Present day Yemen conceals one of the most enigmatic ancient cultures; the land of Sheba, or Arabia Felix, whence (supposedly) came the Great Queen who visited Solomon, and (more historically) the great spices of the Orient, including cinnamon and Frankincense. The wealth of Arabia Felix owed itself to the highly sophisticated irrigation systems that captured and channeled the flash-floods that periodically pouring down the mountain-sides. This was a remarkable people who built cities on the cliff-faces, commanded huge caravan fleets, monopolized the spice trade and commuted across the Indian Ocean. They evaded BOTH the Alexandrian and the Roman conquests. For all whose imagination is captured by ancient, brilliant civilizations, this is pure escapism.

This is a great read for any fan of the series and for those who speak both French and English. Here is a book that would certainly lose something in translation. The characters in Britain speak French using English syntax. There are a number of good laughs to be found at English idioms translated directly into French: ("Je dis ceci est choquant." comes readily to mind). It's also nice to know that Asterix and Obelix are able to help their Breton cousins find their own magic potion in their struggles with Rome.