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Flashman

By: George MacDonald Fraser
Narrated by: Rupert Penry-Jones
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Summary

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.

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.

©2012 George MacDonald Fraser (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
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Critic reviews

'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

What listeners say about Flashman

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Greatest book

This is absolutely hilarious and great story! It’s fast flowing and couldn’t stop listening to it ! Highly recommend

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Flashman

Enjoyed this story made better by the brilliant narration, love the General voice! My word, I wouldn’t have wanted to live in those times but very funny, they or we would be hung drawn and quartered these days

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Rupert PJ plays an excellent Flashy

I have read many of the Flashman Papers books in the past but Rupert Perry-Jones really brings him to life, it is a shame he has only performed 2.

An excellent rip roaring story, you can’t help but love Flashy, the scoundrel that he is!

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Superbly narrated

This is one of the rare occasions when I’ve been won over to a book entirely on the basis of the excellent narration. A joy to listen to.

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Flashman is a total legend

Loved it, Flashman is a total legend. Although from a different era and that would not be exceptable today.

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Start of a great series

If you could sum up Flashman in three words, what would they be?

Arrogant, selfish and a coward!

What did you like best about this story?

How he jumps straight from the frying pan into the fire in the effort to escape duty, honour and a fight!

Any additional comments?

Sad that the entire series is not on Audible.

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Excellent as expected

Hateful but strangely likeable character with a large dose of humour and early 19th Century history from the perspective of a fictional eye witness.
No doubt the lefties and virtue signallers will be outraged and triggered by the language and attitudes of the day. Normal people however will for the most part find this somewhat disturbing in places but very funny in others. I loved it and look forward to the next one.

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Politically incorrect masterpeice

Whatever you think of the outdated language and behaviour of Flashman, the fact remains that he is one of the funniest, engaging, amoral characters in 20th century literarture. Cognitive dissonance is required on the part of the reader! Historically the books are spot on and you will learn an astonishing amount of information regarding British military blunders. The performance of Rupert Penry-Jones in this audiobook is outstanding. His intonation is perfect. For me he is the best narrator of the Flashman papers and I wish he had done more than the three I am aware of. Highly recommended.

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Flashman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What made the experience of listening to Flashman the most enjoyable?

The weaving of historical /military events with humor, rich, brilliant nasty characters...you can't like Flashman - not that he cares - but you have to admire his ability to squirm and get away - just fabulous.

What did you like best about this story?

The merging of history (some not that well known) and fiction - somehow makes the real events more vivid

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Turning this off midstream would have been criminal; indeed I'm sure Flashman would have roasted me over a fire for it!

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Spellbinding.

Follow the story of a cad through British Victorian history. Amazingly written, brilliantly narrated. However much you despise the hero you follow him with jaw dropping intensity through his various scrapes. Highly recommend.

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