Flashman (The Flashman Papers, Book 1)

George MacDonald Fraser

Dec 2011 · The Flashman Papers Book 1 · HarperCollins UK

About this ebook

Coward, scoundrel, lover and cheat, but there is no better man to go into the jungle with. Join Flashman in his adventures as he survives fearful ordeals and outlandish perils across the four corners of the world.

Expelled from Rugby for drunkenness, and none too welcome at home after seducing his father’s mistress, the young Flashman embarks on a military career with Lord Cardigan’s Hussars.

En route to Afghanistan, our hero hones his skills as a soldier, duellist, imposter, coward and amorist (mastering all 97 ways of Hindu love-making during a brief sojourn in Calcutta), before being pressed into reluctant service as a secret agent. His Afghan adventures culminate in a starring role in that great historic disaster, the Retreat from Kabul.

Ratings and reviews

My first Flashman book, and I've enjoyed every page. The eponymous anti-hero is a fantastic character creation who is beautifully described and written about here. The writing conveys the cowardice and selfishness that is frequently demonstrated by Flash in such a compelling manner that it is compulsive reading. I found it hard to put the book down once I'd started reading. I do not hesitate to recommend it.

A terrific read.

True genius

About the author

The author of the famous Flashman Papers and the Private McAuslan stories, George MacDonald Fraser worked on newspapers in Britain and Canada. In addition to his novels he also wrote numerous screenplays, most notably The Three Musketeers, The Four Musketeers, and the James Bond film, Octopussy.