Asterix and the Magic Carpet

Astérix #28

by Albert Uderzo

The wonderful village where Asterix and Obelix live has only one its bard is the worst musician in the ancient world. Whenever Cacofonix strikes up a tune, the sun hides behind the clouds and the rain begins to fall. But, then a fakir flies in on a magic carpet asking for help in ending a terrible drought in his kingdom. Otherwise, his daughter Orinjade will be sacrificed to the gods. Suddenly, Cacofonix’s talents come in mighty handy.

Genres: Comics, Bande Dessinée, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Humor, Graphic Novels Comics, France

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Albert Uderzo (1928 - 2020) was a legendary French comic book artist and scriptwriter. The son of Italian immigrants, he is best known as the co-founder and illustrator of the Asterix series in collaboration with René Goscinny. He also drew other comics such as Oumpah-pah, again with Goscinny.

Reviews

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Kingdom of the Ganges, ruled by the good King, Rajah Watzit, is in crisis.
Not one drop of rain has fallen during the monsoon season.
The evil Guru, Hoodunnit that if no rain falls before the end of the Monsoon season, then the Rajah's daughter, the sweet and lovely Princess Orinjade, must be sacrificed to appease the wrath of the gods.
The only hope lies in the plan by the wise Fakir Watziznehm, who has heard that in far-off Gaul, there is a bard who's singing causes rain. So Watziznehm, flies on his magic carpet to Gaul where he enlists the help of Cacofonix, Asterix and Obelix (and who wouldn't want to rescue the gorgeous Princess Orinjade)
So our friends for the first time travel by air, and after an exciting journey, in which, among other things, they engage in an aerial attack on the Scythian pirates.
When they land in India, they have to deal with various snags, before they can save the Princess.
Asterix and Obelix really get to travel and explore exotic locations. And while the India, the authors of Asterix write about in no way of course, resembles the real Ancient India, neither the other Asterix albums resemble the locations our friends visit. It is all tongue in cheek, and pokes fun at everyone, but in a gentle way.
Asterix and the Magic Carpet is great fun.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun walk down memory lane. It has been many years since I enjoyed the capers of Asterix.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es ist ein scheinbar normaler Tag im gallischen Dorf, als nach einem troubadixbedingten Unwetter ein Mensch vom Himmel fällt. Ein Reisender aus einem fernen Land, der scheinbar mit einem Teppich unterwegs war.

Zufälligerweise war er genau auf der Suche nach diesem Dorf, in dem doch angeblich ein Barde leben soll, der den Regen beschwören kann. Denn in Erindijahs Heimat herrscht eine beständige Trockenheit, die die Menschen in eine tiefe Hungersnot gestürzt hat. Sollte es nicht binnen 1001 Stunden regnen, soll die Tochter des Radschas geopfert werden, um die Götter zu befrieden.

Die letzte Hoffnung des Radschas ist der singende Gallier – der sich nun mitsamt Asterix und Obelix‘ auf Erindijahs Teppich auf die Reise ins sagenumwobene Morgenland macht. Vielleicht weiß man seinen Gesang dort ja mehr zu schätzen als in der Heimat.
_________________

Ein bisschen trashy, aber trotzdem irgendwie unterhaltsam. Mein Highlight waren die onomatopoetischen Namen der Morgenländer: Erindijah, Orandschaed, Radscha Nihamavasah, Daisayah, Vluglodsah, Schandadh

Schön fand ich, dass Troubadix mal etwas mehr im Mittelpunkt stand. Ein schrulliger, aber mir liebgewonnener Charakter.

3,5 🌟

[Juho Pohjalainen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why would you have a perfectly good princess sacrificed when you could marry her instead? That'll get you the throne just as well. The scheme of the villains never made particular sense to me, and the realm of India felt overall rather more shallow and uninteresting than Goscinny would have done it. I also liked Cacofonix better back when he was still just ahead of his time rather than so genuinely awful that even the skies turn against him.

All that said, I was surprised with how well the story flowed and enjoyed a few of the jokes and situations they got thrown into. And though the story wasn't one of the best, the dialogue still worked and it's as beautifully drawn as any other, with some great visuals and scenery. We're still not quite in the full downhill of the series, not quite.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series continues with just Uderzo writing and illustrating since the death of Goscinny. Watziznehm seeks help as having heard that the singing (or screeching as the Gauls believe) of Cacofonix can conjure rain. Asterix, Obelix, Cacofonix, and Dogmatix leave for India on a magic carpet with Watziznehm. Flying through Rome, Athens, Tyre, and Persia, they are off to save Princess Orinjade from being sacrificed to appease the Gods from a drought threatening her kingdom. Will she be saved in time? Will it rain? The wit in the writing and renditions of the drawings are awesome.

