Rating: Summary: A World of its Own Review: Dune is a very complex novel, possibly even TOO complex. On the surface, it's an epic tale of good vs. evil, emperors, dukes, royalty, and romance all set on an alien world known as Arrakis. The cultures and concepts in this book are so palpable, that it is mindblowing. My only complaint when it comes to the novel, is that this book is very difficult to follow, and can be downright boring in certain parts. But all in all, Dune is a must-read.
Rating: Summary: A Masterpiece of the Arts Review: There comes a time when a book passes a level that surpasses all other books; when it reaches a standard that very few books in the history of mankind have reached. This is when a book becomes a legend. There are few books out there that I can give this title to. To name a few are: "The Hobbit" and the entire series of "The Lord of the Rings." Dune has reach this standard. Dune is one of those books that can stimulate the mind with questions that a normal person would dare to think of, much less actually come up with the idea.Dune is the story of a young boy, Paul Atredies, whose world is shattered when his farther dies in the master plot of the Baron. He must- now- abandon his palace life and live with the Fremen in the Deep Desert. A place where few venture to go.... This story is well written and deserves to be recognized. Frank Herbert has done an excellent job of putting this novel together. I was first doubtful of it, but a friend of mine presuaded me to read it. I was instantly captivated. I now intend to read the other five novels and then the prelude- written by Frank Herbert's son- to the series. This is a book that EVERY science-fiction reader should read; this is a book EVERYone should read. I hope all of you- if you read it- enjoy it as much as I have.
Rating: Summary: The Greatest Work of Genius of all Time Review: How can I begin to describe the sheer genius of this book? The characters are fantastic, the plots within plots are engaging, the world is so well thought out. . . It is impossible for another book to be written like it. Just impossible. It cannot be duplicated by any human being. This book lay the foundation for so much of modern science fiction, yet still remains unparalleled. It cannot be overestimated.
Rating: Summary: Herbert's masterpiece Review: I always knew that Dune was one of the milestones in the genre, the seminal masterwork that influenced many other writers and visionaries. Herbert's well-known opus has transcended all of my expectations. Not only are the settings and extraneous issues impeccably detailed and complex, the main protagonists go through an exasperating character development. Paul, Jessica, Halleck, and Hawat are completely different people by the end of the book.
Rating: Summary: Dune-once more into the breach Review: I read the thing back in 1972 and thought it overblown. But I was just a kid. Will the ensuing 28 years improve it? If not I'll read a Robert Heinlein novel to get back on track.
Rating: Summary: Important and timeless Review: In short: An amazing and timeless book, still as wonderful today as it was when first published. Everyone should read this book.
Rating: Summary: An Unquestioned Sci-Fi Classic Review: Forget the dreck that comes afterwards, forget David Lynch's bizarre film adaptation - Frank Herbert's original "Dune" has few peers in terms of mind-bending, wholly original science-fiction. I can't think of many other authors who have created such complete, fully realized worlds as the universe that Herbert's characters inhabit. Tolkein's Middle-Earth springs to mind, and the Land of Oz...but that's about it. "Dune" borrows merrily from mythology, fairy tales, the Bible, and many other sources - and yet remains a truly original creation. For my money, the single best sci-fi novel ever.
Rating: Summary: Wow Review: I've always believed that great art is a piece where looking at it in awe, you say to yourself "How could this be done by human hands?" Dune is just that.
Rating: Summary: The boosters and naysayers of this book are both right Review: Most science fiction is about contemporary humans in futuristic situations. Dune is a rare look at how humans and human institutions might change over time, and that is why it is considered so visionary. Herbert has deliberately suppressed technology here to leave himself free to address the future of humanity, rather than the future of humanity's tools. Dune is also a massive, fascinating story set in one of the richest universes ever created for science fiction. However, people who don't like the book are right to point out that it is long, sometimes overblown, and Herbert is given to having his characters give utterance to endless, repetitive soliloquies. It's not everyone's cup of tea. But if you can stick with it and get past the awkward passages, you will be well rewarded.
Rating: Summary: Eeeehhh.....skip this one Review: I basically found Dune to be an airball in comparison to the reviews some people gave me. The plot was too intricate, the book was too long, and for God's sake it is a pain to have to flip back to the glossary every page or so. I actually began to uderstand the book at page 425 when the Baron is discussing his plans with Thufir Hawat...but I shouldn't have to read that much for it to get interesting. And I hate to get all of you SF freaks angry...but Frank Herbert was a BAD WRITER. Some of the things he describes are very clunkily worded, sentences either too brief or two wordy. Plus he never used the word "and" in the entire book. An example would be a sentence like "He walked over to the case, opened it." It just got annoying after awhile. It is a long dull story told with modest talent.
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