Book Review: Deathmasques - Dave Stone

Well, if my recent comic podcasts are any indication, I’m well and truly back on a Judge Dredd reading kick. It’s been a while since I picked up a full Dredd novel, the last one was Savage Amusement, so I was excited to dive back in. Deathmasques felt like the perfect choice: it’s set in Brit-Cit (essentially the UK of the Dredd universe) and features Judge Armitage, one of my favourite 2000 AD characters. Let’s get into it.

Book Details

Title:Deathmasques
Author: Dave Stone
Publisher: Virgin Books
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 264

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Commercial Fluff:
Travelling to Brit-Cit on the trail of a bloodthirsty, body-hopping alien, Judge Dredd is forced to work alongside the local detective, Judge Armitage.

Review

As I mentioned, it’s always fun to read a Dredd story, but this one feels a little extra special thanks to the Brit-Cit setting. Shifting away from Mega-City One gives us a chance to explore a very different environment, and plenty of new stereotypes along the way. Throw in mega-corporations, a body-hopping alien menace, and the ever-grumpy Judge Armitage, and you’ve got the makings of a solid sci-fi romp.

At times, the novel leans heavily into classic 80s buddy-cop territory, with Dredd and Armitage bouncing off each other throughout the investigation. Fortunately, it works well, highlighting how similar, and yet fundamentally different, their views on justice really are.

Like most Dredd stories, the body count is high and the violence is brutal. Interestingly, though, old stone-face himself takes more of a beating than usual. The book also shines when it comes to its locations. The Dragon pleasure zones and the Sky-Hook are particularly memorable settings and add a lot of flavour to the story.

The plot does feel a little rushed in places, but overall Deathmasques is a fun, fast read and a great excuse to spend some time in Brit-Cit.

Have you read this one? Let me know in the comments.