[Franci · Rating 3 out of 5]

#77 of 2020

Least favourite Asterix so far.... But still good.

[Helmut · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ein paar schöne, witzige Ideen reichen halt nicht aus, um ein Comic über 45 Seiten voll zu polstern. Hier beginnt außerdem die unschöne Tendenz, vorher nie in der Reihe gesehene mystisch-fantastische Elemente aufzunehmen. Es wirkt einfach unpassend manchmal.

[Ina Korsgaard Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Asterix vil for alltid være nostalgisk for meg, men man kan ikke akkurat forvente noe banebrytende og nytt av serien.

[Illiterate · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot is weak - a race against time. The art may be the best in the series - aerial views, jungle animals, elephants.

[Miku · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kiedy śpiew Kakofoniksa powoduje, że pewien fakir, na latającym dywanie, spada z nieba to możemy mieć pewność, że będzie się działo.

Jak zawsze pełen humoru, niepowtarzalnego klimatu i wielu przygód komiks. Na zły humor zawsze Asteriks i Obeliks zdziałają cuda. Ocena nie może być inna.

[Ευθυμία Δεσποτάκη · Rating 3 out of 5]

"...με είκοσι ελέφαντες!"
"Με εκνευρίζεις, Πουρκουαπάχ".

Ειλικρινά, κανείς δεν έχει απεικονίσει καλύτερα το love-hate από τον Υντερζό: ο μαραμένος Αυτοματίξ στη ρίζα του δέντρου είναι όλα τα λεφτά.

Κατά τα άλλα, είναι το τρίο τομάκι με κείμενα του Υντερζό (μετά τον θάνατο του Γκοσινί) κι αρχίζει μάλλον να στερεύει. Και τότε και τώρα, και στις δόυ (πολλαπλές, αλλά τέλος πάντων) αναγνώσεις του, μου είχε φανεί κάπως άνευρο, χώρια που εισάγει καινά δαιμόνια (όπως το ότι το τραγούδι του Κακοφωνίξ που φέρνει τη βροχή)

[Naveen N. Bhat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first reference to India in an Asterix book. Although some things are depicted in historical fashion (the Vedic deities, for example), many of the architectural details and styles of clothing are distinctly Islamic, as is the concept of a fakir. Islam was not brought to India until the late 11th century CE. As in Asterix and Son, this volume has a rare dramatic overtone by our heroes' need to rescue an innocent from impending death. Upon recovering his voice, Cacofonix performs Feste's Song from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. When Owzat stops Watziznehm from passing, Obelix says "not out": a reference to cricket.

[Milenrrama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pues no me ha entusiasmado, pero sí me ha gustado. Es uno de estos tomos que recordaba el nudo del final del segundo tercio, pero no cómo llegaban allí ni cómo lo solucionaban, así que en realidad ha sido más una lectura que una relectura. Los chistes funcionan bastante bien y las referencias son geniales. Sobre todo la de Iznogud xDDDD

[Katherine A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je l'avais adoré enfant. C'est toujours le cas des années plus tard!

[shems · Rating 3 out of 5]

pas mon préféré but they quick with it

[Joost Brokamp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vreemde culturen is niets vreemd voor Asterix & Obelix.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good time.

[❀ Arshiya · Rating 5 out of 5]

CLASSIC.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dieser Asterix-Band war als Kind meine Lieblingsgeschichte. Vor etwa 15 Jahren allerdings habe ich mein Originalheft verliehen und nie wieder zurück bekommen. Jetzt habe ich das Heft nochmal zum Geburtstag bekommen und konnte endlich wieder die Geschichte lesen. Nun, was soll ich sagen? Früher kam sie mir irgendwie länger vor und wahrscheinlich beeindruckt mich der fliegende Teppich auch weniger als vorher aber trotzdem hat die Geschichte für mich einen großen nostalgischen Wert.

[Elessar · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5/5

Floja reinterpretación de Las mil y una noches en la que Astérix, Obélix y Asurancetúrix viajan a la India para salvar a la princesa. El bardo les ayudará a que llueva con su horrible canto y así acabar con la tradición que la pone en peligro. En esta ocasión a Uderzo se le va un poco y no brilla como en los dos números anteriores.

[Bruce · Rating 2 out of 5]

Asterix the Magic Carpet – a mediocre Uderzo plot that serves as an excuse for exquisite artwork (the ancient world from above); Cacofonix is flown by magic carpet from Gaul to a parched land of the Ganges in the hopes his horrible singing will summon a delinquent monsoon.

[Steef · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Asterix with some of the most beautiful pictures is also one of the most boring ones. Linear storyline without any real depth, like the older ones.

Obelix' stupidity and cravings for food are a bit too much for my taste. It lacks the humour it had in, say, The Soothsayer.

