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Hâsib et la Reine des serpents #1-2
Hasib and the Queen of Serpents: A Tale of a Thousand and One Nights
Heir to the wise Daniel, Hâsib is a young woodcutter promised to a great future. When his greedy companions abandon him in the middle of the forest, he meets the Queen of Serpents. She then tells her story, a fabulous adventure filled with gods and demons, princes and prophets. From Kabul to Cairo, journeys intertwine with intrigues and spiritual quests while the fabulous nights follow one another. An enchanting and intricately designed interpretation of the story of Hâsib Karîm ad-Dîm, through which David B. opens for us the gates of the Thousand and One Nights. For mature readers.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2017
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776 people want to read
About the author
David B.
134 books203 followersPierre-François Beauchard, who uses the pen name David B., was one of the initiators of the French alternative editorial house L'Association, and is now well-known among the French comics audience. After his Applied Arts studies, David B. had his first publications in magazines such as Chic, Circus, Okapi and A Suivre. Among his early creations are 'Le Timbre Maudit', a story published in Okapi, and 'the mini-series 'Zèbre' in Chic. As a scenarist, he cooperated with Olivier Legan on 'Pas de Samba pour Capitaine Tonnerre', an album published by Glénat in 1985.
After he co-founded L'Association in 1990, he began using the pseudonym David B. and specialized in short black-and-white stories, detailing nightmarish dreams, collected in the album 'Le Cheval Blême' in 1992. As powerful as his dream imagery is in itself, it is amplified by his masterful use of black and white drawings. In the Association's magazine Lapin, he published series like 'Le Prophète Voilé', 'Le Jardin Armé' and 'Le Voyage de l'Est'. From 1996, Beauchard has concentrated on the autobiographical series 'L'Ascension du Haut-Mal', which earned him the highest praise from comics critics.
In addition to his work for L'Association, David B. cooperated with the publishing house Cornélius, where he published the quarterly comic book Le Nain Jaune from 1993 to 1994, as well as 'Les Quatre Savants' from 1996 to 1998. He was also present in the reviews Fusée and Le Cheval sans Tête (with 'Les Incidents de la Nuit'). Also present at Dargaud, he made 'Le Tengû Carré', an allegory of Japanese legends, and the scenarios of 'La Révolte d'Hop Frog' and 'Les Ogres', which were illustrated by Christophe Blain. For the publisher's collection Poisson Pilote, he made 'Urani - la Ville des Mauvais Rêves' (script by Joann Sfar) and 'Les Chercheurs de Trésor'.
After May 2000 David B's work would reach a wider public when his artwork was featured in the collection Aire Libre by the popular publisher Dupuis. After 'Le Capitaine Écarlate' (with artwork by Emmanuel Guibert) in 2000, David wrote and drew the album 'La Lecture des Ruines' in 2001. David B has also been active as an illustrator for Le Seuil, Automne 67, Albin Michel and Coconino Press.
After he co-founded L'Association in 1990, he began using the pseudonym David B. and specialized in short black-and-white stories, detailing nightmarish dreams, collected in the album 'Le Cheval Blême' in 1992. As powerful as his dream imagery is in itself, it is amplified by his masterful use of black and white drawings. In the Association's magazine Lapin, he published series like 'Le Prophète Voilé', 'Le Jardin Armé' and 'Le Voyage de l'Est'. From 1996, Beauchard has concentrated on the autobiographical series 'L'Ascension du Haut-Mal', which earned him the highest praise from comics critics.
In addition to his work for L'Association, David B. cooperated with the publishing house Cornélius, where he published the quarterly comic book Le Nain Jaune from 1993 to 1994, as well as 'Les Quatre Savants' from 1996 to 1998. He was also present in the reviews Fusée and Le Cheval sans Tête (with 'Les Incidents de la Nuit'). Also present at Dargaud, he made 'Le Tengû Carré', an allegory of Japanese legends, and the scenarios of 'La Révolte d'Hop Frog' and 'Les Ogres', which were illustrated by Christophe Blain. For the publisher's collection Poisson Pilote, he made 'Urani - la Ville des Mauvais Rêves' (script by Joann Sfar) and 'Les Chercheurs de Trésor'.
