Judge Dredd: Cursed Earth Asylum

Judge Dredd novels from Virgin Books #4

by David Bishop

A dangerous psychic called Soon is being held prisoner in a lunatic asylum in the Cursed Earth on account of his staggeringly vast powers. When Soon escapes and threatens Mega-City One, Judge Dredd and a party of cadets are sent to stop him, only for Dredd to be framed for murdering the cadets.

Genres: Science Fiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published August 11, 2015

About the author

David James Bishop is a New Zealand screenwriter and author. He was a UK comics editor during the 1990s, running such titles as the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD, the latter between 1996 and the summer of 2000.

He has since become a prolific author and received his first drama scriptwriting credit when BBC Radio 4 broadcast his radio play Island Blue: Ronald in June 2006. In 2007, he won the PAGE International Screenwriting Award in the short film category for his script Danny's Toys, and was a finalist in the 2009 PAGE Awards with his script The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies.

In 2008, he appeared on 23 May edition of the BBC One quiz show The Weakest Link, beating eight other contestants to win more than £1500 in prize money.

In 2010, Bishop received his first TV drama credit on the BBC medical drama series Doctors, writing an episode called A Pill For Every Ill, broadcast on 10 February.

Reviews

[Owen Watts · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of a series of tie-in novels released by Virgin Books in the early 90s - this one is by then-editor of the Judge Dredd Megazine - David Bishop. The irony of this being written by an editor is pretty striking given how resolutely un-edited it feels. Spelling mistakes and strange repetitions are all over the shop and the rambling coming-up-with-the-plot-as-you-go vibe is rather overwhelming. That being said there's a pleasing sense of larger continuity to it and you get a bundle of strange forgotten 90's era megazine characters woven into the story that you wouldn't normally otherwise consider.

The plot concerns an all-powerful and deeply problematic disfigured mutant lad/generic evil villain setting up shop in the Cursed Earth and causing all sorts of mayhem. We get two Aliens-style "send in the search team" type introductory sequences which feels mad and the political intrigue/corruption B plot which actually seems more interesting than the main narrative. It rattles along fine but feels like an artefact from a very different era - highlighted by the distractingly continuous use of Bishop's preferred sarcastic exclamation "terrif" which he even has Dredd saying.

[DoNotDoxMe Goodreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good sci fi/horror set in the judge dredd universe.

[Dark-Draco · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent read - I 've been a big fan of Judge Dredd for ages, but this is the first of the novels I've read. I'll definitly be tracking down the others in future. The story was a good, comic book romp, although some of it was very gory - just the way I like it!!! Soom is very, very scary, although the way it ended makes me think that he might be back in the future.

[Colin Parfitt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Love Judge Dredd and 2000AD - doesn't really work as a novel