Rating: 
Summary: A Depressing Precursor to the Dune Series
Review: Unfortunately Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson have taken the Dune series and turned them into pulp science fiction. There is the same heartless story telling and lack of depth that is endemic of science fiction lately. The authors go to great efforts to make the series an epic battle, a struggle between good and evil, etc. There are so many predictable turns of plot and story that I find myself rooting for computer overlords to win, if for nothing than to kill the more annoying human characters.After finishing the Machine Crusade, I pulled out my trusty Dune Encyclopedia and read about the Butlerian Jihad. I consider the encyclopedia to be somewhat authoritative on the series. ... I also looked at the lineages of Atreides and Harkonnen families. There is no corroboration with the stories that are told there. I would wait for the paperback, or borrow a copy from the library.
Rating: 
Summary: So-So Sequel
Review: As sequels go, The Machine Crusade suffered from the second book syndrome. It had some definate potential, but the authors, with their usual short, choppy chapters, don't allow themselves the time to develop character and plot. There are several chacter aspects that deserved expansion: Jool Noret and the Mercenaries of Ginaz, Erasmus and his "child," and the character of Selim Wormrider, which had definate moments of greatness, could have been a volume unto itself. This the main problem with the whole book. There is a lot of material with great potential, but the authors don't take the time to develop it. To their credit, Herbert and Anderson did good jobs with charcters such as Serena Butler, Iblis Ginjo, Norma Cenva, Xavier Harkonnen, and Vorian Atriedes. They each have brief opportunities to shine, most of them changing drastically both mentally and physically between the first and last pages. There just wasn't enough of that. However, I have to say there were moments of great joy and sadness that really grabbed my attention. Again, this is not Dune, but give the novel a chance on its own merit. Taken as the grand space opera its meant to be, it's not a bad novel.
Rating:
Summary: At last we find out how to pronounce Fremen!
Review: This seems to be a bridge book, rather than the one we have all been waiting for. Lots of archetypes, good guys, bad guys, merciless machines, powerful women, early melange usage. Credulity must be extended more than usual: planet-wide secret projects staying secret, huge conspiracies involving thousands of low level people remaining undetected, lack of planetary defenses for ground assault (how naive can we be?), lots of things. But maybe that is what SF is all about. And in the last 4 words of the 692 page book, we learn how to pronounce Freman.
Rating:
Summary: Not worthy of the Dune series
Review: Frank Herbert is undoubtedly turning over in his grave with this latest pretender to his literary heritage. Gone are any pretences to literature, or even decent writing-- this bloated novel seems to be written for an audience of 14-year old girls, yet is an insult to 14-year old girls. The book has the feel of a well developed outline (there is a solid story buried here) that was developed into a book simply by fleshing out the outline to the point where we have a dull, plodding description of what the real book should do, if only anyone could write it. The characters have no depth whatsoever, and develop only by statements proclaiming their development. When a character is hurt, the authors simply state that the character was hurt. The plodding, uninspired tone doesn't change to reflect the character's
state of being, nor is the state reflected in any other subtle artifice. There's simply nothing subtle about the book.
Most damning to this long-time Dune fan is the authors determination to redefine the characters created in Frank Herbert's original novels. We discover that virtually all the male characters in the original series were really just scoundrels who stole work or credit from women. The most glaring example is Holtzmann, who we learn didn't really understand his own equations, and instead stole the accomplishments of his female apprentice, Norma. (Seems Holzman was just too busy complaining about his slaves to do any real work.) This sort of politically-correct rewrite of Frank Herbert pervades the entire
book, and not only are men largely secondary characters, but the few good ones all commit suicide. Only women are allowed to shine here.
Finally, where were the editors? This story could have been completely told in a third of the space. Most irritating is the author's practice of re-stating what just happened 5-10 pages ago in summaries that often take 2-3 paragraphs to slog through. Do the authors really see their audience as this incompetent to follow a story? It's a dramatic, and condescending, departure from Frank Herbert.
Rating:
Summary: A waste of time
Review: I read the original Dune trilogy years ago and recently stumbled across this book. I hoped it would match the interest and wonder of the original, but this prequel did not come close. I will not read any more books of these two authors. Another review describes it best: bloated. The authors employ a very tired formula. As the chapters skip through the galaxy visiting each major character in his/her turn each chapter seems to repeat the same monotonous pattern: 1) revisit facts from previous visits to the character, 2) introduce one or two new details, 3) foreshadow the next visits to the character. There are a few interesting new spins in this prequel but all the tedious work to maintain this clumsy structure makes the book 4 times the size it needs to be. And after it all, I have no connection with any of the characters. Most of the characters were religiously fanatical homicidal idiots. Most of the remaining ones were religiously fanatical SUIcidal idiots. Norma was interesting at first but I couldn't quite buy into how she developed. If you are addicted to everything about Dune, then the time you invest in this will give you a few bits of Dune "history" you can enjoy. Perhaps the next book will resolve the hanging details a little more for you too. But there are SO many good books out there that are more worthy of our time. If you want a taste of the surreal for example, pick up The Tin Drum (my latest read).
