because the book is so deliciously un-PC, it all works. The book is funny and, at times, edge of your seat intense.

I even appreciated the focus of the book: Afghanistan in the 1840s. I knew absolutely nothing about the time period and part of the reason I read historical fiction is to learn more about a new time period. This was a good opportunity to learn about what an unmitigated disaster the British occupation of Afghanistan was. Wishful thinking and well-meaning politicians continually misinterpreted events of the ground - despite Flashman's desperate (and truthful) warnings - and the situation spiraled out of control. In the end, a British army was annihilated on its retreat from Kabul. (Of course Flashman survives, winding up getting decorated by the Queen for valor - despite his abandoning the army in the passes.)

Four out of five stars. These are fun books if you enjoy a little dark humor, historical fiction, and a good anti-hero. ...more

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Apr 25, 2010 Karla rated it really liked it

Shelves: ebook

Fraser took a small character in Tom Brown's Schooldays and turned him into a legend. The mock memoir set-up is very fun, and Flashman in his first outing is a real loathsome character. I didn't much like him! He's the embodiment of ugly British colonialism, raping women and doing whatever he can to get whatever he wants. But I had to keep reading about the fiendish little cad, because the scrapes he gets into and the sh!t luck that keeps him alive was far too amusing. ...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Simon rated it it was amazing

Sexually incontinent, self-centred, spineless and shameless - what's not to like about Harry Flashman, George McDonald Fraser's timeless comic character? This is the first book, originally published in 1969, and it began one of the greatest series of historical fiction in the English language. The Hornblowers and Sharpes have their place, but heroic types can be dreadful bores at times. Give me a promiscuous, drunken coward nine times out ten; the tenth time being when it was my hide or Flashman ...more

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Apr 22, 2015 S.J. Arnott rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: flashman

Poor old Flash.

What would he say to all these one star reviewers? Actually, he’d probably damn their eyes, then nip round the corner to pay a couple of toughs to knock them down, de-bag them and blacken their backsides with boot-polish...

I can see why some people might take against Flash after reading the first book in the series. Although I think it’s excellent, it has slightly rougher edges than the ones that follow and portrays our protagonist more as the vicious schoolboy he was, rather than Poor old Flash.

What would he say to all these one star reviewers? Actually, he’d probably damn their eyes, then nip round the corner to pay a couple of toughs to knock them down, de-bag them and blacken their backsides with boot-polish...

I can see why some people might take against Flash after reading the first book in the series. Although I think it’s excellent, it has slightly rougher edges than the ones that follow and portrays our protagonist more as the vicious schoolboy he was, rather than the reluctant pseudo-hero he becomes. His less than gallant treatment of his de facto step-mother is probably the best example of this, which is something of a shock I’ll admit, but I have less sympathy with those who make accusations of racism, most of which appear to be based solely on the language used in the book. These criticisms miss the point that this is exactly the type of language that would have been used at the time, and it wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow in most company. This unabashed attention to detail is one of the author’s great strengths. Too many historical novels feature characters who have the sensibilities of 20th-century liberal arts teachers, whereas Fraser really gets under the skin of Flashman, the archetypal Victorian scoundrel.

So please don’t let overly-sensitive reviews put you off Flashman. This first book sets up Flash’s dilemma for the rest of the series; namely, that once he’s mistaken for a dashing hero, various ghastly people (Prime Ministers, generals, unspeakable foreigners, and even members of the Royal family) insist on sending him to dangerous places (mostly hot and dusty) to do horribly dangerous heroic things, while all Flash wants is a peaceful life, dividing his time between fashionable London society and the fleshpots of the East End.

Unfortunately, the next book Royal Flash is one of the weaker in the series (being little more of a reworking of The Prisoner of Zenda) but after that, it’s all gravy.

(Note on covers. I love the original Arthur Barbosa book covers. I think they capture the essence of Flashman perfectly: handsome, manly, fresh-faced, so obviously trustworthy (!). In contrast, the more recent covers offer us a boozy, sly, caricature of a cad that completely miss the mark: Flashman doesn’t proper because he looks like a pantomime villain; he prospers because he doesn’t.) ...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Kirsten Mortensen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Okay, I'll admit it. Perhaps because I'm a gal, a couple chapters into this book I wondered if I was going to have to force myself to keep going.

