Rating: 
Summary: Going through the Motions
Review: Basic plot: Tension is building as the Kwisatz Haderach is about to be born a generation before he is supposed to be, unknown to everyone except Lady Jessica.
Duke Leto helps his friend, Prince Rhombur, try to reclaim Ix. However, Ix is also the location of Emperor Shaddam's secret plans to create amal, synthetic spice, and the Emperor does not like his plans disturbed.
On Arrakis, Liet Kynes, in the shadow of his beloved father, tries to organize the Fremen to overthrow the evil Baron Harkonnen.This book is an adequate book, and would be good IF it did not have the original series to compare to. I am not a fanatic who reaches for my crysknife at every inconsistency, but I miss Frank Herbert's world. The elder Herbert had the ability to make readers despise heroes, while House Corrino's characters...all the heroes are magnificent and flawless, the villains are blockheads. Many sections of the book made me laugh (although sometimes this was when the book was supposed to be deep and meaningful), but other sections were remarkably dull. I found myself skipping whole chapters to follow the plotlines I thought were interesting, and forcing myself to go back and read. In fact, most of the early part of the book was read out of duty. I thought the earlier prequels in the trilogy more interesting. I really enjoyed House Atreides, and House Harkonnen was all right, too. But House Corrino is dull.
Rating: 
Summary: Politics or the balance of evils
Review: This volume is the concluding volume of the Prelude to the Dune series. It is a marvellous concluding volume. The Herberts, and probably more the father than the son because the father designed the whole series, are against politics in many ways. Politics, when it falls in the hands of greedy people, violent people, immoral people, becomes a real plague to humanity. But deeper than that we can question what limits are missing for these to become such a plague. Greed is the result of a certain economic system that considers profit as being the utmost value in life. It forgets progress is only progress when it is shared by all. Violence is the result of the possibility for some to do what they want because there is no democratic control of their actions. It negates democracy that states that an action has to be approved by all. Immorality is the result of personal or collective creeds that one or a group can do what they please because they have some justification on their sides, be it a twisted religion, or a contorted ideology, or a perverted psychology. It rejects sharing and togetherness that imply that pleasure is only acceptable when it is the pleasure of all. But at the same time the book shows how some can act along a code of honor and a rule of love and that honor and love impose some duties on all : the duty to respect others, to help the weak, to support the poor, to work for the happiness of all. And this attitude becomes the troublemaker for the greedy, the violent and the immoral. The book is optimistic when it states that in the end the good always succeed. Maybe the good in a transhistorical approach, but how many good men, women and children may have died and perished before the good win ? There is also in the book, like in all the books of the series, direct allusions to some of our references : the Catholic Bible for example. The supreme merchants (the Guild and the CHOAM, who have the absolute monopoly on transportation) are also the supreme rulers and no one can do anything without their ultimate support, which means that they will do nothing against some evil as long as their immediate economic interest is not at stake. They are like referees who only see evil when it steps on their toes, and they often accept bribes to close their eyes to some evil in the making. It then appears that there cannot be any peace if it is not based on some balance of terror or fear. In other words peace is nothing but some equilibrium among worlds that may be as evil as the devil himself but who are kept in place by some deterring power that has to be well shared. And that is the only shared element in this world : the fear of some possible terror. Peace can only exist within a constant cold war. Until some new disruption appears from inside or outside. There is no hope in this world, in this vision. But the book is tremendously fascinating as a mirror of our shortcomings, and it is entertaining. Dr Jacques COULARDEAU
Rating: 
Summary: definitely worthwhile
Review: As I mentioned in my review of House Atreides, it took me a while to muster-up the courage to attempt this 'prelude' series as I was concerned that it would harm the Dune franchise. I decided to read the series straight through (all nine books). I can safely say that the prelude series ADDS something that was missing from the original series. "Dune" is, unequivocally, the greatest science fiction novel of all time. And now that we have a thorough backstory, it has only become greater. "Dune" begins with a 15 year old Paul Atreides who quickly becomes Duke Paul Atreides (amongst other titles). In the beginning of Herbert's six novel series Paul's father Leto is portrayed as a great man, but we don't know why. We also know that there are flaws in the ruling house - Corrino, ie Emperor Shaddam IV, but we are not given any details. This is the reason why the prelude series is worthwhile. We find out the recent history that shapes the events in the novel "Dune". That is, we get first-hand knowledge of the relationship between Fenring and Shaddam and a greater feeling for their characters and motives. We understand now the threat that Leto posed for the throne which led to the Atreides move to Arrakis. We also get a greater appreciation of Ix and revilement of the Tleilaxu. The inclusion of these events into the saga gives the reader a greater understanding of the Dune universe. I definitely recommend the prelude series to any 'Dune' fan who is prepared to take it for what it is - a well written backstory.
