Comment on @David Flin 's review here.
The idea of the author using a character who'd been an antagonist in a pre-existing book is also very odd to me, almost like published unlicensed fanfiction - not at all what you picture from this era. I can't decide if I like that concept or not.
See, I had heard that comparison, but I've read six of the Cain books and I think it's a facile one. Cain almost feels like a double-bluff triple-reverse Flashman, he insists to the reader that he's a filthy coward, but his actual behaviour is honourable and fairly courageous (e.g. not abandoning his friends), in some ways more so than most 40K characters. Which also makes him a much more likeable character and his books more readable and less dystopian than many 40K ones. (Also, I love the incongruous Winnie-the-Pooh references strewn throughout).I'd heard about Flashman being a scoundrel everyone thinks is a hero - and read some of the Caphius Cain 40k's, which is "Flashman but 40k"
I've never read Flashman, but I find it bizarre that the Other Ranks are given so little voice given that GMF's McAuslan books contain colourful characters at every rank.
Even more so when you remember that GMF was both an Other Rank and a Junior Officer.
Maybe in the Flashman books, the ignoring of the lower class was a character thing rather than an author thing.
And that's the thing- they are books I can understand someone not liking. They are books I can understand someone hating. But they absolutely commit to their project, they go the whole hogg, they delve into excess and debauchery and horror and evil and damn your eyes if you don't approve.
I bounced off the Cain books immediately since after reading Fraser the whole 'oh he thinks he's a coward but he's not' just felt so... unambitious.
I would tend to agree with that, having independently reached that conclusion when I read a few of the Hornblower books, with the same caveat you give that I'm not qualified to definitively state it.(I've seen it postulated that Hornblower as written is clearly somewhere on the autistic scale, loving order and not really "getting" human emotions; I'll leave it to those who know more about the subject to say whether that is bunk or not);
Well, it depends. If Sandy Mitchell (the author of Ciaphas Cain) is deliberately going for 'Flashman the Fake Hero Dirty Coward but IN SPAAACE, but plot twist/inconsistent writing, he's not actually a coward, so' then your criticism and @SenatorChickpea 's is fair. However, I am very mindful that that might not be his intention at all, and more something pushed by the publisher as branding.* It may well be that the character gimmick he was going for was more "Everyone else in Warhammer 40K seems to be a real true believer in the Imperium and the righteousness of their cause, but this guy is the only one sane enough to be cynical about it, but can't admit it and always ends up assigned to the frontline regardless". That also somewhat describes Flashman's own cynicism about some imperial ventures (from what I recall) but is arguably distinct from his cowardice.a coward who is actually brave seems to be trying to have it both ways. If you're going to write a coward, then commit and don't weasel out of it.
Thanks for the review David, I read it with interest. I have to admit that I wasn't aware of either the author's views, or Flashman's obvious nastiness. I quite enjoyed the two or three of the books I had read when I was much younger, but then I had also enjoyed the Gor books. With my present hard earned maturity I hope I am significantly more alert to racial prejudice and discrimination, and other social inequalities such as sexism, and have no interest in ever revisiting either of those two series.
I know little of the Gor books save by reputation;
I'm a Flashman fanatic - used to correspond and exchange Christmas cards with GMF met his sons.at.dinner last year. Agreed with most of his beliefs too!I always had the feeling Flashy was one of the characters we love to hate - Alan B'Stard, Basil Faulty, some of the Blackadders, Alex the investment banker, some of the AH takes on Skorzeny; characters who are really awful people, by any objective standard, but they're also entertaining.
Of course, it could also be a snide dig at so-called 'heroes ...'
Chris
Four rapes? Apart from Narreeman the others were...Comment on @David Flin 's review here.
It was Flashman narrating in the first person..He was an officerI've never read Flashman, but I find it bizarre that the Other Ranks are given so little voice given that GMF's McAuslan books contain colourful characters at every rank.
Four rapes? Apart from Narreeman the others were...
It was Flashman narrating in the first person..He was an officer
Agreed with most of his beliefs too!