Thread: Dune.

I've just finished reading the first three Dune books. (Dune - Dune:Messiah - Children of Dune.) I was dissapointed with children, but the first two were real eye openers. The storyline was extremely intricate -- you could practically think up an entirely seperate book with all the hidden meanings it gives you -- and it offers a very refreshing view of what Christianity (and many others) were like back in the day.

It demonstrates the powerful destructive effect that time can have on a very real and believable religion.

While it is a sci-fi novel, Frank Herbert makes the world of Arrakis very believable. There were very few futuristic cliches' -- a very strong compliment given that it was written in the 50's.

Overall, a very clean and enlightening read. I'd recommend it for pretty much anyone -- especially readers of politics and religion.

~Maithias

Yeah, it's a really cool book. I have the other two in my closet, but I haven't gotten around to reading them yet.

Two things that bothered me:

"Laz-guns" and "atomics." Simply because the names we associate with those things are different.

I'm about to commit heresy--which, when commenting on the Dune novels--filled with their religious imagery--is ironic.

I don't care for the Dune novels. I've read all of them--including the newer ones by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson (if I hear one more thing about "water-fat" flesh . . . I'll scream). I found them to be, well, boring. Overrated.

Sad, though, since they had great characters such as Stilgar, Gurney and Duncan Idaho.

Herbert was a park ranger for the Dunes park in Oregon, along the Coast. I've been there several times--I can see how he was inspired to write the novels.

I love the pace of the novels (well, the first three, and in my opinion the only three) they just read so slowly and seemed so epic, many writers who try this end up dragging or having way to much detail, but I think Herbert pulls it off brilliantly.

Yeah, my brother won't even allow me to put my hands on what Frank's son wrote. He says it's a pathetic spin-off and I believe him wholeheartedly. Kind of like the Matrix. the first one was great. The second was so-so Pretend the third doesn't exist.

~Maith

Lensman,

I can certainly understand your point of view on the books. Dune was one of those 'Love it' or 'Hate it' kind of novels. There were parts -- mostly those acid-trip twenty page chapters about prescience -- that I ended up drawling through.

I'll take a wild guess and presume that your mind is set in a faster gear than mine. I tend to favor books like Dune, LotR, and Myst because of their slow, meticulous flow quality. But if you're used to plots that are in constant motion, i can definitely see how Dune would be a chore. Sorry it didn't work out for ya. What kind of books do you favor, by the way? I'd be interested to know.

~Maith

Personally, I loved Dune. Great great book. Then again I get off on religion, so there we go.

I actually started by picking up Dune: House Corrino in a Wal-Mart because I had played Emperor: Battle for Dune for PC. I enjoyed all three in that trilogy, and the latest trilogy.

The first one's also blew me away, but I thought them all pretty awesome science fiction. Honestly, I couldn't find much wrong with any of the books...