Book description
In the spirit of Flashman and in the inimitable George MacDonald Fraser
style comes a rousing story of prize fighting in the 19th century.
When Captain Buck Flashman sees the black boxer catch a fly in
mid-flight he realizes that he is in the presence of speed such as the
prize ring has never seen. Tom Molineaux may be crude and untutored, but
if 'Mad Buck' knows anything, this ex-slave is a Champion in the making.
Under his ambitious patronage, the 'Black Ajax' is carried on a popular
tide of sporting fever to his great dream: to fight the invincible,
undefeated Champion of England, the great Tom Cribb.
Told through funny, colourful voices, this novel paints a portrait of a
flawed hero who surmounted the barriers of ignorance, poverty and racial
hatred to bring the prize ring a lustre it had never known before, and
may never again. 'Mr Fraser is a great historical novelist and in
Black Ajax he is at the very top of his form. Damme if he ain't.'
Christopher Matthew, Daily Mail
'This is not a flashy novel, wearing its learning noisily. It's
rigourous, intelligent, meticulously horrifying. Wonderfully well done.'
Nicci Gerrard, Observer The author of the famous Flashman Papers and
the Private McAuslan stories, George MacDonald Fraser has worked on
newspapers in Britain and Canada. In addition to his novels he has also
written numerous films, most notably The Three Musketeers, The Four
Musketeers, and the James Bond film, Octopussy. George Macdonald Fraser
died in January 2008 at the age of 82.
