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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
In Black Ajax, George MacDonald Fraser tells the story of a black man from the United States who nearly became England's champion boxer during the early 19th century. This historical novel is based on the true story of Tom Molineaux, a former slave who won his freedom in a boxing match, then travelled to England, refined his skills, and almost became the first black champ. The story is told by over a dozen witnesses to Molineaux's bouts with the reigning champion, Tom Cribb. Molineaux's trainer recalls the fighter's awe-inspiring strength and speed. A butler who asks to remain anonymous divulges information about the fighter's love affair with an English noblewoman. Molineaux's manager, a former slave and retired boxer, speaks bitterly of his disappointment in the youth for failing to prove to the English that a black man could be as capable a fighter as any white man. Nearly all the witnesses to the first match between the two fighters thought Molineaux lost mainly because the judges gave the white opponent an unfair advantage.
All the characters in this novel speak in 19th-century dialect, and it's diverting to try to decipher their many odd turns of phrase. For those who cannot determine the meanings of words such as "Spike Hotel", "toco", "winker", and "wistycastor" from context, the author provides a glossary at the end of the book. Unfortunately, almost all of the characters seem overly fond of using racial epithets, which draws attention to the shortcomings of this book. The main one is that Tom Molineaux, who undoubtedly was a complex, fascinating character, comes across as a stereotype here: a hulk with not many brains but a lot of sex drive. Although Fraser fails in that respect, this novel does vividly chronicle an intriguing episode in the history of sport and race relations. --Jill Marquis
Review
‘Mr Fraser is a great historical novelist and in Black Ajax he is at the very top of his form. Damme if he ain’t.’
Christopher Matthew, Daily Mail
‘This is not a flashy novel, wearing its learning noisily. It’s rigorous, intelligent, meticulously horrifying. Wonderfully well done.’
Nicci Gerrard, Observer
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I wasn't sure about this book. I normally hate books where the story is told from different characters' points of view the author really manages to drive the story along with pace and the change of narrator actually adds to the story.
The editoral review above mentions that the characters are use racist language too much! This seems a ludicrous criticism bearing in mind how people would have actually spoken in Victorian times. The lack of censorship in word and thought is one of the things that make this book really interesting.
It's a touching story about race and fame and 100% recommended for those who'd not normally buy books about those subjects.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I had thought that George MacDonald Fraser was going stale and that the last books in the Flashman series had been dull and one-dimensional. What he obviously needed was a change of character to set the creative juices flowing again, because this was a true return to form. Since reading the Sharpe books by Bernard Cornwell I've found the Regency a fascinating time, but this novel brings them to life far more effectively that Mr Cornwell's formulaic pot-boilers. The characters are fantastic: Pad Jones, Bill Richmond, Tom Cribb and Tom Molineux himself, not forgetting, of course, the dastardly Buck Flashman.
What makes the novel more poignant is that these, with the exception of Mr Flashman, were all real people. Tom's descent to ruin is beautifully told, and the author's grip on the Regency argot is wonderful. Why can't all books be more like this?
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
When boxing was a gentlemans game and the world champion was a white Englishman, the thought of an inferior blackman winning this crown was unheard of. Well, this novel tells the story of a black boxer and his quest for the world championship. As in all GM Fraser novels all the characters are realistic and true to the time period. The story might even be based on real events, I don't know, but it is a great story whether it is or not. The style is fairly unusual, a reporter interviews people that were there at the time, and records their words. As a disciple of GM Fraser I can only say positive things about this book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
gmf has done it again
this series of books by George Macdonald Fraser are fantastic all are great reads, no two books are the same not many more then i have the complete set. Read more
Published 18 days ago by Lindsay
One of his best, maybe THE best
I've been a fan of the Flashman books for a long time and this was the first non-Flashman book by McD-F I'd tried. I'm so glad I did. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Stephen Hudson
Autres temps, autres moeurs
Fraser has made an art-form of injecting non-historical figures into historical events with his Flashman Papers. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Charles Vasey
this was a good read about a distant relative of mine
we grew up knowing that tom molyneux as a great great great grandfather of mine and so it was fascinating to read about the life and times of someone who had such an impact on... Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2009 by Susan Davies
Huge fun (and tragedy too)
I picked up this book because I immensely enjoyed the Flashman-novels by George MacDonald Fraser, not because I'm a lover of (let alone expert in) the Noble Art of Self-Defence. Read more
Published on 3 July 2008 by Didier
A brilliant true story from the creator of Flashman
Could England have had a black heavyweight boxing champion in 1810? Well, it very nearly happened and in "Black Ajax" Flashman's creator George Macdonald Fraser tells the story of... Read more
Published on 13 Jun 2008 by Free Radical
A Gem
This book is a sparkling jewel of a semi-fictional historical novel. It is Mr Fraser at his inventive and innovative best. Read more
Published on 22 Jan 2008 by S. M. Williams
almost a classic
I found myself a little embaraased in places at the use of rascist language and behaviour of some of the characters, however, as previous reviewers have mentioned it was how people... Read more
Published on 13 April 2007 by Jason M. Webber
A recreation, not of the past, but of another present.
In this marvellously original novel Mr. MacDonald Fraser fully deploys his ability to create the very feel of another age in the way he has done humorously in the Flashman novels... Read more
Published on 17 Sep 2000
Superb
I read Black Ajax in one sitting and cannot get it out of my mind. This is one of the most poignant, dazzling novels I have ever read. Read more
Published on 15 Nov 1999 by corene18@hotmail.com
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