1066: Guillaume Le Conquérant

by Patrick Weber, Emanuele Tenderini (Illustrator)

King Edward of England is dead. Edward's son Harold, one of the potential successors, renounces his oath to yield the throne to William of Normandy. From that day forth, William will have no peace until his rightful claim to the throne is acknowledged.
As the famous Halley comet soars across the heavens, giving rise to much speculation among the scholars of the time, William, Duke of Normandy, launches into the arrangements for the conquest that will change the face of England -- one of the most formidable military expeditions History has ever seen.

This is a tale of ambition, broken oaths, battles, love, death and glory.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, History, Bande Dessinée, Graphic Novels Comics, Historical, Comic Book

72 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Sumit RK · Rating 3 out of 5]

1066 narrates the story of the invasion & conquest of England by William the Conqueror, where he defeated Harold Godwinson in the Battle of Hastings. This book is based on the the Bayeux Tapestry; an ancient artifact (an embroidered cloth nearly 70 meters long) which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England, concerning William, Duke of Normandy, and Harold, Earl of Wessex, later King of England, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings.

The tapestry consists of some fifty scenes and the book does a good job in recreating and composing a story from these images in a modern format. I thought the book was pretty accurate historically and the artwork was superb. Though the story is quite good, it starts a bit abruptly. A basic introduction to the major characters of the story and some of the backstory could have helped. One needs to have a basic knowledge of the events and the tapestry to better understand the story without which you may struggle to make sense of the plot, particularly early on in the story.

I loved the idea behind this book and once you get past the first few chapters, it’s an absorbing read. The book deserves credit for choosing to narrate an unique historical event. Overall a good read.

Thanks to Europe Comics and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Paul Falk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick Weber delivered a brilliant retelling of the infamous account of the invasion of England by Duke William of Normandy beginning in the year 1065, culminating a year later - 1066. From page to page, the artwork was magnificent, the detail stunning. In superb pictorial fashion, the narrative portrayed the events that took place a millennium ago from the shores of Normandy to the beaches of England.

King Harold was slain in battle. To the victor went the spoils of war. Known by many as William the Conqueror, he would be the first Norman to secure the throne as king of England. For the distant invader, however, it came at a heavy price steeped in royal blood.

More than just a comic, I came to learn in vivid color about the legend that would become a vital part of England’s tumultuous history. Perhaps, it could easily be compared to the American Revolution. I recommend this thrilling piece of literature for more than just its details of the overthrow of the King of England. The novel brought forth a mastery of intricate artwork that went into making the pages come alive.

I send my gratitude to NetGalley and Europe Comics for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an American, we were not taught British history in high school, and our version of world history tends to start with Christopher Columbus. However, as an Anglophile, I do know enough of British history to know of the Norman conquest of Britain, the battle of Hastings, in 1066. I have also hear of the Bayeux tapestry, which tells the story of the conquest.

However, beyond that, ziltch. So, although I appreciated this retelling of the battle of Hastings, I had no idea what was going on, what the back story was, who anyone was, other than Harold and William the Conqueror. I did not understand the rivalries, or any of the things that someone who grew up with this history might have picked up on.

I did, however, like how each segment of the tapestry was brought into the action.




It isn't so much something lost in the translation, but something lost in bringing this to the American shores. I have a feeling that British and French readers would get more out of this.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Oneirosophos · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unreadable. Tedious narration + mediocre art, with raw pencils on.

[Spyros · Rating 3 out of 5]

A narration of the historical events of the conquest of England by William the Duke of Normandy. It’s based on a tapestry which records the main events of this storyline . I found the reading experience very tiring although it is a small book, 70 pages long. First of all because I knew the whole story and when you know what happens this doesn’t help , I also anticipated more riveting fight sequences(since this is the main visual representation of this story). The dialogs were quite boring and I felt they just filled the pictures of the story for no essential purpose. All in all I think it will be a more enjoyable read for someone who gets to know the story of William the conqueror.

