Rating: 
Summary: One of the best of the Flashman books.
Review: Harry Flashman, bully, undeserving hero, and cad, is forced to leave England on the sudden after a fight over a card game. He lands on the ship of what may be Fraser's best original character, former Oxonian and classics-quoting slave ship Captain John Charity Spring. When the ship is captured in the Gulf of Mexico after doing a slave run, Flashy changes sides with his usual elan, and is brought to America as a minor hero. He soon finds himself facing an uncommonly bright young Congressman from Illinois, one of the few people ever to see through Flashy, who will meet him again during (the as-yet-unpublished, alas) Flashy's Civil War experiences. A delight, as we get to watch Flashy rogue his way through stunning dangers, as Fraser gives us detailed pictures of the 19th century slave trade, the South, and the Underground Railroad. Extensively footnoted, as usual Flashman is a much loved character, and we can understand why as he displays (though never admitting to himself) more courage in the interest of keeping his skin whole than most heroes display in defense of their country. Read them. Read them all.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best of the Flashman books.
Review: Harry Flashman, bully, undeserving hero, and cad, is forced to leave England on the sudden after a fight over a card game. He lands on the ship of what may be Fraser's best original character, former Oxonian and classics-quoting slave ship Captain John Charity Spring. When the ship is captured in the Gulf of Mexico after doing a slave run, Flashy changes sides with his usual elan, and is brought to America as a minor hero. He soon finds himself facing an uncommonly bright young Congressman from Illinois, one of the few people ever to see through Flashy, who will meet him again during (the as-yet-unpublished, alas) Flashy's Civil War experiences. A delight, as we get to watch Flashy rogue his way through stunning dangers, as Fraser gives us detailed pictures of the 19th century slave trade, the South, and the Underground Railroad. Extensively footnoted, as usual Flashman is a much loved character, and we can understand why as he displays (though never admitting to himself) more courage in the interest of keeping his skin whole than most heroes display in defense of their country. Read them. Read them all.
Rating: 
Summary: Flashy gets to be a slaver, abolitionist, and then a slave!
Review: Harry Flashman, England's most irrepressible scoundrel, is back for more international adventures. Flashman meets all the greats in this superb historical novel from the future British Prime Minister Disraeli to the future American President Lincoln. Fraser makes things consistent, I'll give him that. Flashman is still looking out for, well Flashman, but somehow he ends up winning accolades for committing criminal acts that seem to somehow get misinterpreted. Not that Flashman minds or cares mind you. The novel centers around the issue of slavery during the mid-19th century before the American Civil War. Flash for Freedom is another example of historical story-telling that is packed with real events. Losing his chance at a political career, Flashman is forced to join a ship of slavers headed for West Africa. Flash makes eyes at an alluring Amazon there and then finally ends up in New Orleans. Posing as a dead naval officer, Flashman manages to lie and cheat his way across the country with nothing on his mind except vengeance against his miserly father-in-law and getting into the pants of every half-way decent woman he encounters. Filled with twists and turns, you'd think ol' Flashy was done for except for the fact that he is writing this posthumously sometime in the future when he has become an aged Flashman. This book has it all with lots of adventure, romance (well sex anyway), intrigue, humor, drama, and much more. Highly recommended for those interested in history or those who just want to read the adventures of a lousy no-good scumbag who somehow manages to get us to root for him!
Rating:
Summary: Flashy gets to be a slaver, abolitionist, and then a slave!
Review: Harry Flashman, England's most irrepressible scoundrel, is back for more international adventures. Flashman meets all the greats in this superb historical novel from the future British Prime Minister Disraeli to the future American President Lincoln. Fraser makes things consistent, I'll give him that. Flashman is still looking out for, well Flashman, but somehow he ends up winning accolades for committing criminal acts that seem to somehow get misinterpreted. Not that Flashman minds or cares mind you. The novel centers around the issue of slavery during the mid-19th century before the American Civil War. Flash for Freedom is another example of historical story-telling that is packed with real events. Losing his chance at a political career, Flashman is forced to join a ship of slavers headed for West Africa. Flash makes eyes at an alluring Amazon there and then finally ends up in New Orleans. Posing as a dead naval officer, Flashman manages to lie and cheat his way across the country with nothing on his mind except vengeance against his miserly father-in-law and getting into the pants of every half-way decent woman he encounters. Filled with twists and turns, you'd think ol' Flashy was done for except for the fact that he is writing this posthumously sometime in the future when he has become an aged Flashman. This book has it all with lots of adventure, romance (well sex anyway), intrigue, humor, drama, and much more. Highly recommended for those interested in history or those who just want to read the adventures of a lousy no-good scumbag who somehow manages to get us to root for him!
