Rating: 
Summary: Flashman Bests Bismarck But not Lola Montez
Review: Royal FlashIn this Flashman novel, G.M. Fraser takes a while to get Flashy, our cynical and salacious anti-hero, into motion. But once he does, the book zips along, giving us an adventure that Flashy claims Anthony Hope ripped off to write "The Prisoner of Zenda," as well as the scoundrel's view of the European revolutions in 1848.
As usual with the Flashman books, there are patches of wonderful descriptive writing. For example: "We were rolling slowly up a long avenue of trees towards a huge, bleak house, half mansion, half castle; in the fading light, with the wintry sky behind it, it looked in silhouette like the setting for some gothic novel, all towers and spires and rugged stonework. There were some lights in some of the windows, and a great lantern shone yellow above the pointed archway of its main door, but they served only to exaggerate the ancient gloom of the place. Childe Flashy to the Dark Tower came, thinks I, and tried not to imagine what lay within." A fast, light, fun read.
Rating: 
Summary: HOORAH! FOR FLASHMAN
Review: Talk about swashbuckling, this book(and series)has it in droves. Flashman may be fictional but, he is a real hero. He isn't doing it for queen and country though, he's in it for a quick buck and a roll in the hay with a maiden or two, or three... Written in memoir form it is not the usual autobiographcal self-glorification you would expect. No one is more critical of him than Flash, himself. He's a self serving coward and proud of it. A hero by default, Harry tells it warts and all. Booze, broads, and stealing the crown jewels. Anytime you think he has escaped unscathed he blunders into an even bigger mess. I promise you will enjoy this.
Rating:
Summary: marvellous
Review: That title says it all! Marvellous, and worth a second reading because you'll just enjoy the whole thing again.
And, by the way--to the previous reviewer--there was a movie made, based on exactly this book from the series. "Royal Flash" (UK, 1970s, Richard Lester is the director, Malcolm McDowell plays Flashy and Oliver Reed- Otto von Bismarck)
Rating:
Summary: Another thoroughly enjoyable Flashman adventure
Review: This is the second of the Flashman series (if you haven't already read the first in the series - titled simply "Flashman" - I'd start there first). In this adventure, Flashman encounters Lola Montez and a young Otto von Bismarck and rapidly becomes embroiled in the Schleswig-Holstein Affair in a plot stolen almost whole-cloth from "The Prisoner of Zenda." Flashman is still a complete scalawag throughout the book (I wouldn't have him any other way), but the tables are turned on him a bit and he is badly used and abused by Montez and Bismarck. Don't read this book expecting deep insights into the human condition - it's an adventure novel featuring a fascinating and hilarious protagonist set loosely around 19th Century historical events. Fraser's history is well-researched and he's an excellent and entertaining writer. After all, how many authors could create a fun adventure that concerns the Schleswig-Holstein Affair? I'd say that "Royal Flash" is probably a slightly weaker book than the original, but that still makes it far more entertaining than most of the books out there. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a relatively light read and who enjoys his adventure mixed with a little history. While I've only read three Flashman books thus far, I definitely plan to continue on with the series.
Rating:
Summary: Another thoroughly enjoyable Flashman adventure
Review: This is the second of the Flashman series (if you haven't already read the first in the series - titled simply "Flashman" - I'd start there first). In this adventure, Flashman encounters Lola Montez and a young Otto von Bismarck and rapidly becomes embroiled in the Schleswig-Holstein Affair in a plot stolen almost whole-cloth from "The Prisoner of Zenda." Flashman is still a complete scalawag throughout the book (I wouldn't have him any other way), but the tables are turned on him a bit and he is badly used and abused by Montez and Bismarck. Don't read this book expecting deep insights into the human condition - it's an adventure novel featuring a fascinating and hilarious protagonist set loosely around 19th Century historical events. Fraser's history is well-researched and he's an excellent and entertaining writer. After all, how many authors could create a fun adventure that concerns the Schleswig-Holstein Affair? I'd say that "Royal Flash" is probably a slightly weaker book than the original, but that still makes it far more entertaining than most of the books out there. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a relatively light read and who enjoys his adventure mixed with a little history. While I've only read three Flashman books thus far, I definitely plan to continue on with the series.
Rating: 
Summary: The Wild, Wild West comes to Prussia ...
