A semi-fictional (as in, just enough has been changed to avoid libel) pseudo-memoir of life in a post-World War Two Highland regiment. While titled for McAuslan, the "Dirtiest Soldier in the World," a number of the stories either don't involve McAuslan at all, or only in minor, tangential ways (though his presence throughout the book certainly makes itself known). Rather, Fraser presents a number of recollections, often funny, sometimes heartwarming, of his military days through the persona of Lt. Dand McNeill.

This was picked up on a total whim, as military stories (fictional or non) aren't my usual interest, but I ended up greatly enjoying it...enough to occasionally mildly annoy my girlfriend, who was reading far more serious works and would occasionally find her her Very Serious Moments interrupted by my laughter at some antic or another.

Definitely worth a read, especially if any or all of post-WWII Scottish Highland military history, football (soccer, that is), the Middle East, and dirty, scruffy, incompetent (but somehow ultimately somewhat lovable) louts strike any interest.

I love Simmons's writing, and while I enjoyed this a lot, I couldn't help but feel that I'd get a lot more out of it if I was more familiar with the work of both Dickens and Wilkie Collins.

Actually the first P.K. Dick I'd read. Some really fun ideas in quite a few of these stories, but I was struck by how much a product of his time Dick was, especially in his treatment and characterizations of women. I suppose it's not really a surprise in hindsight, but it occasionally caught me off guard as I was reading.

Niven is one of my favorite SF writers, and the short-story length is often perfect for a quick exploration of ideas. Even the less-than-excellent stories were worth reading, and the final four, all set in the same tavern catering to a multitude of alien species, were a great way to wind this one up.

Good middle book: lots of gloom, doom, and despair as pieces move into place for the endgame in the final book. Looking forward to the end.

I enjoyed this one more than I did the first -- perhaps I'm getting used to the style, perhaps Elric's growing on me, or perhaps I just had to get past the introductory bits to where things really start to get interesting. Whatever the reason, I'm looking forward to moving on to the third book.

Decent fantasy with a more interesting main character than many I've read. Not the best writing (which could be its age, Moorcock's age when he wrote it, his style, or something else), but interesting enough for me to continue on to the next book.

Still going, still enjoying these. Elric's an intriguing character -- definitely something of an anti-hero, but definitely with that sympathetic element that makes anti-heroes work.

I ended up enjoying these -- not the _best_ fantasy I've ever read (though, admittedly, I'm more of an SF person), but far from the worst, and Elric's struggles make for a more interesting lead character than most heroes. Someday I'll have to track down the final two books in the series (the used bookstore where I found these only had the first four).