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Title: Flashman in the Great Game: From the Flashman Papers 1856-1858 by George MacDonald Fraser ISBN: 0-452-26303-4 Publisher: Plume Pub. Date: September, 1989 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $13.95

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Average Customer Rating: 4.93 (14 reviews)

Rating: 5
Summary: Flashman at the Mutiny
Comment: In 1856, Flashy is once again dragooned - this time not as a direct result of some peccadillo on his part - by Palmerston himself to go to India and keep an eye on possibly mutiny brewing there, fomented by Flashy's old nemesis, Count Ignatieff. Like all the other Flash books, this is a thoroughly researched piece of historical fiction, from the personalities of the great (and not so great) commanders of the day, down to the details of the daring exploits of the (not so) common soldier. Like its predecessors, this book is rife with wit, debauchery, wry observations on war and empire, and a few laughs at our hero's expense. This volume does, however, depart from the other books in two ways, in my opinion. The first is tone: where before I got the sense that Flash was so selfish and sadistic he was removed from the carnage he witnesses, in the Mutiny I got the sense that Flash (or Fraser, unable to hide himself behind his character) was moved by the massacres. Flash lets emotion creep in to the point of not just leaping in to rescue (!) a British couple, but to ruminate on the morality of the British retribution. Secondly, in this book Flashman is more propelled along by events rather than(even unwillingly and unknowingly) influencing them, as he has before, goading Raglan into ordering the charge of the Light Brigade or managing to repel Russian invasion of India, for example. All this is simple observation, not criticism; the quality of Flashman's exploits here in no way disappoints.

Rating: 5
Summary: Flashy's Best?
Comment: While I read this book as number eight in my chronological survey of the life and times of Harry Flashman and still have three books to go in the series, I can understand why the Flashman cognoscenti consider this book Fraser finest effort of this series.

In this book our toady, womanizing coward ends up in the middle of the great Indian mutiny in the 1858-9 period. As always there is high entertainment with Flashman's picaresque adventures and a lot of historical context thanks to Fraser's meticulous research. What makes the book stand out in this superb series is it's accurate and objective analysis of the events leading to the Indian Mutiny -required reading with regard to the current conflict in Iraq- and the fully three-dimensional rendering of the Indian princess Lakshmibai.

Fraser has responded to questions "how much of Flashman is in you?", "I think like Flashman, but don't follow it up with acting the way he does". As such, It seems like Fraser's esteem for this enigmatic leading lady translates into this book. Furthermore, the expert description of the battle scenes and the sights and smells of India turn this book into a superb example of historical fiction.

Too bad that the Flashman character has so far been so poorly translated to the moving screen. Maybe, just like Dickens, Fraser's writing skills are so evocative that any reenactment ends up disappointing. Yet, since the in my eyes disappointing O'Brien series received the full Hollywood treatment, it may be time for another try to bring Lord Harry to a larger audience.

Rating: 5
Summary: By now you are hooked on Flashman
Comment: You will buy this book. It's probably the best of the lot.

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