"Best Flashman Papers?" Topic

There's an implied demand here after seeing the poll suggestions for the best and worst of the Richard Sharpe novels.

So I put it to you: which is your favorite, or the best, Flashman novel by George MacDonald Fraser?

Flashman 1839–1842 Britain, India and Afghanistan
Royal Flash 1842–1843 Britain, Germany and Denmark
Flashman's Lady 1842–1845 Britain, Borneo and Madagascar
Flashman and the Mountain of Light 1845–1846 Indian Punjab
Royal Flash 1847–1848 Germany and Denmark
Flash for Freedom! 1848–1849 Britain, West Africa and USA
Flashman and the Redskins 1849–1850, 1875–1876 USA
Flashman at the Charge 1854–1855 Britain, Crimea and Central Asia
Flashman in the Great Game 1856–1858 Britain and India
Flashman and the Angel of the Lord 1858–1859 India, South Africa and USA
Flashman and the Dragon 1860 China
Flashman on the March 1867–1868 Mexico, Abyssinia
"The Road to Charing Cross" 1878 Berlin, 1883–1884 Europe
"Flashman and the Tiger" 1879 Africa, 1894 Britain
"The Subtleties of Baccarat" 1890 & 1891 Britain

The editor, if he so wishes, can make this a call for the worst of them, as the list is the same. I refuse to facilitate such a thing here, though, as they are all excellent in their way.

Aside: I'm going through the early Carry On films, and Shirley Eaton is who I picture for Elspeth.

Flashman at the charge

Most of his India/Afgan books were his best.

Flash for Freedom, which immediately segues into Flashman and the Redskins.

Flashman in the Great Game

It has all the usual Flashy ingredients (wit, ribaldry, close run things, etc.) but it also has more pathos than any of the others. Much of it is the setting; the Mutiny is chock full of genuine horrors and heroics and the reader is not spared. GMF also did a good job of conveying that Flashman was a bit more affected by this campaign than most others. There's less bluff and playing things down, and a lot more serious and sober recollection. I rate it the best because I laughed as much as any of the others, but I also teared up multiple times and actually cried when Ilderim Khan died.

Flashman's Lady