Flashman and the Mountain of Light - George MacDonald Fraser

1990; 365 pages.  New Author? : No.   Book #9 in the Flashman series (but #2 chronologically, as it is told as a flashback).  Genre : Historical Fiction.  Overall Rating : 6½*/10.

    The situation in India in 1845 is tense.  South of the Sutlej River is British territory, with a large army that is unfortunately all spread out.  North of the Sutlej is Punjab, the realm of the Sikhs.  They have a standing army of about 80,000; well-trained, itching to pick a fight with the British, and more than willing to kill their own rulers on the slightest whim.

    The British need to send a diplomat to Punjab, who must also be a spy.  That man must speak the local language, be brave and self-confident, and above all be ...um... expendable.  Who better to send than Flashman?

What's To Like...
Flashman and the Mountain of Light (which refers to the Koh-i-Noor diamond) chronicles the events of the First Anglo-Sikh War.  There is treachery and butchery; political subtlety and bloody battles.  George MacDonald Fraser is meticulous in his research and details.  Some of the events seemed hard to believe, but a check at Wikipedia confirmed them.  Flashman is still Flashman - bedding every woman he meets, running from every danger that arises, and somehow ending up looking like a hero.

    The sex scenes are fewer-and-farther-between than in the other Flashman book I've read (reviewed here), and that's a plus.  My biggest issue remains the same though - the prolific use of the N-word.  I recognize it was a commonly used-term 150 years ago, but it isn't today, and it wasn't when Fraser wrote this series.  A skilled writer could have worked around this offensive term.

Kewlest New Word...
Titivation : a small, enhancing alteration made to something, especially to make oneself more attractive.

Excerpts...
   "They have lost the spirit," says one know-all.  "Afghanistan was the death of them."
    "Afghanistan is everyone's death," says another.  "Didn't my uncle die at Jallalabad, peace be on him?"
    "In the British war?"
    "Nay, he was cook to a horse caravan, and a bazaar woman gave him a loathsome disease.  He had ointments, from a hakim (chemist), to no avail, for his nose fell off and he died, raving.  My aunt blamed the ointments.  Who knows, with an Afghan hakim?"
    "That is how we should slay the British!" cackles an ancient.  "Send the Maharani to infect them!"  (pg. 156)

    When I think of the number of men - and women - who have taken me at face value, and formed a high opinion of my character and abilities, it makes me tremble for my country's future.  I mean, if they can't spot me as a wrong 'un, who can they spot?  Still, it's pleasant to be well thought of, and has made my fortune, at the expense of some hellish perils...  (pg. 326)

"Most inconsiderate of me, but all's ill that ends ill..."  (pg. 192)
    You will enjoy FatMoL if you are a history buff, and don't mind political incorrectness.   Flashman is a charming scoundrel, and he seems to have picked up a couple redeeming qualities since Book #1.  The humor is piquant and Flashman's self-deprecation makes him a fine anti-hero.

    OTOH, an obscure foreign war may not be of great interest to a lot of readers, and since the action doesn't get started until around page 115, it may be a chore to many to stick with this book.  Nonetheless, if you do, it redeems itself nicely, and I managed to make my peace with the occasional offensive passages and enjoy the story.  6½ Stars.

Flashman - George MacDonald Fraser

1969; 252 pages. Genre : Historical Fiction. New Author? : Yes. Book #1 (out of 12) of the "Flashman" series. Overall Rating : 4½*/10.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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Kewlest New Word...

Gommeril : a fool. (a Britishism/Yorkshire-ism)

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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)

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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)

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"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.

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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.

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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.