After May 2000 David B's work would reach a wider public when his artwork was featured in the collection Aire Libre by the popular publisher Dupuis. After 'Le Capitaine Écarlate' (with artwork by Emmanuel Guibert) in 2000, David wrote and drew the album 'La Lecture des Ruines' in 2001. David B has also been active as an illustrator for Le Seuil, Automne 67, Albin Michel and Coconino Press.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
April 23, 2025
Another haunting book by David B. that takes you on a journey so original that you will long continue to reflect on the wonders that run through our collective thread of existence. This tale is about the circumstances that often accompany our hidden desires; the path that we set for ourselves when we pursue something we want. Exceptional art!
February 16, 2019
Great art without question in a tale of the Thousand and One Nights, which I have always theoretically liked (cool idea for a story!), but have never really been able to engage with it as we go into stories within the main story. I know, if the reader isn't engaged, the teller is going to die, so I am hesitant to say it. . .
September 8, 2018
An illustrated version of some of the tales from Arabian Nights. I had a very difficult time getting into this. The stories were a story within a story within a story ad infinitum. The art was weird, not very talented and with way too much going on in each panel. I'd give it a pass.
Received a review copy from nbm and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
Received a review copy from nbm and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
September 13, 2018
Weird thing #1: Despite the artist hand lettering a page number on each page of his art, the publisher has chosen to also include a typeset page number at the bottom of each page.
Weird thing #2: At the start of the book, there is a difference of 4 between the artist's page number and the typeset page number.
Weird thing #3: At the end of the book, there is a difference of 2 between the artists's page number and the typeset page number.
Bad thing #1: The pages that should have been hand-lettered with 61 and 62 are either missing from the book or do not exist?
My review:
I'm surprised to find myself not giving this book a two-star rating, as at heart it is a nonsensical fairy tale with characters that aren't particularly likable or endowed with personalities making and breaking promises to characters who aren't particularly unlikable or endowed with personalities but are still intent on punishing the betrayal like villains. And the story itself is like playing with a Russian nesting doll as a framing sequence kicks off a story which gives way to a story within the story which gives way to a story within THAT story, and then each story wraps up in turn as we return to the framing sequence.
The stories all read like some sort of parable or fable, but for the life of me, I don't even know what point was being made by any of the stories.
I think there must be some quality in the odd and quirky art that bound the nonsense together and made it work for me.
Weird thing #2: At the start of the book, there is a difference of 4 between the artist's page number and the typeset page number.
Weird thing #3: At the end of the book, there is a difference of 2 between the artists's page number and the typeset page number.
Bad thing #1: The pages that should have been hand-lettered with 61 and 62 are either missing from the book or do not exist?
My review:
I'm surprised to find myself not giving this book a two-star rating, as at heart it is a nonsensical fairy tale with characters that aren't particularly likable or endowed with personalities making and breaking promises to characters who aren't particularly unlikable or endowed with personalities but are still intent on punishing the betrayal like villains. And the story itself is like playing with a Russian nesting doll as a framing sequence kicks off a story which gives way to a story within the story which gives way to a story within THAT story, and then each story wraps up in turn as we return to the framing sequence.
The stories all read like some sort of parable or fable, but for the life of me, I don't even know what point was being made by any of the stories.
I think there must be some quality in the odd and quirky art that bound the nonsense together and made it work for me.
July 25, 2018
A beautiful book! I'm a fan of David B.'s work, but this one stood out in ways that many of his previous works have not (and I've loved those). This is an elaborate and wonderfully colored story nestled within the 1001 Nights framework. As one may expect, there are multiple embedded narratives, so in this way David B.'s new book is a story about storytelling. But what stands out more than anything is the creator's flourish of illustration, the baroque-like excess that permeates the text.
