The premise of these novels is that the "Flashman Papers" were discovered in a Leicestershire attic in 1965. In them, the English soldier and adventurer, Harry Flashman, recounts his adventures throughout the British Empire during the latter half of the nineteenth century. They are helpfully "notated" by the "editor," George MacDonald Fraser, who occasionally comments upon the authenticity of Flashman's recollections. And what do you know! Flashman just happens to have been present at just about every single major military event in English history of these times! Lucky us!
In this one, Flashman recounts his experiences leading up to and at the famous Charge of the Light Brigade in the Russian Crimea in 1854. He is subsequently captured by the Russians, escapes, is captured again, escapes again, and with the help of Tajiks and Kazhaks, battles the Russians and makes his way to British-controlled India. Believe me, this is just as fun as it sounds, but what takes it to the highest, most delightful level is the sheer narrative force of Fraser's Flashman, unquestionably one of the most enjoyable narrators ever created.
As well as being reliable and honest--qualities a reader hopes at the very least to get in a first person narrative--he is also extremely intelligent, witty, funny, and very, very opinionated. Thus, in describing the Russian peasantry, we don't get a carefully-worded, afraid-to-offend, cautious assessment, we get this: ". . . this dull clown was just standing and letting himself be caned by a fellow half his size, hardly even wincing under the blows. There was a little crowd of serfs looking on, ugly, dirty-looking rascals in hairy blue smocks and rough trousers, with their women and a few ragged brats--and they were just watching, like cowed, stupid brutes." You may wince at his less than diplomatic commentary, but you may be sure you are getting the truth unvarnished, told as only the indefatigable Flashy can do.
These novels are also historically accurate, and meticulously researched even to the tiniest detail. From the lay of the land on a battlefield, to a description of the Russian steppes; from the uniforms worn by various regiments of various armies, to the weapons and ordnance available to each; from the subtle nuances inherent in the languages he encounters in central Asia, to the slang routinely used by Englishmen; it is clear that Mr. Fraser has a unique and thorough understanding of England and the British Empire in the nineteenth century. In fact, it is impossible to believe that there might be another living human being who knows more. The reader gets the sense that he is in the hands of a master; there is nothing here which strains credibility.
In fact, Mr. Fraser has us so firmly in his stead that the romantic elements strewn liberally throughout these novels barely raise an eyebrow. Thus, the scenes when Flashman is chased by wolves over the snowy steppe in a rickety sleigh, or thrown into a dungeon and threatened with the vilest torture, come across as believable and exciting, rather than foolish or cartoonish. And yes, yes, there are dalliances with beautiful women, but what kind of an adventure/romance would this be without them?
In short, the Flashman novels provide everything the lover historical fiction dreams of: exciting and historically accurate plots, careful attention to detail, a thorough knowledge of the subject matter, and, perhaps most importantly, a witty and delightful guide to show us the way. Bravo, Mr. Fraser. Bravo.
Harry Flashman is vain, he's cowardly, he's a lecher. He manages to get into a series of military misadventures, and this one recounts one of the biggest of history: the Charge of the Light Brigade. Tennyson notwithstanding, that had been a SNAFU of the first order; it led to most of those brave soldiers being sacrificed while attempting to storm an impossible objective. Our hero literally farts his way through the attack and gets taken prisoner by the Russians!
Sure enough, he escapes; and has additional adventures in remote Turkistan (present-day Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kirigistan, and Tajikistan), where the British and the Russians played the Great Game.
The background for this book is well-researched, it is compatible with history, is well-paced, and is very interesting. It includes numerous explanatory notes in the end of the book. George MacDonald Fraser usually satisfies with his Flashman stories; and this is one of the best!
