The Sword and Laser discussion

With the new "Dune" film coming in December (hopefully), I've decided on a DUNE re-read before it comes out. But I have to admit, while I've read DUNE maybe 10 times, that's the *only* DUNE book I've read!
I want to go ahead and read a bit more... but I'll be honest, I really have no desire to read them *all*. I was thinking maybe just a few, most important... best of DUNE.
Looking around, it seems the best recommendation is to read these in this order:

- Dune
- Paul of Dune*
- Dune Messiah
- The Winds of Dune*
- Children of Dune
- God Emperor of Dune

The Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson ones, PAUL and WINDS, are HIGHLY polarized! People seem to love them as much as Frank's books, or hate them with a passion.
What do you think? Is this a good representation of a "Best Of" for the DUNE saga? Would you add or remove one or two (tops)?

Thanks for any feedback!

It's been over 20 years since I read Frank Herbert's 6 books. And I haven't read either of those 2 continuation books, although I did try the first few prequels they released. So take this for what it was worth. However, I did just read the wikipedia articles on Franks books, to refresh my memory of what happened in each.

I would either stop after Children of Dune, either with the continuation books, or without. Or, if you want to read a few more, I'd stick solely with the Frank books, and read those 6. Dune itself is in my mind the best of the series, Messiah, and Children are in ways counter points to how he ended Dune. They continue to get more complex and weird, but they do make a complete story.

God, Heretics, and Chapterhouse all keep the complexity going, and expand it even more. Of those I remember only actually enjoying Chapterhouse. Unfortunately you have to wade through the other two to get there.

My take on the continuation books, were they were fine. The writing wasn't great, but the plots were interesting. I think that's why I only read that first prequel series.

So there you go, one persons take. I'm sure others will have different ones.

After the original 3 books, it was diminishing returns for me.

God Emperor was ok, Heretics meh and I don't think I made it to Chapterhouse.

Anything not done by Frank Herbert is not Dune IMHO, so they don't count.

Opinions, well...

I first read Dune in the 6th grade. Didn't get all the nuance but still enjoyed it greatly. Read it again twice, last time in college. Read Dune Messiah and Children of Dune then as well. To me they were increasingly weak. The end of Children of Dune had me saying "well, that was silly" and dropping the book without a second thought.

I had a roommate who loved the extended books. I never had an interest. So much good SF out there, why waste the time.

I like Dune. Just Dune, none of the others.

Liam wrote: "With the new "Dune" film coming in December ..."
I really liked Dune when I first read it (and the second and third times as well!). The other books by Frank Herbert were OK - but that amounts to 'damning with faint praise'.
I have tried several times to read the others, by Herbert/Andersen and never finished one.

I read and enjoyed Dune as a teenager but I never get past a few chapters of Dune Messiah. Years later I ran across the first of the prelude books, House Atreides by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson and wound up finishing half a dozen of their titles before flaming out... House Harkonnen, House Corrino, The Butlerian Jihad, The Machine Crusade, and The Battle of Corrin. These books seem like an indulgence now, all spectacle and not much substance. I'd still like to read one more related title, Dreamer of Dune: The Biography of Frank Herbert, one of these days.

Also, FWIW, Chapterhouse (the final Frank Herbert book) ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. You have the original trilogy (Dune/Messiah/Children), then God-Emperor, which is kind of a standalone inflection point, then Heretics/Chapterhouse, the first two books of what I assume would have been a second trilogy.

Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson did write a two-volume conclusion to the second trilogy that they allege was based on Frank Herbert's notes, but I'm not sure how extensive those "notes" actually were, and I was very unimpressed with the books they produced.

I really liked Dreamer of Dune. I've read the Frank Herbert Dune books a few times. My favorite after Dune being God Emperor. I read few of the BH&KJA prequel short stories and decided I don't want to sully my memories of Dune with the prequel novels. Although I do have Paul of Dune in my tbr pile.

Also, any mention of God-Emperor of Dune legally obligates me to me to link to this:

(view spoiler)[It's a surprisingly on-point parody of God-Emperor in The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy. (hide spoiler)]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRskc...

Liam wrote: "With the new "Dune" film coming in December (hopefully), I've decided on a DUNE re-read before it comes out...."

I was thinking along the same lines, however I've never been able to finish Dune. The thing is I love the idea - you can't be a F/SF fan from childhood and not have absorbed the plot of Dune - so I know the story and quite a bit about the universe, and it's excellent!

I've tried many times in many ways, I've even got the old Analog magazines with the story in, but I find the writing...opaque to put it politely.

I think it's been about ten years since I gave up trying, I think it's time for another go at liking Dune.

I'm sorry it didn't click with you. I love the writing style.

I found Dune back in 1979 when I was 17 (yes I'm that old ;-) ) and absolutely loved it and since then have rated it my favourite sci-fi book.

Tassie Dave wrote: "I found Dune back in 1979 when I was 17 (yes I'm that old ;-) ) ."

What was it like to read a book by whale oil light?

It was definitely an improvement over reading by flaming torch.

You old guys had it tough back then ;-)

Tassie Dave wrote: "I'm sorry it didn't click with you. I love the writing style.

I found Dune back in 1979 when I was 17 (yes I'm that old ;-) ) and absolutely loved it and since then have rated it my favourite sci-..."

Infants. I'm surrounded by infants.

Lance Roberts wrote: "Infants. I'm surrounded by infants."

If anyone asks me how old I am, my answer is that I'm a 57, (soon to be 58), year old teenager :-)