Asterix and the Soothsayer (Asterix (Orion Paperback))

Rating:
Summary: Clairvoyant or Conman?
Review: A traveller, claming to be a soothsayer, takes refuge in the village. It isn't long, before the entire village is in his thrall, desperate to believe the wonderful things he has foretold.
Only Asterix sees him for what he really is. A fraud, who lives off peoples credulity.
Even Obelix is taken in by his sweet talk, and falls in love with Geriatrixs' rather gorgeous wife.
The false soothsayer falls into the hands of the Romans and is promised his freedom if he can get the Gauls to leave the village.

He actually manages to do this, and only Asterix and a reluctant Obelix stay. Luckily the Druid Getafix gets back from his Conference in the Forest of the Carnutes, in the nick of time.
Asterix and Getafix put their brains together to deal with the Soothsayer and the Romans.

Some really witty jokes in this one, where we get to find out about all the Gaullish gods, as well as the Roman policy at the time to arrest and deport all Gaullish soothsayers.

Rating:
Summary: Really well-done stories and illustrations!
Review: This book was the first one I ever bought in the Asterix series, and it's still one of my favorites. Everyone in the village wants to believe the rosy future predicted for them by the soothsayer, with only Asterix expressing any skepticism. I really love the artwork in this series, as well as the attempt at giving the reader a feel for the historical era --- even though it's as historically accurate of ancient times as the Flintstones is of the caveman era! Still, a fun-to-read set of books!