Assignment Sudan

by Robert Brightwell

The expedition to rescue General Gordon from the Sudan must be the most extraordinary military endeavour of the Victorian age. It pitched the elite of the British army, equipped with modern weaponry that included breech-loading rifles, artillery and machine guns, against a fanatical enemy mostly armed with swords and spears. Many, including those taking part, expected it to be a very one-sided affair. They sought a place in the relief column anticipating a jolly adventure that would earn them credit and medals but they were in for a rude awakening!The campaign was mismanaged from the outset and their enemy knew how to take full advantage of the hostile environment. Incompetent commanders, jammed weapons and a plan that was never going to work, all played their part. At one point, the survival of the advance party rested entirely on the courage of a seven-year-old Sudanese boy.This second instalment in the adventures of war correspondent Thomas Harrison, (grandson of Thomas Flashman from my earlier series of books) is closely based on the memoirs written by those who were there. The events described really did happen. After reading this account, you will probably be surprised that any of them survived to put pen to paper.

318 pages, Paperback

Published June 15, 2024

About the author

I am a firm believer in the maxim that history is stranger than fiction. There are countless times when I have come across a character or incident that has been so hard to believe that I have had to search out other sources for confirmation. Thomas Cochrane who features in my first book is one of those, his real life adventures seem ridiculously far fetched for a fictional character. The Begum of Samru from my second book is another: a fifteen-year-old nautch dancer who gained the confidence of an army, had a man literally kill himself over her and who led her soldiers with skill and courage, before becoming something of a Catholic saint.

History is full of amazing stories and in my books I try to do my bit to tell some of them. When I thought of a vehicle to do so, the Flashman series from George MacDonald Fraser came to mind. Most of what I know of the Victorian era was prompted by his books. The concept of a fictional character witnessing and participating in real historical events, while not unique, has rarely been done better.

George MacDonald Fraser was an exceptional writer and he developed a character that he took from Tom Brown's School Days into a truly legendary figure. While Harry Flashman might not have been a typical Victorian, he certainly brought the period to life. For me, the Regency/Napoleonic era was one of even greater colour and extremes and so I have created a new earlier member of the family: Thomas Flashman.

There are similarities between the generations in that they both have the uncanny knack of finding themselves in the hotspots of their time, often while endeavouring to avoid them. Thomas though is not exactly the same character as Harry Flashman, this is partly accidental and partly deliberate.

For example, Harry Flashman makes prolific use of the 'n' word which will never appear in my work. This is not just political correctness but reflects the different times the two fictional characters occupy. While Harry Flashman in India thrashed and abused the natives; in Thomas' time many British were in business with Indian partners or had Indian wives. The British Resident of Delhi went so far as to marry a harem of thirteen Indian women who used to parade around the city every evening on elephants.

As several reviewers have pointed out Thomas is not quite the vicious villainous rogue his nephew became, at least in the first book. But the character develops more in the subsequent books with increasing levels of skulduggery. The genius of George MacDonald Fraser was to create a spiteful bully that the reader could still relate to. I have tried to convey a character that lived in his time and who balanced cowardice, pride, lust etc with the need to bring the reader with him.

For more information, check out my website, www.robertbrightwell.com

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I have read all the books by Robert Brightwell and he just keeps on getting better and better. Great history and research, fantastic characters both fictional and real, excellent writing, and thoroughly engaging and engrossing read. I would recommend all of his books for anyone interested in historical fiction/fact.

[Rogeagle · Rating 4 out of 5]

a good read

A little slow at the start but worth staying with it as it becomes a gripping tale. More Thomas Flashman would be a bit more engaging if more difficult to write

[Plum · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good,solid historical novel with interesting characters and accurate and an accurate historical account.