Justice is a damning word in what used to be called Oklahoma, thanks to a sadistic baron known as the Hanging Judge. Crazy, powerful and backed by a despotic sec crew, the judge drops innocents from the gallows at will. When Jak narrowly escapes, a rift among the companions sends them deep into the mutie-infested wilderness outside the ville. Separated and hurting, time is running out for the survivors to realize they're stronger together than they ever could be alone—before a ruthless madman brings them to the end of their rope
In the Deathlands, the game of survival offers no reprieve. There's nothing to win in nuke-blasted America except the chance to fight another day. Still, Ryan Cawdor and his fellow travelers hope for sanctuary…somewhere. Until they find it, they face each dawn as if it's their last. Because it just might be.
Justice is a damning word in what used to be called Oklahoma, thanks to a sadistic baron known as the Hanging Judge. Crazy, powerful and backed by a despotic sec crew, the judge drops innocents from the gallows at will. When Jak narrowly escapes wearing his own rope as a necktie, a rift among the companions sends them deep into the mutie-infested wilderness outside the ville. Separated and hurting, time is running out for the survivors to realize they're stronger together than they ever could be alone—before a ruthless madman brings them to the end of their rope.
Veteran writer Victor Milan pens one of the best DL of the original old school Laurence James variety in a long while. (I think with even better and more variable action scenes!)
Hanging Judge really took me back to the early books in the series, when the companions had disagreements and were not just action automatons. This book had it all! From dramatic flair to some of the best all around action sequences and new muties that have ever been created.
No cartoonish muties, but creepy and ultra cool ones that were thrilling and felt like they really belonged here. The main characters are not facsimiles of themselves, but are spot-on acting like their old selves, both dramatically and killing everything that dares to do them harm. (Not like what the Outlanders Cerberus crew do now, saving their arch nemesis as soon as they get hurt, instead of chilling them on the spot as they should.) No, Ryan and company chill their bad guys before they can chill them - just like it ought to be.
Another thing I truly loved about this one was that everybody had their time to shine. They were all pretty balanced, and Jak was utilized more here, getting the reader to see a little deeper inside him, instead of being used the same way all the time. Tracker, Killer, etc... He does those things, but so much more!
Hanging Judge also had some of the more colorful bad guys in a while.
I'd call this one a definite DL classic. Never bored, and harkened to the days of old.