Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1) in Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff Bookshelf

Sep 19, 2020 Max rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, science-fiction

I've read Dune twice before. The first time, I read only Dune, and the second time I read Messiah as well but never got around to going further. I'm hoping that third time is the charm and that this read is the one that gets me to move further and actually read the whole series. Though it could be that this time I make it just to Children and come back in another 5 years to make it as far as God Emperor.

The first time I wasn't the biggest fan of the story, but on my second read and this one I d I've read Dune twice before. The first time, I read only Dune, and the second time I read Messiah as well but never got around to going further. I'm hoping that third time is the charm and that this read is the one that gets me to move further and actually read the whole series. Though it could be that this time I make it just to Children and come back in another 5 years to make it as far as God Emperor.

The first time I wasn't the biggest fan of the story, but on my second read and this one I definitely got more into it. Though this time around I did have a few things that bugged me, like the way ornithopters keep showing up to scare Paul only to waggle their wings and prove to be piloted by Duncan Idaho. And it's interesting how the plot spends a lot of time slowly developing things for the first two parts and then feels a bit rushed in the third part. Not that things don't work, but just that it feels like as soon as part three starts, Herbert has a set of plot points he wants to hit and gets each of them in without much extraneous stuff. I'd forgotten that Paul's first worm ride leads directly into meeting up with Guerney again, for example.

But I feel like I get a lot out of this book, and it was an interesting experience this time because I read up to the point where the 2021 movie ended, went and saw the new movie, and then finished the book. It made it clear that a few things I thought were changes were plot points I'd either forgotten or remembered based on other adaptations rather than the book. But it also reinforced that I prefer a lot of the things in the book over how they're handled in the film. Which probably isn't a surprise to anybody who knows me - I'm that way for most book versus film adaptations.

I really enjoy all the different characters and parts of the story. Knowing exactly where things are headed, at least in this and the immediate sequel, it's enjoyable to watch as Paul's character changes and the way he's very resistant to the jihad until he suddenly isn't. And while I'm sure I'll end up having my issues with Frank Herbert sooner or later, I agree with him in the afterword when he says this is a book with many layers and that you get new things out of it each time.

It doesn't feel like there's much point recounting the plot and things like I usually do, especially since that tends to make the most sense when I first encounter a book. Here my thoughts really are focused on the fact that it was a lot of fun to revisit this book and I'm looking forward to diving deeper into the Dune universe, even if I know it's going to be a pretty weird and wild ride. ...more

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May 05, 2010 Max rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

I have rather mixed feelings about this book. The setting was kinda interesting, as Herbet does a fair bit of work exploring how a planet wide scarcity of water would effect people. The Fremen are a pretty cool and well-developed culture, and both spice and sand worms are neat concepts. The Bene Gesserit are mostly pretty neat, even if they already have an in-built sexist aspect to them (the one who will be like them and yet more powerful is a man, because apparently only a dude is special enoug ...more

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Jun 03, 2010 Benjamin added it

Shelves: audiobook

I recommend this book more than I recommend its five sequels by Herbert.

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Dec 20, 2010 Ruth rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction

Grand. Lived up to my expectations. The audiobook itself has some problems, the multiplicity of readers sounds at times like cut scenes from video games, it doesn't flow. But the story transcends the problems so that I rarely found them distracting. 4 1/2 stars. ...more

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Jul 25, 2011 Matthew rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is on my new must-read SF list. It might be at the top of that list. I cannot recommend this enough to people who want to get a broad SF education. Talk about mixing fantasy into your SF.

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