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Comparing The Bayeux Tapestry to a comic book made me giggle, but they’re kind of right. Like that tapestry, in this book we don’t really know what is happening.
Oy vey, this art is rough and monotone. I have no idea who is who and what role they play in this story and I’m 15% in. Every scene looks the same, so monotonous.
I feel like I’ve fallen off a cliff and I don’t know when I’ll hit water but I hope it’s soon to end this reading misery. When will it end?
The Bayeux Tapestry may be confusing, but at least it’s pretty. This is just confusing.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amid poor reviews I was a little dismayed that a familiar tale from history, "1066 and all that..." would be tainted by a substandard historical account and these tumultuous events would fade from my interest.
I need not have worried and previous reviewers must have read the piece incorrectly or failed to accept the premise under which it was written.
They say that 'history is always written and recorded by the victors'. Perhaps no more so than the Bayeux Tapestry; which isn't really a tapestry but is a 'faithful account' (perhaps) of the Norman Conquest.
This graphic novel pays homage to the fact that this account of the invasion by William the Conqueror is recorded by either his wife Matilda or commissioned by his half-brother Odo. The conclusions give some measure of the search for its authenticity.
That it plays on the fact that the original was an early example of telling a story through words and pictures, a comic strip. This re-telling of 1066 is said to be a faithful comic strip based on that original work we know as the Bayeux Tapestry.
I found the story both interesting, fascinating in terms of succession and sibling rivalries, and familiar in the early battle at Stamford Bridge.
The story suits a graphic novel wonderfully and I'm grateful for the opportunity to read it for myself and remember some of my earliest history lessons.

[Erin (Historical Fiction Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Find this and other reviews at: http://historicalfictionreader.blogsp...

1066: William the Conqueror by Patrick Weber is a beautifully drawn narrative adapted from the famed Bayeux Tapestry. The novel, like embroidery that inspired it, tells the story of the Norman Conquest and culminates in the epic Battle of Hastings.

I loved the idea behind this book, but I think this particular adaptation best suited to those already familiar with the material. I don’t mean to turn off potential readers, but Weber does not dwell on the development of either his characters or their conflict which makes the narrative choppy and may be confusing to those experiencing the story for the first time.

The artwork is not striking, but pleasant enough and I liked the decision to recreate sections of the Tapestry at various points in the story.

[Maritina Mela · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title pretty much explains what this graphic novel is about. It's about Wiliam the Conqueror coming from Normandy to England and taking its throne. The events this book describes, have been depicted on a tapestry that was contemporary to the actual history and the book itself begins with a little piece about that. We see many of the people who participated in those events, such as Edward the confessor, Harold II and of course, William himself.

On paper, this had so many things that I like! It's a short story, and an illustrated one at that, and it is history related. But I am sad to say that I was actually tempted to DNF it.

Now, I won't say that I am totally unfamiliar with the events that the book is about, but I also can't claim that I am very familiar with them, to the extent that I can criticize this based on historical accuracy. But don't worry, there are other stuff I can criticize it for.

First of all, the pacing. Because everything felt like it happened within the span of like a week. Which is absolutely not the case.
And I also have to admit that I got confused when it came to the characters' motives. Like, okay, they basically did what they did for the crown, but while reading the dialogue, I was under the impression that they had masterminded many plans - which fair enough, they probably had in real life - and those were not depicted the right way. So the whole "planning" fell flat for me, instead of building up tension. To me, the whole story feels incomplete and disjointed.

There were also some characters which I couldn't tell what purpose they were serving. Like that Conan guy who was causing so many problems and we saw him for like one or two panels and then we never see him again. Or like that woman who seduces one of the guys (which guys she seduces and whose side this guy is on, will remain a mystery to me, because I didn't quite catch that) and then she is suspected to be a traitor and is shot with an arrow. They had no impact on the overall story.
And as an expansion of that, I also couldn't feel the connection between the characters. For example, William adores his wife, we see them having sex once. And? I don't buy into that, sorry.

