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'The Flashman Papers do what all great sagas do – winning new admirers along the way but never, ever betraying old ones. It is an immense achievement.' Sunday Telegraph
‘Not so much a march as a full-blooded charge, fortified by the usual lashings of salty sex, meticulously choreographed battle scenes and hilariously spineless acts of self preservation by Flashman.’ Sunday Times
‘Not only are the Flashman books extremely funny, but they give meticulous care to authenticity. You can, between the guffaws, learn from them.’ Washington Post
‘A first-rate historical novelist’ Kingsley Amis
Product Description
Harry Flashman: the unrepentant bully of Tom Brown’s schooldays, now with a Victoria Cross, has three main talents – horsemanship, facility with foreign languages and fornication. A reluctant military hero, Flashman plays a key part in most of the defining military campaigns of the 19th century, despite trying his utmost to escape them all.
If only Flashman had got on with his dinner and ignored the handkerchief dropped by a flirtatious hussy in a Calcutta hotel … Well, American history would have been different, a disastrous civil war might have been avoided, and Flashman himself would have been spared one of the most hair-raising adventures of his misspent life.
If only … But, alas, the arch-rotter of the Victorian age could never resist the lure of a pretty foot. This latest extract of the Flashman Papers soon finds Flashman careering towards the little Virginian town of Harper’s Ferry, where John Brown and his gang of rugged fanatics were to fire the first shot in the great war against slavery.
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I'm a dedicated Flashman reader, and until this one thoroughly enjoyed every one of 'em; so much so I've not only re-read them umpteen times, but also recently re-read them in chronological order, and whilst doing so have considerably increased my knowledge of Victorian history. Much of the enjoyment has been that the subject matter of each book has been interesting- until this one came along.
Unless you're American, you've probably never heard of John Brown (other than in the song, and even then it's a little known song these days). It's not a bad book as such, but an enormous shame that now the author is getting on in years he didn't write about Rorke's Drift (but this is covered a little in the latest excellent "Flashman and the Tiger") , or the Alamo, or one of a number of more interesting and better known historical episodes hinted at in earlier works in the series. I hate to say it but this is just a Flashman Formula book, a sort of "Flashman by numbers" if you will. It doesn't improve much with re-reading either, and I'm afraid that if it weren't for a few minor episodes within the story which link in to other Flashman novels, I probably wouldn't even recommend it to fellow Flashman followers. Don't let this put you off the others though, as with the slight exception of "Royal Flash" they're the most enduringly enjoyable novels I've ever read!
In the first half of the book, by a series of absurd coincidences, Flashman finds himself forced into participating in the attack on Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859 with Ol' John Brown. It appears that the author is trying his hand at a somekinf of political farce as Flashy bounces from misfortune to misfortune, but it comes across as far fetched and messy, and Flashman is not his usual toadying cowardly self and doesn't react the way to situations that we have come to expect from our lily-livered anthero. However, it does give an interesing insight in to abolitionist politics of the time.
From the moment that John Brown's gang (and Flashy) arrive in Virginia, however, the book notches up several gears and is pure Flashman, out to save his own skin and womanising at every opportunity.
The historical context and educational value is as ever, excellent (the charactersiation of John Brown is especially excellent), and the second half of the book makes up for the first, but not the best Flashman offering.
The book is as much fun as the Flashman tales usual are and is an enjoyable read. However this is certainly not the best Flashman novel that has ever been written, it seems to take an age for Flashy to actually meet John Brown due to a series of ridiculous and unfortunate events (even compared to normal). This novel does feel as though the author might have been running out of ideas and it comes across as though Fraser was desperately trying to stretch the story out.
This is a dissapointment overall, Flashman and the Angel of the Lord is not in the same league as the previous tales of Sir Harry and should therefore not put you off reading other novels by this author (maybe just don't read this one).
As always our hero gets himself in the usual brand of trouble as a result of his libido and plays his part in... Read more
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