http://www.lonelymountain.net/books/j... ( )

See my review of all the Flashman books: http://jzsbooks.blogspot.com/2008/07/... ( )

That I give Flashman's Lady only four stars is misleading as I am judging it against other books in the Flashman series and not on an absolute scale where it would deservedly receive a full five. Flashman's Lady is George Macdonald Fraser's sixth book in the series, but third chronologically as it fills in gaps from 1842 to 1846.

Flashman's Lady includes three tales all centering to some degree around his beloved wife Elspeth (don't worry, that doesn't keep Flashy from straying). Flash first encounters Tom Brown in London, which leads to Flash's involvement in cricket matches involving some of the great names of the sport (or so I am informed). Elspeth attracts unwanted but not unwonted male attention (unwanted by Flash anyway) that leads to a cruise to Singapore where Elspeth is kidnapped. Flash follows the trail to Borneo with the great pirate fighter James Brooke, the White Raja of Sarawak. Harrowing battles on the Batang Lupar River leave Harry and Elspeth captive on board ship in the Indian Ocean. Harry `escapes' into slavery and the not-so-tender mercies of Queen Ranavalona of Madagascar. The reader is treated to the oddities and savagery of that island; a land that is outwardly European-influenced, but Ranavalona has kicked out all whites. Ranavalona's portrayal is doubtless distorted by Harry's pro-imperial Victorian views, but it makes for fascinating fun. (Elspeth also lands there, but is mostly out of sight.)

The book was edited by one of Elspeth's sisters, who kindly excised the swear words, but left in the blood and gore, all the naughty bits. It also contains brief notes from Elspeth's own journal.

Flashman's Lady will not disappoint fans of Flashman (and if you have not read it, then go buy the original Flashman: A Novel (Flashman)) and some will argue it's the best in the series. In my estimation, the book slips to four stars on the Flashman Scale only because adding the Madagascar adventure seems contrived. Ending the book with the adventures in Borneo would have been tidier. One speculates that Fraser wanted to write a tale involving Ranavalona, but lacked enough material for a full book. Too much Flashman, not much of a beef, is it? Let's hope the rumor that Fraser is working on another Flashman book proves true.

The reader should also try out Fraser's McAuslan stories (McAuslan in the Rough or The General Danced at Dawn) for a whimsical look at post-war life in a World War Two regiment of Scottish Highlanders.

Note: Flashman's Lady ends with Flash being summoned to India where he gets thoroughly mixed up in the first Anglo-Sikh war, a story that is told in Flashman and the Mountain of Light (Flashman), the ninth book published in the series. ( )