Rating: 
Summary: Flashman's second Odyssey.
Review: After devouring the first Flashman novel, I couldn't control myself for too long before reading the second. While it may be true that the background of the Afghan war allowed our Harry to show off a greater variety of his bad habits in the first novel, the feast of encountering our hero for a second time was well worth the maximum five stars.Even devout disciples of Flashy have stated that this book is a shameless rip off from the Prisoner of Zenda, but it is easy to understand that Fraser, after creating his scoundrel, would one day take inspiration from his own Golem. Reading this book was one great hoot. Don't pay attention to the reviews that found the plot too unlikely. This book is of the popcorn variety and is carried by the great three-dimensional display of an extremely one-dimensional fictional personality. The only objection I could come up with is that the book was not twice as long.
Rating:
Summary: Good Show Flashy
Review: After reading the first book in this series, I was hesitent to read number two. Hesitent because I was afraid it would fall short of its excellent forerunner. But, it is just as good. Flashman is just as much of a cowardly, weak-kneed, lilylivered, lying, braggart, womanizer as he was in the first book. Thankfuly, the good times and adventure roll! We even learn a little about German history. It is hard to imagine a series as well done as this. Braavo Flashy! A scoundrel for all seasons!
Rating: 
Summary: Very interesting, but a tad far fetched
Review: After reading the Flashman Papers and Flash and the Dragon, this was the least interesting of the three. Thoroughly enjoyable and only lasting four days.
Flashy, home from the US Civil War, has the opportunity to adventure in Europe during a time of revolution and cross paths with Otto Von Bismark, etc. Quite fun.
Something about the finish kinda fizzled, but I cannot put my finger on it. The climax was barrels of fun and more than made up for it.
I wish there was 3.8 stars, as this was not quite a four, but definately better than average. The book was lacking plausibility, but I would have given it a four if either it had a better ending or a chronology (of all the flashman books).
It also seems that every woman he meets is the most beautiful in the world. So who was more beautiful, Lola Montez or Imperial Concubine Yi?
Rating: 
Summary: Hugely entertaining
Review: First things first: if you don't already know Fraser's character, Harry Flashman, Victorian Britain's Ace of Cads, start with the first book, Flashman. For those in the know: in this entry, Flashman is lulled into a drama of espionage and political maneuverings by, of course, a woman. Said woman is Lola Montez, doxy about town and paramour to princes and poltiicos; and the political plotter is none other than Otto von Bismarck. This is one of the least realistic of the series, as the reader is given to understand that Flashman is the perfect double of Prince Carl Gustaf of Denmark. Fraser escapes trying his audience's credulity with this premise by, first and foremost, presenting it in as realistic and believable a manner as possible, including the preparations and skills required for such a scheme, as well as the reactions of the participants. Fraser's other coup, however, is intimating that this incredible tale is itself the "actual" inspiration for the (extant) fictional novel, Prisoner Of Zenda! That aside, Flashy is in fine mettle here, witty, profane and cowardly as ever. Well, maybe not as ever: it takes guts to hit a skilled swordsman with a bottle, even from behind; the young Flashy, who was willing to give the Union Jack to Afghan raiders in return for his life, might not have been so sneakily bold.
Rating:
Summary: Hugely entertaining
Review: First things first: if you don't already know Fraser's character, Harry Flashman, Victorian Britain's Ace of Cads, start with the first book, Flashman. For those in the know: in this entry, Flashman is lulled into a drama of espionage and political maneuverings by, of course, a woman. Said woman is Lola Montez, doxy about town and paramour to princes and poltiicos; and the political plotter is none other than Otto von Bismarck. This is one of the least realistic of the series, as the reader is given to understand that Flashman is the perfect double of Prince Carl Gustaf of Denmark. Fraser escapes trying his audience's credulity with this premise by, first and foremost, presenting it in as realistic and believable a manner as possible, including the preparations and skills required for such a scheme, as well as the reactions of the participants. Fraser's other coup, however, is intimating that this incredible tale is itself the "actual" inspiration for the (extant) fictional novel, Prisoner Of Zenda! That aside, Flashy is in fine mettle here, witty, profane and cowardly as ever. Well, maybe not as ever: it takes guts to hit a skilled swordsman with a bottle, even from behind; the young Flashy, who was willing to give the Union Jack to Afghan raiders in return for his life, might not have been so sneakily bold.
Rating:
Summary: good ol' flashy
Review: Flashman is by far one of the greatest fictional characters of all time. From London gaminghalls and English hunting feilds to European dungens and thrown rooms,he is involved in a desperate succsesion of escapes, disguises,amours and (when he can not avoid them) hand to hand combats while the destiny of the of a continent lies on his shoulders. VINTAGE FLASHY.
Rating:
Summary: A letdown
Review: Having thrilled to "Flashman", I eagerly desired to read "Royal Flash", what I understood to be the second book in the series, being confused because of the lack of a chronological list in the copy I read. I found "Royal Flash" to be much inferior to its predecessor, although I couldn' put it down. The plot was altogether too implausible, full of holes into which my willing suspension of disbelief was constantly being dragged. Flashy wasn't given the opportunity to be as interesting as in the first book, as he was swept along through the whole book, an obliging tool, rarely being given the opportunity to exhibit his cowardice, his deceitfulness, all those bad qualities that amuse us. I also wished we had learned what had transpired after Carl Gustav learned that his erstwhile benefactor had stolen his wife's crown jewels, both actual and metaphysical. With the exception of several great passages, this book turned out to be a run of the mill adventure story, and not a very good one at that.
Rating:
Summary: Just the man I want to follow out of danger....
Review: I stumbled upon what looks to be an addictive series of books following the rise, fall and sidestep of the ne'er do well 19th Century Englishman named Flashman. A self-
professed coward and rake, he nevertheless finds himself
embroiled in some of the most significant events of his time.
This particular episode is basically Woody Allen meets the Prisoner of Zenda, with a splash of Lady Chatterly thrown in
for good measure. Whether read for the ribald and entertaining takes on history, or just the humourous escapades, Royal Flash is time well spent.
Rating:
Summary: Amusing, very clever historical novel
Review: It takes you some time into this story before you realize that Fraser has brilliantly presented a new version of the Prisoner of Zenda story (in itself a classic), but with the marvellous touch that he 'once talked about his adventures to that young feller-me-lad Hope in '92' or whenever it was i.e. implying that Anthony Hope stole the idea for the Prisoner of Zenda from him! The cheek! This story really is all action and entertainment. What great films these stories would make! Fraser writes effortlessly and convincingly about the days when Germany was not a united country, but consisted of many different states with different traditions and heads of state. Flashman is of course a pretty convincing liar and cad, but you can't help hoping that he will win out in the end. The joke is, of course, that he always does.
Rating:
Summary: A Ripping Great Yarn
Review: It's characters like Harry Flashman that made the Empire great. A brilliant soldier, a magnificent tactician and decorated hero...what a pity it's all false! At the very least, misinterpreted.
It is a credit to George MacDonald Fraser's literary talent that he took an obscure secondary character from a dusty classic and created a first-class series of historical comic-dramas that, as a history teacher, I would recommend to my students.
The reason I gave this only three stars, though, is that my interests lie in the realm military history and this book, although superb in it's narrative was lacking a really stirring battle sequence.
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