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The Collected Toppi #7
Sharaz-De
A set of tales inspired by the Arabian Nights by European comics master Sergio Toppi, exploring a barbaric society where the supernatural is the only remedy to injustice, as Sharaz-de, captive to a cruel and despotic king, must each night spin tales to entertain her master and save her head from the executioner. Featuring tales filled with evil spirits, treasures, risk, and danger, but ever at their center the passions of gods and men.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1984
13 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
About the author
Sergio Toppi
210 books107 followersSergio Toppi was an Italian illustrator and comics author from Milan.
Toppi's art style is known for its sophisticated compositions and an unmatched ability with hatching.
Young Toppi left his medical studies in the early 50's to pursue a career in illustration, which lasted until his death at age eighty. His illustrations were featured in many Italian newspapers, magazines and books.
Toppi also developed a comics career since the middle of the 60's. His body of work in comics is mostly composed of short stories on a wide range of subject matters, often in a historical or fantasy setting. Toppi's stories appeared in a number of Italian comics magazines, from the ones devoted to kids such as Il Corriere dei Piccoli and Il Giornalino, to those targeting a more mature or larger audience, like Sgt. Kirk, Linus, alter alter, Corto Maltese, L'Eternauta, Comic Art, Orient Express. For the latter magazine Toppi created in the 80's his only recurring comics character, called Il Collezionista (The Collector).
Toppi's art style is known for its sophisticated compositions and an unmatched ability with hatching.
Young Toppi left his medical studies in the early 50's to pursue a career in illustration, which lasted until his death at age eighty. His illustrations were featured in many Italian newspapers, magazines and books.
Toppi also developed a comics career since the middle of the 60's. His body of work in comics is mostly composed of short stories on a wide range of subject matters, often in a historical or fantasy setting. Toppi's stories appeared in a number of Italian comics magazines, from the ones devoted to kids such as Il Corriere dei Piccoli and Il Giornalino, to those targeting a more mature or larger audience, like Sgt. Kirk, Linus, alter alter, Corto Maltese, L'Eternauta, Comic Art, Orient Express. For the latter magazine Toppi created in the 80's his only recurring comics character, called Il Collezionista (The Collector).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
February 18, 2016
“Sharaz-De – Contos das Mil e Uma Noites” do artista plástico e ilustrador italiano Sergio Toppi (1932 – 2012) é mais uma excelente edição da colecção de Banda Desenhada “Novela Gráfica” do jornal Público em parceria com a editora Levoir publicada a 23 de Abril de 2015.
No prefácio da edição da Levoir/Público, João P. Boléo refere em relação a Sergio Toppi, que ”A sensibilidade, a atenção ao pormenor significativo, a qualidade literária, a densidade temática e a seriedade humanista estão presentes na sua obra desde cedo, a par de um elevado apuro estilístico.” e as ”Narrativas em geral de média dimensão caracterizadas pela intensidade dramática, originalidade e o mistério que as envolve, aliadas a um espantoso sentido plástico e um pessoalíssimo domínio narrativo. Nelas funde magistralmente os tempos de leitura, o conjunto e o pormenor, a página como um todo e o percurso sequencial, com um inconfundível estilo marmóreo, ao serviço de um fascínio por civilizações e culturas míticas ou historicamente simbólicas, tanto no passado mais longínquo como contemporâneas…”.
Entre a traição e o adultério há uma jovem mulher, Sharaz-De, que decide sacrificar-se perante o Rei; contando-lhe histórias antigas e raras…
“Sharaz-De – Contos das Mil e Uma Noites” é um livro fascinante, um conjunto de contos, de histórias dentro da história, que englobam e exploram sociedades ancestrais, onde o misticismo e o sobrenatural dominam, num conjunto de personagens cruéis e despóticas, que definem e aplicam os seus próprios códigos de justiça e de honra, enfrentando perigos e riscos inimagináveis, numa luta pela honra e pela traição.
Primeiro “li” “Sharaz-De – Contos das Mil e Uma Noites”, dedicando particular atenção ao enredo e aos diálogos; depois “vi” “Sharaz-De – Contos das Mil e Uma Noites”, dedicando exclusiva atenção às ilustrações; onze Contos ou onze Histórias, nove a preto e branco e duas a cores, absolutamente deslumbrantes.
Sergio Toppi (1932 – 2012)
August 26, 2021
Круті малюнки, що слугують прекрасним тлом для східних історій, сповнених шарму. І багато птахів.
