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Cassio #1
The First Assassin
Rome, 145 CE: Cassio, a prominent lawyer who once saved the Emperor's life, wakes in the night to noises. Four assassins have entered his villa and overpowered his formidable slave, the warrior Alva. He seems to know them, and knows why they have come... Ephesus, present day: archeologist Ornella Grazzi finds a ruin with a fresco of Cassio's face. The papyrus scrolls inside tell the beginning of a story she has long suspected and been searching for clues to all her life: how Cassio survived his own assassination and came back from the dead for vengeance...
48 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
4 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Desberg
584 books37 followersStephen Desberg is a Belgian writer of comics. In 2010, he was the 10th bestselling author of comics in France, with 412,000 copies of all his comics together sold that year.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 10, 2020
Titled The First Assassin, Cassio is actually a lawyer. The story flits between too many time periods for a 50 page story, showing Cassio when he was assassinated, then when some archeologists find a tomb, then finding a story of his early life. Everyone in this book including the hero is completely unlikeable. The amount of rape in this story is extremely offputting, it's like an everyday occurrence. This is not for me.
December 2, 2020
Split between a modern-day archeological dig and flashbacks to the Roman Empire, Cassio is the story of a Roman jerk who ticks off five people who team up to assassinate him. Except maybe he survives to launch an elaborate revenge scheme?
Dull and convoluted with nary a character I care about. Kill 'em all and let the archeologist sort it out.
Dull and convoluted with nary a character I care about. Kill 'em all and let the archeologist sort it out.
November 17, 2020
How can a half-Egyptian lawyer from 2nd Century Ephesus look like a late 20th century Eurotrash techno DJ?
Some mysteries will never be solved, I suppose...
Some mysteries will never be solved, I suppose...
September 25, 2020
On the one hand, I really love the present day story with Ornella as she researches Cassio's story.
On the the other hand, in the past the use of female nudity and the almost constant rape of female characters is a bit off putting.
On the the other hand, in the past the use of female nudity and the almost constant rape of female characters is a bit off putting.
April 9, 2020
Another graphic novel based in Roman times.
This is the story of Cassio a bright and successful lawyer who history states met his end by the treachery of four assassins who broke into his villa in Rome and each delivered a fatal blow.
When an archeological group stumble into what appears to be Cassio’s home the team leader recounts that there were rumours he had survived based on his medical knowledge.
They start to look for clues as some have suggested he lived to hunt down and kill each of his ‘friends’ who plotted to kill him.
The story flits between the past and the present as we learn of who could have hated him enough to think of trying to butcher him in this way.
I really like the sense of location and the political intrigue and power stemming from position and status. The text is typed and clear where other comics some letters are less distinct. This made reading the piece quick and easy. The characters are well drawn and the settings carry both wealth and menace. I liked the sense of a story righting a wrong and this series has legs to explore both the original story of Cassio and the modern search for clues and historical evidence to see if he survived and personally achieved his mission to avenge the attempt on his life.
This is the story of Cassio a bright and successful lawyer who history states met his end by the treachery of four assassins who broke into his villa in Rome and each delivered a fatal blow.
When an archeological group stumble into what appears to be Cassio’s home the team leader recounts that there were rumours he had survived based on his medical knowledge.
They start to look for clues as some have suggested he lived to hunt down and kill each of his ‘friends’ who plotted to kill him.
The story flits between the past and the present as we learn of who could have hated him enough to think of trying to butcher him in this way.
I really like the sense of location and the political intrigue and power stemming from position and status. The text is typed and clear where other comics some letters are less distinct. This made reading the piece quick and easy. The characters are well drawn and the settings carry both wealth and menace. I liked the sense of a story righting a wrong and this series has legs to explore both the original story of Cassio and the modern search for clues and historical evidence to see if he survived and personally achieved his mission to avenge the attempt on his life.
