Rating: 
Summary: It isn't that bad.
Review: The sequel to the brilliant "Dune", "Dune Messiah" continues the story of Paul Atreides Muad'Dib, leader of the Fremen and Emperor of the Universe. This time, though, the story is less epic: The Harkonens have been defeated and a corrupt Emperor has been cast away from his throne, the precious spice is now being distributed by necessary quantities and the Bene Gesserit have gained Paul's entire mistrust. This time we are told about a spiritually hurt Paul Atreides, a man who still cannot come to fully grasp the devastating power his god-like nature has on the psyche of those who worship him as a Messiah. Paul's attempts to stop the bloody jihad set in motion by his messianic reign are futile and his minions seem to enjoy the bloody massacre just for the sake of killing, using Paul's image solely as a shield, an excuse for mindless slaughter. Worst yet, his prescient powers have shown him the terrible future that awaits humanity, and the horrible alternative, a sacrifice so monstrous not even the Kwizats Haderach dares face. Meanwhile, a conspiracy against Paul's life is being cooked among a wide number of people, ranging from government agents to retired fedaykin warriors. Many judge this to be the worst among the Dune books, but personally I find it a very good read because we have a more direct chance to take a deeper look at Paul's disturbed mind. A worthy little book filled with surprises.
Rating: 
Summary: What was the point of this book again?
Review: This book was a complete let-down from the first one. The ending was well done, but other than that I cannot find anything at all good about this book. The first half of the book is completely pointless, unlike the first book we don't need to know about the characters because they are basically the same. The only reason I finished this book was to read the next book.
Rating:
Summary: Not As Good As The First, But Nothing Is
Review: Let me start off saying that this was a great book but it was very different from the first one. It was good in a different way. The plots twist gave a lot of depth and suspense. There was a lot less action in this book which is why it only gets 4 stars. I also wish that Stilgar was involved more, he was one of the most interesting characters in the first book and i think that he should come back for this one. If you read this book you will be going back to read over things A LOT. Its really complex but thats what makes it great. In this book Paul has to deal with being a god and a man and an emporer all at the same time which prooves difficult for him. The plots against him go really deep. (REALLY REALLLY DEAP) They all just seem to weave together trough a bunch of twist and turns and interweavings of character. (yeah, i don't know what i'm saying) But for real, this is a must read book! If you want an action book, then don't read this one. But if your looking for anything else in a book, this one has it.
Rating: 
Summary: A Continuation/Completion of "Dune", but More Personal
Review: Take Mankind 9000 years into the future (not 100 or even 300 years, like most authors, or even Arthur C. Clarke's somewhat weak attempt at going 1000 years), and what do you have? It leaves the author pretty free to have anything be true. Frank Hebert clearly and premisely and thoroughly creates a truly alien Human society that is also strongly rooted in its past. The worlds and cultures of "Dune" are strongly influenced by Arabic and Islamic culture, along with a hearty dash of medieval European feudalism. The change from the first book - "Dune" - is in scope. Whereas "Dune" looked at the Empire and how the Atreides fit in, "Dune Messiah" is more personal, and the scope is smaller. The creation of a Messiah is explored, along with the different societal factions on Arrakis or Dune. Frank Herbet wrotes so well that all of this becomes very believable, as if you are reading history instead of fiction. And, who can say it won't turn out this way? This book picks up where "Dune" left off and could really be viewed as "Dune, Part 2". I never call anything a must-read, as I don't know who has the right to dictate to anyone what they "must read". However, you're missing something if you don't read (and later re-read) "Dune", Dune Messiah", and their sequels. I recommend buying a set when you're a teenager and keeping it to re-read every five years or so. The story will grow as you do, as will your appreciation of it.
Rating:
Summary: No sweat on his palms...
Review: There is no doubting that this book is written in a different style than the original Dune. It is a completion of the original in many ways. The social explorations glanced over in Dune are more deeply explored and this may cause some readers to not appreciate it as much as the first. I have been reading this series at least once a year for many years. I read Dune over 30 years ago and snapped up each sequel as it appeared. There are only a few writers that I compare to Herbert, as well, there are only a few books, and a few series of books that I compare to his work. He is an old friend and I miss him (I never met him). I do not give away plots or give excerpts and I never choose 1 book of a series over another. I stop reading series (like Jordans and Goodkinds works) if they appear drawn out and pointless. That is never a worry with the 6 original Dune books. The Fremen would be proud of Mr. Herbert as he had no sweat on his palms...
