Jan-Yves Ferri and Didier Conrad have taken over writing and illustration duties on the Asterix series from Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. When we first reviewed "Asterix and the Missing Scroll" (the first of Ferri and Conrad's new adventures for Asterix) we had those butterfly flutters of knowing that the series was now in new hands. Would the new stuff be as great as the classic Asterix books of yore?
Thankfully the answer was a resounding "Yes!" and indeed it's also the case with "Asterix and the Chariot Race" as Ferri and Conrad settle into dishing up yet another awesome slice of Gallic humour, seeing our fabulous heroes entering a chariot race.
It's a matter of honour for the Romans - they invented the sport and they're absolutely determined to win the hotly contested chariot race at all costs, by fair means or foul.
But when you're a pair of potion-swilling Gauls, those things matter not a jot!
There's so much to love about the new Asterix books. The humour is still there, the artwork is (of course) sublime, the storytelling is fast-paced and gloriously fun.
By Toutatis this is fantastic stuff.
"Asterix and the Chariot Race" by Jean-Yves Ferri and Didier Conrad is out now, published by Orion Children's Books (kindly supplied for review).