Serious Fun - Rated 
I'm sure this book was as much fun to write as it has been to read. Fraser constructs an artfully absurd novel, mixing his 16th century setting with countless references the to the present. Unlike, Fraser's other writing, this work replaces detailed historical research with fantasy and humour, recycling the myths of the Borders and appealing to all those who love that beautiful area of Britain. The result works because of Fraser's joy in his writing, because of his lively mocking of his characters and what they represent. The writer of The Hollywood History of The World has constructed his own version of history and it is a joy to read.
GMF meets Robert Rankin - Rated
I agree with marzipanthecats' comment that the reavers often reads more like a Robert Rankin novel than one by GMF.
Do not expect a 'Flashman' type novel, I suspect the brilliant McDonald Fraser realised that this might be his last book and wanted to go out blowing raspberries at the world.
McDonald Fraser is very much his own man, raised at a time when 'political correctness' didn't exist, he uses 'the Reavers' to stick two fingers up at a lot of conventions. This book, whilst clever and vaguely amusing, is far from his best work, however as other reviewers have noted, Fraser seems to have had fun writing it and I wont begrudge the man who gave us the immortal Flashman his last laugh.
The Reavers - Rated 
This is the first (and to date only) G MacDonald Fraser novel I have read. I can only liken it to watching a movie on DVD with the directors commentry on, the narration being purposefully directed to 'you dear reader', it's as much insight to the fun the writer is having telling the absurd tale as it is entertainment for the reader. It starts well, had me baffled in the middle, and cheering for the several heros/anti-heros/semi-heros and heroines at the end.
I read this in Dec 07, thinking what else has he written and what will he come up with next? Sadly in Jan 08 I learnt that GMF passed away with the arrival of the new year...so we're just left with the back catalogue. I think I'll start with the Pyrates...
If you don't know Scotland.... - Rated
You'll be a bit lost with this one if you don't know Glasgow and Scotland. A spy who speaks in a Kelvinside accent, 'sex is what they keep the coal in along the Byres Road' and an entire news paper article written in Glasgow scots, for starters. If you do, it's hysterical. Very different to the rest of his stuff, apart from Pyrates, but no less fun for that. GMcDF has always enjoyed footnotes, erudition and playig with language, and this book is no exception.
Just a pity he never wrote a sequel to 'Mr American'
Utterly Unfunny - Rated 
I hate to speak ill of the dead, but despite the very sad recent passing of GMF I have to report that The Reavers is a woeful book.
Its intended as a deliberately anachronistic and utterly irreverant and silly romp (I'm avoiding the prefix of 'period' to romp because that suggests the sort of historical veracity which is entirely absent here), and not a satirical comedy in the Flashman mould. Whilst it is undoubtedly silly however, to the point where you actually crave even a passing aquaintance with normality, it is very definitely not funny.
Chock full of leaden gags, attempts at humour that might just have worked visually in a second rate Mel Brooks movie (the whole book feels like a rerun of Brook's woeful early 90's Robin Hood parody) but fall flat on the printed page and satire that feels decades out of date (the whole book is a spoof of the sort of hollwood historical epics that haven't been made since the 60's), where it should be light, breezy fun the Reavers is a slog that struggles to raise a chortle. Its competently written as you would expect from GMF but it fails in its central purpose which is to make the reader laugh. As such it can only be viewed as a failure.
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