May 1, 2020
This was a lot of fun! Interesting art style and a mystery that makes me want to read much more. It also gives a window into a part of Roman society I knew little about. - what Roman culture was in the outlying provinces and what people would do in response to the pull of Rome. the main character is complex enough to want to read more about his life, although the modern framing story is a bit lightweight. Looking forward to the next volume.
**Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review
**Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review
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May 25, 2020Wow! I was totally sucked into the story within the first couple of pages. I loved the parallel stories of Roman nobleman Lucius Aurelius Cassio and the modern day archaeologist investigating Cassio's mysterious death. I enjoyed the book so much I've already bought the next two volumes.
Received via NetGalley.
Received via NetGalley.
June 4, 2022
I got a lot of Assassin's Creed vibes out of this, and not just because of the title. Intrigue and political posturing (and literal backstabbing) are recounted among two parallel stories, one in the present and one in a decaying Roman Empire.
The staging of the plot doesn't really work, and there are an awful lot of characters to keep track of in such a short work, making the intrigue a little harder to understand. Also, the motivation of the primary antagonist doesn't really come through (he's bad just because he can be?). Ultimately, the pieces don't come together here; however there are additional issues that probably help in the overall storytelling. But there wasn't anything compelling enough here for me to track down the rest.
The staging of the plot doesn't really work, and there are an awful lot of characters to keep track of in such a short work, making the intrigue a little harder to understand. Also, the motivation of the primary antagonist doesn't really come through (he's bad just because he can be?). Ultimately, the pieces don't come together here; however there are additional issues that probably help in the overall storytelling. But there wasn't anything compelling enough here for me to track down the rest.
December 30, 2020
Een strip die verleden en heden koppelt. Een moord in het verleden wordt in het heden onderzocht. Dat vind ik toch een mooi startpunt. Het leest niet slecht maar ik hoop dat het mijn aandacht genoeg gaat kunnen vasthouden om de volledige reeks te lezen.
Stephen Desberg en Henri Reculé werkten samen voor deze strip. De tekenstijl voelt niet echt speciaal aan voor mij.
Stephen Desberg en Henri Reculé werkten samen voor deze strip. De tekenstijl voelt niet echt speciaal aan voor mij.
August 24, 2022
D.L. March 2009 = 4 tomes + "LO 03" on 4th plate
->"Revised and corrected edition" = dark sky cover
I was nonplussed with the aesthetic whereas this story has such a solid Desberg series set-up that also works split-century in present day.
->"Revised and corrected edition" = dark sky cover
I was nonplussed with the aesthetic whereas this story has such a solid Desberg series set-up that also works split-century in present day.
June 9, 2025
Ik snap de motieven van de bad guy niet, hij wil gewoon wreed zijn om wreed te zijn ofzo.
Mooie art maar kut geschreven en ik vind het echt teveel wreedheid.
Mooie art maar kut geschreven en ik vind het echt teveel wreedheid.
April 23, 2020
The First Assassin (Cassio #1) by Stephen Desberg is an entertaining tale of intrigue and politics and betrayal in ancient Rome. A forgotten figure and a mysterious power seeking vengeance from beyond the grave lay the setting for this tale of murder.
Summary
It is Rome, circa 145 CE and a lawyer wakes in the night to sound of violence in his home. Four assassins have invaded his home, overpowered his bodyguards and lie in wait for him. Only these are not just assassins, but friends from his youth.
It is modern day, Ephesus, and archaeologist Ornella Grazzi is searching for a prominent Roman figure that seems to have been forgotten by history. Hidden deep in the ruins, she finds a fresco with his face and papyrus scrolls that tell a story of betrayal and lust and murder. It is the story of the lawyer, assassinated in his own home. It is the tale of Cassio.
Review
Cassio is a terrific and sordid tale of the power and privilege of the elite in ancient Roman times. So much so because it mirrors our own modern day class structure. Desberg has written a story that is relevant as it is exciting. We know from early on who the assassins are and the backstory of rape and murder fuels the drama. But it is the intrigue of the modern day excavation that is so disturbing. How does Cassio enact his revenge on his assassins when he is already dead?
