7.2 /10 1 Votes
Main characters Asterix and Obelix Writer Jean-Yves Ferri Date of publication 24 October 2013 Originally published 24 October 2013 Date 2013 | 3.6/5 Goodreads Series Asterix Artist Didier Conrad Language French | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Preceded by Asterix and Obelix's Birthday Followed by Asterix and the Missing Scroll Illustrators René Goscinny, Didier Conrad Similar René Goscinny books, Asterix books, Other books | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Asterix and the Picts is the 35th book in the Asterix series, and is the first book to be written by someone other than René Goscinny or Albert Uderzo. It is written by Jean-Yves Ferri and illustrated by Didier Conrad. The English-language version has been translated by Anthea Bell.
It takes Asterix and Obelix across the Channel into Scotland, where they meet the Picts. This is the duo's second journey to the British Isles, after visiting the Britons in Asterix in Britain (1965).
Plot
Asterix and Obelix find a man frozen in ice washed up on the beach while searching for oysters. They take him to the druid Getafix . He is able to restore the man but the man has lost his voice. He desperately tries to tell them his story in spite of his voice but to no avail. One day, the man carves out a map on one of Obelix's menhirs by which Getafix understands it to be Northern Calendonia (now Scotland). As they leave, Getafix gives Asterix a gourd of potion to help restore the Pict (residents of Calendonia)'s voice. He and Obelix take him there in Unhygenix's fishing boat. As they encounter a pirate ship (and fight them) the Pict introduces himself as Macaroon and tells them how he was tied to a log and thrown into the Loch. They land and go to visit Macaroon's family.
Later, he learns that his fiancee Camomilla, the adopted daughter of King Mac II, was kidnapped by Maccabaeus, chief of the Red Picts. He also learns that Maccabaeus was going to be crowned king the next day. Asterix motivates him to challenge Maccabaeus, but Macaroon loses his voice again. Asterix and Obelix then go to retrieve the gourd form Nessie (the Loch Ness monster) who had previously snatched it playfully. In the process, the stumble upon a gallery where Camomilla is kept captive. They rescue her and escape.
The next day is the voting of the chief as to who would become the king. As Maccabaeus advances with his Roman allies and propagates himself as to why should he become the king, Macaroon and his family arrive at the island and confront Maccabaeus. Asterix, Obelix and Camomilla arrive at the nick of time. The sight of Camomilla restores Macaroon's voice. The Gauls and the Picts combine and fight the Romans and Maccabaeus (with some help from Nessie), crushing them.
The Gauls later return back home amidst cheers. "Pictomania", as Getafix calls it, has left back many 'traces'. Meanwhile, Limitednumbus, the Roman census officer is frustrated by the constant movement of the Gauls, which does not allow him to count them properly. Obelix is about to hang him on a tree to send him to the Picts, when Asterix reminds him that there is an easy way of counting Gauls, that is the banquet at the end of the story.