| Flashman in the Great Game | |
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| Author | George MacDonald Fraser |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Historical novel |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
| Publication date | 1975 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 396 pp (paperback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-00-721719-6 |
| Preceded by | Flashman at the Charge |
| Followed by | Flashman's Lady |
Flashman in the Great Game is a 1975 novel by George MacDonald Fraser. George MacDonald Fraser, OBE (2 April 1925 &ndash 2 January 2008 was a British Author of both Historical novels and Non-fiction books The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States An historical novel is a Novel in which the story is set among historical events or more generally in which the time of the action predates the lifetime of the Author Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of Literature or Information &ndash the activity of making information available for public view HarperCollins is a Publishing company owned by News Corporation. A hardcover (or hardback or hardbound) is a Book bound with rigid protective covers (typically of cardboard covered with Cloth Paperback, softback, or softcover describe and refer to a Book by the nature of its binding. Flashman at the Charge is a 1973 Novel by George MacDonald Fraser. Flashman's Lady is a 1977 Novel by George MacDonald Fraser. It is the sixth of the Flashman novels A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story George MacDonald Fraser, OBE (2 April 1925 &ndash 2 January 2008 was a British Author of both Historical novels and Non-fiction books It is the fifth of the Flashman novels.
Contents |
Plot introduction
Presented within the frame of the supposedly discovered historical Flashman Papers, this book describes the bully Flashman from Tom Brown's Schooldays. Tom Brown's Schooldays is a novel by Thomas Hughes first published in 1857 The papers are attributed to Flashman, who is not only the bully featured in Thomas Hughes' novel, but also a well known Victorian military hero. Thomas Hughes ( October 20, 1822 – March 22, 1896) was an English lawyer and author The book begins with an explanatory note detailing the discovery of these papers. Fraser also states he has received communications from people either claiming to be a descendant of Flashman or of someone to whom Flashman owed money.
Flashman in the Great Game begins with Flashman at Balmoral as a guest of Queen Victoria. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Here he meets with Lord Palmerston, who recruits him to go to Jhansi in India and investigate rumors of an upcoming rebellion among the Sepoys. "Lord Palmerston" and "Henry Temple" redirect here Jhansi ( Urdu: جھانسی Hindi: झांसी Marathi:झाशी is a city of Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. A sepoy (ˈsipɔɪ (from Persian سپاهی Sipâhi meaning "soldier" was a native of India, a soldier allied to a European power usually the Flashman skulks through India in various disguises, narrowly avoiding death several times and witnessing firsthand the carnage of the Sepoy Mutiny. Flashman in the Great Game covers the years 1856 to 1858. It also contains a number of notes by Fraser, in the guise of editor, giving additional historical information on the events described.
Plot summary
Flashman not only encounters Lord Palmerston at Balmoral, but also his old nemesis Nicholas Pavlovich Ignatiev. Count Nikolai Pavlovich Ignatiev (Николай Павлович Игнатьев ( 17 January Old Style ( 29 January on Western calendar He escapes assassination narrowly and journeys to Jhansi in India, where he meets Rani Lakshmi Bai, the beautiful queen. Jhansi ( Urdu: جھانسی Hindi: झांसी Marathi:झाशी is a city of Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. Lakshmibai The Rani of Jhansi (c 1828 – 17 June 1858) ( Hindi - झाँसी की रानी Marathi He listens to her grievances against the British Raj and attempts to seduce her. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British Whether or not he is successful is unclear, but immediately afterwards Flashman is nearly garroted by Thuggees. A garrote or garrote vil (a Spanish word alternative spellings include garotte and garrotte) is a handheld Weapon, most often referring Thuggee (or tuggee, ठग्गी) (from Hindi thag ‘thief’ from Sanskrit sthaga ‘scoundrel’ from sthagati In disguise as Makarram Khan, a Hasanzai of the Black Mountain, he takes refuge in the native cavalry at Meerut. Meerut ( Hindi: मेरठ Urdu: میرٹھ is a city and a Municipal corporation in Meerut district in the Indian Unfortunately, Meerut is where the Sepoy Mutiny begins.