Terrifically written and illustrated, Cassio is a book to follow!
Summary
It is Rome, circa 145 CE and a lawyer wakes in the night to sound of violence in his home. Four assassins have invaded his home, overpowered his bodyguards and lie in wait for him. Only these are not just assassins, but friends from his youth.
It is modern day, Ephesus, and archaeologist Ornella Grazzi is searching for a prominent Roman figure that seems to have been forgotten by history. Hidden deep in the ruins, she finds a fresco with his face and papyrus scrolls that tell a story of betrayal and lust and murder. It is the story of the lawyer, assassinated in his own home. It is the tale of Cassio.
Review
Cassio is a terrific and sordid tale of the power and privilege of the elite in ancient Roman times. So much so because it mirrors our own modern day class structure. Desberg has written a story that is relevant as it is exciting. We know from early on who the assassins are and the backstory of rape and murder fuels the drama. But it is the intrigue of the modern day excavation that is so disturbing. How does Cassio enact his revenge on his assassins when he is already dead?
Terrifically written and illustrated, Cassio is a book to follow!
May 8, 2020
Cassio: The First Assassin is an adult graphic novel set in ancient Rome and follows two main characters in a split timeline. During the present day, an archeologist is investigating the truth behind the death of the second character we follow Cassio, a highly intelligent lawyer in ancient Rome who is assassinated in his home and may have actually survived the assassination attempt somehow.
As a massive fan of the Assassin's Creed franchise, I was heavily invested in the premise of the story. The split timeline was really interesting and I thought that the character design was done really well. I'm interested in seeing how the story develops further.
However, I found that the writing was a little clunky at times, even for the minor amount that features in a graphic novel. I became a little confused as to the motivation behind that first assassin's identity. At times it was said that Cassio was using the person but then I didn't really see any evidence as to why. It was quite confusing. The lack of reasoning behind that made the beginning of this novel feel a little contrived.
I'm hoping for a stronger narrative in the upcoming issues and will give the series a second chance to see if it rectifies the problems as I quite like the concept.
2/5
As a massive fan of the Assassin's Creed franchise, I was heavily invested in the premise of the story. The split timeline was really interesting and I thought that the character design was done really well. I'm interested in seeing how the story develops further.
However, I found that the writing was a little clunky at times, even for the minor amount that features in a graphic novel. I became a little confused as to the motivation behind that first assassin's identity. At times it was said that Cassio was using the person but then I didn't really see any evidence as to why. It was quite confusing. The lack of reasoning behind that made the beginning of this novel feel a little contrived.
I'm hoping for a stronger narrative in the upcoming issues and will give the series a second chance to see if it rectifies the problems as I quite like the concept.
2/5
November 3, 2016
Ubistvo, arheologija, tajni kultovi, osveta sve u miš-mašu koji niti je privlačnog crteža, niti napet, niti nas briga za bilo kojeg od likova, nije ni pregledno ispričan, ukratko - bezveze.
April 18, 2020
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley
~
The First Assassin
Cassio: Volume 1
by Stephen Desberg, Henri Recule
★★★★★
58 Pages
Content Warning: nudity, rape, violence, all within the Roman era
The story is Volume 1 of 9, which tell the story of a historical, Roman figure Cassio. It tells the story in two parts – modern day archaeology, and historical Roman era from 190BC.
For me, an archaeology buff, I absolutely loved the split timeline. It told the story perfectly. We got to see a majority of Cassio's story, as it was the most vital part, but I loved how the archaeology team got to tell an alternative aspect of his story. The mystery was perfect, intriguing. I loved the revelation of how the story unfolded and wove into the Roman culture, the way Cassio's opinions of what was considered “normal” in Roman life had changed because of what he experienced. There was good pacing, and I can't wait to start the next volume. I'm off to buy the rest of the series now.
