These were ridiculous and a blast. I tore through both of these books so quickly. I can't believe it took me so long to read them. They were so much fun.

*4.5 stars*

Hilarious…

This story, this series, was written specifically for my sense of humour, I’m sure of it! Sarcastic and witty, the retelling of Majors Cornwall and Trevelyan was tongue-in-cheek, ribald, and full of hijinks. A sophisticated Stan and Ollie, a funnier Holmes and Watson, and a racier poke at James Bond, the goings on provoked so much laughter. As long as I didn’t think too hard about the politically incorrectness, I just kept chuckling and being highly entertained…

Monty Python on paper. This was laugh out loud funny, almost outrageous in parts. It's not for everyone and some might be a little shocked. If you're easily offended steer clear but I found this utterly hilarious. The two majors are looking back on their life and reminiscing on their crazy adventures while still engaging in their friendly tit for tat. It's really quite funny and so different to anything else I"ve read.

An amusing read. Pretty well-written and engaging. I didn't love the over-the-topness. But, if you're looking for something lighter to read, and not totally silly, then I'd recommend this.

A first-person story of two military men and "scoundrels", the book is written as a comedic memoir with two conflicting characters. While I am sure many would enjoy the raunchy and scatalogical humor, I did not, and was forced to puit the book down for good before I got halfway through.
For someone who enjoys this sort of thing, I'm sure they would like this book since it is non-stop.

Some of the humour may be a tad crass or juvenile for some, but I found this hillarious. I could easily see this turning into a TV series

I've had this for a couple of years by now thus am woefully late with providing feedback - my apologies. However, the reason is that I find the humour just doesn't work for me, so after a second attempt I've decided to give the book a miss. I can see how it would be funny, and the writing style has a certain flair, it is just not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with the free copy.

Two elderly British men attempt to one-up each other at every opportunity while writing theirs over the top memoir, each reminiscing about his time as a member of an elite gentlemen's club. Via letters and chapters are written by one of the main characters.

A very laugh out loud book.

I have been a regular member of NetGalley till Sept 2018. Later on my visits to their site reduced, I think one of those visits I applied for "Scoundrels 1 & 2". I got the approval for both the volumes. I think I checked the first volume and read a few pages. But somehow I forgot about those two books and found them during COVID Lockdown. I wanted some good books which can lighten the mood and stress level during these trying times. And Scoundrels gave me that peace of mind. I am grateful to NetGalley and authors for providing such a wonderful book in exchange for an honest review. And I would like to apologize for the delaying review. Still, books needed it's pending praise and here I am delivering duty which was due for almost a year and a half.

Before we discuss the plot let me tell you my first impression of the book cover. I was going through NetGalley shelves when two funny covers came into the view. They reminded me of my favorite childhood tv show "Laurel and Hardy". The title was equally funny, "Scoundrels". I knew the books will be a fun riot. I applied to them immediately. I think they were the last books I applied within those 12 months. I am glad I have these books with me to enlighten my mood. As I applied books in combo and got approval for both, I am posting a combined review.

"Scoundrels" & "Scoundrels: The Hunt for Hansclapp" are the first two volumes of adventurous, fun-filled & thrilled journey of Major Cornwall and Major Trevelyan. The word scoundrels in not specifically for majors but rather a secretive club dedicated to great Britain. But the name does signify their activities which can not be done through political dialog or war. They do the nasty jobs.

The first volume started in recent times where Major Cornwall pushed Major Trevelyn to work on a combined memoir of their adventures. After much cooing and pushing around Major Trevelyan reluctantly accepted Cornwall's request. And thus started a rollercoaster of comedy. The very first incident they mentioned was "Race to Dakor desert". After that followed, their encounter with the Chinese Emperor. After giving a brief of what is to be expected (if you continue reading the book) both major took sequential narration of their memoir. The first part covers both major's school lives, how they entered the Scoundrel club, how they brought a secret weapon from Nazis, survived as prisoners of war in the Japanese army's captivity. The first part ends with Majors making enmity with Gruber Hansclapp.

Major Cornwall is shown smarter of the two always get stuck in the problem and later on saved by Major Trevelyan. Both of them, or I would say most of the club members, were shown as super-rich and their lifestyle is shown with comic style. The way Majors use a variety of liquor and specially made tobacco for various situation/place/moods bring a smile to your faces.

Now coming to characters & storytelling, I must have mentioned fun quotient more than 7-8 times, and you will find multiple styles of comedy. There is a black comedy, blue comedy, situational comedy, physical comedy, character comedy and whatnot. The selection of words is time appropriate. The first volume was around the second world war, and the second volume covers a decade after the second world war.

Language is not age-appropriate, it is strictly 16+ material.