So as you can tell, my main complains have to do with it being way underdeveloped and dull. I read a lot of people's reviews where they were complaining about the art too. Well, the art isn't the best I've seen in a comic and a few panels definitely feel unfinished/rushed, but it's also not the worst artwork I've seen, except perhaps that some of the characters look alike and that can be hella confusing.

By the way, someone really needs to fix the online synopsis of this, because Harold wasn't Edward's son, but his brother in law, I said so in my notes too.

Anyway, this surely was a let down for me, because I love history and it's so sad when I read stuff that are based on historical events but they don't do them justice (go on, ask me about what other books that fall into that category I've read) and for me to consider DNFing a graphic novel, which is under 100 pages mind you, is a first!

I'd rather watch a YouTube documentary about William's invasion, or better yet, a Horrible Histories episode. I bet there must be one!

If you made it this far, congratulations!
'Til next time, take care :) :) :)

[Jifu · Rating 1 out of 5]

(I received an electronic copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley)

I was drawn in by the premise of a graphic novel adaptation of the Bayeux Tapestry. However, the execution did not end up working as well as I had anticipated. Just as one needs prior historic information to better understand and appreciate the tapestry, a sizable amount of background is necessary for this retelling of the Norman Conquest of England. Unfortunately there really isn't any context provided, and I ended up finding myself struggling at times to make sense of the plot. The reading experience felt akin to being taught to swim by getting dropped right into the deep end of a pool. I'm frankly having trouble seeing who this book could be for. As a means to learn about the events leading up to the momentous Battle of Hastings, it doesn't work very well. It is probably better enjoyed by those who possess enough background knowledge, but that's hardly a good-sized potential audience, to say the least.

"1066" is founded upon what I think is a genuinely interesting idea. Unfortunately, a solid translation of the Bayeux Tapestry from its original embroidered form into comic format is something much easier promised than actually done, and I feel like the latter simply wasn't pulled off very strongly here.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley

In terms of history, this is spot on. It would help if you are familiar with the general events surrounding the 1066 invasion as well as the politics leading up to it.

I mean, Weber remembers the women. So, you have Harold, Edward, and William. But you have Edith and Mathilda among others.

The one problem is that too many of the men are drawn too much alike, so I had to flip back and forth a couple times. Still, this is a good, solid comic history of the events. In particular, while it does have nudity and blood (quite a bit of blood), it would be a fitting read for a younger student of history. The panels also make really good use of the Bayaux.

[Mark Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

If the characters hadn't all had; red hair, the same haircut and facial hair ,this would have gotten five stars. A longer introduction would have helped.

[Gwnhwyfer · Rating 3 out of 5]

"...the oldest comic strip in the history of mankind has taken the leap from embroidered cloth to printed page..."

1066 is an interesting, visual addition to this particular period in history and a modern link to a unique historical document. Like all historical documents, the tapestry is open to interpretation, especially since it has no text to quantify the images In his introduction, the author does admit he has taken some liberties while producing his work, just as all good storytellers have done throughout the years. I did enjoy seeing characters I've read about as dry, historical figures come to life (which is one of many reasons I love graphic novels!).

I did have some continuity issues, especially at the beginning - a list of characters, even a short version, would have been helpful! The brief interview with the current (2011) curator of the tapestry was an interesting addition. I would, however, recommend reading this graphic novel in conjunction with another work on the era or the tapestry itself.

I received this copy via Net Galley.

[Ed Erwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This condensed story is almost as difficult to understand on it's own as the Bayeux tapestry itself.

[Theediscerning · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has it that the Bayeux Tapestry is ultimately impenetrable, with bits that are not understandable. So the creators here have replaced it with this – a book that is, er, ultimately impenetrable and not understandable. So you get waffle, flim-flam and no way in to the narrative, plus jump cuts to Halley's comet and the original, as if this mirrors the actual not-a-tapestry. I'll never know if it does or not, for this was awful. If like me you have an average knowledge of the history of the times, you'll know less after these pages.