May 23, 2021
A story within a story within a story and it goes on...
Very interesting. Love the colourful drawings.
Very interesting. Love the colourful drawings.
May 24, 2018
Even if this was a retelling of the phonebook, this would rate at least a four star on the artwork alone.
Just look at this. Isn't this gorgeous?
Since the tales of the thousand and one nights is supposed to be tales told by Scheherazade to her husband, Shahrayar to save her life. (Because he had killed all his other wives after one night). The tales are actually a collection of stories, and this book itself is just one of those tales, but in telling it, we hear about more than one story, as the Queen of the Serpents is actually the one telling the tale.
And within that tale, is another tale, so it goes on, but it is all beautifully illustrated, have I mentioned that the art is fantastic. Just wanted to make sure of that.
This is a tale, of the thousand and one nights, that most people might not be familiar with. Because of course Aladin and the 40 thieves is the most well known of these tales.
Very enjoyable. The publisher says this is for mature audiences, probably for the violence.
#Hasib&TheQueenOfSerpents #NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Just look at this. Isn't this gorgeous?
Since the tales of the thousand and one nights is supposed to be tales told by Scheherazade to her husband, Shahrayar to save her life. (Because he had killed all his other wives after one night). The tales are actually a collection of stories, and this book itself is just one of those tales, but in telling it, we hear about more than one story, as the Queen of the Serpents is actually the one telling the tale.
And within that tale, is another tale, so it goes on, but it is all beautifully illustrated, have I mentioned that the art is fantastic. Just wanted to make sure of that.
This is a tale, of the thousand and one nights, that most people might not be familiar with. Because of course Aladin and the 40 thieves is the most well known of these tales.
Very enjoyable. The publisher says this is for mature audiences, probably for the violence.
#Hasib&TheQueenOfSerpents #NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
July 27, 2020
I'll admit to having never read all too much of the original Thousand And One Nights. Going by the quality of writing in this adaptation, and all the wondrous plot twists and fantastic vistas, perhaps I should. I'd miss out on some good artwork, though.
July 13, 2018
I first encountered David B.'s work in Epileptic, with its frantic, emotive art.
Hâsib brings similar energy to Scheherazade's meandering betrayals, transformations, and monster fights. A boy is locked in a cave with a storytelling serpent queen, where he must learn important lessons about whom to trust in a wicked world . This is epic fantasy free of medievalist elvish lore and fallen-world melancholia, more Grimm than grimdark. All while providing a masterclass in how the tools of sequential art (see Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art) can structure a modern translation of an archaic work of art. The characters of each nested tale-within-a-tale are instantly distinguishable from each other, and the banners announcing the passing of Scheherazade's nights remind us why this story was meant to be told.
Some books make a cross-country train delay pass painlessly and this book is one of them.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book by entering a Goodreads Giveaway.
Hâsib brings similar energy to Scheherazade's meandering betrayals, transformations, and monster fights. A boy is locked in a cave with a storytelling serpent queen, where he must learn important lessons about whom to trust in a wicked world . This is epic fantasy free of medievalist elvish lore and fallen-world melancholia, more Grimm than grimdark. All while providing a masterclass in how the tools of sequential art (see Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art) can structure a modern translation of an archaic work of art. The characters of each nested tale-within-a-tale are instantly distinguishable from each other, and the banners announcing the passing of Scheherazade's nights remind us why this story was meant to be told.
Some books make a cross-country train delay pass painlessly and this book is one of them.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book by entering a Goodreads Giveaway.
June 18, 2018
I really like David B.'s art, but was expecting to encounter something more along the lines of Epileptic or Incidents in the Night - and this is definitely not that. This story is framed within one of the tales from the Thousand and One Nights and works very well to revisit that device to add layers to the story. It's well told and beautifully colored, but the story itself just wasn't for me.
I received access to this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received access to this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 14, 2018
Wonderfully fantastical illustrations in this retelling for mature readers.