Because -- as you know if you know anything about the Flashman series -- the narrator of these books is *not* a nice guy.

But something happened as I reached a quarter mark or so of the novel: I found myself hooked.

And by the time Flashy found himself in Afghanistan (the series' conceit is that Flashman was an eyewitness to a number of significant 19th Okay, I'll admit it. Perhaps because I'm a gal, a couple chapters into this book I wondered if I was going to have to force myself to keep going.

Because -- as you know if you know anything about the Flashman series -- the narrator of these books is *not* a nice guy.

But something happened as I reached a quarter mark or so of the novel: I found myself hooked.

And by the time Flashy found himself in Afghanistan (the series' conceit is that Flashman was an eyewitness to a number of significant 19th century military events, including in this book the British army's 1842 Retreat from Kabul, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1842_ret...) my opinion of him had shifted. Yes, he's a despicable man: a coward, a misogynist, a liar. But all the same, I was rooting for him. I wanted him to somehow get out alive . . .

You couldn't ask for a better example of how to make an unappealing character sympathetic, in fact.

One last point. Someone in a Goodreads group thread (who hasn't read the book) speculated that Flashman might be considered "post-modern" -- a reasonable assumption given that the narrator is an anti-hero. But to my eye, the book transcends any neat categories. Yes, it can be read as a blistering critique of 19th century British imperialism, but it's dealing with historical facts -- a refreshing change from contemporary polemics that are out to score political points at the expense of everything else.

And while the book (consistent with post-modernist writing) eschews any pretense to moral elevation, technically the writing and structure is both original and virtually flawless. So there's plenty of aesthetic pleasure to be had in the reading.

I've also seen Flashman called a historical novel. I suppose that's as good a category as any. But there's something not quite right about that characterization, either. Or maybe I think of historical novels as more atmospheric. Flashman is set in the mid-1900s, but it reads like a contemporary.

Recommend to anyone who likes terrific story-telling & can overlook very un-P.C. characters. ...more

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Nov 18, 2018 Maru Kun rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: c-afghanistan, 20th-century-lit

"...There is a painting of the scene at Gandamack, which I saw a few years ago, and it is like enough the real thing as a I remember it. No doubt it is very fine and stirs martial thoughts in the glory-blown asses who look at it; my only thought when I saw it was, 'You poor bloody fools!' and I said so, to the disgust of other viewers. But I was there, you see, shivering with horror as I watched, unlike the good Londoners, who let the roughnecks and jailbirds keep their empire for them; they are ...more

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Feb 04, 2008 Dan rated it liked it

Shelves: funny

Another book Neil Gaiman mentioned in his blog. I liked it and thought parts were really funny. Some parts made me uncomfortable, though.

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Oct 02, 2010 Noble rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I'm going to review the whole series here, instead of saying more or less the same thing for each of the books I've read.

Flashman, the character, is an asshole. Really, he doesn't have many redeeming qualities. I shall list those which come to mind:
He seems to genuinely love his wife, in his own way (he cheats on her, or tries to, pretty much constantly, but he also has ample reason to believe she does the same and knows about his own infidelities; still, his thoughts seem to go back to her more I'm going to review the whole series here, instead of saying more or less the same thing for each of the books I've read.

Flashman, the character, is an asshole. Really, he doesn't have many redeeming qualities. I shall list those which come to mind:
He seems to genuinely love his wife, in his own way (he cheats on her, or tries to, pretty much constantly, but he also has ample reason to believe she does the same and knows about his own infidelities; still, his thoughts seem to go back to her more often than anything else, aside from saving his own skin at least).
He generally doesn't take joy in meaningless slaughter (if he does take joy in someone dying, they're either also a total asshole or he's just glad he's not the one being killed).
He seems to have more respect for people of color than most people in the setting (he uses the dreaded "N word" a lot, but it's mostly set in the 1800s, so that doesn't mean much; mind you, he doesn't respect anyone all that much, but minorities don't get any more of his disrespect or contempt than anyone else, really - a caveat here is that he usually doesn't have a problem with slavery, but that goes back to his simply not caring about most people other than himself).
That's it. He's a coward, a womanizer, a thief, and a liar. He will readily abandon his allies at the drop of a hat, flee a battle, and revel in the glory afforded him when he is the sole survivor (even if he survived only because he shoved a "friend" into the line of fire and dove into the latrine when the battle started). He's a cad.