August 30, 2012
Disclaimer: Copy received via Netgalley
Did you ever see the old Sinbad movies? Maybe the one with the young Jane Seymour? The ones with the Ray Harryhausen special effects? Was it your first introduction to the Arabian Nights too? Did the actual tales with the frame story of sex and violence come as something as a surprise?
Well, Mr. Toppi follows the tradition of the original stories and not the movies.
And boy, is it something.
I had never heard of Sergio Toppi before seeing this book posted up on Netgalley. I picked it up simply because of the subject matter. Therefore, I do not know how this work fits into his oeuvre.
First, I would like to say something about the artwork. Mr. Simonson in his foreword notes that Toppi made excellent use of space as well as black and white. This is true. The copy I received via Netgalley, downloaded and read on computer, includes two tales that are done in color. The majority of the book is in down in black and white. The black and white illustrations are better than those that have been colored. The black and white drawings pull the reader in far more than those that have been colored. I do not know what the scheme in terms of color is for the final edition. But the black and white is stunning. The loneness of an exile is far more stabbing and heart rending in stark terms than in the washed out color. I hope the color is either just in the two stories or taken out all together in the hardcover version. (For parents, the artwork does have some topless women).
In short, Toppi’s artwork = WOW!
Sharaz-De (Sherazade) tells stories to save her life. The frame story of Arabian Nights not only shows the reader the sharp intelligence of a young woman, but also the power of story-telling to shape what is around us. Toppi keeps true to this idea. The stories are chosen to reflect on the situation that Sharaz-De finds herself in. They are not so much stories of passionate love, though passionate love is there, but stories about mercy and justice. It is hard not to see Sharaz-De herself in the character of the falcon who saves his prince or in the dwarf that demands a just payment or in the dijinn who falls in love with mercy.
It is that choice of stories and the stunning artwork that make this a joy to read. Toppi keeps to the frame story and the reader becomes part of that frame. Using the storytelling technique of repetition, Toppi makes the reader part of the danger that Sharaz-De faces; the reader becomes the judge as well as Sharaz-De’s husband. At the same time, however, the reader is Sharaz-De, standing on the edge of that sword. It’s brilliant. The reader is lost in one story, finds the way out, and then is lost once more in Sharaz-De’s own predicament.
I once knew someone who taught Arabic. He once said that the best translation of Arabian Nights was the Burton work. I don’t know Arabic, so I can’t speak for the accuracy of translation. What I do know, however, is that Toppi’s retelling is the most engrossing version of Arabian Nights I have seen.
And that includes the mini-series that had Rufus Sewell in it.
Did you ever see the old Sinbad movies? Maybe the one with the young Jane Seymour? The ones with the Ray Harryhausen special effects? Was it your first introduction to the Arabian Nights too? Did the actual tales with the frame story of sex and violence come as something as a surprise?
Well, Mr. Toppi follows the tradition of the original stories and not the movies.
And boy, is it something.
I had never heard of Sergio Toppi before seeing this book posted up on Netgalley. I picked it up simply because of the subject matter. Therefore, I do not know how this work fits into his oeuvre.
First, I would like to say something about the artwork. Mr. Simonson in his foreword notes that Toppi made excellent use of space as well as black and white. This is true. The copy I received via Netgalley, downloaded and read on computer, includes two tales that are done in color. The majority of the book is in down in black and white. The black and white illustrations are better than those that have been colored. The black and white drawings pull the reader in far more than those that have been colored. I do not know what the scheme in terms of color is for the final edition. But the black and white is stunning. The loneness of an exile is far more stabbing and heart rending in stark terms than in the washed out color. I hope the color is either just in the two stories or taken out all together in the hardcover version. (For parents, the artwork does have some topless women).
In short, Toppi’s artwork = WOW!
Sharaz-De (Sherazade) tells stories to save her life. The frame story of Arabian Nights not only shows the reader the sharp intelligence of a young woman, but also the power of story-telling to shape what is around us. Toppi keeps true to this idea. The stories are chosen to reflect on the situation that Sharaz-De finds herself in. They are not so much stories of passionate love, though passionate love is there, but stories about mercy and justice. It is hard not to see Sharaz-De herself in the character of the falcon who saves his prince or in the dwarf that demands a just payment or in the dijinn who falls in love with mercy.
It is that choice of stories and the stunning artwork that make this a joy to read. Toppi keeps to the frame story and the reader becomes part of that frame. Using the storytelling technique of repetition, Toppi makes the reader part of the danger that Sharaz-De faces; the reader becomes the judge as well as Sharaz-De’s husband. At the same time, however, the reader is Sharaz-De, standing on the edge of that sword. It’s brilliant. The reader is lost in one story, finds the way out, and then is lost once more in Sharaz-De’s own predicament.
