Rating: 
Summary: Enough is probably too much?
Review: Inventing a prehistory for a given series of books can't be easy. The first book was good, but this gets to be retelling and retelling and ceases to be interesting no matter hot bloody or gory the details get. I think they should stop trying to milk this cow for more money before they destroy the good of the original...
Rating: 
Summary: A very Dramatic Conclusion
Review: This was a most dramatic conclusion for this prequel set of books, preceding the Frank Herbert series. All loose ends came interwoven into several plots that worked their way into a grand finale. Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson are to be commended for bringing us, once again, into a universe that seems forever all-encompassing and on an epic scale, yet they have retained all the subtlty, energy, and depth that the characters of Dune deserve. I feel as if I actually know Leto Atreides better than any character written by Shakespear or Tolkien. These three books represent a truly great literary achievement - absolutely AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Damn good
Review: I don't care how much the purists complain. I like these prequels. They are fun and exciting, don't drone on incessantly about Destiny and don't display a disturbing tendency to think of sex as the ultimate weapon. This is a fascinating, well-paced sci fi read.
Rating: 
Summary: Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
Review: Dune Lite. This is a rollicking good romp through the galaxy, with lasers lazing and blasters blasting, artificial moons blown up (by the Empire this time!!) and, through it all, a young Jedi (oops - I mean Messiah) in the making who can save us from the stagnation and corruption of the evil Galactic Empire. If that's what you were looking for, that's what you'll get here, and you won't rue a farthing spent. (You even get the scene from the Death Star's waste treatment room, though it doesn't have the same happy ending.)On the other hand, if you're a Dune snob, shame on you. If this book reads like volume 42 of the Star Wars novel factory, that's because it is volume 9 of the Dune novel factory. If you're discerning enough a reader to appreciate fine literature, you're also smart enough to know that even the finest story lines can be milked only so far. Admit it: by now, you couldn't expect anything BUT space opera. I won't fault Brian for not being Frank; I'm not a Duneaholic upset with finding a bottle of Iron City in my exotic beer collection. But Brian and his pal Kevin have turned the third installment of the trilogy into what reads like an unacceptably dashed-off Star Wars novel. The short chapters and abrupt changes read less like well-thought-out stylistic decision and more like a plot sketch for the upcoming movie. There were a few more months of work waiting for this one. In a nod to the Dune Faithful, I will complain that if you're going to borrow characters from a novel as rich and compelling as Dune, flesh them out, for pity's sake. The main characters in HC read as if the authors had an index card for each character with one characteristic drawn from Dune. Leto: Noble; Baron: Brutal; Fenring: Hums; Emperor: Stupid? The scene in which the Baron drowns his clownish etiquette advisor in a vat of sewage epitomizes the entire novel. Not sure if the reader understands that the Baron is Bad? Drown someone in excrement and maybe they'll take the hint! (The Baron peers down into the vat. In a voice eerily like that of James Earl Jones, he intones: "Apology...accepted.") One star for entertaining action, half a star for promising genes, and one for chutzpah. I'll throw in two more if they'll promise to leave the Dosadi Experiment alone.
Rating:
Summary: Ho hum.
Review: This new Dune series has a lot wanting. The original series, by the original Herbert, was a complex interweaving of politics, religion, and philosophy. This series is nothing more than an adventure story. Also, the characters are all cardboard cut-out stereotypes. Leto is totally good, and the Harkonnens totally bad. There is also much too much filler material, making what could have been one book into three. So many details are given that nothing is left to the imagination. Another problem is that there are inconsistancies between this and the original series, for example, it was Duncan's sister who was killed by the Harkonnens, not Gurney's. Anyway, if you love Dune and would like to return to that world, this story is interesting enough to check out, even though it turns Dune into a new Star Wars. At least it's better than the New Foundation series.
Rating:
Summary: Great read!
Review: Artificial spice, Paul's birth, the battle for Ix... Multiple story-lines pieced together flawlessly to created a excellent addition to the Dune history.
Rating: 
Summary: Amazing book
Review: dune house corrino was a real revelation...
once i started, i had to put down all the other books i was reading :) It adds texture to the whole imperium, with further extentions of characterizations...
the heating up of circumstances, strategies and inner workings of each house were totally out of the world
and at the end... u think about all that could have been and the implications....
GET IT NOW!!!
