Rodrigo

Les tours de Bois-Maury #12

by Yves Huppen

European graphic-fiction master Hermann is known throughout the world for his richly detailed painted art, brilliantly executed composition, and dynamic cinematic approach to storytelling, but his awe-inspiring work is not widely available in the United States. Dark Horse, in association with Strip Art Features now bring an English-language edition of Hermanns latest work to American audiences, presented in an oversized graphic album that beautifully showcases his stunning creative skills. Rodrigo is rich period adventure, set in 14th century Spain at a time of social tumult and great political instability, a time of bloody warfare between Christians and Moslems and dark intrigues in the ranks of the Spanish aristocracy. Few works of graphic fiction can match the sheer splendor of Hermanns vision, and Rodrigo is Hermann at his best!

Genres: Comics, Bande Dessinée, Medieval

56 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2001

About the author

Sometimes credited as Yves H.

Reviews

[drown_like_its_1999 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rodrigo is the son of a Spanish lord whose health has begun to fail him. As the king of Spain calls for the local lord's troops to venture southward and combat encroaching Moorish forces, word reaches their ears that the lord's estranged brother has returned to curry favor with the king and supplant his brother's rule. Rumors begin to swirl that Rodrigo may not share his father's blood and soon the young heir finds himself venturing southward to fight for his father's rule and find out the truth of his heritage.

This was pretty solid with some nicely detailed art and a tight, albeit rather thin, plot. While the art didn't totally grab me at the start, the more the setting shifted to Andalusia and the domain of dreams the more it grew on me. Picturesque landscapes, epic battle formations, and detailed architecture were the star of the show and made for some nice eye candy. The character depictions were less up my alley with facial expressions often having a frozen, wax figure like presentation but this qualm faded for me over time.

The story is pretty straightforward and paint-by-numbers but was serviceable enough. Plotting was well crafted but the characterization was rather uninteresting, save a peripheral monk personality. I was pleasantly surprised with the prose which, while nothing spectacular, flowed nicely and was devoid of any clunky translation or poor sentence structure.

[João Teixeira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gostei, ainda que não tenha lido todos os anteriores. Em todo o caso, diz João Miguel Lameiras no prefácio que este ciclo de "A Herança de Bois-Maury" é composto por histórias autónomas o destino de outros membros da linhagem de Bois-Maury e, assim sendo, esta é uma história que pode ser apreciada por si só, eventualmente sem conhecimento prévio dos livros anteriores (que, de resto, parece nem estarem editados em Portugal, há excepção dos primeiros 3 ou 4 álbuns)...

[Hugo · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a beautiful volume, the way the concluded series returns is very clever and nostalgic. The Christian Spain wants to prevent the Moors attack from the north of Africa, so the King calls all knights that can fight to defend the territory, between them, the King of Toledo, Don Joaquin, that returns from months of fight an insurrection and is exhausted and sick; he’ll give his life for the King, but he prefers in the battlefield instead of tired in the road. His son, Rodrigo, frequent a monk that translate Arabic volumes to Spanish, and show him a book about the dream’s interpretation. Step by step, he finds out about his real past and his father’s, and how his uncle returns to reclaim the lands of Toledo that his father and he used to fight for.


Hermoso tomo, la manera en que se retoma la serie, ya conclusa, es muy ingenioso y nostálgico. La España cristiana quiere prevenir el ataque de los moros desde África, por lo que el rey llama a todos los caballeros entre ellos al Rey de Toledo, Don Joaquín, quien viene regresando de reprimir una insurrección y de estar varios meses en combate, estando exhausto y enfermo, él daría su vida por el Rey, pero que prefiera darla en el campo de batalla que fatigado en el camino. Su hijo, Rodrigo, que frecuenta a un monje del colegio de traductores de Toledo, quienes traducían del árabe a español los textos musulmanes, le muestra un libro sobre la interpretación de los sueños. Poco a poco, se da cuenta de su pasado y del su padre, y de cómo su tío regresa para reclamar las tierras que tanto habían peleado entre hermanos.

[Math le maudit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nouvel album prenant pour trame l'histoire des descendants d'Aymar de Bois-Maury.

Cette fois, c'est le fils du héros du tome 11 dont on suit l'histoire. Tout se déroule dans l'Espagne de la Reconquista, et on ne saisit pas au début comment un Bois-Maury peut être le fils d'un noble espagnol. Tout sera éclairci au cours de l'album, magnifique comme toujours et empreint d'humanisme.

[Ken-ichi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brief, European, passable. Made me want to learn more about medeival Spain and Moorish culture, but not to read the rest of the series.