I once knew someone who taught Arabic. He once said that the best translation of Arabian Nights was the Burton work. I don’t know Arabic, so I can’t speak for the accuracy of translation. What I do know, however, is that Toppi’s retelling is the most engrossing version of Arabian Nights I have seen.
And that includes the mini-series that had Rufus Sewell in it.
September 26, 2021
Başyapıt.
Muhteşem.
Birazdan tekrar okuyacağım..
Muhteşem.
Birazdan tekrar okuyacağım..
March 6, 2014
Rufus Drool mouthing 'Open Sesame' is enough to send a girl mad...
http://youtu.be/k_zUQZxAX4A
Mili Avital ... Scheherezade
Alan Bates ... Storyteller
James Frain ... Schahzenan / Harun al-Rashid
Tchéky Karyo ... Black Coda (as Tcheky Karyo)
Jason Scott Lee ... Aladdin
John Leguizamo ... Genie of the Lamp / Genie of the Ring
Vanessa Mae ... Princess Zobeide
Dougray Scott ... Sultan Shahryar / Amin
Rufus Sewell ... Ali Baba
Jim Carter ... Ja'Far
Peter Guinness ... Chief Executioner
Hugh Quarshie ... Mustappa
Pik Sen Lim ... Aladdin's Mother (as Pik-Sen Lim)
Amira Casar ... Morgiana
Andy Serkis ... Kasim
Ayesha Dharker ... Coral Lips
Alexis Conran ... Prince Ali
James Callis ... Prince Ahmed
Hari Dhillon ... Prince Hussain
John Hallam ... Demon
Alexei Sayle ... BacBac
August 4, 2015
Deixei o melhor para o fim. Aliás, este foi o elemento fundamental que me convenceu a negociar com uma papelaria cá da terra para fazer a colecção completa das Novelas Gráficas Público/Levoir. Tinha de assegurar que esta edição do esplendoroso Sharaz-De chegaria às minhas estantes. Sabendo o que me esperava, tendo-o já encontrado por portas e travessas nos recantos obscuros do mundo digital, guardei-o até ter tempo mental para o saborear.
A adaptação de contos das Mil e Uma Noites por Toppi toca-nos no fascínio do orientalismo. Não adapta toda a obra - seria trabalho gargantuesco, mas condensa episódios do vasto tecido ficcional dessa recolha clássica da tradição árabe. Mas não é pelo texto que o livro me encanta. Apesar de ter uma relação nostálgica com leituras de infância de esfarelados exemplares de uma edição de 1957 na colecção Orbe da Livraria Clássica Editora. Essas edições coligidas por Eduardo Dias ensinaram-me o que sei sobre Sheharazade, Aladino, Sinbad, génios, odaliscas, palácios luxuosos no meio dos desertos, princesas misteriosas, bruxas que se alimentam de cadáveres nos cemitérios do Cairo e as aventuras do jovial Harun Al-Rashid, o califa que elevou Bagdad aos píncaros civilizacionais. Sublinhe-se que a nostalgia infantil não me cegou para o lado polémico da obra, traduzida para a sensibilidade europeia no século XIX como uma visão fantasiosa e pitoresca da cultura árabe. Boa companhia para aquelas pinturas de jovens tunisinas de seios ao léu ou paisagens de carnes ardentes de odaliscas saídos dos pincéis da escola orientalista francesa, muito adepta da sensualidade das escravas no harém. O orientalismo tem muita coisa passível de aterrorizar psiquiatras ou psicólogos clínicos.
O que torna Sharaz-De obra maior é o traço de Toppi. Fortemente texturado, filigranado a roçar a abstração. Os arabescos que deslumbram o olhar são muito apropriados para estas histórias das arábias sonhadas. Têm mais força no contraste puro do desenho a preto e branco, embora as ilustrações a cor também nos façam perder o olhar. As figuras surgem por entre os arabescos filigranados ou texturas densas, pequenos oásis de silêncio por entre o murmúrio do traço.
Oásis. Pronto. Bolas. Fui apanhado pelo espírito orientalista. Resta-me ir ouvir a Scheherazade de Rimsky-Korsakov no palácio de Monserrate. Deixo ficar Toppi na estante, mas trago comigo um ou dois dos livros da colecção orbe. Permitem-me?
