Russell meets the Tiger

[Robert Woods]

Any fan of the Mary Russell stories would enjoy George Macdonald Fraser's "Flashman" stories. Flashy's orbit crosses Holmes' in "Flashman and the Tiger".

[vicki]

Hi, Robert! <Waves>

I've had the first Flashman book in my TBR stack forever, and just haven't gotten around to reading it. I don't know much about them, but I've had a lot of people tell me that they're great fun. How many are in the series?

[Robert Woods]

I am new at this blog business so pardon the late response. There must be about half a dozen of the "Flashman" books. They are consistently good and a painless way to learn the history of the British empire as viewed by a Victorian soldier. Very raunchy. If you would like to learn something about a colorful episode in American history, look at the one describing John Brown's raid at Harper's Ferry. I forget the exact title but it was something like "Flashman and the Man of God". "Flashman and the Tiger " was Fraser's last and I think best.

bob Woods

[mamaocllo]

There are now 12 in the Flashman series, though the last couple have been collections of short stories. I would say, as a little old lady, that I don't think one could reallty describe them as 'raunchy' which might put people off the books. I think of 'raunchy' as near-porn with a lot of graphic sex description, which these books don't have. Perhaps one could say that Flashy has the morals of an alley-cat, though probably that'd bring the Alley-Cats Union out in protest. He's every bit what one would expect the school bully from 'Tom Brown's Schooldays' to be as an adult - maybe worse, but generally cheerful about it. He also makes a brief appearnce, as on old curmudgeon, in another Fraser novel, 'Mr.American.' They're very funny, and with lots of cliffhangers, too. Flashy is sort of the anti-Sharpe, if you've read the Bernard Cornwell books or seen the TV productions.