Rating:
Summary: The Messiah has come
Review: The second book in the great Dune series. The first was pure classic. The second continues the tradition of great story telling and cliffhangers that you cannot stand to read (or should I say not read). Dune Messiah has a vivid string of plots going on that force you to think for once, unlike many other books. Dune Messiah sends the characters from the original into more deep adventures, all of which will surprise you and maybe even make you emotional. There is the dark temper and the colorful areas of the book, though this universe can be described as dark. Muad'Dib leads the long book which introduces many new things (such as the Ghola, which you all will learn about later). The ending is just so good that I cannot give you the slightest hint of what will happen, but I can tell you it will compell most readers that like this genre to go on to the next book. Dune Messiah is more like a new chapter of the story than a sequel. The excellent late writer Frank Herbert includes conspiracy, action, suspense, and a small level of romance into this epic tale which can never be finished. If you are one of those people who like to see the movie versions instead of read the book, don't. Dune cannot be filmed, you NEED the book for the full experience.
Rating:
Summary: the ending of the beginning
Review: As some of you may or may not know Dune was conceived in a large part as an essay on Messiah figures. What this means is that it wasnt desgined as a trilogy or any such nonsense and parts of this book and COD where written before the orignal Dune was even completed. In other words its one story and this is a true closure on Muad`Dib as the main protaganist. Its also one of the saddest and most beautiful pieces written. Some of the lines in this book are worth the entrance fee alone. Old Frank must have been an old romantic at heart and in some ways it shows. Brutal and frustrating in its honesty, yet you couldn`t have asked for any less... Read it or don`t...but....
Rating:
Summary: No spoilers here. Read this before any other reviews.
Review: ...I will not[spoil the book]. I strongly advise you not to so much as look at the title of the other reviews; I read some that gave the entire plot and ending away. OK, the review: This is the second book in the Dune series, and the last one that follows the life of Paul-Muad'Dib. The book is beautifully written, though it is different in the start than Dune. Stick with the book, as by the end this book becomes everything one would hope it would be: filled with plots, conspiracy, adventure, tension, foreshadowing, and hope, like the first book. It takes place more in the city of Arrakeen than in the desert, and is less action than it is plotting. It has a wonderful conclusion; I would describe the end as "Perfect." If you liked the first, you will like this if you stick with it. I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed the first, but it is different. Once again, be warned that if you read many other reviews, you may spoil the book for yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Learn that the future is unwritten.
Review: The first novel ( Dune) was full of the contradictions surging from the meeting of several worlds, several philosophies and several ways of looking at the world. The Atreides are an old feudal people based on honor and self-inspired justice and righteousness. They have to free the planet of Dune of the fascistic, rotten, decaying, bloody and cruel dictatorship of the Harkonnen. They do it by sealing an alliance with the Fremen, the men of the desert. And doing that Paul, the heir of the family, creates a new religion, a new way of looking at the world, a new philosophy. In this second volume this philosophy finds its full realisation because Paul has to choose between two survivals. First he himself has to survive through death and he does it by willing to the world a pair of heirs who have all the prescient powers he had and all the rectitude the Fremen had given him. By doing that he manages to destroy the conspiration against his power and to provide his Empirium with a new generation of leaders. ...he is blind, he does not have any vision any more, so he has to give himself away to the sand worm in the desert and to become part of the whole planet, part of the whole universe. He steps into this track without any hesitation and becomes a roaming saint inspiring the whole Empirium with the philosophy of melding oneself into Nature, into natural ways, the ways of eternal Nature, this eternal Nature humans or other thinking beings can try to pervert but that always regains the upper hand. This is Fremen philosophy, and Herbert shows this choice in depth, with emotion and feeling, with passion and sensuality, with the force and strength of a new faith, the faith in the future that comes all by itself, provided there is a visionary mind that can deliver it to itself, deliver this future of Nature to Nature itself, that can deliver Mother Nature to Mother Nature herself. And this delivering becomes a crisscrossing crossroads of meanings between giving life and birth, bringing the goods of the promise, and freeing the real energy and potentiality of Nature. Herbert adds to that a marvelous sense of details that demultiplies the meaning and creates a phenomenal suspense, a fascinating interweaving of twists and surprises in the fabric of this tale. ...
Rating:
Summary: rather uneventful but a crucial bridge to Children of Dune
Review: behold the mighty universe of dune! Its so perfect and flawless and oh so great and mighty! Not really, this novel is a snoozer, Frank Herbert always wants you to guess, so much has happened, great cities have been built, Paul rules the entire universe, the book does not really go into any of this, the follow up to the incredibly gripping DUNE is pretty dull. Its very predictable in some parts and in those parts it never follows up on it and acts like it never happened. The Dune universe is still shrouded in mystery, the book does not go into as much detail as you'd like it too. It seems all the characters do is sit around and talk and talk and talk about things you could have already guessed. Duncan Idaho's return is great and now you finally get to the know the character and Paul's exile into the desert forever changing his seeing into the future curse is a fresh breath of air into the Dune universe. Nothing much happens in this book but its a great opening for Children of Dune which is probably the greatest Dune book ever. Buy them all, its worth owning every single book, this is the weakest one but it gets better and better.
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