Rating: 
Summary: A Good Read, But Seems Rushed
Review: Unlike the other series by the same authors (The Houses, Corrino, Atreides and Harkonen), this book try's to encompass too much. It seems to me that this first book in a new trilogy could have easily been three books by itself. There are many different plot lines that are not completely interconnected and would have served well to have a book each. Towards the end of the book things are left undone, and storylines are left unfinished, and it left me with an unsatisfied feeling that I never felt when reading Frank Herbert's Dune series.
It is a good book that just doesn't go into enough depth, but hopefully that will all be cleared up when the other books in this series are released.
Rating:
Summary: Fine addition to Herbert's epic series
Review: I need to state this for the record. I've often felt that most sf series are little more than marketing hooks to [get] you into reading subpar writing and cliched plotting. That said, Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson have done a terrific job of telling the backstory of Dune. This first prequel sets the stage for everything that follows; the conflict between the Atraides and Harkonen families and the establishment of the empire. Amazon.com has done a fine job of presenting the plot so I'll focus on other areas.Buterlian Jihad manages to breath life into characters mentioned in passing in previous books (including Frank Herbert's epic original books). Herbert and Anderson have managed to instill the books with much of the thought provoking themes and complex plotting that Frank Herbert did with the first three books of his series. The writing style is less stodgy than Frank Herbert's and a bit more accessable (in a good way). The downfall in all of Herbert's/Anderson's books is the dialog. While most of it is fairly well written some of it just doesn't work. On the plus side, the author's have managed to create a stable of memorable characters that can support such an epic story. While not as important as Frank Herbert's original novels, the prequals to Dune create a credible universe where the first novel's history comes to life.
Rating: 
Summary: Weak book
Review: This book is a very weak piece of writing. The characters are one dimensional and never surprise. The plot is plodding and the chapters far to short to build up any sort of momentum. Its rare that the writers move from one place to another in a chapter so they all appear as set pieces with a beginning, middle and end. While I did not expect this to be Frank Herbert the 3 prequels were much better written and characterised than this. Looking back I wonder how much of that was just taking strong existing characters in new directions. In short I do not recommend this book to anyone other than an existing fan and only then to fill in some gaps. Needs a lot more work to make this thread live up to its heritage.
Rating:
Summary: Solid effort
Review: I can't find anything majorly wrong with this account of The Butlerian Jihad. As far as I can tell, the events don't conflict with anything Frank Herbert has written previously. Remember that all Frank laid out for us ahead of time were the dates of the Jihad and the Battle of Corrin. It seems clear that the trilogy will have to span 2-3 generations in order to fit in with these dates (although Vorian Atreides could conceivably last through all three books). The only thing that might be the least little bit wrong may be with the nuclear bombardment of Earth. According to the Appendices of Dune, the CET met on a neutral island of old Earth in order to compile the Orange Catholic Bible. But this is an event that takes place after the Battle of Corrin, so maybe the Earth's been cleaned up by that time...maybe.... I have to admit being more attracted to the accounts given in the Dune Encyclopedia for events preceding the original novels. But even that work, good though it is, has a few internal inconsistencies. I'm enjoying Brian and Kevin's alternative view of Dune's prehistory in the meantime.
Rating: 
Summary: A Disappointment
Review: I always like to start with the positive, and positives there be in this book. Character development (especially the deliciously evil Erasmus) and scene depiction were excellent. The book was also well-edited. The quotations at the beginning of each chapter were often memorable. And, the book clearly accomplished the task of restarting the saga back in a time much closer to ours. However, that last strength is also the heart of the book's weakness. The book reads like an excellent (far-future) history student's essay in response to the assignment: write an essay describing all the factors involved in the beginning of the Butlerian Jihad. All the factors are well described and the connections clearly drawn, along with a few surprises (e.g., Norma Cenva's genius being the real innovator being Tio Holtzmann). So far, we have the excellent ingredients for a delicious stew. But, it's a stew that wasn't cooked nearly long enough and is lacking in sauce to hold it together. The book is very weak in plot, and basically substitutes an itinerary or agenda for a plot. It accomplishes a task and gives information, without telling a story. It is a mesh of subplots that are "historically" connected but only very weakly literarily connected. It is like reading a good history textbook on the development of the United States, with tons of good information. I didn't buy the book to learn things; I bought it to learn things AS I ENJOYED A STORY. I enjoyed the three previous Herbert-Anderson "Dune" prequel books (the "House" trilogy) and felt they were not only writing good books but also progressing well toward being ready to accomplish their eventual goal: continuing the "Dune" saga where Frank Herbert left off. That's why this step backward is such a disappointment to me. If you were not disappointed with "Star Wars: Phantom Menace", you might like this book, as they are very comparable conceptually: both set out to lay the groundwork for a good story that was already known, and accomplished that without telling enough of a story. I worry that, twenty years from now, readers will start reading the "Dune" saga with this book, and walk away in boredom.
