Jack Absolute

by C.C. Humphreys and Chris Humphreys

Book Overview

"The finest Series of historical novels since Patrick O'Brian." -The Good Book Guide UK "An Absolute Delight!" Diana Gabaldon, Author of Outlander, and Lord John Grey. London 1777 - and Jack Absolute... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1552783839
• ISBN13: 9781552783832
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: McArthur Publishing
• Length: 310 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Absolutely Well-Done

This is a historical fiction set during the American Revolution, centering around a British officer ("Officer, Mohawk, Lover, Spy" says the subtitle), named Jack Absolute. (The name is from a Sheridan play --the playwright appears in this story --he apparently "stole" the name of his friend for the character.) Despite the trappings of farce and humor, the writing is (to me) lovely and straight-forward, with the characters themselves having all the wry wit and humor. Jack is a stand-up guy who has reasoned views of various personalities and both sides of the conflict. He's set up as a larger-than-life character, and does have the background and abilities to back it up, as well as finding himself in incredible situations that just add to the glamour --and yet he remains very human and knows it. I really enjoyed how such usually clichéd situations and characters are dealt with in a fresh and interesting way.

Jack ain't Harry, but so what? He's an interesting fellow...

This was an entertaining first book of a trilogy concerning the adventures of Jack Absolute, British Army Captain and spy, during the Colonial Period in American History. One of the previous reviewers compared the character of Jack, taken from Sheridan's play THE RIVALS, with the bully Flashman of Hughes's novel TOM BROWN'S SCHOOL DAYS. Sir Harry Flashman, VC, is a scoundrel given an imagined life after being expelled from Rugby School by the late Scottish novelist George MacDonald Fraser. The only real comparison is that both Jack and Flashman are fictional British Army Officers from other works. Jack is basically a good person who finds himself unwittingly drafted by General John Burgoyne to spy on a sinister group of over-zealous Freemasons called The Illumintai who are stirring up the "American Rebels" against the Crown in 1777. Flashman, on the other hand, has no redeeming qualities and is an admitted bully, coward, liar, and shameless womanizer, among other things. His misadventures are also incredibly funny. To compare the two is unfair to C. C. Humphreys. He's his own man, like Jack, and a fine storyteller. I heartily recommend this book.

Bravo!

In the kind of breakneck adventure for which the term "rollicking" was coined, C. C. Humphreys embroils his protagonist Captain Jack Absolute--onetime officer, full-time rake, and part-time spy--in a duel, a chase, witty repartee, sex backstage (and onstage) at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and guest appearances by General Burgoyne AND Richard Brinsley Sheridan. And that's just the first three chapters. In 1777, Jack and his Mohawk Indian blood brother Ate, ordered back to America to serve Britain in the fight against American independence, find themselves battling ferocious colonial militiamen, British incompetence, and their own doubts about which master they serve. The audacity with which Humphreys purloins a character out of Sheridan's classic stage comedy, The Rivals, for his own devices, is matched only by the skill with which he pull it off--with plenty of dash, wry cynicism, bloody action, and a surprisingly tender and gripping love story that sneaks in the back door and turns the entire enterprise on its ear. Bravo!

Light Action-packed Reading 3.5/5

Handsome, tall, more-than-ordinary hero forced to help the Royal Army, against the American rebels. Not to be left out were the usual companions such as an Indian sidekick, an eccentric superior, a lovely lady and of course, a vile villain. A light and quick read with some very good action scenes. And just like all action stories, there was always that last minute twist that would save the day (most at least). While the code breakings were interesting enough, the turn of events reminds me so much of a movie, Secret Life of Ian Fleming. No wonder it has an addition title: The 007 of the 1770s. Jack was like James Bond. Lady's man, charming, playboy, etc though I must say that the espionage aspect was not too engaging as the book neared its end. Jack somehow become a hotheaded person, without any present of mind or that's why one of his nicknames was Fool? He was more like an amateur in the end.