Synopsis:

Without the powerful potion whipped up by the Druid Getafix, Asterix and his fellow villagers would never have the strength to fight Caesar’s legions. Now Getafix has run short of rock oil, an essential ingredient in the concoction. There’s nothing left to do but have Asterix and Obelix prospect for black gold in the Middle Eastern desert. But the Roman secret agent, Dubbelosix, using his amazing folding chariot and new spy gadgets, is determined to stop them.

Kathleen Karr - Children's Literature:

The first album of Asterix comics appeared in 1961 and soon became a raging bestseller in France, topping even Tintin. Originally created by the team of R. Goscinny and Uderzo, it has been continued for the past several decades since Goscinny's death by his partner. Asterix is imbued with very French sensibilities, and has taken its time catching on in the United States, but the recent reissue of several numbers should remedy this situation. Asterix, of course, is a Celt. A very short Celt. His buddy Obelix is a huge Celt (transporting menhirs by sheer back-strength is his occupation, after all). Together they continually harass the entire Roman Empire in the year 50 B.C. Their garbled Latin is only one of the amusements involved. In this particular number, the intrepid heroes set off for the Middle East in search of oil-the mysterious ingredient necessary for the magic potion which gives their tribe of Gauls strength. Pirates, desert warfare, and gleeful anachronisms abound. Latin classes-and lovers of the absurd-should eat it up. 2001 (orig. 1981), Sterling,