Asterix at the Olympic Games by René Goscinny
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Oh I love Asterix. It’s been a constant in my life and along with Twinkle and Bunty was one of the first comics I read. In a fit of topicality, I picked up Asterix At The Olympic Games. And, very simply, it’s great. This would be a superb introduction to the Olympics for somebody just starting to explore comics and language (and it could be a very nice parent / child joint-read).
The Asterix books are full of puns and wordplay. They’re stamped into nearly every frame and the vitality of these is delightful. One of the hallmarks of the series are the names of the characters – and this book is no exception. We have Makalos, the money-lender; Kudos, the chariot driver, and many many more. The athlete from Rhodes is a Colossus, the athletes from Magnesia are on a milk diet, and the athletes from Cos are only eating lettuce. I love this. It’s sparky, funny, and something that really rewards the reader for paying attention to what they’re reading.
Despite the obvious advantages of the magic potion, what really amuses me about this book is that the resolution is very true to character. It’s satisfying and it’s funny.
(And Dogmatix steals every scene he’s in).
Daisy May Johnson 