Dune

Rating:
Summary: Should have been longer...
Review: This book has long been acclaimed as a sci-fi masterpiece, and it deserves it. Frank Herbert has created a rich, full universe, centered on the desert planet Arrakis, also known as Dune. Arrakis itself is (at least on the surface) a barren, forbidding chunk of rock with extremely forbidding climate. It would be a worthless, unknown backwater except for one small fact: It is the only source of the spice Melange, which is required for faster-than-light travel. Since an interstellar civilization cannot survive without faster-than-light travel, the value of Arrakis becomes obvious.

The central character of the book is the young man Paul Atredies, heir to the dukedom of House Atredies, which has been recently placed in charge of Arrakis by the Galactic Emperor. His father, the Duke Leto Atredies, smells a trap being laid for him by his enemies but takes the position anyway out of loyalty to his Emperor. Accompanying him is hs concubine Jessica, who is Paul's mother and a member of the mysterious Bene Gesserit, an ancient order of women with mysterious power. Plotting against the Atreides are their mortal enemies, the Harkonnens, led by the devious and clever Baron Vladimir Harkonnen and his nephews, Rabban and Feyd-Rautha.

The plot of the book is concerned to a great extent with the ecology of Arrakis. We learn about the great Sandworms that roam Arrakis' vast deserts, plus the mysterious native Fremen who coexist with the worms. We also learn about the relationship between the worms and Melange, as well as the Fremen plan to transform Arrakis into a lush paradise. The Fremen are given a complex society which borrows heavily from Middle Eastern influences. The complex scheming and plotting between the Harkonnens and the Atreides, not to mention the Emperor and the Guild (the organization of space navigators with a monopoly on space travel), make for complex and interesting reading.

The place where, I believe, Dune falls short is in its skimping over action scenes. There are a few points in the novel where action scenes are very well laid out, mostly small one-on-one duels and such, but there are a number of very large battles, both in the land and on the ground, that are skimmed over very rapidly. In fact, one of the most pivotal battles in the book is mentioned only by word of mouth. There is one major exception, though - the rescue of a crew of spice harvesters from the clutches of one of the giant sandworms is an extremely dramatic, well-written moment.

There's also just not a lot of emotion in the book. The main characters never seem to make any decisions or take any actions from passion or anger. Everything is done with a cold, icy, methodical calculation.

Overall, this is excellent sci-fi, but a very cold book. Young readers will have a hard time with it. Also, if you're more interested in action and such, there's little to be found directly. The book is very slow-moving for the most part. But, if you like a lot of cloak-and-dagger intrigue and plotting, not to mention heavy doses of mysticism and prophecy, then this is the book for you.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I am an avid SF Fan who has long been about to read "Dune", and this summer I finally started. I really had high expectations, especially after reading all the raving reviews in this forum.

Sadly, I found this book hard to get into, slow-paced and a little too confused to really catch my interest. I made it through just because I felt I had to, and was actually relieved when it finally ended and I could start reading the next book that I had in line waiting for me. Not recommended!

Rating:
Summary: a science fiction supreme masterpiece
Review: are you a disgrace to bookahloics? if you haven't read Dune then you are. frank herbert skillfully weaves politics, religion, and for lack of a better word, magic into a suspenseful page turner that will keep you wondering for days. but beware, if you are an impatient reader you may not like the beginning and be tempted to move on to a more face paced sci-fi novel but trust me, if you stick with Dune you receive a large reward.

Rating:
Summary: A Classic...
Review: Truly one of the classics of contemporary Science Fiction, Dune set a standard for science fiction that few have yet to meet. Mixing the distant, distant future with the politics and culture of the medieval age, Herbert is one of the few Sci Fi authors that have not only a visionary outlook, but also a fine grasp of past history. A mutli-layered, complex book, with many different plots, schemes, and treacheries, running through it and intertwining, Dune is a book that can be read and read and still enjoyed. The made-up vocabulary of this fictional universe is a treat to read, in many places the words roll of the pages almost as poetry. Written in the 70's, it is easy to see the author influenced by OPEC and the energy crisis and the Iranian Islamic revolution. The mystical, dark and brooding atmosphere of Machiavellian intrigue will make any reader reflect on the ugly nature of power.

It is the politics of the author that is the most objectionable part of the novel. The book is full of totalitarian political philosophy, worthy of any Nazi or Stalinist. The author obviously does not put much value in individual freedom or even human life. Characters are dispatched with cold cynicism all throughout the book without much reflection on the morality of murder. This sentiment seems to grow in later installments of the Dune series. Readers should not confuse the profound political musings of Herbert as an endorsement for the absolute power held by a god-emperor like Paul Attreides.

Rating:
Summary: Sci-Fi That Reads Like Fantasy
Review: I'll be the first person to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of science fiction, but Dune is a classic. After watching the original Dune movie, I felt that reading the book might be able to fill in some parts that I thought would be clearer and better explained in the book, and it did. Dune may be science fiction, but I felt that it was easier to read than other sci-fi books I've read. It didn't have the long sections of confusing (to me anyway) explanations of scientific principles and electronic equipment. Also, with the abilities of the Bene Gesserit, the book takes on some of the feel of a fantasy novel. Dune is based on a desert planet called Arrakis, where a substance simply referred to as spice is mined. The book starts with Paul Atreides growing into his role as the Muad'dib. After his family is betrayed by a friend of the family, through the plots of the House Harkonnen. Although the political intrigue was, at time, beyond me, the adventure of the story pulled me in. The first in an ongoing series, Dune is a classic in the science-fictions genre.