Rating:
Summary: Even worse than I expected
Review: Addicted as I am to the Dune books, like the spice, I felt compelled to purchase and read the book. How, oh how, can this be worse than the previous prequels? Other reviewers have noted the linear, uninspired plot and characters. Certainly, this is true, but more maddening is that in the hands of Son of Frank the legend becomes something of a joke. And there is more to come--notice the *forthcoming books in the series? Lovers of the originals pray for reproductive technology to advance quickly enough to replace the current undynamic team of writers with a ghola of the original Herbert. Money is one reason authors write books. If this is the motivation, fine, but the Herbert family should accept royalties and find an author or authors who would at least work to keep Frank Herbert's vision alive.
Rating: 
Summary: Classic Dune it ain't but....
Review: First things first let's level with each other. The fact that you're reading reviews probably means you're like me: You loved the original series, want to know about the Dune Universe pre-Great House Era, but are unsure if you really want to wade through this book. OK, so let's level. 1. No, this in no way compares to Herbert the elder. Sorry. The style of writing is much more short and episodic, it lacks that sort of motif based symphony Frank used. This is much more for a generation of Tv watchers and writers. Mini episodes cut between points of action (The Free Worlds, Earth, on a Ship, Arrakis, rinse repeat). As such you don't have that feeling you had in dune where rising actions continued and then reached a few critical climaxes and faded away. 2. You really want to know what the Butlerian Jihad is. It's a great complling force in Frank's books and you want to know what happened. This book definitely moves in the direction of filling in those gaps. In all truth, however, i think that most of us would have been satified with a Princess Irulan book: "The history of Pre-Great House Dune." I mean, had it narrated the facts of this book, it would have been *equally* as entertaining. In fact, this book is really a high school science fair 'play-dress-up' of actual interesting events. 3. It does cater to stereotypes and safe political waters. Urge for freedom, that humans are creative an passionate while machines are cold, etc. is familiar ground. Some interesting points were brought up: where do a mechanized human's loyalies lie - man or machine, body mind dichotomies. While Frank H. would have explored these interesting issues, the more pulp style of this series goes the safe route. A few thoughts I have about Dune and allegory on my web site draws a steady stream of hits day in and day out. There is no possible allegory here. Furthermore, Frank wrote a great deal about the power of numbers, how fanaticism and fundamentalism can be harnessed -- things that made one think months afterward -- I'm not going to think about this book again (likely). Consider how many sci-fi books have been written about when the machines take over. The authors of the Butlerian Jihad could have written one as well. Frank Herbert had the amazing vision to ask -- OK what would happen /after that/. That's the difference between just a couple of guys who wrote a story and a master. So in sum. Wait for paperback, don't think that this is going to greatly enrich your experience of the Dune universe, simply view it as a pulp story that will give you a bit of back history on the great houses. That said, the House books were a sight better and this series, should it maintain its present course, will merely be an interesting backstory to them.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Concept
Review: The original Dune novels described a rather interesting history about a time when humans were complacent and machines took over. If I understand correctly, this novel (first in a trilogy) takes place as the humans are beginning their revolt against the machines. This current Dune story is written in the same style as the last trilogy introduced by Brian and Kevin. As stated before (and I'm sure will be repeated by many people other than myself), Brain and Kevin cannot capture the dynamics of what Frank attempted to create. Yes, it is set quite a distance away from the original Dune series, but it isn't written with the same intellectual dialogue presented by Frank. The story is interesting, and worth the read. However, I think you will find that the time span encompassed in the book seem un-realistically short. Events seem to happen too quickly, and it will become clear in the end. Though, I did find the end of the book filled with better dialogue compared to the beginning.
Rating:
Summary: Not Frank Herbert... but still good...
Review: I think most people go into these prequel books expecting a style mimicking the original Dune series. Well, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but Frank Herbert is no longer with us, so others have to carry on the Dune Legacy. Despite this, I feel the prequel books, including Butlerian Jihad, have done a fine job continuing the Dune series. My only qualm with this book is that it moves way too fast and doesn't really flesh out some points. For example, The Sorceresses of Rossak, Tio Holtzman and Norma Cenva's experiments, and Iblis Ginjo's rebellion on Earth. All their scenes just happened, with no build up. I suppose with only three books to cover a lot of ground, the authors had to rush many events through. (But maybe they could have spent less time on Erasmus?) Well, without revealing more about the story, let me just say that this is a worthwhile read for any fan of the Dune series.
Rating:
Summary: Dune Fans Beware!
Review: This is an astonishigly bad book and would never have been published without the magic words of Dune in the title and Herbert as the author. We would have all been better off if the Jihad had remained wrapped in mystery. The characters are wooden, the concepts shaky and the thinking machines which were the target of the Jihad simply ludicrous. I couldn't finish it. Stay away!!
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