September 10, 2018
I really loved the art but personally reading another comic based or themed in a Thousand and One Nights is a little bit tiring, but the art is amazing.
May 7, 2022
Even when we do not know much of the stories of ancestors, the stories seem to know us and inform us. In a time before boho-ism, before multiculturalism, there was still narrative truth. Whenever there would be an opportunity to tell and hear stories of The Arbian Nights, our parents used to call out to us, and say to listen up; watch this; remember this.
Traditional tales of all sorts--including myth, folk, fairy, wisdom, and winter--call to me in my crone years.
About the Text.
I took a chance with a retelling of Hasib and the Queen of Serpents. The story is fierce as my horse-riding ancestors the Huns.
The Queen of Serpents says that the way to success will not be easy. She tells Hasib:
Follow my advice.
Come walk in my danger zone.
You will find the way to worldly success.
And he does--not at first--but In Time.
The lesson may be: Imperfect humans pay for mistakes, yet sustained efforts will reap benefits.
About the Art.
The color scheme indicates exotic wisdom by being about as far from primary colors as an artist can get without the colors completely muddy-ing. They do get fairly muddy. I hope with further reprints that the colors can be improved upon.
Traditional tales of all sorts--including myth, folk, fairy, wisdom, and winter--call to me in my crone years.
About the Text.
I took a chance with a retelling of Hasib and the Queen of Serpents. The story is fierce as my horse-riding ancestors the Huns.
The Queen of Serpents says that the way to success will not be easy. She tells Hasib:
Follow my advice.
Come walk in my danger zone.
You will find the way to worldly success.
And he does--not at first--but In Time.
The lesson may be: Imperfect humans pay for mistakes, yet sustained efforts will reap benefits.
About the Art.
The color scheme indicates exotic wisdom by being about as far from primary colors as an artist can get without the colors completely muddy-ing. They do get fairly muddy. I hope with further reprints that the colors can be improved upon.
September 2, 2018
Funky art, but a bit confusing as a standalone piece, particularly for younger readers who might not be familiar with 1001 Nights. Happy to see some middle eastern tales getting more play in the graphic novel realm though!
August 9, 2022
He orchestrates story->inside of<-story quite poorly but the narrative is good nonetheless.
June 4, 2018
An entertaining graphic novel that sucks you in and keeps you entertained with captivating illustrations. I would definitely read more of the Thousand and One Nights Tales. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a copy for my unbiased review.
July 26, 2019
*My daughter won this from Goodreads*
One Thousand and One Nights is a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age. One Thousand and One Nights is about the main frame story that concerns King Shahryār whose brother's wife is unfaithful so he feels all women are the same. Every evening he marries a new virgin and then has her killed in the morning. The vizier, whose duty it is to provide them, cannot find any more virgins. Scheherazade, his daughter, volunteers herself to save her father's life. She tells a tale, but does not end it, so the king brings her back every night - for one thousand and one nights until he grants her life. Each tale has a tale within and end with cliff hangers.
(Many are familiar with "Aladdin's Wonderful Lamp" / "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" / "The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor").
This gorgeous graphic novel is tales within a tale. Hâsib is the main character, and is meant for greatness. He encounters Queen of Serpents, who tells him tales. The tales have the nights they are told by Scheherazade to the King. This graphic novel is based on Hâsib Karîm ad-Dîm.
One Thousand and One Nights is a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age. One Thousand and One Nights is about the main frame story that concerns King Shahryār whose brother's wife is unfaithful so he feels all women are the same. Every evening he marries a new virgin and then has her killed in the morning. The vizier, whose duty it is to provide them, cannot find any more virgins. Scheherazade, his daughter, volunteers herself to save her father's life. She tells a tale, but does not end it, so the king brings her back every night - for one thousand and one nights until he grants her life. Each tale has a tale within and end with cliff hangers.
(Many are familiar with "Aladdin's Wonderful Lamp" / "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" / "The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor").
