If you are like me, and have an insatiable craving for the works of Frank Herbert, then Eye is definitely for you. It contains a little bit of info about the Lynch Dune movie, but also several short stories, including "The Road to Dune," as well as some set in the ConSentiency universe, and some stand-alone stories, and all a clearly Herbert.

This is highly recommended if you too are a fan of Herbert. ( )

Eye is a collection of short stories spanning Frank Herbert's entire career and varying greatly in quality. I'd recommend it for Herbert fans, but certainly not for an introduction to him.

"Introduction" (1985) - Not actually an introduction, this is a short essay about the making of David Lynch's Dune movie and its reception. It's insightful, and, interestingly, probably the only positive review of the movie you'll ever read. 2.5/5

"Rat Race" (1955) - Not a very interesting story, and surprisingly poorly written. Typical 50s sci-fi pulp magazine writing. 2/5

"Dragon in the Sea" (1955-6) - published as "Under Pressure," this is the short story which was later expanded into the novel Dragon in the Sea. Herbert clearly still hasn't master his craft, but some tension and suspense is beginning to come across. It's recognizable as a rough predecessor of his famous work. 3/5

"Cease Fire" (1958) - The story itself isn't very good, but the ideas behind it are strong. Implications of the interactions of war and technology and social factors - he's clearly starting to think in the direction that will lead to Dune. 3/5

"A Matter of Traces" (1958) - The first story set in the "ConSentiency" universe. One of the few Herbert stories to have humor and warmth. 4/5

"Try to Remember" (1961) - An interesting perspective on the relationship between language and communication. Unfortunately, the story itself is more concerned with uncooperative, short-sighted governments, which has become pretty tedious in the half century since this was written. 3/5

"The Tactful Saboteur" (1964) - The 2nd story in the "ConSentiency." Very fun - sort of a cross between James Bond and a chess game. 4/5

"The Road to Dune" (1985) - Long captions for a series of illustrations of the Dune universe, poorly printed on standard mass market paperback paper. 1.5/5

"By the Book" (1966) - This didn't do anything for me. I suspect it was written earlier than that publishing date, as Herbert of the mid 60s was a much better writer than this. 2/5

"Seed Stock" (1970) - Colonists on a new planet find survival more difficult than it should be. Pretty good story, could easily have been developed into or followed by a novel. 3.5/5

"Murder Will In" (1970) - I loved this. An ancient, parasitic body-snatcher consciousness has trouble getting a new body in a dystopian future Earth. 4.5/5

"Passage for Piano" (1973) - Focuses entirely on characters rather than ideas or suspense - not a strong direction for Herbert. 2.5/5

"Death of a City" (1973) - A brief glimpse of some interesting ideas, but they're not put into play in any sort of story. 2.5/5

"Frogs and Scientists" (1985) - A strange, single-page fable-ish. . . thing. 3/5 ( )

My Bookspotcentral review ( )