Dune

Rating:
Summary: Good book but it doesn't pull me in
Review: Dune is the story of a desert planet called Arrakis and a royal "House Atriedes" who assumes control of the planet under the direction of the Emperor of the local galactic vicinity. The planet is a complete wasteland of desert except for one commodity: spice. Why is spice so valuable? Because everyone in the galaxy is addicted to it! The enemy Harkonnens, the former stewards of the planet, object to this transfer of power and fight for control of the planet. The son of the Duke Leto Atriedes, Paul "Maud-Dib", is the main character. After the destruction of the base by the Harkonnens and the death of his father, Paul and his mother Jessica (who is trained in the mysterious weirding ways of the Bene Gesserit) escape into the desert and join the native Fremen peoples who live in the desert by carefully preserving water. A struggle for power ensues in which Paul becomes a sort of prophet for the Fremen people due to his extraordinary adeptness in the weirding ways of the Bene Gesserit.

The cover of Dune reads "Science Fiction's Supreme Masterpiece," and Arthur C. Clarke says "I know nothing comparable to it except Lord of the Rings." I was looking to read some good sci-fi, not having much experience in the genre. These and other gushing reviews on the part of sci-fi addicts lead me to my neighborhood bookstore to pick up a copy. I had just finished reading Lord of the Rings for the second time and thought "I've read the best of Fantasy, so let's see how sci-fi stands up."

Let me say straight away that Dune is no Lord of the Rings. You might think so from reading the raves posted on amazon.com, some bordering so ridiculously on hyperbole as to call it "the greatest masterpiece of the century." Such reviews are unlikely to be anything more than the persistent voices of a few obsessed fans. My foremost complaint with Dune is that it is, for the most part, simply boring. Now I know there are many books out there that are boring and still great, that is, they can be tough to get through but very rewarding in the end. Around page 200 of this one I started wondering when the acclaimed Hugo/Nebula award winning storyline was going to kick in. I thought "patience, patience, and it will come..." Around page 400 I thought "okay, getting close to the end, still waiting..." And then just about everything important, interesting, or exciting happens all in the last 50 pages and we're done in a snap with a routine, relatively unexciting, and predictable battle scene to top it off.

Now there are some good aspects of this book, but not many. Herbert manages to steep the plotline in complicated political, philosophical, and religious issues throughout. All of this is very interesting, but the character development takes a big hit. Just when Paul and his mother escape into the desert (I'll try not to give too much away) is when I started to realize I disliked Paul as a character. Not only disliked him, he was a downright conceded, over-the-top, stuck-up fatalistic prick! And every other page Herbert has to remind me, as if I didn't get it 3 minutes ago, that all of Paul's abilities are due to this mysterious "wierding way." The Maud-Dib picks his nose and, as if his mind's eye had perceived all of the cumulative Bene Gesserit training in history, realizes he must fulfill the role set forth in his visions. Well okay, that's a parody, and perhaps I'm making too much of a small point. But the result of all this is that the characters come off seeming too artificial, too steeped in politico-mystical jibber-jabber of the extreme kind. And although almost all of the characters are extremely intelligent, none of them are anywhere near likeable or good in any sense of the word, leaving me depressed because of what potential I realize they have.

So was there anything I enjoyed about Dune? Yes, but mostly these were isolated concepts of the storyline. The most fascinating part in my mind is when Jessica is able to look back through the generations of knowledge of the Bene Gesserit Reverend Mothers and herself becomes one. This idea of a female cult possessing extremely acute mental powers and the idea of a Kwisatz Haderach -- the foretold "male Bene Gesserit" -- who becomes a religious prophet to a tribe of desert nomads is an intriguing one. The problem is that Herbert hammers home the same ideas over and over again. I suppose also that I would've enjoyed it more had Herbert strayed less into utilitarian political philosophy and more into mysticism. Other than this, Dune reminds me of a really complicated Star Wars that takes forever to get to the action.

