Swine Fever

by Andrew Cartmel

Review by James R.Cain

'Swine Fever' is a Judge Dredd novel, penned by Andrew Cartmel, who'se scripted comics for 2000 AD and Marvel UK, in addition to several novels.

The book finds Psi-Judge Zandonella and street Judge Carver on assignment with Judge Dredd to crack a black market pork ring run by Mac the Meat Man.  Mac's business in breeding mutant pigs and selling the possibly toxic pork is a thriving black market operation.  No sooner than Dredd shuts down the factory however, the Council of Five decree mutant pork to be highly nutritious, and make its sale legal.  Mac the Meat Man is back in business, and it's here that the fun begins, as a pork-eating craze sweeps Mega-City One.  The citizens become hooked on pork.

Until the Cetacean (Dolphin) Ambassador intervenes.  The pigs are intelligent you see, and intelligent pigs have rights.  

There's a lot more to the tale following that, but I won't say more as it will give too much away.  It is a very tongue in cheek novel, and I felt Cartmel did a good job of capturing some of the absurdities of the Mega-City One citizens and their way of life.

Psi-Judge Zandonella is a very solid character with an interesting psychic ability, and I loved the food-loving and incompetent Judge Carver.  Then there's Porkditz, an intelligent pig, teamed with the Judges to shut down the sale of illegal pork.

The book reached a satisfying climax, but I really, really hated the conclusion, so much so that for a while, it over-shadowed my earlier enjoyment.  To me, it seemed the author sabotaged the deeper themes established earlier in 'Swine Fever'.  But then again, maybe I was reading too much into the work?  

I think, if you're reading 'Swine Fever' you need to just sit back and enjoy the ride, and I'll concede, an enjoyable ride it is.  As a light-hearted book 'Swine Fever'  works very well, and I think the majority of 2000 AD readers will find it an entertaining read.  

Publisher: Black Flame

ISBN: 1-84416-174-9 - Paperback (244 pages)