Hi all…
Back in the mid-1980s I read the original Dune novels from Frank Herbert - Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, and God Emperor of Dune. I never got as far as Heretics of Dune or Chapterhouse: Dune. But I was always under the impression that the first book — Dune — was the best.
Nothing compares to the sheer scope of the Dune universe that Herbert created. Arrakis, the Desert Planet, is but one planet among an empire of millions. Royal houses compete for resources and power among the stars and without the Spice Melange from Arrakis, interplanetary commerce among the stars would stop dead in its tracks.
In 1999, Frank Herbert’s son, Brian Herbert, and Kevin J. Anderson began writing a series of prequels and sequels based on notes Frank Herbert had left and expanding on the universe he’d begun.
Paul of Dune takes place in the time between the end of the original Dune novel and the beginning of Dune Messiah 12 years later. Paul Atreides, also known as Muad’Dib, is the new Emperor of the Known Universe. He must bring the royal houses into line to fulfill the future timeline he forsees in his mind so that he may help the human race survive.
Muad’Dib’s warriors are fighting battles across the universe, and Paul is wondering if things have gone beyond his ability to control or guide them. And his safety and the safety of those he loves is in question, which makes it all the more difficult to keep on track.
I have to admit that it took me a while to get into this book. The first 100 pages were tough sledding, but I think it was because it’s been a very long time since I read any sort of book in the Dune universe and it was a bit of a shock to the system. Once I got into the groove, it was easier to devour. I think I knew I was over the hump when I got to Part II - Young Paul Atredies — Age 12. That really pushed my reading into overdrive and I enjoyed the rest of the ride.
Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson weave an amazing narrative of those years where Paul’s rule, as well as the legends and mythology surrounding him, was just beginning.
What I loved were the segments where we learned of some of the events of Paul Atredies childhood - when he was growing up the son of Duke Leto and his mother, Jessica of the Bene Gesserit. These early events shaped Paul into the man he would later become, but give us much more insight into some of the other characters surrounding Paul.
Princess Irulan gets much more interesting when you begin learning of her involvement in the creation of the many books documenting the rise of Muad’Dib’s power.
And you also learn more of Paul’s sister, Alia, as she begins her own legends of St. Alia of the Knife.
These are complex and compelling characters in a universe that is still very vibrant and alive more than 40 years after Frank Herbert began sharing it with the world. Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson have outdone themselves by filling in the gaps and showing us these earlier events.
Though I enjoyed the entire book, I have to admit that the sections about Paul’s experience leading up to the war with Moritani were my favorite parts. They provide an amazing glimpse into the forces that helped shape Paul into the man who would be emperor of the universe.
If you are a fan of the Dune universe, this is a great way to continue the adventure. Now I need to find the other books from Herbert & Anderson to see what else I’ve missed!
The writing duo also seem to be working on two further books in the series - Jessica of Dune and Irulan of Dune, so we will learn more of Paul’s Mother’s past and how Irulan grew to be the historian and writer of the new age of Muad’ib. So stay tuned for more in the Dune universe!
–Fitz
p.s. Check out more of Fitz’s reviews at his blog - the Lair of the Green Knight.
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Thanks for the review…
I strongly recommend to read Heretics and Chapterhouse as well as the concluding Hunters and Sandworms of Dune by Anderson/B. Herbert. I was somewhat worried when I first heard about Frank Herberts son writing Dune-books but I think he and Anderson did a good job making the story whole. I´d also recommend the “Legends of Dune” series - one might want to read them prior to the final book
Where to start ? I’ll be kind, and implore you to re-read Frank’s Dune, THEN see what you think of KJA and the Other Guy’s total misunderstanding of … well, just about everything Frank wrote about. Before you delve into the pretard books, get some background from jacurutu. On the other hand, if you really, truly enjoyed the WRITING STYLE of the Star Wars Comic Book Guy, and just didn’t remember enough of your first read of Frank’s Dune to go “What the Hell ?”, then maybe you should avoid jacurutu and go play with the kids at the dunenovels.com forum, run by *gasp* the GRANDSON OF FRANK HERBERT !!
True Dune fans are already aware of how bad this book is, how bad KJA and the Other Guy are, and how poorly the HLP is treating the Legacy of Frank Herbert and a Masterpiece of American Literature. (and you are helping them, Fitz. Good job. Shai-hulud will judge.)
The ruined the story. What else can I say. I doubt the Brian Herbert and Keven Anderson ever read a Dune book. Realistically, they probably did, but with the novels they wrote they wondered so far from Frank Herbert’s story that it seems as if they only read the cliffnotes.
