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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.
JonTheTerrible: 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.
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)
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.
themulhern: Young man with special powers and noble blood overthrows the established order through cunning and charisma. In the process he changes his people and then the rot sets in.
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)
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.
I read this a long time ago and barely remember it, so I queued up the audiobook for a revisit. The audiobook is well done. There’s a full cast doing voices for the major characters, which makes it much easier to keep track of the dialogue.
Dune is a sci-fi classic with lots to like. Unique world building, interesting constraints on technology that bring strategy and characters to the fore, and lyrical descriptions of desert life that really captured my attention.
There’s also a lot of dated and offensive assumptions that I couldn’t help but notice. The world of Dune is built on colonialism, patriarchy, rigid gender roles, inherited social class, and a fair amount of condescension and racism expressed by the ruling class and their attendants towards the Fremen of Arrakis. Paul is the creation of generations of eugenic manipulation by the Bene Gesserit and he’s repeatedly described as a “born special” hero.
Edit: I forgot to mention that Herbert describes the big villain of the story as a monstrously fat, gay pedophile. Just, ugh.
It’s still an impressive work of imaginative fiction, but the dated elements are intrusive, and distracted me from the narrative. I remind myself that a lot has changed in the world since the book’s original publication in 1965.
Finally re-read this after close to 30 years. Definitely had forgotten a lot of the main plot and am sure I appreciated the story a lot more this time around.
But, still sticking to 3 stars. Maybe that says I'm not sophisticated enough to appreciate it, or not interested enough in the religious undertones, etc.
Whatever.
I rate the books purely on my own enjoyment, and had to rate this lower than my most recent reading.
However, given that Dune Messiah is a fair bit thinner, I'll continue on with it and then make a decision after that.
At this stage I doubt I'll complete the original 6 books or the prequel trilogy, but shall see.
Second time reading after watching the new Dune films. Much more enjoyable read this time. I think the films helped me to picture the scenes as I read through the books, whereas the first time I read the books before watching the films, and struggled a bit to form a picture of the world and the worms and all the details. So I really recommend first watching the movies and then reading the book, where normally in other cases I'll recommend first reading the book and then watching the films. ( )
I'm not sure why I waited so late in life to read this book. Perhaps it's because I had vague recollections of the 1984 movie. I remember liking it, but being confused. Which makes sense, because this is an epic book. There are a lot of people, places, and things to learn and remember. The sheer fact that there are appendices about the ecology, religion, and more of Dune should tell you that.
Anyway, I'm not an analyzer. I don't look at books and rate them based on technical merit, writing style, etc. I rate based on how much I enjoyed the book. I rarely give five stars because I save those for my favorites. I was so engrossed in this book and enjoyed the story so much I thought about it even while not reading it. I longed to find some free time so I could pick it up and escape. Maybe self-isolating during COVID-19 made me want to escape to Arrakis even more ... who knows. But I count this as one of my favorites now because it was an epic story with great fighting, love, technology, lore, and more. ( )
I'm glad I finally read it. The complexity and completeness of the vision is impressive and absorbing. The ecological project and life-ways of the Fremen, the double-edged power that comes with foreknowledge of the future, the twists of political intrigue -- all fascinating.
However, I found the lack of imagination about the possibility of change in gender/power relations tiresome (the Bene Gesserit are powerful females, so of course they must be "witches," and really, all the ambassadors to the Commission of Ecumenical Translators are men?). I found the markers of the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen's evil nature (his fatness, his sexual abuse of young male slaves, his Russian name) to be rather embarrassing projections of mid-20th century prejudices. And I cannot help but wonder why so many sci-fi classics are so "medieval" in their language and aesthetics: thousands of generations from now we still operate under feudalism and have an aristocracy that we address as "M'Lord"?
Herbert's story that I'd really like to hear is just hinted at in this book: the Butlerian Jihad in which humans successfully revolted against "thinking machines." What was the world like when humans revolted? How did they organize? Who were their leaders? How did the humans defeat machine consciousness? ( )
A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that the balances are correct. This every sister of the Bene Gesserit knows. To begin your study of the life of Muad'Dib, then, take care that you first place him in his time: born in the 57th year of the Padishah Emperor, Shaddam IV. And take the most special care that you locate Muad'Dib in his place: the planet Arrakis. Do not be deceived by the fact that he was born on Caladan and lived his first fifteen years there. Arrakis, the planet known as Dune, is forever his place. from "Manual of Muad'dib" by the Princess Irulan
Dedication
To the people whose labors 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.
First words
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.
Quotations
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."
Last words
". . . While we, Chani, we who carry the name of concubine—history will call us wives."
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,
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.
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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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Herbert, Frank, 1920-1986. Ο πλανήτης Dune-Τόμος 1 / Φρανκ Χέρμπερτ · μετάφραση Γ. Κουσουνέλος. - Αθήνα : SPACE Ε.Π.Ε., 1989. - 277σ. · 18x11εκ. - (Cosmos: Επιστημονική Φαντασία · 022) gre Γλώσσα πρωτοτύπου: αγγλικά Τίτλος πρωτοτύπου: Dune, 1965 (Μαλακό εξώφυλλο) [Εξαντλημένο] 813.54
Herbert, Frank, 1920-1986. Ο πλανήτης Dune-Τόμος 1I / Φρανκ Χέρμπερτ · μετάφραση Γ. Κουσουνέλος. - Αθήνα : SPACE Ε.Π.Ε., 1989. - 384σ. · 18x11εκ. - (Cosmos: Επιστημονική Φαντασία · 022) gre Γλώσσα πρωτοτύπου: αγγλικά Τίτλος πρωτοτύπου: Dune, 1965 (Μαλακό εξώφυλλο) [Εξαντλημένο] 813.54
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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Wikipedia in English (18)
Dune is a sci-fi classic with lots to like. Unique world building, interesting constraints on technology that bring strategy and characters to the fore, and lyrical descriptions of desert life that really captured my attention.
There’s also a lot of dated and offensive assumptions that I couldn’t help but notice. The world of Dune is built on colonialism, patriarchy, rigid gender roles, inherited social class, and a fair amount of condescension and racism expressed by the ruling class and their attendants towards the Fremen of Arrakis. Paul is the creation of generations of eugenic manipulation by the Bene Gesserit and he’s repeatedly described as a “born special” hero.
Edit: I forgot to mention that Herbert describes the big villain of the story as a monstrously fat, gay pedophile. Just, ugh.
It’s still an impressive work of imaginative fiction, but the dated elements are intrusive, and distracted me from the narrative. I remind myself that a lot has changed in the world since the book’s original publication in 1965.