This gorgeous graphic novel is tales within a tale. Hâsib is the main character, and is meant for greatness. He encounters Queen of Serpents, who tells him tales. The tales have the nights they are told by Scheherazade to the King. This graphic novel is based on Hâsib Karîm ad-Dîm.
January 5, 2019
This book, which I randomly pulled off the shelf at the library today, is nothing short of spectacular. It's no secret that I love French cartoonists....but I did not even know this 'David B.' fellow was French until I, ten pages in, decided to research him and see what else he has done. This book is beautiful, in every frame ; intricate drawings of demons and serpents, textiles, crowd scenes, lavish birds, skeleton armies, spiders....the list goes on an on, as do the nights in which Scheherazade is telling this string of stories. The composition, color and line work is consistently flawless and the story moves along at so cinematic of a pace that I fear I must re-read this JUST to look at the drawings again for longer. I highly recommend this book as it is a perfect snippet of 1,000 and one nights and is luminous, every page is a piece on its own. The pages where Scheherazade and the king are laying in bed, framing a scene from the story between them are especially clever.
January 23, 2021
'Hasib and the Queen of Serpents: A Tale of a Thousand and One Nights' by David B. is a story full of gods and demons and lots of serpents.
Hasib is a good young man. One day out working with strangers they find a pool of honey. The strangers deceive Hasib and trap him. Hasib makes it out and finds the Queen of Serpents who tells him a strange tale of a group of men in search of Solomon, and the dangers they run in to along the way.
This was a crazy story. There is amazing imagery in it, and it's captured with great art that swoops and swarms all over the pages. The colors pop out and this is a story unlike any I've read for quite some time.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from NBM Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Hasib is a good young man. One day out working with strangers they find a pool of honey. The strangers deceive Hasib and trap him. Hasib makes it out and finds the Queen of Serpents who tells him a strange tale of a group of men in search of Solomon, and the dangers they run in to along the way.
This was a crazy story. There is amazing imagery in it, and it's captured with great art that swoops and swarms all over the pages. The colors pop out and this is a story unlike any I've read for quite some time.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from NBM Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
February 17, 2023
Komiksowa adaptacja jednej z Baśni Tysiąca i Jednej Nocy opowiedziana przez Szeherezadę wezyrowi. Przygoda, miłość, czary, mędrcy, demony, kobiety węże i kobiety ptaki, jest tu wszystko czego można spodziewać się po takiej opowieści. Ale rysunek to jest mistrzostwo. Piękny, kolorowy, intensywny, bogaty, jednym słowem - zachwycający.
Bardzo przyjemne to było.
Bardzo przyjemne to było.
November 8, 2018
Stories within stories tangle like the body of the Serpent Queen! What a beautifully illustrated interpretation.
July 4, 2019
I was captivated by the art and story. So beautiful.
June 26, 2018
Me ha encantado el aire de narración oral que tiene el libro, con esos ecos de historias transmitidas de generación en generación, muy bien adaptadas por el autor.
El apartado gráfico, deslumbrante.
El apartado gráfico, deslumbrante.
November 7, 2020
David B has an art style that seems really well suited to doing orientalist comics but this doesn't work for me. I didn't love the colours either. Not offensive, but not great.
January 16, 2020
I loved it 😭
I did not expect to find this when I went in for my library shift yesterday, and there it was! I am always so drawn in by B's art style and story telling. I gobbled this up in about an hour today. It's very rich in color pallet and a story you can't put down.
I did not expect to find this when I went in for my library shift yesterday, and there it was! I am always so drawn in by B's art style and story telling. I gobbled this up in about an hour today. It's very rich in color pallet and a story you can't put down.
December 18, 2017
Visualmente espectacular; cada página es una fiesta. Lástima que la historia no me haya terminado de atrapar del todo, quizá porque esperaba una reinterpretación más personal del autor en lo narrativo.
October 26, 2018
I love graphic novels. I love the art and how they interpret a story. This is a "tale of a Thousand and One Nights". Absolutely beautiful artwork. I love all the color. Just stunning.
