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2008-01-03 -Obits-

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Posted by Anonymoose 2008-01-03 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 Oh, damn... the Flashman books are terrifically good and terrifically funny. How many other comic/historical novels came with footnotes?

Now we shall never get the story behind Flashman's service in our Civil War - on both sides. (unless he was working on it, or left notes or something.)

Posted by Sgt. Mom">Sgt. Mom 2008-01-03 08:55|| http://www.celiahayes.com]">[http://www.celiahayes.com] 2008-01-03 08:55|| Front Page Top

#2 I've already heard several people bemoaning the loss of Flashman's US Civil War tales. It will rank as one of the great "lost novels".

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-01-03 09:12|| 2008-01-03 09:12|| Front Page Top

#3 I am sincerely grieved to hear of Fraser's passing. I have read everything he ever wrote. I have always felt a deep spiritual kinship with Harry Flashman. Its almost as if we were brothers. I always regarded Harry as a very sensible man, my kind of guy. I always wanted Basil Rathbone to kill Errol Flynn too. Idealistic heroes are idiots. Rogering and taking the money and running is where its at. Always look for the main chance and have a fast horse. I will miss you Harry Flashman.

Posted by Angleton 9 2008-01-03 09:31|| 2008-01-03 09:31|| Front Page Top

#4 I agree with Sgt Mom, in fact I was a bit put off by the last two simply because they weren't the Civil War novels and I think he gave short work to the battle of Roarkes Drift.

Of course on his side the number of experts, even amateur experts on the civil war is incredible and he'd probably have to do ten times the number of footnotes as usual.

I've never been a big fan of books finished from the authors notes and all but if that Civil War book is even started I'd hope some relative or something would pick up the mantel.

Damn, this makes me sad. His books were awesome.

Posted by rjschwarz 2008-01-03 10:41|| 2008-01-03 10:41|| Front Page Top

#5 Here's to McAuslan.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2008-01-03 12:31|| 2008-01-03 12:31|| Front Page Top

#6 George MacDonald Fraser was my favorite author. While I liked the Flashman novels, "Mr. American," the McAuslan series and "Quartered Safe Out Here" are extraordinarily good books. This is a very sad day.

On the other hand, anyone who has read the preface to "The McAuslan Omnibus" will know Fraser was pretty contemptuous of most of modern Britain anyway. Maybe his not living to see the UK subsumed in the EUSSR without even a vote was a blessing. I'm sure he thought Brown was a "wee shilpit nyaff."

Mr. Fraser, when you report in to 14th Army HQ, please render the 'Burg's best regards to "Uncle Bill."

Posted by Jomosing Bluetooth8431 2008-01-03 16:44|| 2008-01-03 16:44|| Front Page Top

#7 Oh, please, I have to decry your lack of comment about the best Dumas rendition ever! "The Three Musketeers" is the funniest, wittiest, and most accurate time-piece put to film.

En garde!

Posted by Elitist Washington Bureacrat">Elitist Washington Bureacrat 2008-01-03 22:39|| 2008-01-03 22:39|| Front Page Top

#8 He was also a member of the British anti-metric society, along with J.K. Rowling. I've often wondered whether someone would do to her books what Fraser did to Tom Brown's Schooldays.

Posted by Eric Jablow">Eric Jablow 2008-01-03 23:47|| 2008-01-03 23:47|| Front Page Top

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