A adaptação de contos das Mil e Uma Noites por Toppi toca-nos no fascínio do orientalismo. Não adapta toda a obra - seria trabalho gargantuesco, mas condensa episódios do vasto tecido ficcional dessa recolha clássica da tradição árabe. Mas não é pelo texto que o livro me encanta. Apesar de ter uma relação nostálgica com leituras de infância de esfarelados exemplares de uma edição de 1957 na colecção Orbe da Livraria Clássica Editora. Essas edições coligidas por Eduardo Dias ensinaram-me o que sei sobre Sheharazade, Aladino, Sinbad, génios, odaliscas, palácios luxuosos no meio dos desertos, princesas misteriosas, bruxas que se alimentam de cadáveres nos cemitérios do Cairo e as aventuras do jovial Harun Al-Rashid, o califa que elevou Bagdad aos píncaros civilizacionais. Sublinhe-se que a nostalgia infantil não me cegou para o lado polémico da obra, traduzida para a sensibilidade europeia no século XIX como uma visão fantasiosa e pitoresca da cultura árabe. Boa companhia para aquelas pinturas de jovens tunisinas de seios ao léu ou paisagens de carnes ardentes de odaliscas saídos dos pincéis da escola orientalista francesa, muito adepta da sensualidade das escravas no harém. O orientalismo tem muita coisa passível de aterrorizar psiquiatras ou psicólogos clínicos.
O que torna Sharaz-De obra maior é o traço de Toppi. Fortemente texturado, filigranado a roçar a abstração. Os arabescos que deslumbram o olhar são muito apropriados para estas histórias das arábias sonhadas. Têm mais força no contraste puro do desenho a preto e branco, embora as ilustrações a cor também nos façam perder o olhar. As figuras surgem por entre os arabescos filigranados ou texturas densas, pequenos oásis de silêncio por entre o murmúrio do traço.
Oásis. Pronto. Bolas. Fui apanhado pelo espírito orientalista. Resta-me ir ouvir a Scheherazade de Rimsky-Korsakov no palácio de Monserrate. Deixo ficar Toppi na estante, mas trago comigo um ou dois dos livros da colecção orbe. Permitem-me?
April 2, 2015
When I was a kid, I used to "sneak" into my mom's library and spend hours looking through Faeries, enthralled with the illustrations of the pretty faeries, the folklore, and the terrifying nasty ones. I say sneak, not because my mother didn't allow me near her books, but because the illustrations and descriptions were explicit--revealing the dangerous side of the fairy tale/folktale world with which I was unaware, having kept mostly to Disney. If I ever have kids, I want this to be their Faeries book.
A long time ago, I started to read The Arabian Nights, but fell away for some reason or another. Clearly, after reading this, I need to get back to it. And I need to check out more Toppi, but seeing as he's Italian and his work isn't published all that extensively in America (much less English), this feels like an uphill battle. I'm hooked though. I don't often buy books anymore, especially before reading them, but I'm so glad I did so with Sharaz-De...I'm fairly covetous of it already.
A long time ago, I started to read The Arabian Nights, but fell away for some reason or another. Clearly, after reading this, I need to get back to it. And I need to check out more Toppi, but seeing as he's Italian and his work isn't published all that extensively in America (much less English), this feels like an uphill battle. I'm hooked though. I don't often buy books anymore, especially before reading them, but I'm so glad I did so with Sharaz-De...I'm fairly covetous of it already.
June 26, 2013
Wonderful art and a great bunch of stories make this one of the best graphic "novels" around. (Really it is more like graphic literature).
Mostly pen and ink drawings that add to the stories that are sometimes subtle and sometimes over the top, but always appropriate.
The only problem with this book is that it is way too short. There are 1001 stories and this book only contains 12. The author is now dead so there'll be no more and that is too bad. Ending a book can generate different emotions--for me this one made me sad that there wasn't more.
Minor note: This is an adult graphic story, so there are some pictures that might be inappropriate for young readers. For everyone else, read this.
Mostly pen and ink drawings that add to the stories that are sometimes subtle and sometimes over the top, but always appropriate.
The only problem with this book is that it is way too short. There are 1001 stories and this book only contains 12. The author is now dead so there'll be no more and that is too bad. Ending a book can generate different emotions--for me this one made me sad that there wasn't more.
Minor note: This is an adult graphic story, so there are some pictures that might be inappropriate for young readers. For everyone else, read this.
August 3, 2019
Gerek hikayeler gerek çizimler gerekse anlatım tarzı çok iyiydi. Çizimlere dikkatli baktığınızda belli bir süre düşme hiss yaşayabiliyorsunuz. Böylesi güzel çalışmaların olduğunu görmek güzel.
October 18, 2020
Bu kitap hakkında söylenecek çok fazla bir şey yok. Toppi'nin ustalığı göz kamaştırıcı.
Çeviri ve baskı kalitesi de takdiri hak ediyor.