Rating:
Summary: A Hero Named Paul.
Review: This book is definitely worth checking out. It's very deep and maybe it will take you awhile to finish but a lot of people love it. View the film afterwards, with the reminder that they can't include most events. However, there is some drawback for some folks who don't like old Paul. Well, unless you're like me, you may have trouble identifying with a conceited jackass from outer-space. ENJOY!

Rating:
Summary: Guaranteed to Suck You In
Review: Imagine a barren planet, entirely covered with desert, where it never rains, and the Fremen, natives of the planet, have no words for "sea" or "river". But this planet, called Dune by the Fremen, but Arrakis on the maps, is of utmost importance: it is the only place in the Imperium where the spice, a drug almost everyone is addicted to, can be found. Young Paul Atreides must move to this thirsty planet when it is given his father, Duke Leto Atreides, after the Harkonnens, rivals of the Atreides, are kicked off. Through treachery and deceit, the Harkonnen manage to oust the Atreides once again, by killing Duke Leto. Paul and his mother, Lady Jessica of the mysterious Bene Gesserit, barely manage to escape into the desert, where they are taken in by the Fremen.
Along the way, Paul discovers his destiny as the Kwisatz Haderach, a legendary being who has the power to see through time and space. In order to survive, Paul must also demonstrate his worth to the distrustful Fremen. Among the Fremen, he finds a love in Chani.
Lady Jessica, his mother, is pregnant when she consumes the potent and poisonous Water of Life to convince the Fremen of her good intentions. The baby, Paul's sister Alia, is born with extraordinary psychic and mental powers, and is shunned.
At the climax of the story, Paul leads the Fremen against Harkonnen forces, and he himself is pitted against the cruel and ruthless Harkonnen heir apparent, as they carry out a centuries-old family feud.
He then realizes that, as Duke Atreides, he can never marry his love, Chani, for among nobles, marriages are alliances.
A very, very, very complicated story, too complicated to summarize very well, but it will all make sense if you read it. It's an adventure/science fiction/coming-of-age/tale of political intrigue all twisted into one.

Rating:
Summary: Post Modern Myth...
Review: Frank Herbert wrote six volumes comprising DUNE chronicles. Though his writing is occasionally uneven--humorless beyond belief--the opus is unique literary edifice of action, philosophy and astoundingly imaginative adventure. At the center of this saga are two men: Paul Atreides who will become super adept known as Maud'Dib; and his son,Leto II who will grow into a grotesque mutation of MAN and(sacramental SPICE)WORM; and be worshipped as God. Neither film adaptation does justice to Herbert's epic. But in my estimate DAVID LYNCH's original effort presents IMAGERY of apocalyptic grandeur capturing Herbert's mythological sweep. The cast of characters in the novels is immense: House Atreides and their demonic antagonists, HOUSE HARKONNEN. The female Order of telepathic adepts called BENE GESSERIT; the male ORDER of mutants called SPACING GUILD. And a secret Nation of initiates--FREMEN-- seeking a Messiah known as KWISATZ HADERACH who will "Lead Them to Paradise" through cosmic Jihad.The "Wheel within Wheels" where these demi-gods and mystical oligarchies battle is SPICE PLANET, Arrakis,source of a radical genetic/ontological psychedelic drug, Melange.

DUNE lays ground work for stories that cover centuries and explore the greatest themes of literature. In my estimate, Book IV-LETO II: GOD EMPEROR of DUNE is series'climax where the most profound theme is explored: What is the essence of HUMANITY and how might it be preserved? By book 4, Herbert has "illuminated" conflicts among the named galactic races; elites; and other Power entities--CHOAM the known universe's capitalist cabal; IXIAN cosmic engineers;The TLEILAX...perverse, gene manipulating... Frankenstein-like race--to focus on "the human all too human" tragedy of BEINGS willing to trade, squander or prostitute what is best and most formidible in them as CREATURES for illusions of Self-Apotheosis(Godhead). When Paul Attreides wins the mantle of MESSIAH at conclusion of Dune his mission--unending; simple and monumentally consumming--is to save FRE(e)MEN from enslaving themselves. Readers of Issac Asimov's epic trilogy FOUNDATION will recognize Frank Herbert's reincarnations of Paul and his son Leto, as good guy "doubles" of Asimov's evil mutant, THE MULE. Herbert's DUNE...like Asimov's masterpiece...is post modern mythology. It employs epic science fiction to portray Heroes and Villains--of a Thousand Faces & Worlds--as mirrors of ourselves shining into(almost)divine luster or shattering(sinning)into dust that Dune...the desert planet...is