Flashman survives the Siege of Cawnpore and the Siege of Lucknow but ends up imprisoned in Gwalior after an attempt to deliver Lakshmi into British hands. The Siege of Cawnpore was a key episode in the Indian rebellion of 1857. The Siege of Lucknow was the prolonged defence of the Residency within the city of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 (also known as the First WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Gwalior ( Hindi: ग्वालियर) is a city in Madhya Pradesh in India He is released just in time to witness the death of Lakshmi, but then his appearance after two months in prison leads to his misidentification as a mutineer. After being knocked out during the British attack on the Rani's camp, he awakens to something that makes Hugh Rose later wonder that Flashman did not lose his mind - he is tied to the muzzle of a cannon, about to be executed with other mutineers. Field Marshal Hugh Henry Rose 1st Baron Strathnairn, GCB. GCSI, ( April 6, 1801 &ndash October 16, 1885) was Fortunately, quick thinking allows him to communicate his true ethnicity to his British captors. In an uncharacteristically humane act, he orders the Indian mutineers who were going to be blown away alongside him, to be freed saying "the way things are hereabouts, one of 'em's probably Lord Canning. Charles John Canning 1st Earl Canning KG, GCB, GCSI, PC ( 14 December 1812 &ndash 17 June 1862) known " In this book Flashman often behaves heroically, though his interior thoughts are often - but not always - those of a coward and a cad.
Victoria Cross and Knighthood
At the end of the book Flashman receives the Victoria Cross and finds out he is to be knighted, continuing his knack for being rewarded for heroics despite his efforts to avoid doing anything dangerous. See below the section "Separate Commonwealth awards" Note that since The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath) is a British Order of chivalry founded by George However, his attempt to sneak into Jhansi to convince the Rani to surrender is an act of bravery (and he is nearly killed for his efforts). He also took part in some of the most terrifying actions of the mutiny and even took to defending Cawnpore during the siege. Therefore, this is the first time that one could argue, he did in fact deserve the Victoria Cross and his knighthood, not only for the feats of (unintentional) bravery, but for the horrors he was forced to endure and the initiative he showed in trying to complete his mission. At the end of the book he finds out that he is described - in the recently published book Tom Brown's Schooldays - as a bully and a coward. Tom Brown's Schooldays is a novel by Thomas Hughes first published in 1857
Characters
Fictional characters
- Flashman - The hero or anti-hero
- Elspeth - His adoring and possibly unfaithful wife
- Ilderim Khan - His old Afghani blood brother
- Scud East - His old schoolmate who dies at Cawnpore
Historical characters
- Lord Cardigan
- Florence Nightingale - Flashman sits in at a meeting with her and Queen Victoria and answers her questions about soldiers and social infections. Lieutenant General James Thomas Brudenell 7th Earl of Cardigan, KCB (16 October 1797 &ndash 28 March 1868 commanded the Light Brigade of the British Army during Florence Nightingale, OM, RRC (in her own pronunciation ˈflɒɾəns ˈnaɪtɪŋgeɪl 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910 who came to be known as "The He finds her attractive, but the presence of the queen keeps him from taking "a squeeze at her".
- Queen Victoria
- Prince Albert
- Lord Palmerston - Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland "Lord Palmerston" and "Henry Temple" redirect here The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Flashman calls him both "an impatient old tyrant" and a "decent, kindly old sport at bottom".
- Lord Ellenborough - Former Governor-General of India
- Charles Wood - First Lord of the Admiralty
- Nicholas Pavlovich Ignatiev - Flashman's nemesis from Flashman at the Charge. Edward Law 1st Earl of Ellenborough ( September 8, 1790 - December 22, 1871) was a British politician The Governor-General of India (or from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India) was the head of the British administration in India, and Charles Wood 1st Viscount Halifax ( December 20 1800 &ndash August 8 1885) known between 1846 and 1866 as Sir Charles Wood Bt The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty were the members of the Board of Admiralty, which exercised command over the Royal Navy. Count Nikolai Pavlovich Ignatiev (Николай Павлович Игнатьев ( 17 January Old Style ( 29 January on Western calendar He turns up at Balmoral as a Russian diplomat.
