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Title: Black Ajax by George MacDonald Fraser ISBN: 0-7867-0618-X Publisher: Carroll & Graf Pub. Date: June, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.58 (12 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A colourfully told bareknuckle boxing history.
Comment: A more serious historical novel than we are used to from MacDonald Fraser. This novel still contains much of the wit and pizzazz found in the Flashman papers. The flavour of that era is strongly portrayed, but the heavy use of "olde Englishe" makes the book difficult to read and in my opinion, does not add to the story. A glossary at the end helps, but does not cover all the terms used. The central character, Tom Molineaux, a black slave in America who wins his freedom in a boxing match, almost achieves his life's ambition of becoming the bareknuckle champion of England which at that time was "the world". But he fails to cope with his own demons and sinks to an early and undignified end. Is it a tragedy? MacDonald Frazer, leaves this question open. Tom started as an uneducated slave, then travelled to London, became famous, met the King, fought for the English bareknuckle title twice, and bedded some of the most famous "ladies" in England. It sure beats slavery!
Rating: 5
Summary: MacDonald Fraser Scored A Knockout With Black Ajax!
Comment: One of the delightful things about the work of George MacDonald Fraser is the wide range of subjects he addresses which are knit together by one singular talent - his ability to breath life into another era.
Those who have only read The Flashman Papers (not a bad thing by any means) have only seen one facet of Mr. Fraser's talent. When he applied it in "The Steel Bonnets", one of the most confusing, convoluted and bloody periods in English history leapt into focus. Now in addressing the doomed career of Tom Molineaux, a former slave who freed himself by beating another slave to death, Fraser sheds some much needed light on that contradictory period which was Regency England.
Using Molineaux's brief career as the subject of an "industrious inquirer", Fraser brings in the views of such diverse observers as an eccentric upper class "pedestrian" who - between walks to Scotland and back - trains Tom Cribb for the second bout, a boxing journalist of the period whose florid hyperbole disguises the fact that he is rarely able to actually attend the matches and, of course, Flash Harry's "guv'ner", Buckley "Mad Buck" Flashman.
"Black Ajax" reveals more about the attitudes, prejudices and life styles of the Regency than it really does about poor Tom Molineaux. For those looking for a politically correct read, look elsewhere for, as Fraser is fond of saying, history cannot be bent to suit today's attitudes and still remain history. For those who revel in Fraser's adept use of dialect and period slang and his ability to bring an entire era to life, this is for you.
Rating: 4
Summary: Fine story of a freed-slave boxer in Regency England
Comment: From the real-life story of the meteoric rise, and subsequent fall of Tom Molineaux, freed slave who comes to England with one purpose alone--to defeat the reigning champ, Tom Cribb. Seen through the eyes of various people who saw him (including, notably, Harry Flashman's father) (Flashman himself gets a brief mention) and who are telling their experiences to an unknown person, presumably an author or writer.
Since Tom's fate is revealed in the prologue, watching Tom's arc, which will bring him achingly close to the top only to fall, is painful. But what makes this book is watching the attitude of those arond him, and the Napoleonic-era society which is delighted to embrace him as a novelty--and to turn against him the instant he becomes a threat or a failure. For all the wine, women and song he is given, the turning point in this book is when the misunderstood Tom realizes he will never be accepted, as a non-white, non-English contender, society and the mob will turn against him the instant he is seen as likely to become the champion.
Fraser, as he showed for the later 19th century in the Flashman books, and as he did for the Edwardian era in Mr. American, shows an intimate knowledge and understanding of Regency England, which is brought to life for our enjoyment.
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Title: Flashman: From the Flashman Papers, 1839-1842 by George MacDonald Fraser ISBN: 0452259614 Publisher: New American Library Pub. Date: November, 1986 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Flashman and the Dragon by George MacDonald Fraser ISBN: 0452261910 Publisher: Plume Pub. Date: June, 1995 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: Flash for Freedom by George MacDonald Fraser ISBN: 0452260892 Publisher: Plume Pub. Date: March, 1989 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Flashman at the Charge by George MacDonald Fraser ISBN: 0452264138 Publisher: New American Library Pub. Date: October, 1986 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Flashman and the Tiger by George Macdonald Fraser ISBN: 0385721080 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 06 November, 2001 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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