Rating: 
Summary: when will the next book arrive?
Review: these are the next episodes in the ultimate battle between machines and man..., the complexity of the intrigues in this story amazed me - can't wait to see those bots crushed :)
Rating: 
Summary: 2D characters, far too many pages
Review: Like other reviewers, I fell for this one too. I borrowed the first one in the series from the library and I found it disappointing, more like a crappy Star Wars novel aimed at 14 year olds. I really did find the reading very immature, with archetypal characters, often not well defined (Iblis Ginjo lacks so much depth to be the great man he was supposed to be). Also, really bad stereotyping of Norma Cenva, from ugly duckling to reshaping her physical body into bombshell, just because she felt like it. I find it harder to believe in molecular level instantaneous body reshaping than folding space; yes, some of us scientists do read Science Fiction occassionally. Regarding the master swordsmen characters, well, they sound like the black clad people who ran the back-stage at my old Students' Union: chains hanging from pockets, ponytails (no offence meant), martial-arts wannabes who could not get off the sofa whilst watching Mall Rats or MTV. I might as well say it: my favourite character is Erasmus, I keep looking forward to him killing all the main "goodies". At least he is not spineless and being 2D is an AI trait. In all, a poorly written book (it drags on), poor stereotypical characters and too many pages. Only read it if you like the quality of Star Wars novels.
If you want to know about the early Dune universe, read the highlights at various websites.
Rating:
Summary: Actually, zero stars
Review: I rarely take the time to comment on the books I've read, but this whole series makes me angry. It's another embarassment from the pen of Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson. Even when read with an open mind--that is, without holding it up for comparison against the original--this series is poor at best. If these books lacked a connection to Dune I doubt they'd find a publisher. Shockingly transparent money maker--and yes, I fell for it. Please stop, or even better, pass Frank Herbert's notes on to a better writer.
Rating:
Summary: Tediously Boringly Simple
Review: What Frank Herbert Left to us was a classic with many subtle and deep insights, albeit with some annoyingly deep. This book insults most of its reader's intelligence (Assuming it's aimed at mature readers). I'm not too concerned with the destruction of mythical heroes like Holtzman...but if he must be slammed, he should at least be slammed masterfully and not be treated like a near brainless scientist with little passion for science. Just for the authours' sake, scientists do read DUNE and it just seems like an uninformed attempt at slaming a great inventor. Up till now, I'm still having trouble grasping the "Brilliance" of Iblis Ginjo, or his immense lack of scheme. He is the most unfantastic pseudo-villian I've ever read of. How he could have risen to such greatness is beyond me. (Unexplored and unexplained "special charisma" doesn't count.) To end it all, Hecate was introduced in a spectacular fashion with great potential for plot development, only to be killed off in what can be said to be a most idiotic freak accident involving two other heroes. It really seemed to me that the authors were in a hurry to finish everyone off. I really really hope to continue supporting dune...please give me a reason to.
Rating:
Summary: WANTED: Special Edition of this book
Review: I'm looking for a very rare edition of this book and was hoping someone here could help me locate a copy. There were only a few hundred printed in this special edition format and I know that you Dune collectors have already snatched them up, but maybe I can convince one of you to sell. This edition is missing its cover page and dust jacket, has a dozen or more pages ripped out (but still loosely tucked into the book, perhaps folded as well, maybe even inserted into the wrong places), shows severe water damage, and should show additional signs of wear, such as doodles throughout. Maybe dog-chewed and some pages colored with crayons. There are two key identifying marks. The cover (that is, the top page that is exposed by the torn off and mysteriously missing jacket and covers) has a badly stained ring where this book was used as a coaster. The other is that it curiously has Herbert crossed out in black sharpie wherever it is credited as part of Brian's namesake. I'd be willing to pay top dollar for this edition if anyone can locate it. Maybe even as much as fifty cents. Please contact me asap. 60% off at Amazon! Pretty soon they'll be giving this away for free, that's how well received it is. 60% off at Amazon, who needs write a review beyond that? Still more cash than I'm willing to part with. "Fifty cent anyone? I got fifty cent for anyone willing to part with the book! Sell to me now while it's still worth that much!"
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