Black Ajax

In this marvellously original novel Mr. MacDonald Fraser fully deploys his ability to create the very feel of another age in the way he has done humorously in the Flashman novels and seriously in "Mr.American". This book immerses us in the prizefighting world of Regency England but the author does not write of the past, but rather of another present, different to our own, and he makes it live not only though its own speech patterns and slang, but by conveying the values, expectations and cultural norms of the time, as expressed in daily life. There is no overt judgement here of the rights and wrongs of that society, with its acceptance of exploitation, economic, social, sexual and racial, on a scale inconceivable in modern Western Society, and this makes the implicit condemnation all the stronger. This is not a polemic however and one is reminded throughout how basic qualities of human decency, courage and compassion - no less than of greed and cruelty - are unchanging with time. The story - a true one - is complex, exciting and thought-provoking. The technique employed, a series of narratives from different viewpoints and from different observers or participants, none the main character, is an inherently difficult one to pull off successfully, but Mr. MacDonald Fraser manages it brilliantly. Each narrator has his or her own uniquely personal style and many are not reporting - but rather justifying themselves or establishing a personal stake on the basis of recollections that may or may not be totally accurate. The range of characterisation through reminiscence is stunning - from the proudly-conscious sadism of a Louisiana plantation owner, to the cynicism of a wealthy Havana brothel-keeper whom we have first encountered as an innocent and terrified slave girl, to the absolute amorality of the alcohol-sodden Flashman Senior (father of the immortal Harry) to the rough decency of English prize-fighters. The use of period style and slang is masterful. The author has obviously immersed himself in the writings of Pierce Egan (who features in the cast) and many of the pages of "Black Ajax" might indeed go undetected as being of later date if inserted among the chronicles of the original Tom and Jerry, while I am still uncertain whether the contribution of William Hazlitt (who also appears) is an extract from his actual writings or a recreation by Mr.MacDonald Fraser. In summary - a splendid novel. One thirsts for more in similar vein.

I read Black Ajax in one sitting and cannot get it out of my mind. This is one of the most poignant, dazzling novels I have ever read. Far from being presented as a stereotype, Tom Molineaux comes across as a multi-dimentional, deeply moving individual. Such is the author's skill that the character of 'Black Ajax' is built up slowly and subtly, from a variety of points of view. The racial epithets, far from drawing attention to the 'shortcomings' of the book (there are none), serve to highlight exactly what Tom Molineaux was up against. His situation is treated realistically and with compassion.The characterization and structure overall are outstanding. Each character's voice is unique. The book's greatest strength lies in its utter lack of sentimentality. Fraser is clearly a writer of supernatural gifts.

From one of my most favorite authors of historical fiction comes this tale of a freed slave coming to England circa 1810 to try and break into the prizefighting game. Apparently prizefighting was the sport back then, enjoyed by all levels of society. Fraser tells the story of the rise and fall of this one-time legend in a series of mock interviews with those surrounding him: his childhood love, his manager, his trainer, his patron, several foes, and misc. others. Just as interesting as the fighter's story is the variety in language and perspective given in each interview. The interviews are loaded with slang from the era, which is only partially decoded in the glossary, so it may make for heavy reading for some. The patron of the prizefighter is Harry Flashman's father, in a tie-in to Fraser's excellent long-running Flashman series.

Three of Mr. Fraser's most recent works have all dealt seriously with the same theme -- that of racism. Flashman and the Angel of the Lord explored John Brown and the issue of slavery. Quartered Safe Out Here dealt frankly with the racism that Allied soldiers lived with as they battle the Japanese in WWII. Now Mr. Fraser tackles the subtle racist and classist attitudes of Regency England with his most practiced touch. Mr. Fraser writes historical novels and in Black Ajax he creates the most complete picture of a historical period yet. He does so be depicting the action through the eyes of many different characters as they witness or react to the events of Tom Molineaux, a black american pugilist determined to knock the British boxing establishment to the canvas. All his characters are rich, most are extremely funny. Not the least of which is Sir Harry Flashman's decadent dad, proving that vice (if not bravery) run in the family. This may very well be Mr. Fraser's best book...it is certainly his most mature. While he has always used his characters' words to prove an antithetical point (i.e. what they say is the opposite of what good people should do) in no other work is his sarcasm so polished, his condemnation of hypocrisy so ascerbic. I loved it.

One of the delightful things about the work of George MacDonald Fraser is the wide range of subjects he addresses which are knit together by one singular talent - his ability to breath life into another era.Those who have only read The Flashman Papers (not a bad thing by any means) have only seen one facet of Mr. Fraser's talent. When he applied it in "The Steel Bonnets", one of the most confusing, convoluted and bloody periods in English history leapt into focus. Now in addressing the doomed career of Tom Molineaux, a former slave who freed himself by beating another slave to death, Fraser sheds some much needed light on that contradictory period which was Regency England.Using Molineaux's brief career as the subject of an "industrious inquirer", Fraser brings in the views of such diverse observers as an eccentric upper class "pedestrian" who - between walks to Scotland and back - trains Tom Cribb for the second bout, a boxing journalist of the period whose florid hyperbole disguises the fact that he is rarely able to actually attend the matches and, of course, Flash Harry's "guv'ner", Buckley "Mad Buck" Flashman."Black Ajax" reveals more about the attitudes, prejudices and life styles of the Regency than it really does about poor Tom Molineaux. For those looking for a politically correct read, look elsewhere for, as Fraser is fond of saying, history cannot be bent to suit today's attitudes and still remain history. For those who revel in Fraser's adept use of dialect and period slang and his ability to bring an entire era to life, this is for you.