Rating:
Summary: one of the greatest science fiction stories of all time
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed Dune. It had everything I could ask for in a science fiction book: excitement, action, intrigue, a plot, humor, romance, mystery, and much more. It rivals Star Wars easily.

I also recommend seeing the Dune TV mini-series which was produced in 2000. You can rent it (and Amazon sells it). I thought the movie did a very good job of portraying the events in the book. Naturally, there are differences between the movie and the book. I think seeing the movie and reading the book are both rewarding (and I recommend doing both). The book spends a lot of time setting the foundation before the trip to Arrakis and spends less time with the final battle. The movie starts with the trip to Arrakis and immediately progresses to the events that happen on Arrakis (and it spends more time with the final battle); however, most of the foundation that the book lays is interwoven into the movie's events on Arrakis.

I think the book and the movie complement each other very well. I look forward to seeing Dune II as a movie next year. I've just finished reading the second book of Dune and look forward to writing that review next...

Rating:
Summary: The Best SF Book Ever...Period
Review: Herbert's classic! I won't bore you (like many other reviewers) by telling you an abbreviated version of the story. Just know this: this book is simply amazing. The movies pale in comparison. GET THIS BOOK!

Rating:
Summary: An impressive epic
Review: Few books can compare to The Lord of the Rings, but I believe Frank Herbert has produced one such story. Set on the desert planet of Arrakis, or Dune, the book follows a man destined to become the savior of Dune's desert dwelling Fremen. Herbert brings this tale to life with memorable characters, brilliant detail and an intruiging plot that will keep the reader interested from cover to cover. A book no science fiction library should be without.

Rating:
Summary: a very convincing novel, held my attention, and also unique.
Review: Herbert has created a belivable world, with polotics and power, people and life. I've never read anything like it. There's not a book out there that can compare, if there is I'd like to read it. The society that Herbert created was incredibly convincing and interesting. The plot is very powerful and the polotics involved are so convincing.

I first heard of Dune when I saw fifteen minutes of part two of the movie on the Sci-Fi channel. They made the movie into three parts, just like the book, and I can see why. The book is huge and packed. Those fifteen minutes of movie looked awesome. Those guys with the totally blue eyes, and a giant worm, (and I mean giant) that jumped out of the sand. I decided that I needed to read the book.

So I went to the libarary I got the book. I read it and I loved it completly. It held me tight, the world that Hererbert created fasinated me. I read it slowly, to my dismay I only had time to read about twenty pages a day, but I finished. And I loved it.

I had only one complaint. There were so many characters, and it got a bit confusing. Sometimes they were reffered to by their first name, sometimes by their last, and sometimes by their occupation, (like a Mentat, or a Duke). Then when the main character, Paul, grows up he is reffered to Muha'Dib amoung the Fremen, and Usul by his Fremen companion. Everyone had two or three names and it made it hard to keep them all down. As I got well into the book I memorized everyone's name and it made a lot more sence. I suggest that if you haven't already read the book right down character names and who they are as you read, it will really help you. Another complaint I have is that Herbert used the language of Arrakis is his character's dialog, as well as English. There is a small dictionary of terms in the back, but it became a hastle to look them up. He would have a sentence and a key word would be in the language of Arrakis, (which some of the words were Aribic or something), so you have to look it up in the back to understand. This did make the story more reastic, mixing two languages of two people together, but it did become a hastle to always look up the words. Like the giant worms on the planet... they must have had five different names, all which you had to look up in the back.

Aside from that the book was amazing and a great read. If you can understand the polotics in the story you've got it. The Guild, the Bene Gesserit, CHOAM, (the universal development corporation) the houses and the Harkonnens, Saradaukar and Fremen, (the locals of the desert planet) are the polotics involved. If you haven't read this book here's something that will help you before you start: Arrakis is a planet with spice, valued on other worlds. The Fremen live on the planet and are accustomed to the ways of the desert. The Harkonnens and their Baron want the spice, and the Guild (the only space craft maker, a monopoly) and the Duke as well. As the story progresses you understand the polotics.

An incredible society created on a world of sand, spice, and worms. Very very creative.

Rating:
Summary: So many levels, oh so many
Review: The whole setting of the book is a vessel in which to allow many concepts to be raised, but it surpasses this meagre limitation into much more. I have read the series of 6 three times over, now either I am very sad man, or this is a bit of a good book. The first book is almost undoubtably the best in the series, however once you get past children of Dune (the beginning is a little long) and into the realms of the Bene Gesserit in the last two the completion of the many aspects is obtained. Beware however, intensive reading of this can be detremental to your outlook on life, the whole series takes a perspective set apart from the selfish personal view and instead highlights global thinking, thoughts for the good of humanity with little significance placed on the value of the individual in comparison.