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Dune (1965)

by Frank Herbert

Other authors: See the other authors section.

Series: Dune (1), Dune: Complete Chronology (13)

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingConversations / Mentions
38,89263748 (4.27)7 / 1020
Here is the novel that will be forever considered a triumph of the imagination. Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who would become the mysterious man known as Muad'Dib. He would avenge the traitorous plot against his noble family-and would bring to fruition humankind's most ancient and unattainable dream. A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what it undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction.… (more)
  1. 3111
    Foundation by Isaac Asimov (Patangel, JonTheTerrible, philAbrams)
    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.
  2. 183
    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)
  3. 70
    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!
  4. 82
    Gateway by Frederik Pohl (Vonini)
  5. 40
    A Door Into Ocean by Joan Slonczewski (Anonymous user)
  6. 85
    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.
  7. 41
    Grass by Sheri S. Tepper (MyriadBooks)
    MyriadBooks: For the description of the planet.
  8. 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.
  9. 31
    The Word for World is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin (andomck)
    andomck: Ecological science fiction.
  10. 31
    The King Must Die & The Bull from the Sea by Mary Renault (themulhern)
    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.
  11. 21
    Marrow by Robert Reed (Sandwich76)
  12. 10
    Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve (themulhern)
    themulhern: Duncan Idaho is not so unlike Kit Solent
  13. 10
    Ringworld by Larry Niven (sturlington)
  14. 43
    Singularity Sky by Charles Stross (hyper7)
    hyper7: Singularity Sky could have been set in the Dune universe.
  15. 21
    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)
  16. 33
    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.
  17. 11
    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.
  18. 01
    Pillar of the Sky by Cecelia Holland (themulhern)
    themulhern: Illegitimate offspring of an extraordinary woman with occult powers himself comes to power and changes the world of all who come into contact with him.
  19. 23
    Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (wvlibrarydude)
    wvlibrarydude: Substance gives power to individual. Lots of political intrigue with interesting characters.
  20. 12
    The Enterprise of Death by Jesse Bullington (Sandwich76)

(see all 26 recommendations)

1960s (15)
Ranking (21)
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» See also 1020 mentions

English (613)  Italian (4)  Spanish (3)  Portuguese (Brazil) (2)  Dutch (2)  German (2)  Hebrew (1)  Hungarian (1)  Norwegian (1)  Portuguese (Portugal) (1)  All languages (630)
Showing 1-5 of 613 (next | show all)
I’ve been meaning to read this book for over a decade, and I finally made it a priority a few weeks ago (mainly cause of the new movie). I found it to be every bit as epic, engrossing, compelling, and confusing as I expected.

As with any good sci-fi epic, there are many layers to this story. But the world building that author Frank Herbert has done is some of the most complex I’ve come across in awhile (a lot of it thanks to the numerous philosophical/sociological musings, ideologies, and histories). This was a SLOW read for me as there was a lot to process and mule over.

That being said, I LOVED it! All of it. Even when it started to wane some around the middle I couldn’t stop reading. Other than the multiple storylines and characters, I really enjoyed the writing. Herbert does a fantastic job of putting you in the mind of various characters, and the way characters would have whole conversations just through facial expressions and body language was very interesting. And of course I enjoyed the spice planet, giant sand worms, mind powers, brutal villains, and all the sci-fi paraphernalia.

After reading DUNE I can see why it would be exceptionally challenging to translate well on the silver screen. I haven’t seen the David Lynch version, but I did go see the recent Denis Villeneuve release. I was a big fan (I’m a fan of all his movies) and I especially loved the sound and cinematography. But I can also see why my wife, who hasn’t read the book, was confused for a lot of the film. It asks the viewer to do a lot of heavy lifting. ( )
  Reading_Vicariously | May 22, 2023 |
Summary: Underwhelming. Didn't meet high expectations. Unfortunately became a bit of a slog to get through.

The Good: Herbert creates a world, highly realized, with its unique cultures and language and history and politics. With depth and detail. Well plotted, bringing together many threads and characters with political intrigue.

The Bad: Despite such a variety of characters, with a variety of roles and actions, somehow they lack humanity. All their dialogue, all their thoughts, all their actions, tend to be in the service of the plot, or exposition, or enlightening the reader to this world. But despite seeing deep into the thoughts of the characters, we seem to get little enlightenment of their feelings on the matters at hand, let alone personal, particular, character-driven, and character-revealing aspects of their thoughts and feelings. Characters often seemed hyper-intellectual. I don't think there was a single argument based upon emotional conflict, or bit of humor in the entire book. Another for instance: the deaths of characters close to others did not seem to elicit much emotion, thought, or feelings on the matter. Characters felt too often unrelatable (as a result). I think this is why I did not feel enough care for what happened to the characters.

