Dune and science fiction

[stirdgit]

I am new to this site so I may have missed it but are there any Dune fans out there? In my opinion Dune is the single most imaginative and compelling work ever conceived. I was just wondering what everyone else thought?

 

[Foxbat]

Hello stirdgit and welcome to the boards. I think you'll find that there are quite a few Dune fans floating around here. I would tend to agree that it is one of the most imaginitive pieces I have ever read although the sequels are a bit weak (except God Emperor which I rate almost as good as Dune itself).

Although I have read all the prequels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, I have to say that they are definitely the weakest of all the books. Still, I'll probably read the next one that comes out. I suppose that's addiction for you

 

[stirdgit]

Thank you for the warm welcome, Foxbat. I agree with you on GEoD; it is a remarkable work and one of my very favorites. However, I also loved the others. As for the prequels, I do not even consider them Dune books. I read all the way up to the Machine Crusade and finally decided that I would no longer promote the slaughter of such a timeless classic.

At any rate, I hope to hear from many other Dune fans. And, just to let you all know, I am also a huge fan of A.C. Clarke, Heinlein, Simmons and Asimov. Also, I will mention Carl Sagan simply because his books have been so very influencial to me in my life; especially The Pale Blue Dot.

 

[Earos]

I loved the book...
didnt get into the others though
he he, I made my wife read it... She wasnt that impressed... I think she just got confused... LOL

 

[Leto]

Check my username.
Discovered sci-fi with this novel, and stick to it (and the rest of Frank Herbert writings) since.
Althought I can't say anything for or against the Brian Herbert books. Haven't read them yet, and not sure I will some day.

 

[Taltos]

I loved the original Dune, and the Dune2 game I was playing at the same time Wasn’t really impressed with Messiah, Children and God, a little bit too descriptive and not enough things happening, but loved Heretics and Chapterhouse, for the opposite.

[font=&quot]About the prequels, read through the “Prelude …” trilogy, which went from bad to worse. Not enough imagination, constantly jumping from one sub-plot to another, unnecessary characters and plots etc. If you liked the originals, these ones are better to be avoided. Haven’t tried the pre-prequels (“Butlerian Jihad” etc.) but after the Prelude disaster I’m not sure I want to. [/font]

 

[Brian G Turner]

Dune itself is a masterpeice of SF literature in its own right - though I've never been comfortable with the sequels.

 

[Princess Ivy]

i've managed to get the first. can't get sequels yet. but i have enjoyed them

 

[The Master™]

The film, I enjoyed, but it kind of put me off reading the book... And the mini-series put me off even further...

Suppose I should see about investing in it...

 

[Princess Ivy]

for me, and i mostly hate films of books, reading the book after watching the film only enhanced my enjoyment of both.

 

[stirdgit]

Earos, I made my wife read Dune as well. She loved it and is now on Messiah.

 

[Stalker]

Fine book. I would put it to my top 10 preferances in Sci-Fi but only the first one.

 

[Leto]

Each one of the original serie has its own flavor but as a whole the serie is first in my Top Ten.

 

[Mark Robson]

I enjoyed Dune, but stopped after the first 3. I often do this now, as I have been disappointed by many of the longer series and bolt on extra books written to cash in on previous success. There are a host of these that I could quote - many by brilliant authors. IMO The Foundation Trilogy should have remained a trilogy, Jon Norman should never have written more than one of the Gor novels, (let alone the twenty something that he churned out) even the great Douglas Adams should have stopped after The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. I guess they get pushed by the fans, the publishers, and the potential noughts on the bank balance, to write more.

 

[stirdgit]

Mark, I will have to agree with you. I think the Foundation series is a prime example; Foundation's Edge and Foundation and Earth are basically the same book. I would highly encourage you to finish the Dune series, however, as Dune is the exception. Many unresolved issues are resolved in the later books and it is very clear that this entire series was completely planned out by Herbert. I seem to be in the minority on this but I absolutely loved the later Dune books.

 

[Leto]

By later you mean Heretics and Chapterhouse, right ? They were great but, yes, unfinished. Who are the Futars, where does the Matriachs come from ? etc ? Unfortunatly death came too soon.

And although Duncan can help readers to integrate this new books, the huge gap of time between them and the previous one make it harder for some readers to connect with the characters (that's the problem my partner encountered when reading them).

 

[stirdgit]

Death came too soon, indeed. We will probably never know the origin of the Futars. However, there are many clues as to the origin of the Honored Matres. Remember, during the Scattering the Fish Speakers and many Bene Gesserit went beyond the reach of the Imperium. I think the Honored Matres were a product of their coming together out in the wilderness or space. But of course, this is merely speculation on my part.

As for the timeline, it is one of the things I love about the series.

 

[Leto]

Nope, that's facts taken directly from Murbella's Second Memory

I do love the timeline too (especially when connected to other Frank Herbert books as the God Makers - same universe, millenia ago).

 

[Foxbat]

Death came too soon, indeed. We will probably never know the origin of the Futars. However, there are many clues as to the origin of the Honored Matres. Remember, during the Scattering the Fish Speakers and many Bene Gesserit went beyond the reach of the Imperium. I think the Honored Matres were a product of their coming together out in the wilderness or space. But of course, this is merely speculation on my part.

It is implied quite heavily in Chapterhouse that the Honoured Matres are a Bene Gesserit/Fish Speaker Hybrid. Also that the Futars were bred by scattered Bene Tleilax(who themselves seem to have fallen prey to their over-developed Face Dancers). There is also the hint of an enemy forcing the Honoured Matres back to the old Empire and there are very heavy hints within the prequels to what that enemy might be.

I do love the timeline too (especially when connected to other Frank Herbert books as the God Makers - same universe, millenia ago).

A book I enjoyed but never quite grasped

 

[Leto]

It is implied quite heavily in Chapterhouse that the Honoured Matres are a Bene Gesserit/Fish Speaker Hybrid. Also that the Futars were bred by scattered Bene Tleilax(who themselves seem to have fallen prey to their over-developed Face Dancers). There is also the hint of an enemy forcing the Honoured Matres back to the old Empire and there are very heavy hints within the prequels to what that enemy might be.

Not implied but stated after Murbella had access to her second memory. Yes they were bred, but from what and for what (not only killing Honored Matres).

A book I enjoyed but never quite grasped

It's a prologue to Dune (as stated in the french edition), Lewis Orne and fellow psy talents are first experiment in a field which will lead to Guild Navigators. Lewis' mother and sisters are formind a women society and encouraging careful breeding. Ring a bell ? Beside compare how Lewis Orne's mother act with his fater, and compare it to Miles Teg's mother and Lady Fenring, or any Bene Gesserit in Dune. The pattern are there, not yet refined but still there.