Çeviri ve baskı kalitesi de takdiri hak ediyor.
December 3, 2025
"Dovrebbe stare in un museo", direbbe Indiana Jones.
"Ma non in una biblioteca", risponderei io.
A parte le battute, sono rimasto un filo deluso dall'opera di Sergio Toppi. Per quanto ci sia un innegabile valore artistico, forte di un uso magico del bianco e nero, del tratto klimtiano, della scomposizione dei corpi, delle tavole, delle forme e delle raffigurazioni sbalorditive di animali comuni e leggendari, il fumetto rimane tematicamente e narrativamente insufficiente. L'accozzaglia di storie scelte da "Le mille e una notte" sono ripetitive, a tratti banali e troppo corte per essere davvero accattivanti. Insomma, più un libro da osservare per le sue illustrazioni che da leggere.
"Ma non in una biblioteca", risponderei io.
A parte le battute, sono rimasto un filo deluso dall'opera di Sergio Toppi. Per quanto ci sia un innegabile valore artistico, forte di un uso magico del bianco e nero, del tratto klimtiano, della scomposizione dei corpi, delle tavole, delle forme e delle raffigurazioni sbalorditive di animali comuni e leggendari, il fumetto rimane tematicamente e narrativamente insufficiente. L'accozzaglia di storie scelte da "Le mille e una notte" sono ripetitive, a tratti banali e troppo corte per essere davvero accattivanti. Insomma, più un libro da osservare per le sue illustrazioni che da leggere.
May 7, 2015
Um livro poético em termos de desenho. As histórias que Sharaz-De conta são boas e ela procura chamar a atenção ao rei que a mantém cativa de personagens que caíram em desgraça de uma maneira ou de outra, muitas vezes por ambição ou ganância.
O desenho é fenomenal. A composição das páginas é extraordinária e a marca de Sergio Toppi. Já tinha visto o seu traço numa história sobre o Infante D.Henrique.
Vale a pena abrir em qualquer página e admirar o traço.
O desenho é fenomenal. A composição das páginas é extraordinária e a marca de Sergio Toppi. Já tinha visto o seu traço numa história sobre o Infante D.Henrique.
Vale a pena abrir em qualquer página e admirar o traço.
September 15, 2014
Some of the best art I've seen in a long time. Sergio Toppi is a master of comics art. Almost all of the pages are worthy of framing and hanging up in a wall. The book itself is gorgeous; something you might like to leave on a coffee table for guests to browse
June 18, 2021
італійський ілюстратор і коміксист переспівав історію Шагразади та її казки. нечувані сюжети вплітаються в картини, стаючи неподільним маревом Сходу.
це просто шалено красивий комікс, у який занурившися, неможливо вже випливти назовні
це просто шалено красивий комікс, у який занурившися, неможливо вже випливти назовні
December 23, 2018
Oh, that lines!
Oh, that hatching!
Oh, that curves and images!
(nearly buried the book under my saliva)
Now this will be in my dream, sometimes and again
Oh, that hatching!
Oh, that curves and images!
(nearly buried the book under my saliva)
Now this will be in my dream, sometimes and again
November 20, 2021
Jakie to było piękne. Szata graficzna, historia... Wszystko cudne
December 21, 2025
Sergio Toppi's adaptation of selected tales from One Thousand and One Nights in The Collected Toppi Vol. 7: Sharaz-De is a stunning achievement in graphic storytelling. The narrative framing and choice of stories are excellent—faithful to the spirit of the originals, with compelling themes of fate, morality, magic, and human folly that keep you turning the pages.
But the real star is Toppi's artwork: pure genius. His intricate black-and-white linework, masterful compositions, bold use of negative space, and dynamic hatching create pages that feel like works of fine art. Every spread is breathtaking, blending realism with fantastical exaggeration in a way that's uniquely his own.
My one deduction comes from the character designs. Many figures—especially faces and features—draw heavily from African artistic influences, giving them a sub-Saharan aesthetic rather than the Middle Eastern/Arabic one you'd expect from Arabian Nights. As an Italian artist, Toppi prioritizes expressive stylization over cultural or historical accuracy, which is part of his iconic style, but it does create a slight disconnect from the source material's setting.
Overall, this is easily one of the most visually spectacular volumes in the series and a must-read for fans of illustrated classics or masterful comics art. Highly recommended, especially if you're new to Toppi!
But the real star is Toppi's artwork: pure genius. His intricate black-and-white linework, masterful compositions, bold use of negative space, and dynamic hatching create pages that feel like works of fine art. Every spread is breathtaking, blending realism with fantastical exaggeration in a way that's uniquely his own.