Rating:
Summary: There's never enough
Review: There is never engough written about the Dune universe to satiate my hungry mind. I was going to wait for the paperback edition of Dune: House Corrino to come out before I read it, but after reading House Harkonnen, I knew I couldn't sleep well until I had finished the series of prequels. House Corrino nearly finishes off the time from House Atreides to the first original Dune book, leaving only about a decade and a half interim. This gap is disappointing, but all of the plot lines closed up nicely once the end was reached, at least. There were a few things that could be viewed as weaknesses in this book. For instance, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is one-dimensionally cruel, violent, ruthless, and single-minded. Emperor Shaddam IV reeks of incompetance, stubbornness, and rebellion. The Bene Gesserit are, as always, cool, cruel, and uncaring of many winds in the universe. Despite all this, though, one has to realize that in real life, there are two-dimensional people. People just as predictably vile, ruthless, stubborn, and cruel. In addition, the development of the characters of Duke Leto Atreides, Prince Rhombur Vernius, Jessica, and even Count Glossu Rabban is evident. Leto shows his soft side and his hard side through his time with Jessica, and his ruthless attacks on offending people. Rhombur, after facing some rather strong physical setbacks, emerges more mentally strong than ever. Jessica, ever the Bene Gesserit loyalist, defies the Sisterhood, bearing Leto a son. Rabban shows actual restraint in a near-attack on the Atreides. The wife of the Emperor, Kwisatz Mother Anirul, faces a flurry of Other Memory voices which nearly drive her mad. The character development really isn't lacking in this book. The plot flows rather well, each chapter occuring at the right time, and finally coming together to some extent near the end. The sheer number of plotlines is enough to drive one batty, though. Reminiscent of Lord of the Rings, as soon as something interesting is happening in one plotline, the authors whisk you away to another. Temporarily frustrating, but as it does all come together eventually, we can cope. So all in all, a great read for me, and hopefully for all Dune enthusiasts. I suggest reading the other two House books before picking up this one, as it would be supremely confusing if one didn't. And though I'm disappointed in the lack of another prequel following this, it ends up working out anyway.
Rating: 
Summary: Enough to make an English teacher cringe
Review: Reading this book made me want to get out a red pen and mark it up. Everything you learned not to do in high school writing classes, they do in this book. Chapters are short and choppy, on average 3 pages long. Very little descriptive prose is used -- you feel like you are reading the Cliff notes, not the actual book. Not a single character evolves from beginning to end. Almost every chapter has at least one ellipse... some as many as three or four. Ellipses which to me meant - the author ran out of words to describe the situation so reader, fill in your own blanks. I don't mind using my imagination every once in awhile, but the whole book? Especially when there are hardly any words to describe the scenery, the setting or the characters' true inner most thoughts. And telegraphing - the practice of giving away the plot or actions before they occur - there's lots of it. You know what people are going to say or do before they do it. In many cases the story does not unfold naturally, because they try to tell each scene in ten paragraphs or less. And so many people get killed in this book -- main characters, not so main characters -- I felt like I was watching back-to-back reruns of Miami Vice. You can read other comments on the plot inconsistencies between the prequel and the original, which I find shameful given that there were 4 editors (Mike, Carolyn, Pat and Anne Lesley should share in the responsibility). If you have not read the original Dune Series, please do so (all six) before you read any of the prequels. The prequels give away a lot of secrets that take away from the mystery of the original books. Then wait at least 12 months before you attempt the prequels -- the writing styles are so different it will be difficult to digest. I enjoyed reading House Atreides and House Harkonnen, but after re-reading the originals immediately prior to picking up Corrino, I realized the vast difference between the vision in the books of Frank Herbert vs. the plain story-telling of the prequels. The original Dune series is a difficult read. Every book, especially the last three, has lessons and morals that are sometimes difficult to discern, even after you re-read them a few times. After reading each original Dune book I feel like I grow as a person. I just finished reading House Corrino and I feel like taking a bath.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining Conclusion
Review: Dune: House Corrino is a satisfying ending to the Dune prequel series. My main complaint would be that there is so much plot going on that you don't really get a chance to go deep into the characters thoughts. But the plot is interesting and fast paced. The things I looked forward to most about this book was how Jessica's birth of a son instead of a daughter would be seen by the Bene Gesserit and the Battle for Ix, as Prince Rhombur is a favorite character of mine. It was great watching him mature and do what needed to be doing. Shaddam could have been done a little better. He seemed to want nothing more than blow planets up and to kill a bunch of people. Still, his scene with Duke Leto was pretty good. As was the showdown between Duncan and Count Fenring. Two great fighters going after each other with the tension thick. All in all, the authors did a great job of bringing the story to a conclusion while leaving the plot holes and mysteries open that will lead to the original Dune.
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