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Loading... ▾LibraryThing recommendations  25 10JonTheTerrible: The pace of these books are similar as well as the topics they cover: society and government. The science plays only a small role in both books but is present enough to successfully build the worlds in which the characters inhabit. 50 The Faded Sun Trilogy by C. J. Cherryh (reading_fox)reading_fox: Same basic sort of premise - SciFi set on desert worlds inspires the rise of a galactic empire, but very different outcomes! 73 Lord Valentine's Castle by Robert Silverberg (corporate_clone)corporate_clone: Both books are a subtle blend of science fiction and fantasy while being truly epic stories. Although Dune remains a superior literary achievement in my view, Silverberg's Majipoor series is a credible alternative. 73 Gateway by Frederik Pohl (Vonini)63 Hyperion by Dan Simmons (corporate_clone)corporate_clone: It is difficult not to compare Dune and Hyperion, even though both series have major differences in terms of tone, style and philosophy. Those are two long, epic, elaborate and very ambitious sci-fi masterpieces where religion plays a key role. I would highly recommend the fans of one to check out the other.… (more) 20 Bright of the Sky by Kay Kenyon (amysisson)amysisson: Different in tone, but similar in scope, plus it's also about the lengths to which empires will go to maintain the status quo. 31 Grass by Sheri S. Tepper (MyriadBooks)MyriadBooks: For the description of the planet. 10 The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge (sandstone78)sandstone78: Similar tropes in the form of human computers and a native species capable of granting youth, and the powerful woman trying to breed a special child- The Snow Queen seems on one level a response to Dune, taking many of the same elements and twisting them around, while going in quite different directions in other ways.… (more) 10 The Broken God by David Zindell (whiten06)whiten06: Another coming-of-age story with the protagonist gaining god-like knowledge through the use of hallucinogens. 10 Beowulf's Children by Larry Niven (ed.pendragon)ed.pendragon: Similar approach to exploring ecology of a fictional planet while adding to the mix of myth-inspired human interaction. 21 The Lazarus Effect by Frank Herbert (d_perlo)d_perlo: So you have read Frank Herbert's Dune series and want more? Thy The Lazarus Effect, The Jesus Incident, and The Ascension Factor, also by Frank Herbert. This is his take on a water world. 22 National Lampoon's Doon by Ellis Weiner (one-horse.library)22 Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (wvlibrarydude)wvlibrarydude: Substance gives power to individual. Lots of political intrigue with interesting characters. 11 The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (LaPhenix)LaPhenix: Another messiah story drawing inspiration from similar sources. 33 Singularity Sky by Charles Stross (hyper7)hyper7: Singularity Sky could have been set in the Dune universe. 24 Moby Dick by Herman Melville (LamontCranston)LamontCranston: I once heard Harlan Ellison talking about how some works are unadaptable into film and he cited Dune and Moby-Dick
And thinking about it, both works use their story telling as platforms for ruminations on well everything about life 715 The Iliad by Homer (benmartin79)benmartin79: Dune stands in a long tradition of epic stories. The Iliad is not the oldest recorded epic, but is perhaps the most widely read of all.
▾Will you like it?
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 Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. » Add other authors (22 possible) | Author name | Role | Type of author | Work? | Status | | Herbert, Frank | Author | primary author | all editions | confirmed | | Brick, Scott | Narrator | secondary author | some editions | confirmed | | Cassidy, Orlagh | Narrator | secondary author | some editions | confirmed | | Guidall, George | Narrator | secondary author | some editions | confirmed | | Morton, Euan | Narrator | secondary author | some editions | confirmed | | Pennington, Bruce | Cover artist | secondary author | some editions | confirmed | | Schoenherr, John | Cover artist | secondary author | some editions | confirmed | | Siudmak, Wojciech | Cover artist | secondary author | some editions | confirmed | | Stuyter, M.K. | Translator | secondary author | some editions | confirmed | | Vance, Simon | Narrator | secondary author | some editions | confirmed |
▾Work-to-work relationships Is contained inContainsHas the adaptationIs abridged inIs parodied inIs replied to inInspiredHas as a studyHas as a student's study guide
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| Dedication |
To the people whose labours go beyond ideas into the realm of 'real materials' - to the dry-land ecologists, wherever they may be, in whatever time they work, this effort at prediction is dedicated in humility and admiration.  | |
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A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that the balances are correct. . . .