The Ugly: Suspenseful moments there were, but more as a result of the plot, and less the result of how he handled those plot moments, or how they actually played out on the page. Similar with the action scenes, which were intense almost despite the writing itself. A great hero, but one which did not have a lot of endearing or relatable qualities. And one who felt too entrenched in the tired (and even racist) trope of the civilized/western/white hero going in to lead and save the savage/exotic/eastern people of color (a la the films "Dances with Wolves" or "The Samurai," which while I might have enjoyed, can nonetheless be rather troubling and problematic from a race perspective). Chapter introductions from books written about the events of the story, giving interesting insights and commentary, but whose foreshadowing crossed the line into actual spoiling what otherwise would have been suspenseful events if the outcome wasn't already known. A glossary that was helpful, but also felt a bit of a crutch, as Herbert then appeared to feel free to simply not bother to try to integrate the explanations of their meaning within the text itself (which would have required a more deft hand with storytelling, but which would have been more enjoyable and easier for the reader. The metaphysical/supernatural aspects lent some more other-worldliness to the story, but at times left me a bit confused or uncertain about their meaning, significance, or even a good sense of what was actually happening. A compelling tale, but one which at times seemed rather derivative of history (see T.E. Lawreance "of Arabia.") Interesting cultural idea, but ones which also seemed extremely derivative. A story which might be an interesting analogy on the times in which it was written (Middle East politics, oil), but if there was something beyond just being borrowed or derivative, and which actually might be a commentary, I did not see it (though I acknowledge both that it might be my failing to see it, and that all works are derivative in some sense).

Disclaimer: Expectations can be important. I did see (at least most of) the 1984 film something over 20 years ago. My rather awful impression of it colored my view of the book. I wish I had not seen it beforehand. On the other hand, my expectations were high due to the rave reviews and #1 rankings on the all-time-best science fiction lists. ( )
  nathanruggles | May 22, 2023 |
You know when two characters in a book are having a conversation, and both of them already know everything they’re saying, but the conversation is giving you, the reader, Valuable Expository Information?

That’s the first ~50 pages or so of this book.

The next 300 or so pages are an exciting story of political intrigue that slowly morphs (devolves?) into the rise of a religious prophet/messiah character for the final phase of the novel.

I’m torn. The good parts - the interesting intrigue-y bits, the world, the science fiction side of things - were good, but the slow/meh parts - the attempts at theology/philosophy in particular, I think- were … well, meh. ( )
  Synopsis2486 | May 15, 2023 |
I would never have to through this slog if it wasn't for it being in audiobook format. My God is it dry.

These classic sci-fi/fantasy novels are never for me.

I like characters, I want to feel connected to the people. I do not care about the detail of political or economic systems of made up worlds. I like the made up worlds but I'm interested in the people who live in them and how they relate to it and to each other as individuals.

Everyone in Dune is so cold and robotic. They don't experience emotions.. sure Paul and Jessica occasionally have an emotion but it will be registered and analysed rather than experienced. I got so frustrated by this.

Not the kind of book that I enjoy.
Also not a writing style I liked.

I am not into prophecised Special One/Messiah plot generally (since I grew out of YA!) and Paul is annoying AF. And don't get me started on his sister...!

It was a relief when I got to the end. ( )
  ImagineAlice | May 8, 2023 |
Not only impressive as a novel, but also in terms of the world and vocabulary that Herbert has invented. ( )
  INeilC | May 4, 2023 |
Showing 1-5 of 613 (next | show all)
Why is Blanch’s influence on Dune worth recognizing? Celebrating Blanch is not a means to discredit Herbert, whose imaginative novel transcends the sum of its influences. But Dune remains massively popular while The Sabres of Paradise languishes in relative obscurity, and renewed public interest in Blanch’s forgotten history would be a welcome development.

Isaac Asimov’s Foundation trilogy was famously inspired by Edward Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. J. R. R. Tolkien’s background in medieval languages helped shape the mythology of Middle Earth. Frank Herbert’s Dune is no different, and rediscovering one of the book’s most significant influences is a rewarding experience.
 
One of the monuments of modern science fiction.
added by GYKM | editChicago Tribune
 

» Add other authors (21 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Frank Herbertprimary authorall editionscalculated
Brick, ScottNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Cassidy, OrlaghNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
de Fontaine, DorothyMapsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Di Fate, VincentCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Dirda, MichaelIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Gaiman, NeilIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Guidall, GeorgeNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Hahn, Ronald M.Translatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Herbert, BrianAfterwordsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Morton, EuanNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Pennington, BruceCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Schmidt, JakobTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Schoenherr, JohnCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Siudmak, WojciechCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Stuyter, M.K.Translatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Toivonen, AnjaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Vance, SimonNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Weber, SamIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Epigraph
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.
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
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,
Publisher's editors
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Canonical DDC/MDS
Canonical LCC
Here is the novel that will be forever considered a triumph of the imagination. Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who would become the mysterious man known as Muad'Dib. He would avenge the traitorous plot against his noble family-and would bring to fruition humankind's most ancient and unattainable dream. A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what it undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction.

No library descriptions found.

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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