Rating:
Summary: Flashman Abroad
Review: Harry Flashman, the lovable misogynist, blackguard, cheater, liar, adulterer and above all coward, has returned in another rollicking adven- ture by George MacDonald Fraser. Shanghai-ed aboard a slave ship by his miserly Scottish father-in-law, Flashy soon finds himself smuggling "black ivory" across the Atlantic. Caught by the Yankee Navy, he masquerades as an abolitionist agent fighting the slave trade from within--and finds himself running slaves once again, this time north on the "Underground Railroad" to freedom. The author manages to create a story that is at once humorous, bawdy, witty, poignant and historically accurate. A must-read.
Rating:
Summary: A cynical and hilarious peek at Victorian England
Review: If you are easily offended, then you will probably be offended
by "Flash for Freedom," but if you are in search of well-
written, yet hilarious historical fiction, then Flash is your
man. Be forewarned though, if you are not careful you will
learn more about history from this book than any textbook.
Rating:
Summary: Another fine Flashman book.
Review: In the 3rd installment of the Flashman novels, Harry Flashman (rogue, dandy, coward) takes on the mid-19th century trans-Atlantic (and within-America) slave trade from pretty much every angle. Although I thought it was not among the best of the Flashman books, it's great entertainment, and provides a great "feel" for the period. Who other than Harry Flashman could, in the space of a few months, inadvertantly find himself chatting with a young Disraeli, then a young Lincoln? And then (who knew??) provide inspiration for "Uncle Tom's Cabin"? And meanwhile be a slave buyer, slave stealer, slave emancipator, slave protector and, well, slave, while still being the irrepressible Flashy (oh, yeah, not for kids or for the easily offended). A fine book -- lots of fun.
Rating:
Summary: Another fine Flashman book.
Review: In the 3rd installment of the Flashman novels, Harry Flashman (rogue, dandy, coward) takes on the mid-19th century trans-Atlantic (and within-America) slave trade from pretty much every angle. Although I thought it was not among the best of the Flashman books, it's great entertainment, and provides a great "feel" for the period. Who other than Harry Flashman could, in the space of a few months, inadvertantly find himself chatting with a young Disraeli, then a young Lincoln? And then (who knew??) provide inspiration for "Uncle Tom's Cabin"? And meanwhile be a slave buyer, slave stealer, slave emancipator, slave protector and, well, slave, while still being the irrepressible Flashy (oh, yeah, not for kids or for the easily offended). A fine book -- lots of fun.
Rating:
Summary: Flashman is the sanest man in Victorian England
Review: The third book in this unique series is all that we have come to expect from master yarn-spinner Harry Flashman. His erudite and rather modest editor, George MacDonald Fraser, aids Flashman in his rewriting of 19th Century history and teases us with glimpses of the famous (Lincoln, Harriet Beecher Stowe) while reminding us of the horrors of the slave trade. Live forever, Harry & George! (And keep writing)
Rating:
Summary: Harry meets Abe.
Review: This book comprised the fifth stage of my chronological survey of the live and times of our bewhiskered toady bastard and decorated servant of Her Majesty Harry Flashman. Upon being tricked during a card game Flashy has to leave the country for a while. Unknowingly, he ends up on a slave ship on its way to Africa. This episode allows Fraser to give an accurately grim description of both the actions and the mindset of the people engaged in the slave trade. Intercepted at the American coast Flashy changes identity, gets to meet Lincoln and assumes a variety of roles at different sides of the issue of slavery. After a variety of comical encounters and mounting many a wench, Flashy ends up in a courtroom drama, in which Fraser displayed a prophetic vision of future US court cases. This book is another example of Fraser's mastery in providing a highly entertaining history lesson. It's not hard to understand why Kingsley Amis read little else than Flashman novels at the end of his live.
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