[Melkor von Moltke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent little work on the Norman Conquest of England, detailing the political intrigue that provides the background for the conflict and culminating in the battle of Hastings.

An interesting technique is used to craft this work. Taking the view that the Bayeux Tapestry is the first "comic," the author and illustrator weaves the tapestry itself into the story, matching each event described with a corresponding scene from the tapestry. There is also a nice little section at the end about the tapestry's history, which I found interesting.

Unfortunately, the artwork is only okay. Some illustrations are interesting but others are muddled and unclear. One of the biggest problems is that Harold and William look almost exactly alike when wearing armor. Other characters are similarly difficult to differtiate. The dialogue itself is ok, but the story can sometimes be a bit hard to follow and confusing, especially when all of the characters look so similar.

Overall, this is a nice little overview of the Norman Conquest, with alright illustrations and dialogue.

I received a copy of this work from netgalley

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

'1066: William the Conqueror' by Patrick Weber takes a big historical milestone and puts it in to a 75 page graphic novel.

The inspiration for this graphic novel is the Norman Conquest as well as the Bayeux Tapestry. The story would probably be a bit easier to get through if the reader is familiar with the events. I have some passing familiarity with the events, and found it to be a pretty good retelling. I like the bits of tapestry that are recreated to match parts of the story. I also like the occasional shots of Halley's comet which was also overhead at this time.

The art is fine, but felt a bit on the crude side. As such, I sometimes had a hard time telling characters with similar facial features and haircuts apart. I did also like the brief afterword about the tapestry and how those events are sometimes interpreted.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[Roopkumar Balachandran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Net galley for giving me an opportunity to read and review the graphic novel 1066. The story is about conquest of England by William the Conqueror.

The graphic novel is based on the 11th century Bayeux Tapestry made of linen cloth measuring 68.38 meters and 55 cm in height. The story is told in 58 scenes and it is considered to be worlds first comic strip.

It is an adventure story of William, the novel also exhibits his shrewdness and leadership qualities. In between they have provided the images from the Bayeux tapestry which makes the book more enjoyable.

The copy I have received have some unfinished panels and pencil marks abound. Some panels I have given below. Since it is free copy the publisher had sent a low resolution unfinished panel work for review. I am sure the final product will be fantastic, as the unfinished panels looks good.

Review with images:

http://www.chromaring.com/2018/08/106...

[Lady Alexandrine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading this comic book. I love history and I have always thought that the Bayeux Tapestry is a fascinating piece of art. I wanted to know how it was made into a simple comic book. The idea in itself is brilliant, but I was a bit let down by the execution.

The art was nicely done, but I think the faces of characters should be less alike, because they were sometimes hard to distinguish. At times I had no idea who the character was and if I have seen him before :) The narration wasn't easy to follow. Motivations of the characters remained a mystery to me and their actions were sometimes puzzling. Characters appeared and then disappeared without explanation. To be honest there were moments when I looked up from the comic book and wondered: Who are these people? What do they want? Why they do what they do? And I am still not sure what are the answers :) Also, I was hoping that the battle scenes would be more detailed and would explain more about what happened on the battlefield and why Harold was defeated. Unfortunately, the battle scenes where just pictures of soldiers fighting and a huge scull appearing in the sky. Still, the comic book was nicely done and maybe it will encourage readers to learn more about the battle of Hastings and the Bayeux Tapestry.

I received "1066: William the Conqueror" from the publisher via NetGalley. I would like to thank the authors and the publisher for providing me with the advance reader copy of the book.

[Alex Khlopenko · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an electronic copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley

1066:Guillaume Le Conquérant presents a visual story of of the invasion & conquest of England by William the Conqueror, where he defeated Harold Godwinson in the Battle of Hastings. Based on Bayeux Tapestry (which is not strictly speaking a tapestry), the graphical novel tries to convey the story with a more personal approach to those moments in history.

While the story is well known and well developed, the book falls short on two major occasions.