from "Manual of Muad'dib" by the Princess Irulan In the week before their departure to Arakis, when all the final scurrying about had reached a nearly unbearable frenzy, an old crone came to visit the mother of the boy, Paul. | |
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I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic. Let us not rail about justice as long as we have arms and the freedom to use them. The thing the ecologically illiterate don't realize about an ecosystem is that it's a system. A system! A system maintains a certain fluid stability that can be destroyed by a misstep in just one niche. A system has order, a flowing from point to point. If something dams the flow, order collapses. The untrained miss the collapse until too late. That's why the highest function of ecology is the understanding of consequences. The willow submits to the wind and prospers until one day it is many willows — a wall against the wind. This is the willow's purpose. Muad'Dib is wise in the ways of the desert. Muad'Dib creates his own water. Muad'Dib hides from the sun and travels in the cool night. Muad'Dib is fruitful and multiplies over the land. Muad'Dib we call 'instructor-of-boys.' That is a powerful base on which to build your life, Paul-Muad'Dib, who is Usul among us. "It's said that the Fremen scum drink the blood of their dead." Fear is the mind-killer. | |
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If you are combining a translated copy please check carefully as in some languages this book was split into two volumes. In some languages there is a single volume edition and a split edition - you should only combine the single volume edition with the English edition. Languages known to have multiple-volumes: French, German, | |
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▾References References to this work on external resources.  Wikipedia in English (55)
▾LibraryThing members' description
| Book description |
Set in the far future amidst a sprawling feudal interstellar empire where planetary fiefdoms are controlled by noble Houses that owe an allegiance to the Imperial House Corrino, Dune tells the story of young Paul Atreides (heir apparent to Duke Leto Atreides and scion of House Atreides) as he and his family accept control of the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the spice melange, the most important and valuable substance in the universe. The story explores the complex and multilayered interactions of politics, religion, ecology, technology, and human emotion, as forces of the Empire confront each other for control of Arrakis and its spice.
AR 5.7, 28 Pts | |
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| Haiku summary |
Foretold one gets dumped
in desert, then goes native.
Returns, beats baddies!
(ed.pendragon) Fear the mind killer
Worm vomit expands the mind
Kwisatz Haderach
(amweb) | |
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▾Book descriptions Amazon.com Amazon.com Review (ISBN 0441013597, Paperback)
This Hugo and Nebula Award winner tells the sweeping tale of a desert planet called Arrakis, the focus of an intricate power struggle in a byzantine interstellar empire. Arrakis is the sole source of Melange, the "spice of spices." Melange is necessary for interstellar travel and grants psychic powers and longevity, so whoever controls it wields great influence. The troubles begin when stewardship of Arrakis is transferred by the Emperor from the Harkonnen Noble House to House Atreides. The Harkonnens don't want to give up their privilege, though, and through sabotage and treachery they cast young Duke Paul Atreides out into the planet's harsh environment to die. There he falls in with the Fremen, a tribe of desert dwellers who become the basis of the army with which he will reclaim what's rightfully his. Paul Atreides, though, is far more than just a usurped duke. He might be the end product of a very long-term genetic experiment designed to breed a super human; he might be a messiah. His struggle is at the center of a nexus of powerful people and events, and the repercussions will be felt throughout the Imperium. Dune is one of the most famous science fiction novels ever written, and deservedly so. The setting is elaborate and ornate, the plot labyrinthine, the adventures exciting. Five sequels follow. --Brooks Peck (retrieved from Amazon Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:37:23 -0500) (see all 10 descriptions) ▾Library descriptions Follows the adventures of Paul Atreides, the son of a betrayed duke given up for dead on a treacherous desert planet and adopted by its fierce, nomadic people, who help him unravel his most unexpected destiny. » see all 13 descriptions |
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(4.31)
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Dune has the qualities that a lot of my favorites have. It's an epic, sprawling story with its own vocabulary, a fully-realized world and deep characters. Like a lot of books with these characteristics, the first few chapters are difficult to absorb. I had to go back and reread them a few times as I learned more and had to remind myself to be patient.
Patience is also required for the rest of the book, since it's not a quick read. I can normally knock out a book in a day or two, but Dune required much more time than I expected. The perspective changes from character to character without any warning; while the book is written well enough that it's not confusing, it definitely requires close attention.
Now there's the question of whether or not to read the sequels. They don't seem to be very well-liked by Dune fans, although the same thing could be said about Ender's Game's sequels, which I really enjoyed. (