The Third Law

Judge Dredd books from Abaddon

by Michael Carroll

You know about me. I’m Rico Dredd, Joe Dredd's big brother. I'm the clone that went bad, that brought shame on Judge Fargo's legacy.
I was a Judge, the best the Academy of Law ever turned out. The very best. But after less than a year on the streets of Mega-City One, I was brought down, taken in. It was Little Joe who caught me; second-best Judge there’s been.
Broken, sentenced, stripped of office, I was shipped out to the brutal moon Titan, to do my twenty years' hard labour. Yeah, you know about Rico Dredd.

But do you know what really happened? Why I did it? What it was like, out there on the edge of space, doing time in the Bronze?
Truth is, mister, you know stomm about me.

Genres: Science Fiction

124 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2014

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable read

Rico's story in the Dredd universe is an odd one. Some times he's portrayed as a self serving maniac, others a misunderstood hero. In "The Third Law" it's most certainly the latter, and thanks to Carroll's excellent writing, I actually felt sorry for him. His characterisation is fantastic, and you will easily finish the book cheering for Rico.

Be warned, if for whatever reason you have read "Wear Iron", then you will find the Rico here extremely jarring compared to the character presented in that book (always an issue when you have different writers).

Overall an excellent read.

[Todd Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rico Dredd's Titan Years

I knew basically what Rico's history was at Titan, so I wasn't sure if an entire novel would be entertaining enough. It definitely is entertaining. I loved this book! It is a in depth look into what made Rico go bad and his time at Titan. Highly recommend for Judge Dredd fans.

[Richard Hakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another installment of life of the Dredd brothers, not quite what I was expecting from the Titan Years. Told from the alternative point of view of Rico it give an alternative take on life in Megacity 1. The future waits.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great additional to the mythos surrounding Rico Dredd. Interesting that he is portrayed here not so much the full on corrupt Judge but a very grey figure bordering on a criminal himself and someone who see's the society MC#1 has become and wishes to change it. Whats also interesting is he see's that the Judges have too much power and are dislocated from the people they should be there to serve and protect and are little more than dictators. Attitudes that Joe Dredd has adopted in his later years.

The part of the story told on Titan are very good, bleak and dark, and an interesting twist concerning "the treatment".

As the first part of a series it has me interested, looking forwards to part 2.

[Freeloading Phill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quite entertaining story from the self justifying point of view of Rico Dredd.