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Dune (Dune #1)

Frank Herbert

Start date: May 1, 2018

Finish date: May 31, 2018

Discussion: Science Fiction and Fantasy

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Science Fiction and Fantasy

* 2025 Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reading Schedule
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What Members Thought

Mar 03, 2008 Laura rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, fiction-20th-century, american-fiction, fantasy, science-fiction, read-2022

Set in the distant future amidst a feudal interstellar society in which noble houses, in control of individual planets, owe allegiance to the Padishah Emperor, Dune tells the story of young Paul Atreides, whose noble family accepts the stewardship of the desert planet Arrakis.

A re-reading, for a change... a very contemporary book due to the actual climate crisis.

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May 27, 2018 Brianna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-reading-list, 2018-reading-challenge, greek-mythology, 2020-reading-challenge

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 'You've shelved multiple editions of this book.' Oh, I know, GoodReads. I know. That's because there are multiple editions on my shelves. Obviously. Well done noticing.

I have tried (and failed) so many times to write a review of this tome or any of its sequels. You’d think after reading it four times I could come up with something. Nope. But here’s me trying again anyway. It’s only a bit of fun, a joke, a mess of frogs’ guts, and decidedly unhelpful. Don’t bother to read on. Instead, just go re 'You've shelved multiple editions of this book.' Oh, I know, GoodReads. I know. That's because there are multiple editions on my shelves. Obviously. Well done noticing.

I have tried (and failed) so many times to write a review of this tome or any of its sequels. You’d think after reading it four times I could come up with something. Nope. But here’s me trying again anyway. It’s only a bit of fun, a joke, a mess of frogs’ guts, and decidedly unhelpful. Don’t bother to read on. Instead, just go read Dune. This here is for my own amusement. You’ve been warned.

Dune is such a cruel trick. You think you’re getting a straightforward, coming-of-age SciFi. Boy with strange powers loses father at young age. Boy has to grow up quickly. Boy experiences much pain and suffering. Boy learns many lessons along the way. Boy grows older and stronger. Boy returns to avenge father and claim inheritance. Boy defeats enemies. Good guys win. Bad guys lose. Joy and jubilation. Right? Wrong.

Boy defeats enemies. Bad guys lose. Good guys become new bad guys. Boy becomes new Big Bad Guy. Wait. What? Yep. All in the name of stopping some Impending Doom in the future (*1984 Irulan voice* Oh, yes. I forgot to tell you. Boy can see future.) which is impossible to stop (and everyone knows trying to stop Impending Doom will actually cause Impending Doom, come on). And the worst of it is, he knows.

“And Paul saw how futile were any efforts of his to change any smallest bit of this.”

There you have it. Dune is a Tragedy. The boy Paul dies and is reborn a monster. Someday someone shall compose an Opera adaptation and it will never be published because Brian Herbert would never agree. His loss. Arrakis: The Fall of Paul. People would love it. Big money. Just imagine that First Worm Ride scene. Shai-Hulud would join the ranks of Greatest Set Pieces of All Time, right up there with the Chandelier, the Barricade, the Helicopter…which others am I forgetting…

…And this is why I can never write a proper review of Dune.

I hate and love this book as much as Gollum hates and loves the Ring and himself.

Should you read it? Absolutely. Read it a half dozen times, read the entire series, read it again and again. Why should I have to suffer alone?

No, really. It’s brilliant. Read it. Read. It. ...more

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Apr 20, 2021 Amanda rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopian, pov-multiple, fantasy, futuristics, fiction, format-audible, pov-first-person, format-kindle, 3-stars, classics-to-read

Spring 2020 (April - Sarah's BookClub for May);

I wanted to like this book so much more than I ended up liking this book. I should have taken it as a sign, when the first time I picked it up a few months ago, I read through a few chapters (yes, all the way past the test & The Fear Speech) and then put it down because I couldn't get into it.

The next time I came back to it (post-reading all of Grishaverse in 26 days), I settled down to it as part of a plan to start knocking out some of my book cl ...more

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Nov 17, 2021 Natalie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

This book is interesting and complex. There are a myriad of characters and complex politics that make the story one that I had to follow closely. The plot itself is fairly simple but the politics surrounding the story give depth to it. The Duke Leto and his concubine Jessica have a son, Paul, who is rumored to be a great prophet among the Freman of the desert planet Arrakis. The old Baron, an enemy to the Atriedes family, attacks the Atriedes household and troops, destroying Leto. Then he sends ...more

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Apr 03, 2017 Kate Thompson added it

Shelves: gave-up

So imaginative. I've heard so much about this book I wanted to dip my toes in, and if I were on a beach I probably would have finished it, but have so many other things calling my name. Anyway, at least now I can appreciate the scope and creativity. ...more

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Jan 09, 2011 Douglas Beagley rated it it was amazing

An epic work of science fiction that succeeds on many levels. Sexism/racism problems, mustachio-twirling shallow villains, etc... but this has aged better than most science fiction.

Love it or hate it, you need to read Dune.

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