Rating:
Summary: Great story, poor quality paperback
Review: I am not making a comment on the story, but if you love this book and you're thinking of buying it, don't get this edition. The book is not very sturdy and is poorly bound. Let's face it, it's a big book! And it needs to be well made so that the binding doesn't break halfway through the book. :(

Rating:
Summary: Sci-fi Master piece, love it
Review: After I read the prelude, I thought that it was great. This book is far beyond great. Best book of the Saga so far, with lots of imagination and creativity. IT's a great twist about a boy named Paul Muadib, who might be the famous Kwistiz Haderach. The evil harkonnens plan on a plot an his family. He turns for revenge. Filled with adventure, action, and a great scifi story, this is a well reccomended book.

Rating:
Summary: Dune - Revisited
Review: A science fiction classic revisited after re-reading Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson's prequels (House Atreides, House Harkonnen, and House Corrino).

With the recent release of Butlerian Jihad, I wanted to go back and re-read the series, to refresh myself on the details of the story. While reading Dune over again (for the fifth or sixth time), I continue to be amazed by the framework that Frank created for the Dune series development. From the starting chapters, the reader is immediately transported into the setting, and the urgency of the situation. He uses a combination of techniques to effectively suspend disbelief,including the shifting of viewpoints of the story protagonists, and a well developed backstory, illustrated by the introductory quotes at the beginning of each chapter.

It was well worth reading one of the treasures in my library and one of the top ten science fiction books of all time.

Rating:
Summary: Loved the book, "Dune the Audio Colletion" big disappointmen
Review: I loved the book Dune, but the "Dune Audio Collection" was a big disappointment. It included some selections from the book and jumped around. Scene one: Paul is fighting his instructor. Then quick jump to scene two: him and his mother running away and survivoring the sandworms of Dune. They let you know between the two selections: "Oh by the way Paul's dad just died." Very jumpy.

Rating:
Summary: Confusing but still Interseting,
Review: I found this book to be quite confusing. Evertything happens very fast and then cuts to a different seen. However, I thought that it was a very well written sci-fi novel. It is full of action and suspense. It also delves very deep into religion and philosphy. I thought that the characters were written in very good detail which is, in my opinion, the best part of the book. This a book that I would not recommend for many people. I would only recommend this for science-fiction readers that also have an interest in philosophy. Overall, this was a very well written novel and interesting novel.

Rating:
Summary: Complex and moving
Review: Frank Herbert possessed one of the most fertile imaginations I have ever encountered. Dune is a fantastic novel of so many layers that I find new truths ever time I read it. It won the Hugo and the Nebula awards (sci fi's top two awards), and is considered by many to be the finest example of the genre. It is frequently compared to Tolkein's fantasy novels because both authors build complex worlds containing myths, histories, and conflicts, that seem utterly real to the reader. In fact, Herbert was influenced by Tolkein.

Dune tells the story of the boy Paul Atreides, a future duke whose father is murdered, forcing him and his Bene Gesserit mother Jessica to go into hiding on the desert planet Arrakis. We see Paul's transformation into a powerful prophet and leader known as Muad'Dib, and his rise to galactic prominence. The book explores ecological issues, and Herbert has said that the scarcity of water on Arrakis is meant to parallel the scarcity of oil on Earth. Many other issues and characters are explored with penetrating insight and masterful prose. This book cannot be recommended highly enough for anyone interested in a moving, thoughtful, and brilliant book.