July 13, 2018
In this story we meet Hasib who has just been betrayed by his co workers, he is trapped in a cave and perchance meets a scorpion that leads him to the serpent queen.
The adventure begins
Although this book is a folktale,from the first page i was sure this book was not intended for a younger audience its a bit graphic.
The story is interesting, right from the first page the story grips you. If you are familiar with the one thousand and one nights you would know that this tale is narrated by Scheherazade ( your girl doesn't want to get offed). It's a tale within a tale within a tale, in that order until you get to the end when all the characters you thought were gone jump back to life ( i mean if i had nine- lives i would do that too).
Now the art style is absolutely gorgeous ( i found my self thinking this defies logic and the laws of anything on earth, but hey that's why its fantasy), a perfect fit for the story.
If you love Arabian Nights i suggest you pick up this comic, you will enjoy it.
The adventure begins
Although this book is a folktale,from the first page i was sure this book was not intended for a younger audience its a bit graphic.
The story is interesting, right from the first page the story grips you. If you are familiar with the one thousand and one nights you would know that this tale is narrated by Scheherazade ( your girl doesn't want to get offed). It's a tale within a tale within a tale, in that order until you get to the end when all the characters you thought were gone jump back to life ( i mean if i had nine- lives i would do that too).
Now the art style is absolutely gorgeous ( i found my self thinking this defies logic and the laws of anything on earth, but hey that's why its fantasy), a perfect fit for the story.
If you love Arabian Nights i suggest you pick up this comic, you will enjoy it.
July 22, 2018
Gorgeous, gorgeous art, telling Scheherazade stories
August 29, 2018
This review was originally posted on my review blog Deanna Reads Books
I have some mixed feelings about this graphic novel. On the one hand, the colors and artwork in this one was amazing, but on the other hand I felt like the narrative flow gets a little lost.
The artwork in this one was awesome to look at. It had really saturated colors that made it really nice to look at. Artwork is a really important thing to me when it comes to reviewing graphic novels, and this one definitely hooked me in. It was just beautiful to look at and that's really important in this medium.
I had a feeling this story was built off of some sort of folklore, just based on the names of the characters and the fact that they kept mentioning King Solomon. It looks like it's kind of a retelling of One Thousand and One Nights. Where it loses me a little bit is that the narrative is a story within a story within a story, that I kind of forgot what was the actual point of the original narrator. It's an interesting way to tell a story for sure, but it did kind of lose me a bit. Also throughout the novel there would be someone that said, "and it was the 496 (or whatever number) night" and that started to get really irritating to me.
I think if you are looking for an quick read and want to read about a folklore re-telling, this one is for you. This was an interesting story, and i enjoyed it but it didn't give me a big "wow factor" that other books do.
Have you read this graphic novel? What did you think?
I have some mixed feelings about this graphic novel. On the one hand, the colors and artwork in this one was amazing, but on the other hand I felt like the narrative flow gets a little lost.
The artwork in this one was awesome to look at. It had really saturated colors that made it really nice to look at. Artwork is a really important thing to me when it comes to reviewing graphic novels, and this one definitely hooked me in. It was just beautiful to look at and that's really important in this medium.
I had a feeling this story was built off of some sort of folklore, just based on the names of the characters and the fact that they kept mentioning King Solomon. It looks like it's kind of a retelling of One Thousand and One Nights. Where it loses me a little bit is that the narrative is a story within a story within a story, that I kind of forgot what was the actual point of the original narrator. It's an interesting way to tell a story for sure, but it did kind of lose me a bit. Also throughout the novel there would be someone that said, "and it was the 496 (or whatever number) night" and that started to get really irritating to me.
I think if you are looking for an quick read and want to read about a folklore re-telling, this one is for you. This was an interesting story, and i enjoyed it but it didn't give me a big "wow factor" that other books do.
Have you read this graphic novel? What did you think?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews