Dune

Rating:
Summary: Absorbing, even for a non-scifi fan
Review: Read "Dune" for an absorbing and entertaining story. Like "Lord of the Rings" and "Stranger in a Strange Land", "Dune" transcends genre classification and can rightly be deemed a modern classic.

I'm not a big sci-fi fan; I prefer traditional fiction. When reading sci-fi, I often feel the author's insistence that I buy into his/her thoughts, and this prevents me from becoming involved in the story itself. Kind of like watching a student film.

Of course, "Dune" is a product of Frank Herbert's mind, but that fact doesn't insinuate itself into the reader's mind as the story unfolds. I first read this over 20 years ago, and have recently picked it up again. I've been reading it on the bus to work, at night when I get home - even though I already know the plot. It's simply good writing. I agree with other customer comments below, that the books following "Dune" fall a bit flat. Read slowly and enjoy- this one is the best!

Rating:
Summary: a classic
Review: My dad gave me a copy of the first paperback edition of this book for my 13th birthday back in 1965. I just want to say now - thanks Dad. From the very first I could not put it down. Since that first reading I have read the book at least a dozen times or more, and even read it aloud to my son when he was about 10 years old (as a teenager he went on to re-read it on his own).

This book is a classic, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes SF, or just like a darn good read in general. Interestingly enough I never cared for anything else Frank Herbert wrote - but this one just blew me away.

Rating:
Summary: Arrakis, Dune, Desert Planet.
Review: Dune is approximately 1,000,000 times better written than the following reproduction.

"The Bene-Gesserit have many tests... The most famous one may be the Gom Jabbar, but it is by no means the most interesting. Why, only last week Mother Frosynozy, stationed on IX, came up with a new version of her Bib Habbib test. It uses a sphere instead of a rectangular box, glows in the dark, and uses Pain-by-tickling-induction instead of the traditional nerve-induction variant."

The young boy Paul was sitting in his chambers, using an ancient iMac to cruise the net. He was very clever. As Yueh, Gurney and a human-computer Mentat code named Eyebrowz approached the room, Paul quickly hit Alt-F4 to close his connection to www.babes4all.com. Behind the now closed window were still photographs of Worms from Dune.

The trio came into the room, but Paul, with his back turned to the door, did not look back. Yueh was thinking about saying, with a very irritated voice: "Paul. How many times have I told you, don't sit with your back facing the door. It's impolite." - but before he could speak, Paul yelled: "I heard You, You and You. All three of you, my friends, walk into the room.". "Our sounds and smells can be immitated!" raged Eyebrowz. "I'd know the difference."

Yes, Paul would know the difference. For Paul was the first and only son of Jessica, the Bene Gesserit witch that married Duke Leto Atreides of House Caladan. For 90 generations, the Bene Gesserit had been manipulating bloodlines of many great Houses, so that they can eventually produce the Universe's Super Being, the Kwisatz Haderach. The Kwisatz Haderach was supposed to be born in Generation 91. But the Bene Gesserit wanted Paul to be a woman, but he wasn't. Otherwise he would be visiting hotmen.com and not babes4all.com. Thats how the Bene Gesserit found out, after checking Paul's log files. So Paul knew the difference because he was the Kwisatz Haderach, the Universe's Super Being.

Meanwhile, back in his laboratory on Geidi Prime, Piter De Vries, Master Mentat and Assasin King for House Harkonnen, was working on his Juice of Saphoo recipe.

Read the book for the real story.

Rating:
Summary: Nicely Done
Review: I enjoyed this book to be sure, and although it was quite lengthy, I found myself unable to part with it easily. I finished it within a week simply because the story was so gripping. I'm not sure how Herbert manages it, but it seems that he can endlessly descibe something yet never bore someone. Highly Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: A barren planet with a rich story
Review: This is the most famous science fiction novel of all time. I read "Dune" (and all its sequels) when I was 21, turning 22. This was after I'd seen the books in the shop for so many years. As a youngster I was attracted by the airbrushed covers, with the giant worms, the robed religious followers, the sand. The books looked frighteningly thick though.

I finally gave "Dune" a go in 1998. Arthur C. Clarke was right to compare this novel to "Lord of the Rings". The planet Arrakis is described in as much detail as Middle-Earth, the story is monumental. When Paul Atreides' father is assassinated by the rival House Harkonnen, Paul flees into the desert with his mother. They join the native Fremen and eventually Paul leads them to greatness. There's a lot more to the story than that of course, but it's too much to describe in a paragraph.

If you plan to read the entire series its probably best if you space the novels out a bit, read a couple of different books in between. It will give a better sense of time passing. I read the books one after the other. By the time I finished I thought I would see a Reverend Mother in the street. I found the last two books a bit slow, but I felt obliged to finish them. The original "Dune" is by far the best of the series.

I've also seen the film (I think David Lunch did the best he could under the circumstances). We have the computer game too. It's amazing all the merchandise that has been created by this one book.

Rating:
Summary: Dune
Review: The book, Dune, written by Frank Herbert was interesting novel. This book was good, although at times it was confusing. Herbert takes you into his imagination which allows your mind to run wild. Many times i was lost because his world is nothing like we know the world as it is today. This book is in the future and is based upon a war over spices. In which, a man, Paul fights against the emperor. If you want to read something which allows your mind to run wild this is a book for you.

Rating:
Summary: King of the Universe
Review: Someone once told me that there are two types of science fiction: The type that makes you think ("1984") and the type that's just for fun ("Star Wars"). On rare occasions, however, a piece of science fiction comes along that is both fun and thought-provoking. That is "Dune."

I first read "Dune" when I was in high school. I loved it. Paul Atreides really was the perfect human being: Fighting the giant sand worms, building an alliance with the desert Freman and defeating those evil Harkonnens to become King of the Universe.

I read the book again several years later and this time the deeper meaning of "Dune" became clear to me. Okay, "spice = oil" might seem pretty basic, but there is so much more to the book than that. Rather than just Good Guys vs. Bad Guys, Frank Herbert gives us so many characters who you simply don't know what to make of. Do you like the Bene Gesserit? The Bene Tleilax? CHOAM?

The sequels to "Dune" are good. I especially liked "Children of Dune" and "God Emperor of Dune." Nothing, however, comes close to the original. It is a rare treat.

Rating:
Summary: the alpha and omega of sci-fi
Review: This is the only sci-fi book you will need to read. Well I hope not, but I consider it the best to date. Herbert's imagination takes you to Dune and throws you into the great adventure of securing the planet. Do yourself a huge favor and do not read his other books. All you require is this one. The story recycles. It seems that Herbert tapped out his creative resources with this book. Read it and you will see why.

Rating:
Summary: Dune
Review: My grandmother first raved about this book when I was younger, but my first exposure to the story was the movie. I did not understand all that took place in the movie, so I read the book (I did the same thing with 2001). I was overwhelmed by the depth of the story and it's implications. This book is not just for Sci-Fi fans: It helps to understand how cultures come to differ, it is an epic (coming of age) story, and it blazes a trail for those who want to learn how far imagination can take you. This book immerses you into the venue of religion AND politics, leaving you with comparing our world at any time with the universe described in it's pages. Sci-Fi fan or not, you would truly miss out on a literary classic if you just saw the movie, or didn't read it at all.

Rating:
Summary: Dune
Review: If you are at all a fan of science fiction, you owe it to yourself to read this book. Frank Herbert is a Genius, and the entire Dune series is incredible, but the first book, dune, stands out because it can be enjoyed by anyone for it's sheer drive and originality. A deffinite page turner, everyone should read it at least once.