Another great Flashman read, although certainly no where near as clever or funny as some of the early in the series. Some very interesting historical information as always, and Flashman is inserted into history rather well. But the scope/focus of the book is a little to narrow, and the main focus of the book really not all that interesting from a late 20th Century reader's perspective. Flashman's ideaology seems to come out rather more in this book, and its a bit of a worry from an experienced Flashman reader's point of view that he *has* one! :-) I'm looking forward to the book which details Flashy's exploits (or lack of them) in the US Civil War - I hope that will set the standad as a real Flashman classic.

As a dedicated Flashman fan since discovering the first in the series in 1974, I was disappointed. I had, of course, both to read it and have a hardback copy for my collection, but I hope Mr. Fraser isn't running out of steam or humor. Neither of the two immediately previous books (Dragon and Mountain of Light) were especially funny, but they were both fascinating and satisfying without being as contrived as this one is. I think I disliked (relatively speaking) this one for the same reason I disliked (relatively speaking) Royal Flash: it was very contrived. One great thing about the Flashman series has always been the ease and seamlessness with which Mr. Fraser has inserted our protagonist into history. Perhaps this is a preliminary to his book about Flashman in the Civil War, which I've been waiting for for what seems like forever, probably since reading Flashman's Who's Who entry in the first book. I hope Mr. Fraser writes that book next and that he does all he can to make it worth a twenty-three-year wait.

Flashman and the Angel of the Lord was my introduction to writer George Fraiser and "his" character, Harry Flashman. I was impressed and pleased. Impressed with Frasier's scholarship (the fictional Flashman's interactions with real historic persons and events is accurate, as his extensive endnotes demonstrate). Pleased with the irreverant, wholly unconventional and most certainly un-PC character of Harry Flashman.

In the Angel of the Lord, Flashman - a scandalous character "resurrected" from the 19th century novel Tom Brown's Schooldays and a self-described "bully, poltroon, cad, turncoat, lecher and toady" - finds himself aiding John Brown in his raid at Harper's Ferry. Conspiracies abound with several factions enlisting the "assistance" of Flashman to either foil the attempt or help pull it off. The misadventures of Harry Flashman as he navigates the intrigue and double-dealing combined with the Fraiser's rapier-like wit and irreverant style had me riveted to the story line while laughing out loud. I will certainly read the remainder of the "Flashman Chronicles" and I recommend this one highly.