My one deduction comes from the character designs. Many figures—especially faces and features—draw heavily from African artistic influences, giving them a sub-Saharan aesthetic rather than the Middle Eastern/Arabic one you'd expect from Arabian Nights. As an Italian artist, Toppi prioritizes expressive stylization over cultural or historical accuracy, which is part of his iconic style, but it does create a slight disconnect from the source material's setting.
Overall, this is easily one of the most visually spectacular volumes in the series and a must-read for fans of illustrated classics or masterful comics art. Highly recommended, especially if you're new to Toppi!
June 4, 2024
İtalyan çizgi roman dünyasının efsane ismi Sergio Toppi, inanılmaz bir çizer. ✏️ Hayal gücünü zorlayan, esrik, kendine has ve alımlı çizimleri var. ❤️ Zaten bu esere de çizimleri yüzünden vuruldum ve hiç düşünmeden satın aldım.
Sharaz-de bahsettiğim gibi müthiş çizimlerle bezeli. 🌌 Her sayfayı, en ufak detayına kadar inerek incelemek büyük keyif.
Çizgi romanımız pek çok kısa hikayeden oluşuyor. 📚 Bu hikayeler vurucu ve zihin açıcı sayılmazlar, genelde "kıssadan hisse" olarak tabir edeceğimiz mesajlar içeriyorlar.
Ama dediğim gibi hikayelerin içeriği bir yana, Toppi'nin o hikayeleri sunuşu başka bir yana. Muazzam. ⭐
Kaçırılmaması gereken bir eser.🎖️: 8/10
Sharaz-de bahsettiğim gibi müthiş çizimlerle bezeli. 🌌 Her sayfayı, en ufak detayına kadar inerek incelemek büyük keyif.
Çizgi romanımız pek çok kısa hikayeden oluşuyor. 📚 Bu hikayeler vurucu ve zihin açıcı sayılmazlar, genelde "kıssadan hisse" olarak tabir edeceğimiz mesajlar içeriyorlar.
Ama dediğim gibi hikayelerin içeriği bir yana, Toppi'nin o hikayeleri sunuşu başka bir yana. Muazzam. ⭐
Kaçırılmaması gereken bir eser.🎖️: 8/10
November 23, 2023
Toppi basically cannot make bad comics. The artwork is as stunning as you would expect. Toppi here has particular fun with costume, drawing loopy hats, ornate robes and ludicrous staves. The framing device gives this collection more of a coherence than some of the others. Very much worth your time.
December 13, 2023
Disegni e storie stupende. Toppi un grandissimo maestro del fumetto e del disegno. E le storie tratte dalle mille e una notte sono fantastiche. Unica nota negativa l’introduzione prolissa e noiosa. Ma per il resto un libro/fumetto assolutamente da avere.
February 10, 2025
This was the first time I've ever experienced the art of Sergio Toppi, and I have to say he's amazing. What an incredible storyteller. I look forward to reading more of the collected volumes in the future.
December 17, 2023
A true masterpiece ❤
June 27, 2024
A re-read, and I loved it even more than I had before. It's such an astounding work of art, letting the visuals do so much of the storytelling, and it's all so poetic.
July 25, 2024
Uff, such a beautiful work of art.
April 24, 2025
Crtež je izvanredan, i stil pisanja mi je savršeno legao, ali priče su uglavnom bile nezadovoljavajuće i bez neke veće poente.
December 21, 2015
More reviews available at my blog, Beauty and the Bookworm.
Let me start by saying this: Scheherazade is one of my favorite fairytales. For those of you who don't know (and many don't; this one isn't as popular as the likes of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty) Scheherazade is the teller of the 1,001 Arabian Nights. The term "1,001 Arabian Nights" itself comes from her story. Here is (briefly) how it goes: One upon a time, the king of a middle-eastern kingdom found out his wife had been unfaithful to him. He had her killed, and then decided to marry a new virgin every day and have her beheaded the next morning. He did this to 1,000 women before Scheherazade, his vizier's daughter, volunteers to be the next bride. Now, Scheherazade was a bit of a bookworm and an excellent storyteller. The night of her marriage, she asked the king to let her say goodbye to her sister. He agreed, and Scheherazade went into the next room to say her farewells. But instead of saying goodbye, she began to tell her sister a story. She didn't finish the story, but instead stopped partway through as dawn approached, leaving a cliffhanger. The king, who'd been listening in on this conversation, decided to let Scheherazade live another day so that she could finish the story the next night, and he could know the ending. The next night, she finished the first story and began a second, which she also left unfinished, and the king repeated his delaying of Scheherazade's execution. This went on for a total of 1,0001 nights and 1,001 stories, at the end of which the king had fallen so madly in love with Scheherazade that he decided not to have her beheaded at all, and she gets to live on as his queen.
