What do you think?
Rate this book
Assignment Paris
This book introduces a new central character, fledgling war correspondent, Thomas Harrison. Readers of Robert Brightwell’s earlier series may find descriptions of his grandfather familiar and certainly this Thomas has similar personality traits. His first assignment sees him sent to Paris. After an idyllic start, things go downhill fast when he joins the French army on its march to Berlin in the Franco–Prussian war of 1870. He soon learns that despite advantages in weaponry, he has joined a force that can turn snatching defeat from the jaws of victory into an art form. Suffice to say that the citizens of Berlin evade trouble and Paris soon finds itself under threat. Thomas is at the heart of a crucial period in French history that would later lead to two World Wars. He risks death by shelling, is sentenced to death in a bizarre kangaroo court and nearly freezes in a winter attack. Having fought with the French army, he later finds himself attacked by it, as he is drawn by a vision of beauty into a world of rebellion and revolution.
Paperback
Published January 21, 2023
10 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Robert Brightwell
24 books63 followersI 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
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
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 2, 2023
The Flashmans are back! Sort of.
Author Robert Brightwell brings us Thomas Harrison; grandson of Thomas Flashman and second cousin to the more famous Harry Flashman created by George MacDonald Fraser.
Thomas Harrison is another member of the family with a knack for being in the right place at the right time to bring us first hand accounts of significant moments in history. However, Thomas speaks to us not as a soldier, but as a fledging war correspondent.
Just as his grandfather and cousin interacted with actual historical figures, so does Thomas. His uncle Frank Harrison-Hill was actually the editor of the London DAILY NEWS at the time this novel is set. His colleague and mentor Archibald Forbes was the real correspondent for that paper.
Thomas's first assignment sees him sent to Paris. Here we witness that he has his grandfather's talent for chicanery when he scoops his rival, a pompous TIMES reporter. Thomas frames Chalmers with transmitting classified information and steals that buffoon's credentials as well.
From Paris he accompanies the French army on its march to Berlin in the Franco–Prussian war of 1870. During this time he demonstrates the Flashman propensity for picking ostensibly safe battlefield positions that ultimately turn into deadly hot-spots. He soon learns that despite advantages in weaponry, the French are masters of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. They never get past the Rhineland. In fact Paris soon finds itself under threat.
Thomas is at the heart of a crucial period in French history that would later lead to two World Wars. He risks death by shelling, is sentenced to death in a bizarre kangaroo court and nearly freezes in a winter attack. Having fought alongside French soldiers at Sedan, he later finds himself hunted by the French army as it goes about the bloody business of reducing the Paris Commune in the spring of 1871.
I'm glad that Mr. Brightwell has found a way to extend the Flashman Family Chronicles with Thomas Harrison. The story is a ripping yarn with plenty of swashbuckling adventure. But it has some heartbreak as well. Be prepared.
Author Robert Brightwell brings us Thomas Harrison; grandson of Thomas Flashman and second cousin to the more famous Harry Flashman created by George MacDonald Fraser.
Thomas Harrison is another member of the family with a knack for being in the right place at the right time to bring us first hand accounts of significant moments in history. However, Thomas speaks to us not as a soldier, but as a fledging war correspondent.
Just as his grandfather and cousin interacted with actual historical figures, so does Thomas. His uncle Frank Harrison-Hill was actually the editor of the London DAILY NEWS at the time this novel is set. His colleague and mentor Archibald Forbes was the real correspondent for that paper.
Thomas's first assignment sees him sent to Paris. Here we witness that he has his grandfather's talent for chicanery when he scoops his rival, a pompous TIMES reporter. Thomas frames Chalmers with transmitting classified information and steals that buffoon's credentials as well.
From Paris he accompanies the French army on its march to Berlin in the Franco–Prussian war of 1870. During this time he demonstrates the Flashman propensity for picking ostensibly safe battlefield positions that ultimately turn into deadly hot-spots. He soon learns that despite advantages in weaponry, the French are masters of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. They never get past the Rhineland. In fact Paris soon finds itself under threat.
Thomas is at the heart of a crucial period in French history that would later lead to two World Wars. He risks death by shelling, is sentenced to death in a bizarre kangaroo court and nearly freezes in a winter attack. Having fought alongside French soldiers at Sedan, he later finds himself hunted by the French army as it goes about the bloody business of reducing the Paris Commune in the spring of 1871.
I'm glad that Mr. Brightwell has found a way to extend the Flashman Family Chronicles with Thomas Harrison. The story is a ripping yarn with plenty of swashbuckling adventure. But it has some heartbreak as well. Be prepared.
February 1, 2023
Robert Brightwell (author of the Thomas Flashman series begins a new series of Thomas Harrison, journalist of the London Daily News. In 1869 his first assignment is to go to France to write of the negotiations between Napoleon III and Prussian Otto Von Bismarck, which is going to lead to the Franco-Prussian War, which will lead to the infamous Paris Commune, which will eventually lead to the Third Republic, which leads to a united Germany; and it doesn't stop there since two world wars will follow in the next century.
Lots of battles, the folly of the French leaders and the victorious Prussians the bravery or foolishness of the citizens of Paris against the population of the rest France leads to more death and destruction, not to mention t loss of sanity between politicians.