Copy received through Netgalley
~
The First Assassin
Cassio: Volume 1
by Stephen Desberg, Henri Recule
★★★★★
58 Pages
Content Warning: nudity, rape, violence, all within the Roman era
The story is Volume 1 of 9, which tell the story of a historical, Roman figure Cassio. It tells the story in two parts – modern day archaeology, and historical Roman era from 190BC.
For me, an archaeology buff, I absolutely loved the split timeline. It told the story perfectly. We got to see a majority of Cassio's story, as it was the most vital part, but I loved how the archaeology team got to tell an alternative aspect of his story. The mystery was perfect, intriguing. I loved the revelation of how the story unfolded and wove into the Roman culture, the way Cassio's opinions of what was considered “normal” in Roman life had changed because of what he experienced. There was good pacing, and I can't wait to start the next volume. I'm off to buy the rest of the series now.
April 15, 2021
'Cassio #1: The First Assassin' by Stephen Desberg with art by Henri Recule is a graphic novel that takes place in Ancient Rome and in the modern world.
The story begins with an attack on a lawyer in Ancient Rome. Then it cuts to a group of archaeologists trying to put his story together. Apparently, this Cassio supposedly dies and comes back for revenge, but that is a story for a later volume. This one tells the details of his life leading up to the attack.
The problem is that it's a larger story and we don't get much in the first volume. There isn't enough story to invest in any of the characters, including the modern day ones.
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.
The story begins with an attack on a lawyer in Ancient Rome. Then it cuts to a group of archaeologists trying to put his story together. Apparently, this Cassio supposedly dies and comes back for revenge, but that is a story for a later volume. This one tells the details of his life leading up to the attack.
The problem is that it's a larger story and we don't get much in the first volume. There isn't enough story to invest in any of the characters, including the modern day ones.
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.
April 5, 2024
Bellissimo racconto, primo di una serie di nove. Si parte da Roma, dove una delle persone più importanti dell’Impero ai tempi di Antonino Pio, tale Cassio, viene assalito da diversi uomini prezzolati, e assassinato da quattro individui incappucciati, che lui peraltro dice di conoscere bene prima di morire pugnalato da tutti loro. La storia poi stacca ai tempi nostri ed al ritrovamento di una casa romana in Turchia, nell’antica Efeso, dove Cassio era nato e dove… sarebbe tornato da morto. Ma allora era vivo o morto? E come è possibile sopravvivere a 4 pugnalate? Nella storia, come dice il titolo, viene rivelato chi è il primo dei suoi quattro assassini. Disegni particolarmente belli e con una forte carica dinamica, pur avendo un tratto europeo e non americano.
April 27, 2020
This is a story of betrayal and revenge set in ancient Rome. Cassio is a lawyer with a group of friends but their friendship falls apart when Cassio is betrayed by one of them. The story is revealed by an archeologist in the present day who is trying to discover what happened to Cassio back in ancient Rome. This is the first volume of the series. The artwork is good but the story is a bit too violent for me. Not a favourite of mine but fans of historical stories may like this.
June 18, 2022
I like the premise and the story lines but the amount of rape occurring in this book is ridiculous… feels like the writer chose a time period where rape was more prevalent just so they could put it in? It adds nothing to the story so I guess is just for the authors own gratification. Sad because I thought it had potential
March 21, 2021
Mix entre aventures Romaines du deuxième siècle et archéologie moderne. L'histoire de vengeance est intéressante, mais le dessin n'est pas de ceux que je préfère
May 22, 2022
Not too bad but I won't read the next in the series,
May 29, 2022
At 50 pages the one good thing about this was brevity. Cassio is a Roman attorney dealing with some sinister conspiracy, apparently assassinated but returned for revenge. Utterly uninteresting.
June 17, 2022
May or may not continue with the series. Got better near the end.
August 19, 2022
The ARC was generously provided by Netgalley
DNF-68,9%.