Sharaz-de doesn't follow this story. The title obviously refers to Scheherazade, but she's only a minor character in this and the other stories don't even bolster her own. The backstory is the same: king finds out wife is cheating, kills her, decides to do the same to a bunch of other women. But in this version, Sharaz-de is from another country entirely. She tells a story at night, finishes it, and then tells a second one--and finishes that one, too. The king lets her live because he wants to hear more stories, so she goes on. And the book just ends this way. She tells a bunch of stories, but the resolution of him falling in love with her and letting her live is never actually reached. It just, apparently, goes on forever. The stories themselves are beautifully depicted, and full of people who do bad things getting what's coming to them from supernatural sources, but ultimately I felt jipped out of the story I thought I was getting. The Scheherazade structure doesn't work in this book because the story isn't actually there; I feel like Toppi would have done better to nix that storyline all together and just depict the stories themselves, without revealing Scheherazade/Sharaz-de as the narrator, and simply titling it "Tales from the Arabian Nights." It is tales, but the larger narrative structure is missing, which leaves the book somewhat lacking.
The art is beautiful and complex, whether it's in black-and-white or in color, but I'm not a huge fan of graphic novels in general, so finding that the story I'd hoped for and been led to expect by the title and initial set-up was just abandoned was highly disappointing. At least I got my Popsugar Reading Challenge category of "A graphic novel" out of the way.
2.5 stars out of 5.
Let me start by saying this: Scheherazade is one of my favorite fairytales. For those of you who don't know (and many don't; this one isn't as popular as the likes of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty) Scheherazade is the teller of the 1,001 Arabian Nights. The term "1,001 Arabian Nights" itself comes from her story. Here is (briefly) how it goes: One upon a time, the king of a middle-eastern kingdom found out his wife had been unfaithful to him. He had her killed, and then decided to marry a new virgin every day and have her beheaded the next morning. He did this to 1,000 women before Scheherazade, his vizier's daughter, volunteers to be the next bride. Now, Scheherazade was a bit of a bookworm and an excellent storyteller. The night of her marriage, she asked the king to let her say goodbye to her sister. He agreed, and Scheherazade went into the next room to say her farewells. But instead of saying goodbye, she began to tell her sister a story. She didn't finish the story, but instead stopped partway through as dawn approached, leaving a cliffhanger. The king, who'd been listening in on this conversation, decided to let Scheherazade live another day so that she could finish the story the next night, and he could know the ending. The next night, she finished the first story and began a second, which she also left unfinished, and the king repeated his delaying of Scheherazade's execution. This went on for a total of 1,0001 nights and 1,001 stories, at the end of which the king had fallen so madly in love with Scheherazade that he decided not to have her beheaded at all, and she gets to live on as his queen.
Sharaz-de doesn't follow this story. The title obviously refers to Scheherazade, but she's only a minor character in this and the other stories don't even bolster her own. The backstory is the same: king finds out wife is cheating, kills her, decides to do the same to a bunch of other women. But in this version, Sharaz-de is from another country entirely. She tells a story at night, finishes it, and then tells a second one--and finishes that one, too. The king lets her live because he wants to hear more stories, so she goes on. And the book just ends this way. She tells a bunch of stories, but the resolution of him falling in love with her and letting her live is never actually reached. It just, apparently, goes on forever. The stories themselves are beautifully depicted, and full of people who do bad things getting what's coming to them from supernatural sources, but ultimately I felt jipped out of the story I thought I was getting. The Scheherazade structure doesn't work in this book because the story isn't actually there; I feel like Toppi would have done better to nix that storyline all together and just depict the stories themselves, without revealing Scheherazade/Sharaz-de as the narrator, and simply titling it "Tales from the Arabian Nights." It is tales, but the larger narrative structure is missing, which leaves the book somewhat lacking.
The art is beautiful and complex, whether it's in black-and-white or in color, but I'm not a huge fan of graphic novels in general, so finding that the story I'd hoped for and been led to expect by the title and initial set-up was just abandoned was highly disappointing. At least I got my Popsugar Reading Challenge category of "A graphic novel" out of the way.
2.5 stars out of 5.
October 8, 2023
Стильна річ, яка приковує погляд. Про історії так сказати не можна, бо вони доволі прості, але це й врівноважує складність малюнку. Тут текст - лише супровід.
