Flashman and the Mountain of Light

Flashman and the Mountain of Light is a 1990 novel by George MacDonald Fraser. It is the ninth of the Flashman novels.

Flashman and the Mountain of Light

First edition
Author	George MacDonald Fraser
Cover artist	Arthur Barbosa
Language	English
Genre	Historical novel
Publisher	Collins
Publication date	1990
Publication place	United Kingdom
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages	332
ISBN	0-00-271135-4
OCLC	21299277
Preceded by	Flashman and the Dragon
Followed by	Flashman and the Angel of the Lord

Plot introduction

Presented within the frame of the supposedly discovered historical Flashman Papers, this book describes the bully Flashman from Tom Brown's School Days. The papers are attributed to Flashman, who is not only the bully featured in Thomas Hughes' novel, but also a well-known Victorian military hero. The book begins with an explanatory note detailing the discovery of these papers.

The book begins with Flashman being questioned about Koh-i-Noor by Queen Victoria. As Flashman cannot tell the truth to the Queen without offending her, he reminisces about the First Sikh War, 1845 and 1846, and how he acquired Koh-i-Noor (The Mountain of Light).

Plot summary

At the end of events in Flashman's Lady, Flashman is sent to India when the English are anticipating conflict with the Sikh Army, the Khalsa. He is dispatched by Major George Broadfoot to the Punjab, masquerading as a solicitor attempting to settle the Soochet legacy. Flashman becomes entangled in the intrigues of the Punjabi court before being forced to flee at the outbreak of war, then becomes involved in plans by the Punjabi nobility to curb the power of the Khalsa.

Returning to the relative safety of the British forces, Flashman arrives just in time to become an unwilling participant in the attack on Ferozeshah. Injured, he attempts to avoid the rest of the war in a sick bed, but is called personally by the Maharani of the Punjab to attend to an urgent mission: smuggling her son Daleep Singh and the Koh-i-Noor diamond out of the country.

Characters

Fictional

• Flashman

Historical

• George Broadfoot
• Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough
• Henry Hardinge, 1st Viscount Hardinge
• Henry Havelock
• Alexander Gardner
• Jind Kaur
• Duleep Singh
• Gulab Singh
• Lal Singh
• Tej Singh
• Josiah Harlan

Critical reception

A review by Charles Solomon, of the Los Angeles Times, highlighted that Fraser's thorough knowledge of British imperial history enabled a realistic depiction of events experienced by Flashman, and that the book "abounds with swashbuckling thrills".