Will not essential but not rude either

It was never presented as a new album, so no disappointment on that side. Short stories, it's not really that. One could say that it is a compilation of pages on the anniversary of Asterix and Obelix (in Obelix and company, they did not have the same date of anniversiare but since historie has been rewritten).
Once we know this, we can flip it in any order, (re) discover things, smile, and it is already more than in the last albums (galley, traviata, the sky .. . all worse than each other).
It must be seen as probably the last opus created by Uderzo, his will ... with full knowledge of the facts. Love it or not like, it's better recent albums are what is less well than older but it does not déparera the collection.
Only real downside, the aggressiveness of uderzo 1st page, not really necessary, but it is an old man then passes.