My advice is not to read the book in public, you may end up laughing out loud and may embarrass yourself.

With this, I will complete the review. Talking about ratings
1) Scoundrel - 4.25/5

Thank you for an earc of this novel!
I really wanted to like this novel but unfortunately it is isn’t for me. I loved the idea and usually enjoy quirky, funny reads but I just couldn’t get into this one. I picked it up and put it down multiple times and in the end did had to push myself through.

"Scoundrels" wound up being a kind of meh story for me. It wasn't exactly my cup of tea but it was mostly interesting.

Thank you to the authors, the publishers and Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my candid review.

OVER THE TOP...... the adventures of these two disreputable gentlemen scoundrels truly defies description. It is British humor at its best over the top, baudy, raunchy, infantile and incredibly fascinating all at once. The book opens to a open race across the African desert limited to non-motorized vehicles. Contestants start dying during the pre-party! But what I believe truly evokes the authentic voice of the book is this......one hero is gored through his anus by another contestants rhinoceros in the race. He and his partner/unackanowledged best friend/co-conspirator are left to walk out of the desert on foot.......the other partner experiences horrific sunburn on his lips. The two eventually survive the ordeal, but one is in need of a new anus and the other new lips. The rhinoceros gored anus is donated for the lip replacement while a pine marten donates a new anus to the other. Of course, the tale is told in hilarious detail with many many crude jokes.

This series of books will appeal to those who love spectacular, over-the-top stories which have grown more epic as time passes as well as anyone who loved to watch Benny Hill. Also, those who are in to infantile, middle school smutty humor will find these books hilarious.

The book is written as a dialogue between these two "heroes" writing to each other and relating their hilarious memoirs. And what is a funny story when related by one party, becomes even more hilarious when "corrected' by the other.

The stories are irreverent, overblown, and really a greatly rewritten history of Britain and its heros!

I have not laughed this hard while reading a book in a very long time. Thanks for a great afternoon!

If you like a side of insanity with your book, this might be the book for you! I enjoyed it, but I realize it may not be everyone's cup of tea. You have been warned!

Purportedly the memoirs of two 20th Century English spies involving a certain London gentlemen’s club. Veddy British, very non-PC, very absurdist humor. A wildly amusing cup of comedic tea! 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine. Pub Date 01 Jul 2018. #Scoundrels #NetGalley

Thank goodness for our protectors! Men of mighty deeds and dangerous exploits! Now sharing their stories for all to worship them by!

The majors are two overly self-hyped men who tell their rousing (if not slightly exaggerated) adventurers in their letters to each other. They wish to write a book of their exploits, with each one remembering the other quite a bit different. Not only that, but the villains they encounter! Oh, we are so lucky to have had two such virile men protecting the world! As for how much is exaggerated, who knows? Guess we will have to take the majors at their word.

Ah British humor! It’s crass, it’s in-your-face, and it is hilarious! The insults that fly between the two majors will make you laugh out loud! If you want a book that just makes you laugh and gives you a break from the real world, this is it! Keep in mind, it is utterly politically incorrect and they are quite chauvinistic, but the reader seems to forgive them for that. Probably because they are both bat crap crazy. So there’s that.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy to read. All opinions are my own.

If you’re easily offended or uptight, this book is not for you. I found myself laughing out loud at times. Outlandish, cheeky, what’s not to love?

Sorry but this and the companion book were not to my taste - perhaps I was not in an appropriate frame of mind....

Ok it took me a while to finish this book. Not that it was boring but it was so outrageous that I sometimes found other books shorter and more interesting in between. It is a story about 2 British veterans reminiscing about their lives from the time they were in school together, as spies and solders during WWII, and their other escapades after...

It's historical fiction indeed, and the references here are interesting. It's full of testosterone and unbelievable feats that it's funny. First time I've read something like this. And there's a second book two...which I admit, I am curious about.

Not quite sure who this book is targeted for...but it was an interesting read.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book!

This book had a lot of potential to be really fun. The insults and overblown accounts of the lives of two adventurers. It certainly started well with wise-cracks and mutual insults used to segue between chapters through interpersonal letters. Sadly both the tales and the letters become jaded quite quickly and whilst there is novelty throughout, the initial premise wears thin. It is at this point that stories become more of a struggle to get through. The overblown characters and their actions are such that they are not endearing and there is little for the reader to empathise with. This reader certainly found that beyond the halfway point there was a tendency to check how many of these exploits were left.

As this is a series of tales over time there is a sense in which they lead to a conclusion. Certainly, there is a denouement of sorts that leaves the way open for a second book. But as these are reflections, the reader knows that both individuals will survive and that there will be no noticeable interpersonal or individual growth, just more of the same.