[Namitha Varma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too many factual mistakes in the Indianisms, but what the heck ;)

[Agoaye Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une aventure d'Asterix et Obélix qui compte parmi mes préférées.
Humour et aventure sont au rendez-vous pour des dessins dépaysants

[Sandra Gallegos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uno de mis cómics favoritos de Astérix y que más carcajadas me arranca siempre.

[Mónica Cordero Thomson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Divertida y entretenida.

[Thev Loulou · Rating 1 out of 5]

Racismé orientalismé full cliches et stereotypé scenario vraiment nul et inintéressant en bonus. A fuir

[Jose Cepeda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Exquisite artwork, but poor plot.

[Vigneswara Prabhu · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the events of Asterix and Son, the Gaelic village in Armorica, once burnt down was rebuilt in all its homeliness and insanity. With no immediate Roman threat on the horizon the Gauls are busy with rough housing each other and generally enjoying life. The only dampener, is Cacophanix, who has learnt a few new verses, and somehow has even made the heavens angry. For every time he sings, it is followed by a great downpour.



Amidst this revelry, a new visit drops in. As in literally drops in from the sky. Watziznehm (Sweet pun alert), is a fakir from the far away eastern subcontinent on the bank of the river Ganges. Who has flown all across the ancient lands on top of his trusty magic carpet.

His land is suffering from a great drought, the people are suffering. And there are those who would use this catastrophe for their own advantage. Guru, the religious leader of the land, is demanding a human sacrifice of the Princess, Orinjade, in order to 'appease' the gods and bring back the rains.

Distraught, the king sent his trusted fakir to Armorica, to find the bard who can make the heavens weep. Never to turn back someone who has come for assistance empty handed (and perhaps scheming to relive themselves of the bard's singing) the Gauls are all to happy to sent Cacophanix, along with our beloved duo & dogmatic to save them. But seeing as how this is an Asterix adventure, nothing goes as expected.

This Issue around, we add another civilization to our menagerie of ancient lands. My own personal Indus. The stereotype is strong in this one. Magic carpet flying, needle bed sleeping, snake charming fakirs, cow worshippers, elephant tamers, a superstitious lot, all of it is on display, played mostly for laughs.

But what makes it engaging is when, halfway through, it becomes a wildlife safari, displaying all the diversity of fauna which the subcontinent has to offer. And what happens when said wildlife meets a bunch of superpowered Gauls.






The story is straight forward, there is a distinct lack of puns and satire as well as the Roman legions which are the hilarious spice to these tales. But you know I always appreciate a story where Cacophanix is front and center. Plus seeing how he's progressing, he's gone from human WMD to a enochian entity of smiting proportions.

So, for a breath of flesh air atop a floating magic carpet, I give it a solid 4 out of 5

[Simbasible Comics · Rating 3 out of 5]

Asterix and the Magic Carpet is the 28th volume of the Asterix comic strip series that was written and illustrated by Albert Uderzo. It was published in 1987 and it is a highly flawed, but entertaining installment.

An Indian fakir arrives to the Gaulish village on the magic carpet, asking for Cacofonix’ help. Apparently, the bard has the power to bring rain through singing, which is the new development only introduced in this volume for inexplicable reasons other than plot conveniences. Asterix and Obelix then travel to India to bring them rain and fight with the bad guy who wants to be the next rajah.

The overall plot is fine. I actually liked this volume despite its many flaws, which I do recognize. This is the point in the series when Uderzo went fully into the fantastical realm for better and for worse. That led to great world building and wonderful illustrations, but it also diminished the grounded feel and impact that the series exhibited up to this point. The adventurous elements were great here. I loved the magic carpet ride and the reference to their previous Greek adventure was actually quite appealing to me.

But the third act was a mess. There was no need to include a full-on magic duel in an Asterix story. It was way too fantastical for its own sake. The dialogue is also only okay with way too many lines that are not as funny as Uderzo thinks they are. The absence of Goscinny was definitely felt here, but at least in the sheer sense of adventure he mostly managed to emulate his tone and feel.

The villain is way too over-the-top and cartoony. He was obviously evil and not well developed at all. The fakir had his moments, but he was also underdeveloped. However, the main duo had some great moments, especially Obelix as his reactions at a different culture are always priceless. The highlight in this story is easily Cacofonix, who finally got to be the hero that saves the day for a change. The final banquet without these three characters was very memorable and emotionally engaging. I liked all the animals and landscapes in this volume too as Uderzo’s drawings have only become better throughout the years.

Asterix and the Magic Carpet is wonderfully drawn, quite adventurous and wholly entertaining throughout, but its overabundance of plot contrivances and fantastical elements diminished its impact quite a bit.