Book Review: Judges - The Avalanche by Michael Carroll
My blog is low on Judge Dredd goodness, so it's time to fix that. I am starting a new series of books called Judges. Created by 2000 AD, Rebellion Publishing and Abaddon Books, the series follows the genesis of the Judge system that would ultimately lead into the World of Judge Dredd.
This is an exciting idea as it is set in 2033. Only ten years into our future. What does that mean for the reader? Well, it means not too much has changed in the world; the cities are all the same, i.e. no mega-cities; there hasn't been a war yet, so no Cursed Earth or higher than what we have pollution.
What is happening, though, is the United States of America is struggling to handle crime; we are starting to see a big divide between the rich and poor, corporations are taking root and pushing out the little man, and the idea of a mega block is starting to be formulated to rise in cities like New York. The general populace, meanwhile, is on a knife edge, ready to riot over anything. And into this heaping pile of mess is the new Judge System created by a man named Fargo. This all sounds scary and close to our actual lives. Is 2000 AD psychic?
As I write this, I have completed book one, The Avalanche, and nearly finished book two. I like how the stories are being portrayed. It's not from Fargo's viewpoint or some high-ranked figure. It is instead the viewpoint of the first Judges. The people on the front lines and how everyone, including the Judges, has to get on board with a new, changing Justice system.
Now for Avalanche.
Book Details
Title: The Avalanche
Author: Michael Carroll
Publisher: Abaddon Books
Type: Paperback
Page Count: 232
Commercial Fluff: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 2033 A.D.
In a time of widespread poverty, inequality and political unrest, Special Prosecutor Eustace Fargo’s controversial new justice laws have emerged.
Protests and violence meet the first Judges as they hit the street to enforce the Law; the cure, it’s clear, is far worse than the disease.
Is this a sign of things to come?
Review
Yep. This series has piqued my interest for sure! As I already mentioned, America is on the brink of chaos; the rich are getting richer, and crime is on the rise. Fargo has risen in political power and convinced the President that the police system needs changing. They need a force who can step in and beat back crime. This system is the Judges, a force able to do all aspects of the Justice System from investigating to dispensing the sentencing. These new judges are drawn from all professions, whether law enforcement, military, or legal. They are the future of law enforcement and are ready to hit the streets.
But this story isn't set in some big city, giving us access to a melting pot of chaos; instead, we are in the small town of St. Christopher. It's not the most excellent place to live, but it's not the worst. I imagine it as a factory/industry town that has lost most of its trade and is slowly becoming rundown and derelict. We all know a place like this, a place that once was the place to live and now is just a few stores and some empty warehouses full of low-income families forced to live below the poverty line.
Into this backdrop, we get a lone Judge arriving a day earlier than her squad because she has family there, and after a cold welcome by her brothers at the police station, she rides off alone into the night. This is the last we see of her as she is then murdered! The next day, the rest of her team arrives, led by Judge Deacon, and their first case in this new town is to investigate their teammate’s death. Faced with a police force closing ranks and a general populace who have yet to come to terms with the judge's system, the team will have difficulty fitting in.
This was a great intro to this new series. We see how the system will ultimately work once up and running, but that is at least five years away; until then, the Judges have to work alongside the police force they will eventually replace. We also get to see the new mindset for the system, which will be brutal and bloody. If you break the Law, expect to have justice served.
Though a short tale, it is amazingly written and enjoyable to read. If you are interested in Judge Dredd, I can't firmly explain why you should read this. It is great. By the time you read this, I should have finished Judges - Lone Wolf, so watch out for that review soon.
