Daren
Fraser's Flashman #8 in the order published, which is how I am reading them... this time set in Hong Kong and China, 1860. As usual Fraser does a fantastic job of describing a series of real historic events with real people and shoehorning Flashman into the thick of it, making him key to influencing history and shaping the outcomes.
In Hong Kong, Flashman awaits his ship back to Britain, but can't help being wrapped up in a voyage up river to deliver opium to Canton, courtesy of a reverend and his wife who completely pull the wool over Flashy's eyes, as it isn't opium he helps ship, but guns to the Taiping rebels. Captaining the boat is Frederick Townsend Ward, an American mercenary who pops up again later in the book. As he discovers the guns, the ship is apprehended by the British and Flashman improvises into pretending he is undercover and does enough to convince Harry Parkes, British Consul in Canton he was on the right side of the law! Sent to negotiate with the Taiping rebels, he is captured by the Chinese Imperials, wrapping up in the British & French taking Peking and burning the Summer Palace.
There are literally too many twists and turns for me to map out all Flashman's twists and turns. As well as Ward and Park already mentioned, Flashy comes into contact with so many real life characters it is hard to credit. They include James Hope Grant, Fisher and Wolseley (who both go on to bigger things later in life), Lord Elgin, 'Chinese' Gordon. On the Chinese side we meet Hung Hsiu-Chuan (leader of the rebellion), Loyal Prince Li, Chen Yucheng, Prince Yi, Sushun, the formidable Sang Kol-in-sen, Emperor Hsienfeng, Yehonala -the imperial concubine, who later becomes Empress Dowager Cixi.
Flashman, as is par for the course, find plenty of ladies, but amusingly in this book they tend to get the better of him; Szu-Zhan (a very tall bandit, described as Amanzonian) physically, and Yehonala literally has him prisoner!
The final third of the book in particular was a hectic, edge of the seat build up to a thrilling crescendo.
Another highly enjoyable episode. 4****
Fraser's Flashman #8 in the order published, which is how I am reading them... this time set in Hong Kong and China, 1860. As usual Fraser does a fantastic job of describing a series of real historic events with real people and shoehorning Flashman into the thick of it, making him key to influencing history and shaping the outcomes.
In Hong Kong, Flashman awaits his ship back to Britain, but can't help being wrapped up in a voyage up river to deliver opium to Canton, courtesy of a reverend and his wife who completely pull the wool over Flashy's eyes, as it isn't opium he helps ship, but guns to the Taiping rebels. Captaining the boat is Frederick Townsend Ward, an American mercenary who pops up again later in the book. As he discovers the guns, the ship is apprehended by the British and Flashman improvises into pretending he is undercover and does enough to convince Harry Parkes, British Consul in Canton he was on the right side of the law! Sent to negotiate with the Taiping rebels, he is captured by the Chinese Imperials, wrapping up in the British & French taking Peking and burning the Summer Palace.
There are literally too many twists and turns for me to map out all Flashman's twists and turns. As well as Ward and Park already mentioned, Flashy comes into contact with so many real life characters it is hard to credit. They include James Hope Grant, Fisher and Wolseley (who both go on to bigger things later in life), Lord Elgin, 'Chinese' Gordon. On the Chinese side we meet Hung Hsiu-Chuan (leader of the rebellion), Loyal Prince Li, Chen Yucheng, Prince Yi, Sushun, the formidable Sang Kol-in-sen, Emperor Hsienfeng, Yehonala -the imperial concubine, who later becomes Empress Dowager Cixi.
Flashman, as is par for the course, find plenty of ladies, but amusingly in this book they tend to get the better of him; Szu-Zhan (a very tall bandit, described as Amanzonian) physically, and Yehonala literally has him prisoner!
The final third of the book in particular was a hectic, edge of the seat build up to a thrilling crescendo.
Another highly enjoyable episode. 4****