1969; 252 pages. Genre : Historical Fiction. New Author? : Yes. Book #1 (out of 12) of the "Flashman" series. Overall Rating : 4½*/10.
.
Harry Flashman is a decorated hero of various wars and military debacles of the 19th century. He's also a vain, womanizing, bullying coward who wrote his memoirs (the Flashman series) to "set the record straight" about his supposed exploits. In this, the first book in the series, he recounts his adventures in what is called the First Anglo-Afghan War.
.
What's To Like...
If you like anti-heroes, Flashy's your guy. He has very few redeeming qualities, other than being able to spot a dangerous enemy and an incompetent ally. He also picks up the native lingo quickly, and has a way with the ladies. Usually.
.
Flashman is a historically-accurate account of the disastrous British retreat from Kabul in 1842. You can read the Wiki article about it here. Our protagonist will later also take part in Custer's Last Stand and the Charge of the Light Brigade. Good luck shines on him alone; everyone around him gets shafted.
.
There's lots of action, lots of wit, sex aplenty, and some kewl Indian and Afghan vocabulary to supplement the "British" text. (Fraser was Scottish) There are also some timely lessons for NATO and the US about occupying Afghanistan. Don't do it!
.
OTOH, to call Flashman a scoundrel would be an understatement. He deserts his military friends, tries to bed every woman he meets (single or married), thinks only of himself, and on one occasion commits rape. There is also prolific use of the N-word, which grates my teeth. Flashman of course escapes every crisis (well, there are another 11 books in the series, you know). If there's a moral to this story, I'm not sure I like it.
.
Kewlest New Word...
Gommeril : a fool. (a Britishism/Yorkshire-ism)
.
Excerpts...
...for the true talent for catastrophe - Elphy Bey stood alone. Others abide our question, but Elphy outshines them all as the greatest military idiot of our own or any other day.
Only he could have permitted the First Afghan War and let it develop to such ruinous defeat. It was not easy: he started with a good army, a secure position, some excellent officers, a disorganized enemy, and repeated opportunities to save the situation. But Elphy, with the touch of true genius, swept aside these obstacles with unerring precision, and out of order wrought complete chaos. We shall not, with luck, look upon his like again. (pgs. 98-99)
.
I recognized the handwriting, and my heart gave a skip; when I opened it I got a turn, for it began, "To my most 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 marital paladin; she knew no better. (pgs. 154-155)
.
"What difference does it make whether you die like an Englishman or like a bloody Eskimo?" (pg. 199)
I kept waiting for Harry to get his "just deserts", but it never happened. There is a hint of a comeuppance at the very end; but it's left as a loose end. Perhaps it's a teaser to make me read the next book.
.
If you can overlook Flashman's boorishness and the use of the N-word every time an Indian or Afghan is referred to, you will find this book to be an excellent piece of historical fiction.
.
Alas, I couldn't. My only hope is that Flashy "evolves" into a decent human being (well, at least not an utterly reprehensible one) as the series progresses. I will give George MacDonald Fraser another chance. There is one more Flashman book on my TBR shelf. 4½ Stars, but that rating could go up if Flashy starts to self-improve.
No comments:
Post a Comment