Flashman and the Tiger

Rating:
Summary: 3 Flashies for the price of 1
Review: Flashman and the Tiger is more a collection of 3 Flashman short stories than a single coherent novel. As a result, it is sort of a mixed bag. The first (and longest of the three) is also the best. It deals with an attempt on the life of Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz-Josef's life, and true to Flashman form is full of debauchery, double-crossing, and cowardice mistaken for courage and honor.

The second centers around a gambling scandal with the Prince of Wales, the third with a matter of honor and Sir Flashman's granddaughter. Both of these stories were good, but sort of a let down after the delightful and complicated first story. Nonetheless, Flashman fans will be sure to enjoy the book as did I.

Rating:
Summary: Three Flashman Shorts
Review: George MacDonald Fraser has been writing Flashman stuff for about 25 years now. He's also an accomplished writer in other fields: his memoir of his own service in WW2, "Quartered Safe Out Here" is one of the best personal accounts to come out of that war, and he wrote the screenplay for "The Three Musketeers." In short, he's an accomplished guy.

Flashman and the Tiger is only the second time, by my count, that the author has written something much out of order (the other time being Flashman and the Redskins, which contains a section from 1876). In this volume, Flashman recounts three adventures from his later life, one involving an attempt to assasinate the Emporer of Austria-Hungary, a second involving Flashy in a card-cheating scandal with the Prince of Wales entangled in it, and the third, the title piece, involving our hero deciding to kill a mortal enemy, and running into Sherlock Holmes in the process.

The first of the stories is by far the longest, longer than 200 pages, and really almost a novel itself. It's a good story, even if it is a bit reminiscent of an earlier novel he wrote, and the characters are fun. The second story is a bit more mundane, though I'll confess the ending had me laughing for several minutes. The thirds story, which takes place partly in Africa during the Zulu War, is amusing, though I agree that this does somewhat preclude a full Zulu War novel. The Sherlock part is hilarious, and quite the best part of the book, to be honest. I'm a Sherlock buff of a kind (read all of the stories when I was in high school, twice) and I enjoyed it immensely.

All in all, I wouldn't recommend this as an introductory book for the series, though you could have someone read one of the shorter stories and see if that's the sort of thing that interests them. I do know that some Americans find it hard to read a book written in the vernacular like this, and a short story would be a good way to figure things out. The first story's too long for this, but one of the other two might do.

Given that, it's a worthwhile addition to the series, and fun.

Rating:
Summary: Great fun - but not his best.
Review: You cannot believe the excitement that gripped me when I heard that another Flashman Paper was coming out. I snapped up a hardback copy as soon as it bacame available. Fraser/Flashman contantly name-drops throughout the Flashman papers with the result that there are numourous future episodes keenly awaited by all Flashman devotees (Zulu & Civil wars to name but two). This batch of three stories were written as well as ever, fast paced, great character build-ups and thoroughly enjoyable adventure yarns. It seems harsh to criticise but this volume pales in comparison to its magnificent predecessors hence the low score. If I had not read the others it would have fared better. As metioned above they were, as ever, fantastic tales, it was especially nice to catch up with the Bismarck and Von Starnberg characters a la Royal Flash. I agree with another reviewer that the last story of the three did leave a slightly bad taste in my mouth I won't give anything away. The last two stories being the weakest of the entire Flashman series. In conclusion whatever anyone tells you if you've read the other Flashman books you will read and enjoy this one too. If you are a Flashman virgin (you won't be for long) definitley try to read them in their proper order leaving this effort until last. I just hope it's not the last.