So, perhaps I shouldn't have tried reading this book. I am not really very familiar with Judge Dredd from the comics or graphic novels or even with the movie version. But I wanted to be. I had made an assumption that a book with "Year One" in the title would help me better understand the character and the world. Perhaps, for those already familiar with this series it offers some new insights into the character, but as a new reader, I felt that there were too many references for the insiders.

It is Joe Dredd's rookie year as a Judge in Mega-City One (in the year 2080). He is young, ambitious, and a stickler for the law. Apparently that's not the case for older Dredd. A Justice Department spy has been brutally murdered and Dredd gets a surprise education in the workings of the underworld and the black market as well as the political maneuverings of the government he works for.

I read an interesting science fiction book, but I think I have more questions about the series than I got answers.

I think that what this taught me was that books based on comic books are best left to those who are already familiar with the characters and that if you want to learn more you really need to seek out back issues or older graphic novels. As a stand-alone novel, this was just average fare.

Looking for a good book? Judge Dredd Year One: City Fathers by Matt Smith, Michael Carroll, and Al Ewing is based on a comic series and familiarity with the series is recommended before venturing here.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.