- General John Nicholson - Officer of the East India Company. John Nicholson ( December 11, 1822 – September 23, 1857) was a Victorian era military officer known for his role in the British The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or Flashman meets him on his way to Jhansi, and Nicholson insists on praying with him. Later he is killed at Delhi. Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population
- Rani Lakshmi Bai - Queen of Jhansi. Lakshmibai The Rani of Jhansi (c 1828 – 17 June 1858) ( Hindi - झाँसी की रानी Marathi Jhansi ( Urdu: جھانسی Hindi: झांसी Marathi:झाशी is a city of Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. Flashman finds her to be a great horseback rider and swordsman. He also attempts to seduce her, possibly successfully.
- Nana Sahib - One of the leaders of the Sepoy Mutiny. Nana Sahib (born 1824 born as Dhondu Pant, was an Indian leader during the rebellion of 1857. Flashman meets him at the Siege of Cawnpore. The Siege of Cawnpore was a key episode in the Indian rebellion of 1857.
- Tantya Tope - One of the leaders of the Sepoy Mutiny. Ram Chandra Pandurang Tope (1814 - 1859 also known as Tatya Tope (pronounced Toh-pey was an Indian leader in the Indian Mutiny of 1857. Flashman meets him at the Siege of Cawnpore. The Siege of Cawnpore was a key episode in the Indian rebellion of 1857.
- Azimullah Khan - One of the leaders of the Sepoy Mutiny. Azimullah Khan Yusufzai (1830-1858 also known as Dewan Azimullah Khan or Krantidoot Azimullah Khan was initially appointed Secretary and later Prime Minister (hence Flashman meets him at the Siege of Cawnpore. The Siege of Cawnpore was a key episode in the Indian rebellion of 1857.
- Henry Havelock - British General who recaptures Cawnpore. Major-General Sir Henry Havelock, KCB ( April 5 1795 – November 29, 1857) was a British general who is particularly Kanpur ( Hindi: कानपुर Urdu: کان پور spelled as Cawnpore before 1948 is one of the most populous cities in the north India Flashman describes him as looking like "Abraham Lincoln dying of diarrhoea, with his mournful whiskers and bloodhound eyes".
- James Outram - British General who helps recapture Lucknow. Sir James Outram 1st Baronet GCB KSI ( January 29 1803 - March 11 1863) was an English general who fought in the Lucknow is also a mansion in New Hampshire Lucknow ( लखनऊ لکھنؤ Lakhnaū) is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh
- Thomas Henry Kavanagh - The Irishman who slipped out of Lucknow in disguise and met up with Campbell to guide him in to relieve the besieged garrison. Thomas Henry Kavanagh VC (born Mullingar, County Westmeath, 15 July, 1821 — 11 November, 1882) was an Irish Flashman accompanies him and gets him out of a few jams along the way. Flashman considers him to be a blundering idiot, but also says "anyone who's as big a bloody fool as that, and goes gallivanting about seeking sorrow, must be called courageous. "
- Robert Napier
- Colin Campbell - British General who relieves the Siege of Lucknow. Field Marshal Robert Cornelis Napier 1st Baron Napier of Magdala, GCB, GCSI, CIE, FRS ( 6 December 1810 – Field Marshal Colin Campbell 1st Baron Clyde, GCB, KSI ( October 20, 1792 &ndash August 14, 1863) was a The Siege of Lucknow was the prolonged defence of the Residency within the city of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 (also known as the First Flashman says "he was an ugly old devil, with a damned caustic tongue and a graveyard sense of humour, but I never saw a man yet who made me feel more secure. "
- Sam Browne
- William Howard Russell
- Fred Roberts
- William Stephen Raikes Hodson
- Hugh Rose
- Harry Hammon Lyster
- Clement Walker Heneage
- James Hope Grant
- Lord Canning
- Thomas Hughes
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