Flashman

On occasions on here I have found the odd person make reference to these books so thought I would throw a thread up and see how many fans of the series there actually were out there. For those unfamiliar with the Flashman Series, George Macdonald Fraser basically picks up the story of Harry Flashman who was the bully in Tom Brown’s Schooldays.

The books are meant to be based on Flashman’s diaries that are discovered after his death. Basically Flashman was expelled from school for drunkenness in Tom Brown’s Schooldays and the diaries pick up on his life from that point, and what a life it has been. After joining the army Flashman manages to find himself at the centre of pretty much every major event in the Victorian age, from the charge of the light brigade to Custer’s last stand as well as uprisings and skirmishes on pretty much every continent.

What makes the books so brilliant is that despite being slap bang in the centre of some of the most terrifying wars and events of the era Flashman is an absolute coward. He has no interests beyond saving his own skin. Despite this he manages to emerge with laurels and praise he rarely if ever deserves. Once he has earned these laurels he feels obliged to play up to his heroic image as he enjoys the status, money and opportunities with the opposite sex they tend to afford him.

For anyone with an interest in history the books are brilliantly researched and in Harry Flashman Fraser has created one of literatures great anti heroes.

Are there any other fans out there, if not I would heartily recommend the series.

I read the first one a few years ago on holiday and thought it was brilliant. Not sure why I haven't picked up any of the rest as my father-in-law has all of the books and I keep meaning to read them all.

Entertaining, funny and as you say, jeff, the historical accuracy is incredible.

As my thread suggests Super I would recommend the rest of the series. The standard throughout is excellent, obviously some are stronger than others but I would struggle to think of one I did not enjoy.

Friend of mine loaned me them as audio books many years ago. Honestly can't say they made an impression on me HOWEVER having read your article I downloaded them today and they're on my Kindle ready to go

I've read the first few. They're amusing and easy to read and Flashman's a great character. It's definitely worth reading one or two, however after that point they get a bit repetitive.

FYI Rowley, I dunno if you a have a photographic memory (I clearly don't as I can't recall whether or not you do) but in the first Flashman book, he makes reference to his father once fighting Tom Cribb. Now I know that the author weaves fact and fiction into his stories but I wonder if there's anything in Cribb's career that might suggest there's more to this than just a bit of namedropping.

Love the Flashman books i have read thus far, which is about 4 in total.

Always keep waiting for him to get the Hollywood treatment.