The initial Preludes were not good books, but they were not the complete disasters the Legends books were. After the painful read-through of The Butlerian Jihad, I went on to The Machine Crusade, hoping something might be salvaged from the wreckage of the first book’s brutal rape of the interesting and mysterious background of Frank Herbert’s universe. I ended up putting the book down halfway in disgust, which, considering my usual determination to plough through even the worst kind of literary crap, it actually only shares with half a dozen other books.
The Dune series ended, unfinished, with Chapterhouse Dune. Sad, but a far better alternative than accepting the horrible nonsense Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson published in a determined attempt to ruin Frank Herbert’s Legacy. Remember, the attempt is only successful if you actually but and read them.
Let me start by saying that I read the first book, Dune this past summer and devoured through the rest of the Dune Saga within a couple of months. I am 30 years old and have been a devout reader since I was a pre teen, and I truly have never been more engrossed in piece of fiction.
This crap though belongs in the bargain bin. As a teen I would have enjoyed this, but as a grown man, it is easy to see through these author’s motives… the bottom line. Simply put. Frank Herbert wrote a brillant Saga of the future of mankind and his Son made it dumb.
Tough to believe that a son of a great author could bring himself to cash in with such horribly written tripe. One gets the impression that he didn’t really read his dad’s books! Countless points that don’t mesh with the original book’s plot lines. I suffered through a couple of them hoping for improvement, and found none. Only the Frank Herbert dune books grace my bookcase, none of these pot-boilers!
Ugh. I believe most real Dune fans don’t consider KJA/BH books canon for a REASON.
I know I sure don’t. No matter how much BH yells “It’s canon!” at us, it doesn’t make it so. Especially when your “canon” can’t even get even basic facts behind the entire Dune universe right.
Heck, the Heroes of Dune series going on now? BH actually trying to say his books are actually MORE in canon than, oh, I don’t know, the books actually written by Dune’s creator? Of course, BH did that simply to try to fend off all the Dune fans telling him his books are crocks of poorly researched dung stew.
Prelude to Dune was bad. Legends was worse because it completely ignored what was actually well-established about Dune’s backstory. And from what I hear, so far Heroes is worst because it’s simply crapping over anything and everything Frank Herbert actually WROTE.
And all the Dune 7 books were was just KJA/BH reintroducing THEIR evil characters they created in Legends. No way Frank Herbert wrote the name Omnius ANYWHERE on a piece of paper.
And I am beginning to suspect those notes they unearthed don’t exist. No way Frank Herbert could have spewed out the drivel that KJA/BH wrote.
What I wish could happen is that KJA/BH recant and say “our books aren’t canon” and either release those notes to the public (If they exist) or, better yet, hire an actual COMPETENT author to cover what Frank Herbert wrote.
Because there is NO WAY 90% of the stuff those two wrote was ever even dreamed of by someone like Frank Herbert. HE’s much better than that.
All those books are simply BH trying to get rich off of his dad’s great works. And it’s easy to see it. In 20 years, Frank Herbert wrote and published a grand total of six books. Meaning he wasn’t just cranking them out to make a quick buck but was actually trying to massage them into great stories. NOT sending them to be published until he was sure the stories were good. It has now been almost 11 years since House Atreides hit bookshelves. How many books showed up? 10! With at least another TWO books which will no doubt be all released by 2012. That’s a book a year. KJA and BH are a regular book factory, aren’t they? Kinda betrays that they’re mass-producing generic science fiction stories and passing them off as something that can actually not only compare with Frank Herbert’s stuff but actively REPLACE it?
What BH is doing is trying to take over Dune, not supplement it.
Im 16 and love the Original dune books. Having read dune all the way through chapter house in a little less than a month i moved onto BH/KJA two ending books. Let me say that i finished both sandworms of dune and hunters of dune and was disgusted. Dont bother reading them. in the words of SandRider shai-hulud will judge
The one thing I love about Brian Herbert’s books is that it rubs so many “true fans” the wrong way. I can see all those guys and girls sitting in their rocking chair peering through the yellowed curtains and shaking hteir collective fists at those darndest kids in the street with their iPods and their videogames. They take Frank Herbert’s books more serious than the Pope does the bible. Truth is, this is the 21st century and Herbert the Younger is doing his dad a great favor by keeping the books relevant. I was 12 when I first read Dune and it was tougher to get through then Lord of the Rings. That was 31 years ago and I have read the original Dune saga many times since. I do however love the new books. Who cares what is canon or what is not? They are action filled, horrific and gritty sometimes but most of all place the whole Duniverse in a contemporary context. It took me less time to read all of them then it did to read the original Dune. Different? Yes. Bad? Certainly not. Now can somebody make a TV series oout of this please?
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