Thomas, meanwhile finds that there are grand times in his profession, but the first hand accounts of battles defeats and especially his love for the beautiful Justine will change him in ways he never thought possible.
Great first novel in this series. I can't image why a big time publisher can't sign him up. Of course I will await for the next title in this series.
Lots of battles, the folly of the French leaders and the victorious Prussians the bravery or foolishness of the citizens of Paris against the population of the rest France leads to more death and destruction, not to mention t loss of sanity between politicians.
Thomas, meanwhile finds that there are grand times in his profession, but the first hand accounts of battles defeats and especially his love for the beautiful Justine will change him in ways he never thought possible.
Great first novel in this series. I can't image why a big time publisher can't sign him up. Of course I will await for the next title in this series.
August 20, 2023
A book of two halves
...but put together still make for a very good story that covers several historical tragedies. The Franco-Prussian War was mismanaged and bungled by the French under Napoleon 111 who might have shared the name but not the talent of his uncle. This is followed by the disaster of the early continued fighting by the fantasists of the newly established post war French Republic, the Prussian seige of Paris and finally the internal tragic bloodletting of the Paris Commune.
Everything is described well but with so much to cover the first half of the book relies on a great deal of coincidences. The second half gives the feel of an actual observer and is very well done.
I look forward to many more adventures of the 'hero'.
...but put together still make for a very good story that covers several historical tragedies. The Franco-Prussian War was mismanaged and bungled by the French under Napoleon 111 who might have shared the name but not the talent of his uncle. This is followed by the disaster of the early continued fighting by the fantasists of the newly established post war French Republic, the Prussian seige of Paris and finally the internal tragic bloodletting of the Paris Commune.
Everything is described well but with so much to cover the first half of the book relies on a great deal of coincidences. The second half gives the feel of an actual observer and is very well done.
I look forward to many more adventures of the 'hero'.
February 2, 2023
excellent
A very well done novel on the Franco-Prussian War, and the commune of Paris.
Not a history, but just a good telling of the events leading to the conflict , which in telling the tale presents the complete failure of the French to succeed.
A very well done novel on the Franco-Prussian War, and the commune of Paris.
Not a history, but just a good telling of the events leading to the conflict , which in telling the tale presents the complete failure of the French to succeed.
December 27, 2023
Another excellent historical novel from Robert Brightwell. The continuing effort to "see" the historical events from the eyes of the protagonist is a literary method that I much enjoy. And I like Harrison! Glad to hear that we'll be seeing more of him.
January 2, 2023
Too much history
More of a history lesson than an adventure story. Lacked any tension . Much like Flashmans Winter
Back to the style of early Thomas Flashman please
More of a history lesson than an adventure story. Lacked any tension . Much like Flashmans Winter
Back to the style of early Thomas Flashman please
February 15, 2024
Fantastic start
This is a very promising start to a new series of adventures for the war correspondent Harrison. He is not at all like flahman, and I am he will guide us through some interesting times.
This is a very promising start to a new series of adventures for the war correspondent Harrison. He is not at all like flahman, and I am he will guide us through some interesting times.
September 21, 2024
A lively, well-researched adventure with a great character that’s fun to read while giving you a good sense of the real history of the Franco-Prussian war.
Ne’re do-well Thomas Harrison is given a job as a war correspondent at his uncle’s paper. He’s sent to Paris and witnesses much of the war from the saber-rattling early days through many of the battles, including Sedan, the Siege of Paris, and finally, the “Bloody Week” with the destruction of the Paris Commune. There’s also a love story with great foreshadowing that’ll keep you reading to the end.
Thomas Harrison is fictional but is written as a counterpart to the real journalist Archibald Forbes. Many of the main character’s adventures and mishaps are taken from real experiences of other journalists as well. Even his love interest is based on a legendary and somewhat mystical heroine of the Commune.
The main character’s first-person narrative acts as a tour guide of the real history. Author Robert Brightwell weaves the important historical aspects seamlessly into the story through dialog and the character’s journalistic pursuits. The result is a very readable and entertaining romp that will leave you with a good sense of what happened during the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune that followed.
Ne’re do-well Thomas Harrison is given a job as a war correspondent at his uncle’s paper. He’s sent to Paris and witnesses much of the war from the saber-rattling early days through many of the battles, including Sedan, the Siege of Paris, and finally, the “Bloody Week” with the destruction of the Paris Commune. There’s also a love story with great foreshadowing that’ll keep you reading to the end.
Thomas Harrison is fictional but is written as a counterpart to the real journalist Archibald Forbes. Many of the main character’s adventures and mishaps are taken from real experiences of other journalists as well. Even his love interest is based on a legendary and somewhat mystical heroine of the Commune.
The main character’s first-person narrative acts as a tour guide of the real history. Author Robert Brightwell weaves the important historical aspects seamlessly into the story through dialog and the character’s journalistic pursuits. The result is a very readable and entertaining romp that will leave you with a good sense of what happened during the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune that followed.
January 20, 2024
I’ve enjoyed all of Brightwell's novels except this one. The history is interesting, but the lead character is almost indistinguishable from any other character in the book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews