Frank Herbert's 'Dune' Series

I just read Dune, for the second time. Loved it, again.

I read it as a teenager, and I remember the end bit being quite boring and all about politics. However, this time I felt the book was over too soon. I also recall trying to read the second one 'Dune Messiah', and finding it boring and political like the end of the first, and couldn't stand it for more than a few chapters.

I just looked out Messiah. Wish me luck!

Yeah Messiah does start out slow but it does pick up, and Children of Dune is better, None of the Dune books are equal to the first but the series does take a plumet with Messiah and then recovers

For me, none of the books have more charm than God Emperor. Leto II is a badass.

hatchet

OP here. Thanks for the above comments, it's always good to get others' insights into material that engages the mind so differently for each person. I'm currently a bit over halfway thru Messiah, I actually really like it this time round.

All this living in buildings and religious/political intrigue is a stark contrast from the fantasy-like desert desolation of the first one, but I guess I've developed some empathy for the characters, so I am interested in what happens to them.

I've also never read any "spoilers" for the Dune series, so I don't actually know what happens to any of the characters, and I wouldn't put it past Herbert to kill off someone even as important as Chani, so the element of mystery keeps me going as well (and even then, it's obvious from the Duncan Idaho ghola, and >>3's post, that it's possible to bring back the dead in one form or another as well).

I look forward to the rest of this book, and series, and I might even go on to Brian Herbert's Butlerian Jihad series.

Keep you posted.

Its interesting how he borrows alot of arab influences for the fremen, but not really a spoiler but dont read the back of God Emporer of Dune, just go for it, It really fucks you up untill you  realise what happened

OP here. Well, whaddya know, he did kill off Chani. And Paul!

Onto Children now, I'm already loving it, these books stir such strong emotions, they're so well written.

And yes >>6, I also find the Arab influences interesting. Apparently Herbert got hooked on studying real-life desert ecology for a while, and I guess he started to look into the closest real peoples' mythologies around that sort of thing. It's quite refreshing to have a 1950s/60s view of middle-eastern culture, before the time such things as the oil crisis and terrorism tainted the world enough became almost synonymous with mentioning that area.

Since your rereading the series now, You have the option of continuing on with Brian Herbet and Keven J. Andersons Hunters of Dune and soon to come Sandworms of Dune. I'm personally a fan of Anderson so I may be biased, but the books are all based off an outline from Frank, so its not like their pulling this shit out nowhere. I liked Hunters, so..I'd recomend continuing all the way through.

OP here.

I found the start of Children of Dune to be quite slow, I was thinking of giving up at one stage, but that seems to have passed. I'm up to the bit where the twins are playing with their parent-awareness. I'm intrigued as to what happens with Jessica, and Alia...

>>8, I had a friend who once offered to lend me the Brian/Anderson series, and we never got around to it, I wish I had. I suspect I'll be making some amazon.com purchases soon :P

The Brian/Anderson series don't have the same charm as the original six. I can't get over the differences in writing styles.

OP.

Interesting how he just constantly turns you against characters. You liked Alia, now she is posessed. You liked Jessica, now she is forcing spice trance upon Leto, through Gurney. You hated Irulan, now she acts in the interests of Paul and Ghanima.

It's also quite funny to see how all the characters' plans go in different directions, even though believe they are working towards the ideal goal.

>>3
OP here. Onto God Emperor now. This has certainly taken a turn for the stranger...

OP. I finished God Emperor, wow, that was so amazingly different to the others. I'd say it's the second best of the series so far, behind the first one.

I'll start on Heretic this week.

>>13

kill urself

Dune is a great series.  The only book I hated was Messiah.
I'm missing God Emperor and Heretic, so I guess I need to go searching my local library.

>>15
my trick is to look for them on amazon.com, they usually have second hand books for US$0.01 or US$1, and even with international postage, it usually works out cheaper or just as much as secondhand bookstores. there's also the added benefit that you can actually get what you want, and you don't have to leave your chair :P