The First Assassin is the first graphic novel of a series, in which, from what I understand, is explained where the group of assassins that killed Cassio came to be and what happened next. We have two storylines: one in the past, with Cassio and his oldest friend, and the future, an archeologist who found a hidden place with information about the murder and the identities of the assassins.
We are explained Cassio’s relationship with said friend and the life they both carried before everything went south.
That’s all good and all, and I was actually sort of excited about it. I even enjoyed the first part of it. The drawings where nice and the story was interesting.
But then bad things happened, and the truth is, I don’t have the stomach for it.
You should be warned that going into this novel you’ll find scenes of abuse, slavery, theft, and the one I finally couldn’t stomach, sexual abuse. The scenes aren’t overly graphic, but they don’t hide much either. The more it happened the more I simply didn’t care who were these people or what happened to them.
The truth is, I’m sad I didn’t like this. I was expecting something else, and that probably affected my view about the story too.
DNF-68,9%.
The First Assassin is the first graphic novel of a series, in which, from what I understand, is explained where the group of assassins that killed Cassio came to be and what happened next. We have two storylines: one in the past, with Cassio and his oldest friend, and the future, an archeologist who found a hidden place with information about the murder and the identities of the assassins.
We are explained Cassio’s relationship with said friend and the life they both carried before everything went south.
That’s all good and all, and I was actually sort of excited about it. I even enjoyed the first part of it. The drawings where nice and the story was interesting.
But then bad things happened, and the truth is, I don’t have the stomach for it.
You should be warned that going into this novel you’ll find scenes of abuse, slavery, theft, and the one I finally couldn’t stomach, sexual abuse. The scenes aren’t overly graphic, but they don’t hide much either. The more it happened the more I simply didn’t care who were these people or what happened to them.
The truth is, I’m sad I didn’t like this. I was expecting something else, and that probably affected my view about the story too.
June 20, 2020
Part One of Nine sees modern archaeologists find a tomb on the Turkish shores that the woman leading the dig is puzzled over, for all records of the Roman times show its inhabitant to have been killed off in a mysterious murder. But we know who did it – four of his friends – courtesy of some strange flashbacks, but what is anyone to make of the idea that he didn't actually die at the time of said murder, but worked for the next few years on getting revenge? Pure trashy hokum, is what – the pages plod on, even when they are enlivened as much as possible by bare female breasts, and the idea our modern woman knows so much forensic detail about this anonymous bloke in the mystery is pure bunkum, too. Some stunning cover artwork throughout the series, to be sure – but rest assured nothing else on this evidence seemed worth writing home to Rome about. One and a half laurels, then.
November 14, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
The comic’s premise is intriguing and pretty original and the story itself is engaging and has a style reminiscent of assassins creed in which you follow both a character in the past and one in the present. I would definitely consider picking up the second volume.The art is also quite nice and is overall pretty good.
However, the translation has caused the dialogue to seem clunky and unrealistic which somewhat distracted me from the plot.I was also put off by the gratuitous amount of rapes that take place in such a short comic
The comic’s premise is intriguing and pretty original and the story itself is engaging and has a style reminiscent of assassins creed in which you follow both a character in the past and one in the present. I would definitely consider picking up the second volume.The art is also quite nice and is overall pretty good.
However, the translation has caused the dialogue to seem clunky and unrealistic which somewhat distracted me from the plot.I was also put off by the gratuitous amount of rapes that take place in such a short comic
June 2, 2020
Too short, but promising. Good art. Will be appreciated by fans of ancient Greek and Roman times, as it alternates between that time frame and the present day, where a young archaeologist uncovers proof that a man thought to have been murdered centuries ago may have actually survived the plot against him and lived to get revenge on the four former friends who tried to get rid of him.
February 1, 2014
Très bonne idée de mener une enquête historique depuis l'époque contemporaine en incrustant des flashback d'époque. Bon suspens et personnages intéressants. Dessins agréables. Voyons voir la suite...
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews