Flashman on the March
📘 About This Book
It’s 1868 and Sir Harry Flashman, V.C., arch-cad, amorist, cold-headed soldier, and reluctant hero, is back! Fleeing a chain of vengeful pursuers that includes Mexican bandits, the French Foreign Legion, and the relatives of an infatuated Austrian beauty, Flashy is desperate for somewhere to take cover. So desperate, in fact, that he embarks on a perilous secret intelligence-gathering mission to help free a group of Britons being held captive by a tyrannical Abyssinian king. Along the way, of course, are nightmare castles, brigands, massacres, rebellions, orgies, and the loveliest and most lethal women in Africa, all of which will test the limits of the great bounder’s talents for knavery, amorous intrigue, and survival. Flashman on the March—the twelfth book in George MacDonald Fraser’s ever-beloved, always scandalous Flashman Papers series--is Flashman and Fraser at their best.
📖 Summary
Flashman on the March is the twelfth installment in George MacDonald Fraser's renowned historical fiction series, following the cowardly yet miraculously decorated Sir Harry Flashman, V.C. Set in the year 1868, the narrative catches up with the arch-cad, amorist, cold-headed soldier, and reluctant hero as he finds himself in a desperate scramble for survival. Fleeing a long and formidable chain of vengeful pursuers that includes Mexican bandits, the French Foreign Legion, and the angry relatives of an infatuated Austrian beauty, Flashy needs to find somewhere safe to take cover immediately. In his state of absolute desperation, he makes the fateful choice to embark on a perilous secret intelligence-gathering mission. This covert assignment is designed to help free a group of British subjects who are being held captive by a tyrannical Abyssinian king. What follows is a classic Flashman adventure filled with the trademark chaos, historical detail, and cynical wit that fans of the series have come to expect. Along the way to Abyssinia, Flashman must navigate nightmare castles, treacherous brigands, massacres, rebellions, and wild orgies. True to form, he also encounters some of the loveliest and most lethal women in Africa. Every twist and turn along the march tests the absolute limits of the great bounder's unique and thoroughly tested talents for knavery, amorous intrigue, and, above all else, self-preservation. Fraser expertly blends historical events of the nineteenth-century British military campaign in Abyssinia with his signature fictional framing device, presenting Flashman's memoirs as the suppressed truth behind official imperial history. Readers are treated to a sweeping panorama of nineteenth-century geopolitics filtered through the eyes of a self-confessed coward who accidentally stumbles into greatness time and time again. The novel delivers rich storytelling, relentless pacing, and a scathing, humorous look at the realities of Victorian imperialism, all while keeping the focus squarely on Flashman's frantic efforts to save his own skin.
🎯 Key Lessons
⚖️ Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
Masterful blend of historical fiction and biting satire
Fast-paced and thoroughly entertaining narrative
Engaging and deeply flawed protagonist
Richly detailed nineteenth-century setting
⚠️ Cons
Contains outdated attitudes reflective of its protagonist and historical setting
May be less accessible to readers unfamiliar with earlier books in the series
✍️ About the Author
❓ FAQ
What is the publication year of Flashman on the March? +
The book was published in 2007.
Who is the author of the book? +
The author is George MacDonald Fraser.
Which number in the series is this book? +
This is the twelfth book in the George MacDonald Fraser series.
Who is the main character? +
The main character is Sir Harry Flashman, V.C., an arch-cad, amorist, and reluctant hero.
What historical setting does the story involve? +
The story is set in 1868 and involves a secret intelligence-gathering mission regarding Britons held captive by a tyrannical Abyssinian king.
