René Goscinny & Albert Uderzo — The Mansions of the Gods — First UK Edition

René Goscinny & Albert Uderzo — The Mansions of the Gods — First UK Edition

GOSCINNY, René; UDERZO, Albert.
The Mansions of the Gods. An Asterix Adventure.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press. First UK edition. Quarto. Illustrated throughout in colour. Original pictorial laminated boards.

Description

A bright and attractive first UK edition of The Mansions of the Gods, one of the most sharply satirical adventures in René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo’s celebrated Asterix series.

Originally published in French as Le Domaine des Dieux, the story finds Julius Caesar attempting to defeat the indomitable Gaulish village not by military force but by surrounding it with a luxurious Roman housing development. The resulting clash between Roman urban planning and the fiercely independent villagers gives Goscinny considerable scope for satire on property development, consumerism, bureaucracy and cultural assimilation.

The English version forms part of the important early British sequence issued by Brockhampton Press, with the celebrated translation by Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge preserving the verbal humour, puns and comic timing that became a defining feature of Asterix in English.

Uderzo’s artwork is reproduced throughout in full colour. The pictorial front board is particularly distinctive, showing a dejected Asterix seated before the monumental Roman apartment development, while the rear board features Asterix and Obelix beneath Obelix’s menhir, which lists earlier titles in the series. The original printed price of 80p and ISBN 0 340 17779 5 appear on the rear board.

The Mansions of the Gods is especially notable within the series for the way its ancient Roman setting is used to parody recognisably modern concerns about speculative building, suburban development and social engineering. This combination of historical comedy and contemporary satire is characteristic of Goscinny and Uderzo at their best and has helped make the book an enduring favourite among both readers and collectors.

A desirable first British edition in notably bright condition.

Condition

Very good indeed. The original pictorial laminated boards are bright and clean, with only very minor marks and light creasing. The spine is slightly faded. The binding remains tight and firm. Internally, the pages are very nice and clean throughout, with the colour illustrations fresh and vibrant. A bright, clean and very well-preserved copy.

Bibliographical Details

Authors: René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
Illustrator: Albert Uderzo
Title: The Mansions of the Gods
Series: An Asterix Adventure
Publisher: Brockhampton Press
Place of Publication: Leicester
Edition: First UK edition
Format: Quarto
Illustration: Illustrated throughout in colour
Binding: Original pictorial laminated boards
Printed Price: 80p
ISBN: 0 340 17779 5
Condition: Very good indeed

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