Asterix in Belgium [Paperback]

Rene Goscinny (Author), Albert Uderzo (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: Asterix

What a horror! Chief Vitalstatistix has learned that Caesar has called the Belgian tribes, and not the Gauls, the bravest he knows. Along with Asterix and Obelix, the chief goes to confront the Belgians--who, to his surprise, turn out to be very like the people in his own hometown.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rene Goscinny was born in Paris in 1926, and spent most of his childhood in Argentina, before eventually moving to Paris in 1951. He died in 1977. Albert Uderzo was born in 1927 in a small village in Marne, France. He met Rene Goscinny in 1951 and on 29 October 1959 their most famous creation, Asterix, made his first appearance on page 20 of Pilote. Asterix the Gaul, their first album, was published in 1961 and there have now been 33 Asterix albums.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Orion; Export ed edition (April 28, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752866508
• ISBN-13: 978-0752866505
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.6 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #90,206 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #7 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Series > Humorous > Asterix

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Of course there's a cameo!, April 12, 2007

By 

Robert P. Beveridge "xterminal" (Lakewood, OH) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Asterix in Belgium (Paperback)

Rene Gosciny, Asterix in Belgium (Dargaud, 1980)

Belgians? Tough? So said Caesar. ("Of all the Gauls, the Belgae are the bravest" can be found in De Bello Gallico.) Vitalstatistix finds out that Romans are actually relived to be being posted to the Roman camp of Aquarium, because the village of indomitable Gauls is nothing compared to the Belgian campaign. Needless to say, Vitalstatistix, along with Asterix and Obelix, has to go to Belgium and challenge the Belgian cheiftain to a Roman-bashing contest...

The most notable thing about Asterix in Belgium is that this is the last of the Asterix books upon which Goscinny worked (he suffered a fatal heart attack whilst working on the text for the book; Uderzo had already completed the drawings, leading to legal action from Dargaud to force Uderzo to complete the text). Uderzo takes over with somewhat surprising competence; readers shouldn't notice the transition. ***

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who Are The Bravest Of The Gauls?, July 19, 2002

By 

Gary Selikow (Great Kush) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Asterix in Belgium (Asterix (Orion Paperback)) (Paperback)

The last story written by Goscinny! Fist written in French in 1979 as
Astérix chez les Belges, it was first published in English in 1980.

Chief Vitalstatistix is outraged upon hearing that Julius Caesar has referred to the Belgians as the bravest of all the Gaullish peoples, and immediately sets out for Belgium to prove him wrong.
At the suggestion of Druid Getafix, Asterix and Obelix accompany him, lest the whole venture come to a `sticky end'.

What ensues is compensation between the Belgians and the Armoricans (Asterix and Co) to prove who can bash the most Romans, until Julius Caesar comes to Belgium with his army to intervene.

Our friends get to meet a robust and fiery people not unlike themselves, with curvaceous blond ladies, good beer and masses of good food.

There is a wonderful adaptation of one of those charming paintings by Dutch master, Pieter Breughel The Elder. The English translation uses to very witty effect, quotes by George Gordon, Lord Byron, William Shakespeare and John Milton.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine Asterix Fun, August 22, 2000

By 

Elizabeth (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Asterix in Belgium (Asterix (Darguard)) (Paperback)

Look out, reading this book may make you hungry. The Belgians eat and eat, and then eat some more. The traveling gauls are in for a feast.

Vitalstatistix gets royally ticked off when he learns that Caesar has named the Belgians to be the bravest of all Gauls. He sets off to prove otherwise with a reluctant Asterix and Obelix in tow. The Belgians and our beloved gauls alternate between trying to best one another in contest and having a riotous good time together.

This is not one of my favorite Asterix books because the premise is a little weak; the chief's hot-headed stubbornness is not an interesting enough character trait to carry an entire adventure. It is however chock full of wonderful puns; look for the tribute to Belgium's famous little boy statue. There is also an interesting appearance by Herge's Thompson and Thompson as Asterix pays his respects to Tintin.