March 23, 2014
The tale of Scheherazade and her 1001 nights of story-telling have served as a fantastic reading experience and an inspiration for several centuries. Even when you haven’t read the original books, everyone’s at least familiar with the adventures of Ali Baba, Djinns in bottles and wise, but treacherous, viziers.
Italian artist Sergio Toppi gives his own spin on the old tales by presenting “Sharaz-De”. Over the course of eleven short stories, he tells of an ancient kingdom where, after having discovered about his adulterous wife, the king summons a young woman to his bedroom every night, only to have her killed the morning after. This murderous reign continues until a particular woman comes to the palace at her free will, and rather than having sex with the king, tells him a wonderful fable during the night. The king, mesmerized by this woman’s magical words, postpones her execution and begs her to tell another story the following night.
So far, little seems to differ from the original story of Schaherazade. But while the set-up of the charming storyteller remains the same, Toppi makes up stories of his own for his Sharz-De to tell. New tales, but all with the familiar elements of evil spirits, powerful kings and the fulfilling of one’s destiny, whether tragic or glorious.
What sets these tales further apart from the source material, is the way Toppi designs his comic book. Because his is no ordinary graphic novel; rather, he shapes each page into a dazzling collage of elements, pictures and words. With most of the stories presented in black-and-white (Only two chapters are provided with an aquarelle wash, though this hardly adds to the strength of those sections) and with a multitude of lines and crosshatching, the illustrations look like etched engravings. Compliments for the readability too, despite the high density on each page.
While the book ends without any sort of ending (The eleventh story simply stops with the king begging Sharaz-De for another story), “Sharaz-De” still remains an enjoyable, satisfying read. Despite being based on fantastic, captivating fables, this book might actually be more enjoyed for its visual splendor, rather than its narrative. Even so, it’s a book many an owner will return to, simply to flip through its pages and enjoy its spectacular pictures once more.
Italian artist Sergio Toppi gives his own spin on the old tales by presenting “Sharaz-De”. Over the course of eleven short stories, he tells of an ancient kingdom where, after having discovered about his adulterous wife, the king summons a young woman to his bedroom every night, only to have her killed the morning after. This murderous reign continues until a particular woman comes to the palace at her free will, and rather than having sex with the king, tells him a wonderful fable during the night. The king, mesmerized by this woman’s magical words, postpones her execution and begs her to tell another story the following night.
So far, little seems to differ from the original story of Schaherazade. But while the set-up of the charming storyteller remains the same, Toppi makes up stories of his own for his Sharz-De to tell. New tales, but all with the familiar elements of evil spirits, powerful kings and the fulfilling of one’s destiny, whether tragic or glorious.
What sets these tales further apart from the source material, is the way Toppi designs his comic book. Because his is no ordinary graphic novel; rather, he shapes each page into a dazzling collage of elements, pictures and words. With most of the stories presented in black-and-white (Only two chapters are provided with an aquarelle wash, though this hardly adds to the strength of those sections) and with a multitude of lines and crosshatching, the illustrations look like etched engravings. Compliments for the readability too, despite the high density on each page.
While the book ends without any sort of ending (The eleventh story simply stops with the king begging Sharaz-De for another story), “Sharaz-De” still remains an enjoyable, satisfying read. Despite being based on fantastic, captivating fables, this book might actually be more enjoyed for its visual splendor, rather than its narrative. Even so, it’s a book many an owner will return to, simply to flip through its pages and enjoy its spectacular pictures once more.
September 23, 2023
The stories are renown, the art is unusual and appealing, I really liked the wording of some bits here and there. It didn't blow me away but overall it is nice to have.
February 23, 2019
Sergio Toppi is a master of people, places and spaces, creating illustrations that show great beauty and intelligence, striking composition and technical brilliance. The art on display here, and the design of these panels and spreads, is rich in symbolic and narrative imagery that is overflowing with expressive detail and superb storytelling skill. There is a living truth to be seen in the faces and poses of his characters; real people with flair and flaws drawn with attention to individual characteristics and internal desires. They move stylishly through a world of wonders where cunning tricksters, princes and gods exist in harsh landscapes that test all living creatures.
These magical tales capture humanity in all its forms – the high and mighty to the homeless beggar – each a player in events that they often do not comprehend. Toppi's prose and images combine to produce a fantastic graphic novel, full of intrigue and spectacle on every page. Nicely printed and produced by Archaia, Sharaz-de is a visual delight.
These magical tales capture humanity in all its forms – the high and mighty to the homeless beggar – each a player in events that they often do not comprehend. Toppi's prose and images combine to produce a fantastic graphic novel, full of intrigue and spectacle on every page. Nicely printed and produced by Archaia, Sharaz-de is a visual delight.
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