That said, he's a cynical bastard whose reflections on how scewed up the world he lived in really was are bloody hilarious. The fact that he so often speaks plainly of his many shortcomings helps.

It is also worth nothing that Fraser did his homework, and includes many people and events that are really rather interesting in their own right (if Flashy mentions a general or monarch, or battle, or artifact, you can spend hours just doing a Wiki-crawl learning about the craziness inherent in all of it). ...more

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Jul 07, 2013 Erica rated it really liked it

Shelves: the-flashman-papers

Ok so I ended up liking this book more than I thought I would. I rather like ole Flashy and I suppose I'll read the next in the series. I wouldn't review it as "hilariously funny" as stated on the cover, but to each his own. ...more

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Sep 07, 2017 Stephen McQuiggan rated it it was amazing

Cowardice is a virtue. Flashy is totally unapologetic for his many shortcomings as a human being, which in the spirit of the book makes you want to yell 'Bravo!'. A refreshing change to the derring do heroes that saturate modern society with their relentless perfect boredom. Flashy - a cross between Terry Thomas and Dick Dastardly - rapes, flirts, lies and seduces when he's not praying for the death of his comrades... and lands on his feet every time. Just when it seems he's about to exhibit a n ...more

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Jan 05, 2020 Richard Moss rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020, book-group

If you find rapists entertaining then this is the book for you.

That may be a little dismissive of a novel that isn't without qualities, but for me I could not get past the fact that Flashman is more than just a scoundrel. He is a predator and a rapist, and the use of sexual violence in the plot is completely unacceptable.

That's a shame as Flashman's history is actually well-researched and accurately depicted. Macdonald Fraser does not shrink away from showing the full disaster that befell Britis ...more

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Jun 26, 2014 Victor Bruneski rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: my-top-ten-books-series

I picked this book up after a mere reference to Flashman in The Bookman Histories. From what I read in the reviews it looks like just my cup of tea, and boy howdy is it.

The novel is told by Harry Flashman, the same Harry Flashman who's claim of fame is from Tom Brown's Schooldays & Tom Brown at Oxford (I had no idea of that book before this). The author decided to write some further adventures of the school bully, to hilarious results.

The story starts out right after Harry Flashman is kicked out ...more

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Oct 12, 2017 N.N. Light rated it did not like it

Shelves: fiction, reviews-by-mrs-n

I was not the right reader for this book. While Flashman created intense emotions in me, I despised him which I don't think was the author's intention. lol!

My Rating: 1 star ...more

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About George MacDonald Fraser

George MacDonald Fraser

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He is best known for his Flashman series of historical novels, purportedly written by Harry Flashman, a fictional coward and bully originally created by Thomas Hughes in Tom Brown's School Days. The novels are presented as "packets" of memoirs written by the nonagenarian Flashman, who looks back on his days as a hero of the British Army during the 19th century. The series begins with Flashman, and ...more

Other books in the series

Flashman Papers (1 - 10 of 14 books)

Books by George MacDonald Fraser

Flashman at the Charge (Flashman Papers, #4)

Flash for Freedom (The Flashman Papers #3)

Flashman in the Great Game (The Flashman Papers, #5)

Flashman's Lady (The Flashman Papers, #6)

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Quotes from Flashman

“If anything she was a shade too plump, but she knew the ninety-seven ways of making love that the Hindus are supposed to set much store by―though mind you, it is all nonsense, for the seventy-fourth position turns out to be the same as the seventy-third, but with your fingers crossed.” — 26 likes

“I recognized the handwriting, and my heart gave a skip; when I opened it I got a turn, for it began, 'To my beloved Hector,' and I thought, by God she's cheating on me, and has sent me the wrong letter by mistake. But in the second line was a reference to Achilles, and another to Ajax, so I understood she was just addressing me in terms which she accounted fitting for a martial paladin; she knew no better. It was a common custom at that time, in the more romantic females, to see their soldier husbands and sweethearts as Greek heroes, instead of the whore-mongering, drunken clowns most of them were. However, the Greek heroes were probably no better, so it was not far off the mark.” — 13 likes

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