Flashman Books In Order

Publication Order of Adventures of Thomas Flashman Books

Author Robert Brightwell got the idea for his “Thomas Flashman” series from George MacDonald Fraser’s “Harry Flashman” novels. Most of what Robert knows about the Victorian era come from George’s works.

In these books, Robert features a fictional character taking part in real historic events, another thing that he got from George’s “Harry Flashman” novels.

There are differences to both series, mainly to the main characters. Some of this was an accident and some of it was on purpose. In the original series, Harry was abusive to the natives of India, and used to use the ‘n’ word too much, something that Robert Brightwell will not be using in his work.

In this series, Thomas is Harry’s uncle, and this series of novels is set in both the Napoleonic and Georgian eras. The novels are put together like memoirs.

The series began in the year 2012 with the release of “Flashman and the Seawolf”. The series is from the genre of historical fiction.

“Flashman and the Seawolf” is the first novel in the “Thomas Flashman” series and was released in the year 2012. This covers Thomas’ adventures with a man named Thomas Cochrane, who was of the most remarkable naval commanders in history.

It goes from brothels and gambling dens in London, and through espionage and political intrigues. Things go to the Mediterranean. It covers the start of Cochrane’s career, even the most amazing single ship action during the Napoleonic war.

Some hope the rest of this series is as well done as this one was. This was an enjoyable read. Fans of the novel find this to be well written and packed with historic details; the story has a lot suspense and action in it. Brightwell does a great job telling the story, as he only borrows from George MacDonald Fraser’s and does not steal from it. Some find themselves wanting to read the original Flashman series of novels, and more of this series, too.

“Flashman and the Cobra” is the second novel in the “Thomas Flashman” series and was released in the year 2012. This takes Thomas to India, familiar ground for those who read about his nephew. He is here during the second Mahratta war. He visits Paris during Peace of Amiens in the year 1802, an illuminating visit it proves to be.

Flashman is embroiled in both scandal and treachery right from the start, and despite his own best efforts, he is in the thick of the action quite a bit. He fights it out with nomadic tribes of bandits, generals, warriors, warlords, and Highland soldiers. Not to mention a four foot tall ex- nautch dancer that led the sole troops of Mahratta to exit the battlefield in Assaye in good shape.

Fans of the novel found this one to be even better than the first book in the series. It was a captivating and entertaining read, just like the first one. Some will be buying the rest of these books, finding it to be well researched and well written. Readers find that George is done proud with these books, even though nobody could ever replace the way he wrote about Harry Flashman.

“Flashman in the Peninsula” is the third novel in the “Thomas Flashman” series and was released in the year 2014. These memoirs are about the Peninsular War. They include pretty incredible accounts of famous battles, and some amazing characters and events that history has mostly forgotten.

He is revealed as the spark that started the one of the biggest royal scandals that occurred during the nineteenth century. It left a prince disgraced and would later produce one of the great novelists. While in both Portugal and Spain, he sees incompetence on a catastrophic scale, and amazing courage in equal measure.

He is witness to a superb action where a tiny group of men are able to shut down a French marshal’s army. His farting horse may have caused a Spanish regiment to scatter, and his own cowardice certainly kept the British army from falling into a French trap.

Some find that Robert Brightwell begins hit his own stride here, with the authentic feeling characters, impeccable background research, and the language begins to feel more authentic too. Fans of the novel find these books highly enjoyable to read. Some had a lot to enjoy with this book, and Flashman amused readers and was unscrupulous. Somehow, these books just get better and better with each of the releases. Especially the way that Robert writes for Thomas, who is better defined with each book. His personality is coming through a lot more each time it seems. When readers finish one book, they begin awaiting the next one’s release.

“Flashman and Madison’s War” is the fourth novel in the “Thomas Flashman” series and was released in the year 2015. This covers the second part of Thomas’ time in the Peninsular War. He has lost his role as one of the staff officer, and finds that he is commanding an infantry battalion company. He annoys his superior officers and cuckolds the soldiers he commands. He finds that he is at the center of both of the bloodiest actions in the war. Thomas talks about both the horror that comes with battle, but even the bloody aftermath.

His plans to get a quieter life go horribly wrong when he is supposed to go behind the enemy’s lines to assist in the recovery of a vital British prisoner. This prisoner also happens to be a hated rival of his. Thomas’ adventures this time take him all of the length of Spain and on to Paris on one of the valiant journeys ever taken during wartime. France’s empire is placed for a short time in his trembling hands, and he is able to dodge angry dads, lovers, ministers of state, and conspirators. He does all of this to try to keep his own cowardly corpse intact.

These books are much better than they really should be, and some cannot wait to find out what is going to happen next. Fans of the novel find that each book is better than the one that came before it, as Brightwell continues to find the character of Thomas Flashman. Some were originally skeptical about someone else writing the books, but now find themselves eagerly awaiting the release of each and every book in the series.