Flashman Creator Passes

Author George MacDonald Fraser passed away earlier today, following a battle with cancer.

Born April 2, 1925, the author was best known for his Flashman series of historical novels featuring the dashing and daring Sir Harry Flashman. His most recent novel, The Reavers, was published in the United Kingdom by HarperCollins UK last autumn and will be published in the US by Knopf this coming April. From the synopsis on the UK edition:

Elizabethan England, and a dastardly Spanish plot to take over the throne is uncovered. It's up to Agent Archie Noble to save Queen and country in this saucy and swashbuckling romp from the bestselling author of “The Flashman Papers” and “The Pyrates”.

Born in England and educated in Scotland, the author served in the Gordon Highlanders in India, Africa, and the Middle East. He incorporated many personal anecdotes from this time of his life in his McAuslan series including Quartered Safe Out Here, The General Danced at Dawn, McAuslan in the Rough and The Sheikh and the Dustbin.

Fraser also worked extensively in film, writing or co-writing such well known movies as The Three Musketeers, The Four Musketeers, Royal Flash, Octopussy, Red Sonja and others. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1999.