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Judge Dredd: America

By: John Wagner
Narrated by: Joseph Fiennes, Paterson Joseph, Matthew Jacobs Morgan
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Summary

In Mega-City One, the Judges are the law - acting as judge, jury, and executioner. But how do the citizens really feel about a system where they are powerless?

America Jara and Bennett Beeny grow up as best friends, living a fairly trouble-free life in a dangerous city...bar the odd, negative encounter with a Judge. Time draws them apart, and when they are brought back together, Beeny is a successful singer and America has become involved with a terrorist organisation known as Total War, which has the Justice Department in its sights!

This dark and complex tale is considered to be one of the best stories to ever come out of the Judge Dredd universe.

Featuring Joseph Fiennes as Dredd, and an ensemble cast including Paterson Joseph, and Matthew Jacobs Morgan, fans of Judge Dredd and newcomers to Mega City One alike will be transported to brutal dystopian world Dredd for an immersive listening experience like no other.

©1991 Rebellion 2000 AD Ltd (P)2021 Penguin Audio and Rebellion Publishing
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Critic reviews

"It's Hollywood quality for your ears." (Mega City Book Club Podcast)

"Some of the most iconic images from the story are brought to life well, and the black humour that permeates the best Dredd tales comes through loud and clear." (Sci Fi Bulletin)

"This might be the most accurate representation of Judge Dredd's world seen outside of the comics themselves." (Pop Culture Bandit)

What listeners say about Judge Dredd: America

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

This is the best Judge Dredd story I’ve heard.

This is the most coherent Judge Dredd story on Audible in terms of performance, story & overall. Great performance of one of the best Judge Dredd stories ever. Great stuff!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Shocking yet nuanced character and culture study

I was shocked by this audiobook

Aside from being a delightfully fast paced thrilling ride through Mega City One, never have I seen Judge Dredd's worst characteristics so plainly held up, nor the [hopefully not] future-proofed concept that democracy might not be so great after all... Genius. Visceral. And true to source material. Beyond dystopian; this is the most justice that can be hoped for in such a brutal world. He is the law!!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Two many stories in one

If this was just the America story it would be fantastic but the 'Prologue' and 'Epilogue' muddy the story.

It would have better if the 'Epilogue' followed the Benny story at least but as it is. It is a neat story made worse by add ons.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

so so so so so so so so so sorry it's good very go

od sorry not anough space
so yeah now I have to write words to submit

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent stories from the world of Judge Dredd

Great adaptations of several Judge Dredd stories which appeared in the pages of 2000AD and the Megazine, America being far the best. Let down slightly by Joseph Fiennes unconvincing effort of voicing Dredd. My only other criticism is the high price of such a short audio book when compared to other Audible books. I feel all four should have been issued as one collection for the same price and would have given a reasonable length book

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Corrupt Dredd? Not Your Dad’s Dredd

This was an excellent story, rather well told. Though Mr Fiennes (good as he is) is not suited to the character built up in the heads of the original fans of the 1970’s comics. He’s a tenor where a baritone is called for.
But what was truly perplexing to me was his characterisation. Dredd’s popularity was originally founded on the ambivalence we fans felt for an obvious fascist, literally brainwashed from childhood, into a barely human dispenser of uncompromising justice. Often, the comics were out and out satire. Frequently, they were bizarre. Dredd tales regularly crossed seamlessly into horror, action, comedy or political thriller territory genres with never a misfire. But, who is THIS Dredd?
The thing that made the character work, for me and countless other vocal fans, was our active ambivalence.
Yes, we would all hate to live in his world and see the idea of Judges, with the legal power to execute you without trial, on the spot, as dystopian nightmare fuel.
But, what was compelling about Dredd was his total incorruptibility. Rarely would we get a glimpse into the deeper thoughts and feelings of Dredd, but when we did, it was ALWAYS to reveal a man of total conviction. He played fair by his lights as he saw justice, and he was admirable (despite being loathsome) BECAUSE he was so equal in his judgements.
Yet, in this story, he willingly connives to twist and distort justice, simply for the self serving purpose of undermining the voice of democracy. Yes, he has always hated democracy, but the original Dredd would never have joined a conspiracy of such diabolical schemes, which was criminal in itself, its nature and its outcomes.
That’s not my Dredd. I heard that this was one of the best Dredd stories out there. To me it was the most disappointing.
The Dredd of my day was incapable of distorting the truth and perpetrating actual fascist tricks that killed people.
This is a story about state sponsored thuggery, and how the urge for democracy can be crushed out of a downtrodden population. In that sense, it’s Orwellian in its gravitas and in its provocative content. But they shoved the round peg of Dredd into the square hole of the plot, unjustly, distorting him into something he’s never been before: a scared, rotten little thug, with no redeeming features.
Yes, he allows a referendum at the risk of his own life. But only after ensuring he’s beaten the urge for freedom out of the people. Dredd as political schemer? As a Banana Republic dictator? Who the grudd is that? And to think! This was written by one of the original comic’s writers!
I hated that.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Adaptation

Really enjoyed it. Fantastic work. Story peters a little but very small complaint. Zarjaz read!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant!

2000ad fanboy here, so automatic 5*s.
It was a zarjaz, scrotnig listen.
Borag thungg, squaxx!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great adaptation

Judge Dredd America is one of the best, most relevant comic stories ever told. This adaptation is exciting and addictive listening. highly recommended.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Superb story in a reasonable production

This is the third audio incarnation of Judge Dredd, so its an obvious act to compare. This Penguin version is closer to a talking book than an audio movie, with sound effects more like spot effects than a sonic landscape.
The story is superb, I can see why it is considered one of the greatest series in the strip's history. A dark tale through of shaded characters, with no easy answers. It brings the reader face to face with the reality of Dredd and what his code demands.
Unfortunately I struggled with Joseph Fiennes as Dredd. I didn't expect Christian Bale growling all the way through, but Fiennes' voice is too smooth and cultured, it just doesn't fit the picture on the cover.
America is great for the writing and decent for the performances and the production.

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