Rating: 
Summary: Further insult to injury
Review: Two word review: poop sandwich.
Rating:
Summary: Don't expect a masterpiece...
Review: I have to laugh. I read the previous review of House Corrino before I actually read the novel and everytime someone said "Vermilion Hells!" I snickered. It's true, that phrase seems to be used over and over in the book. I should have kept a running total of how many times that phrase is used. The authors also seem it necessary to remind us that Gurney Halleck has an "inkvine" scar on his face every time he shows up. Thanks, I got it! All in all it's an enjoyable read. If you go into it expecting these books (all 3 House books) to be on par with the original series you'll be in for a letdown. Standing on their own, they're fun to read and move along at a nice pace. I don't mind some of the inconsistencies that seem to drive some Dune fanatics mad. The fact that Paul Atreides is said to be born on Kaitan in "House Corrino" as opposed to Caladan is fine. The account of him being born on Caladan was written by Princess Irulan who could have deliberately changed his birthplace to try and suggest he wasn't of "noble" blood. When you take into account that memories are fading you can explain away alot of the inconsistencies. So don't expect the original series...just enjoy some good tales with decent writing.
Rating:
Summary: Not quite Dune, but good nonetheless
Review: If one compares the Dune prequels to the original novels, it is easy to find them lacking, but this seems a bit invidious. After all, most novels are not that great compared to Dune. But this of course, purports to be an extension of the original books. It is not. While there are the same settings and characters, House Corrino is unlike Dune in style. It is based more on action and the explication of "wheels within wheels" plans than the much more ponderous and philosophical Dune. In the first two books of the House trilogy, the author's tried to imitate Herbert's unique style, and quite frankly did not succeed. While the result was not altogether bad, it was a bit lifeless. With House Corrino, the authors have markedly broken away from trying to imitate Herbert's style, and rather use their own. It is less faithful to Dune, but it is more faithful to the readers and the authors themselves. So what do we have, if not a book that can be accurately compared to the original Dune novels? It is a story of intrigue and plot twists, and the tying-up of loose ends at a breakneck pace. The ending is, however, by no means contrived, though one might feel disappointed that all the tension that began to build up from the start of House Atreides is released. The book does not really segway into Dune, it merely lays the foundation. Nonetheless it is a compelling read when taken from the right perspective.
Rating:
Summary: Based on the Dune series
Review: I just finished reading the prelude to Dune and have to admit that I enjoyed them - it had been years since I read the original series. I then came up with a novel idea - why not re-read the original series? That's when I found out the disturbing truth: either Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson never read the original series, didn't conducted adequate research on the originals, or they decided to write novels "based on" the original Dune series. You know, like when you watch a movie, "based on a true story." Usually one or two characters in the story really existed, maybe they were actually in the place depicted in the movie, but after that, all basis in fact is thrown to the winds and the writers take over and create entertainment for the masses. As long as you realize that the movie is fiction and based (somewhat loosely) on a factual event, I guess there is no harm in viewing it for entertainment. You can treat the House series in the same way - the characters, places, and plot are based on the original series, but the writers have developed an alternative that is entertaining, but not true to the original.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad writing, worse story
Review: It shames me to say that I finished the entire book. That's the only reason I gave 2 stars. It was only out of curiosity to see how this shameless son of Frank Herbert would further defile the great Dune legacy. It's truely amazing how little original thought went into this book. The only story lines are filling in details that Frank Herbert intentionally left vague or following one-dimensional characters down one-dimensional plots. I'm drawing the line here. I'm not going to buy the Butlerian series and give more money to these sick so-called authors. There are only 6 Dune books, however much we might wish for more.
Rating:
Summary: Better than the second, not as good as the first.
Review: While the second book of the first Dune prequel trilogy trudged along trying to build up suspense, the first book set the stage and was far better. The third book, though inferiour to the first, concludes the set up and end the trilogy's side stories. While interesting, it still suffer from what all prequels suffer from. We know what happens. I enjoyed the sub plots, the fact that each characters actions will have huge ramifications later on.
Rating:
Summary: Loved it
Review: Really love this trilogy, perhaps even better than the original.
| 
