This book continues the
adventures of the fictional character Flashman, the bully from Tom Browns Schooldays.
This
forms part of a suite of books where Flashman is involved with real life characters and incidents occuring in the Victorian era. Throughout all these books Flashman behavesas a complete bounder, cad and coward but always seems to come out covered in glory and ill-gotten fame. The way in which the author interlinks Flashmans doings with historical facts is very clever and shows an in depth knowledge of the history of the time
In this book 'Flash for Freedom' Flashman is forced to flee England after a scandal during his failed
attempt to enter politics. He is shipped aboard a slave ship much against his will.
Adventures and near death amongst the female 'Amazon' warriors of Africa follow. This is followed bya short stayin a New Orleans brothel and an abortive attempt at running a slave to freedom from the Confederate states. Needless to say this is carried out against Flashman's will.
More trouble follows due to an indecretion with the wife of a plantation owner causing Flashman to flee again amid many adventures. Flashman is finally rescued by the intervention of Abraham Lincoln.
The book is full of incident and with great humour.