Customer Reviews

Asterix and Caesar's Gift (Asterix (Orion Paperback))

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in this book, a soldier that finished his 20 years in the army is given land as a good0bye gift. Ofcourse, its asterixs village. he sells it to a bartender for some drinks, and the bartender takes his family out there. They are suprised to find the village is inhabited, and they had been tricked-the land never belonged to anyone but the people of the village! they decide to just move into the empty inn there. Lots of things follow: the bartenders wife is so mad at impedimenta, she makes her husband run against vitalstatistix for chief, obelix tries his best to impress Zaza, the daughter of the bartender, romans attack the village, and much more. You gotta read this book!

After a drunken Legionnaire is heard making insulting remarks about Julius Caesar, Caesar decides to give him a present-which he in turn sells to a Gaullish Innkeeper for a meal and some drinks.

The innkeeper, Orthopaedix, comes to the village, we know so well, with his wife and daughter, setting in chain a breakdown of cohesion there, as a dispute over the Chieftainship of the village, Obelix falling in love, and the refusal of Druid Getafix to make magic potion makes for another rollicking Asterix adventure.

Once more, a lot of fun.

"Asterix and Caesar's Gift" (1974) is Asterix #21 It's fairly good. Worth a look for fans of characters in the village like Geriatrix and Vitalstatistix.

Julius Caesar gives his troops a plot of land if they give 20 years of work to his army. Julius has overheard that one man up for retirement doesn't like him, so Julius gives him a deed to land he hasn't conquered yet, Vitalstatistix's Gaulish village. Man can't be bothered going all the way up to the corner of Gaul, so he sells his plot for some beer to a tavern keeper, who goes with his family to claim the village. Challenges and chaos follow in the village...

If you have never readix an Asterix bookix you are in for a treat. Lots of material that is over the head of youngsters. Buy..read..enjoy..then read again. Timeless...And, if your copy falls apart, replace it...cheers

Another strong entry from the golden age of the Asterix adventures. Between Goscinny's clever plot, complete with unexpected twists and turns;the well-named characters; the excellent translation; and of course the utterly convincing and satisfying artwork of the one and only Uderzo, there's really enough here to entertain and edify readers far beyond the 9 - 12 age range given in the product description. Particularly noteworthy in this episode are the opening panel (perfection!), the characteristically incisive commentary on human nature in all its guises, and the wonderful sequence where Asterix pulls of a desperate escape from a roman camp. One of the reasons most of the episodes released since Goscinny's death fail so miserably is that episodes like this one set the standard so incredibly high. This title is truly a high point, a gem, a gift. Enjoy.

Originally done as a comic in a french childrens' magazine, the Adventures of Asterix the Gaul have grown beyond that small framework and can be enjoyed by peoples around the world. The idea is that in the world of 55BC all Gaul has been conquored by the Romans, except for one small village which holds out against the invaders. The source of their survival is a magic potion brewed by the village Druid which gives the drinker superhuman strength. The gauls are not waging a war with the romans, they just go about their lives and after being thumped a few times, the local Romans are more than happy to let them do it.

In this adventure the tale starts with a sadistic Caesar giving a reprobate legionaire a plot of land in the village that has yet to be conquored. Not wanting a village the roman gives the grant to an inn keeper for some wine and goes on his way.

the inn keeper relocates his family to what he see's as 'his village' and gets the shock of his life when his declaration of ownership iis greeted with howls of laughter. Driven on by his wife he runs for the office of Chief forcing Vitalstatistix to run too.

What follows are the evils of politics and the silliness of splinter groups as differing parties spring up- some with only a single member. added to the mix is the drunken soldier who's decided he wants the village after all.

One of those adventures you enjoy reading, fun for any kid or adult.

Well, its Asterix, so of course its wonderful. It certainly is not the best one, though. Rome has a new tack for conquering the village, one that causes even more dissension then usual. The addition of a rather annoying girl who seems to wrap all of the men around her finger is a sorry newcomer who just doesnt live up to the normally delightful characters. Of course it has all of the elements that make Astrix wonderful, and it is true no collection would be complete without it.

The paperback edition of this book fell apart in my hands -- and on the first reading no less. The replacement copy did the same thing.

Rene Goscinny, Asterix and Caesar's Gift (Dargaud, 1972)

Caesar deeds our favorite Gaulish village to a retiring drunkard of a soldier, who trades it to a Lutetian for a meal and an amphora. Said Lutetian goes to said village and sets himself up as the new leader. Tension abounds. I'm fondest of Goscinny when he's doing this sort of thing-- looking at the way civilization breaks down when outside influences appear (viz. Asterix and the Roman Agent), especially given Uderzo's rather stereotypical drawing style when it comes to certain ethnic minorities that pop up now and again... ***