Review: This second in the long (and expanding) series of Flashman books is certainly amusing, if not minor fiction. Our lovable (?) rogue, Harry Flashman, this time does his mischief in Prussia. Of course he chases women at every corner, escapes death by a whisker, etc, etc. We've seen it all before in the first Flashman book, and we have ample opportunity to see it again in later Flashman books. However I am personally reluctant to pursue this Flashman series much further (..this is my 3rd Flashman book, having read one of the Flashman books out of sequence). While Royal Flash does not resort to toilet humour and crude sexual innuendos found in other Flashman books, this silly escapade of Harry Flashman in Prussia is a bit ... too silly. It feels like the TV series (and film) The Wild, Wild West. Fun, but only in small doses. Those who adore Harry Flashman should, of course, read Royal Flash. Fine literature it is not, but historical fiction with a laddish twist it is. On that criteria it is fine. But with so many better novels out there I really feel most people will be better off looking elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: Flashy Does 1848 Europe
Review: This second volume in the ever growing Flashman chronicles provides an amusing look at Germany in 1848. Here Flashman finds himself involved with some well known personalities of the time. The Irish dancer turned Spanish strumpet, Lola Montez was the real life fantasy of King Ludwig I of Bavaria who bankrupted his kingdom to satisfy her. The 1848 Revolution in Bavaria was simply to get rid of her as opposed to ovethrowing the Bavarian monarchy. Flashy's encounter with Bismarck is both amusing and informative. The reader will find out some of the complexities involved with German politics in this period of pre-unification. The Schweilsig-Holstein question was one of the essential political battles of the time in Germany. Whether Bismarck would have gone to such lengths to subvert it in his favor is hard to say, but at least it is pleasauble. G M Fraser certainly puts a lot of research into his Flashman romps which provide for a character being his usual ... self. Flashy is meant to portray the whole hyprocracy of the Victorian era and the reader should concur that he does so most admirably! The endless escapes are a bit silly at times, but the writing and and solid pace are what hold these Flashman fantasies together. Those wanting a good historical farce should enjoy it. If nothing else it should provide some worthwhile escapism. PS - The movie made in the late 1960s provides an amusing farce, but unfortunately is out of print and likely to remain so.
Rating:
Summary: Flashy Does 1848 Europe
Review: This second volume in the ever growing Flashman chronicles provides an amusing look at Germany in 1848. Here Flashman finds himself involved with some well known personalities of the time. The Irish dancer turned Spanish strumpet, Lola Montez was the real life fantasy of King Ludwig I of Bavaria who bankrupted his kingdom to satisfy her. The 1848 Revolution in Bavaria was simply to get rid of her as opposed to ovethrowing the Bavarian monarchy. Flashy's encounter with Bismarck is both amusing and informative. The reader will find out some of the complexities involved with German politics in this period of pre-unification. The Schweilsig-Holstein question was one of the essential political battles of the time in Germany. Whether Bismarck would have gone to such lengths to subvert it in his favor is hard to say, but at least it is pleasauble. G M Fraser certainly puts a lot of research into his Flashman romps which provide for a character being his usual ... self. Flashy is meant to portray the whole hyprocracy of the Victorian era and the reader should concur that he does so most admirably! The endless escapes are a bit silly at times, but the writing and and solid pace are what hold these Flashman fantasies together. Those wanting a good historical farce should enjoy it. If nothing else it should provide some worthwhile escapism. PS - The movie made in the late 1960s provides an amusing farce, but unfortunately is out of print and likely to remain so.
Rating:
Summary: Great fun as Flashman strikes again!
Review: What can I say? The second of the Flashman series of books, this is a thoroughly enjoyable romp through Germany and England in the late 1840s. This is not the best of the bunch (I found "Flashman and the Redskins" and "Flashman at the Charge" to be stronger), but great fun, nonetheless (as well as hard to put down). Difficult as it is to believe, there appears to be a greater emphasis on "rogering" here than in the other books. If you've read (and enjoyed) other Flashman books, then you know what to expect: go ahead and read this, you won't be disappointed. If you haven't read "Flashman" yet -- what are you waiting for? This is great fun, you won't be sorry. [If you're really easily offended by bad behavior in novels, then you may want to look elsewhere.] Oh, yes, and there are footnotes, so it must all be true.
Rating:
Summary: The 20th Century had Flashman and Hornblower
Review: What can the 21st Century possibly do to top them?
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