1. Graphically most male characters looks identical and it snaps you from the flow of the story when you try to catch up who is who in every scene.

2. The dialogues between the characters are indistinguishable from one another. Every character is basically the same person, simply on different sides of the barricades. The wording is cliched, no singular voice or POV to remember.

Otherwise, it is a solid effort from Patrick Weber on the reconstruction of those events and would be perfect to get people into the history of middle ages.

[Jurij Fedorov · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't even finish it. It's a giant mess and I'm not sure what went wrong. It's like there is an issue with the editing as if half the pages are missing. Characters appear out of nowhere talking about stuff someone else did at some point. Everyone looks the same. Even landscapes look the same. Where are we? What area, what country, what castle? Who are these people? Who wants what and who has what power over what area? There should have been a 100 word text on every page explaining all of this. This seems to have some history to it and maybe could be interesting if readers could understand any of it. I frankly think this is a mistake. Maybe it was twice as long and then 80 pages needed to be cut for some reason.

Unfortunately many comic books are like this. Just weird narration that make no sense. I try to finish such stories if they are 30 pages, but not this long. It's a shame as I think the idea itself is cool.

[MatiBracchitta · Rating 2 out of 5]

Las dos estrellas son un regalo porque me gustó la idea inicial, pero la realización deja demasiado que desear. No solo parece apresurado (da saltos que confunden demasiado) sino que además está completamente descontextualizado. Hay personajes que aparecen sin la menor presentación, la caracterización de los personajes en ocasiones es demasiado similar, no logré diferenciarlos en algunos pasajes lo que aumentó mi confusión.

El principal problema es que supone un conocimiento que al menos yo no poseo. Da sobre entendido que vamos a conocer a tales personajes o tales eventos, y los que no tenemos dicho saber quedamos afuera.

El arte no es malo, pero tampoco se destaca para nada. No recomiendo este cómic para nada.

[Tabby Shiflett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphic novel about the 1066 Norman Invasion as told through the Bayeux Tapestry. Although the story jumps into the middle of the saga with little introduction (although most readers do not need it), this work illustrates the history pretty well and the artwork is intricate as well as captivating. Some sections of the Bayeux Tapestry are included within the story and there are a few pages at the end that describe some history about the "tapestry" itself (perhaps having these pages in front of the story would have worked better). For history lovers who enjoy a good story in a different medium.

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[Soaring Leaves · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice art, even if it looks a bit sketched and not fully done in some parts .
Problems were hard to differentiate characters, especially with helmets on.
This is so short to cover such a big series of events, and the length really is a detriment to it. If it was focusing on a single battle then things would be more coherent. Swapping between snippets of court intrigue, and various battles, just made it hard to follow.
If you're a history buff then you might enjoy this more. Although, maybe you'd prefer the Channel 4 Battle of Hastings show over this.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are a lot of speculative political machinations around Harold’s succession and defeat. None of the characters are very engaging or likeable, and while the art is mostly good, several are hard to tell apart. It’s an interesting subject, but this isn’t a very good treatment of the Norman invasion.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel was excellent. The combination of painterly and sketchy images is so beautiful. I love being able to see the artist in their work and this was absolutely that.

Also, the negative reviews are killing me. Americans, JUST GOOGLE THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS. Good lord. If you need context, LOOK IT UP. I'm so annoyed that dumbasses are ruining the rating.

[Richard Tremblay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Faut bien connaître le sujet avant de lire cet album. Il s'agit en fait d'une lecture très collé sur l’original de la tapisserie de Bayeux. Fascinant. Beau dessin avec des personnages principaux qui se ressemblent beaucoup trop à mon goût, d'où difficulté à bien suivre le texte.

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to see an interpretation of scenes from the Bayeaux Tapestry, as well as learn a bit of the backstory of Harold and William. I did struggle to understand who was who outside of those historical figures and King Edward.

[Ray Perdue · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh.

[Sonja Karlsen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Opgav den.