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Frank Herbert

Dune

Dune by Frank Herbert, is a classic scifi novel which has spawned a considerable number of sequels and quite a few imitators. The story is centred around Paul Atreides, son of Leto, Duke of the planet Caladan. The Atreides have a long emnity with the evil Harkonnen family, and at the start of the story the galactic emperor has decreed that the two families should exchange homeworlds, so that the Atreides get Arrakis, source of the spice vital to the workings of the empire, and so of immense wealth. A just reward for moral behaviour? - no, Leto sees clearly that it is a trap, which may mean the end of the Atreides family.

Indeed Paul and his mother Jessica have to escape to the inhospitable desert of Arrakis, which is occupied only by the secretive and dangerous Fremen population. Until now the Fremen people have been considered to be of little importance in galactic affairs, but that is about to change.

Although Dune is clearly in the science fiction category, it is nothing like the space opera that this suggests. Technology plays a minor role in the story, and much of what happens is more akin to magic. The book can be confusing, with the constant intrugues between different factions, and it's the sort of book which may need to be read several times to make sense of it - but it's such a classic work that this is worth the effort.

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Paperback 544 pages
ISBN: 0441172717
Salesrank: 13689
Weight:0.62 lbs

Published: 1990 Ace

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Amazon.co.uk info

Paperback 608 pages
ISBN: 0450011844
Salesrank: 10696
Weight:0.66 lbs

Published: 1982 New English Library

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Amazon.ca info

Paperback 544 pages
ISBN: 0441172717
Salesrank: 10084
Weight:0.62 lbs

Published: 1990 Ace (MM)

Amazon price CDN$ 9.89

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Book Description
The all-time science fiction masterpiece...now in a special hardcover edition. "Unique...I know nothing comparable to it except Lord of the Rings."--Arthur C. Clarke 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 Maud'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 is undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction. Frank Herbert's death in 1986 was a tragic loss, yet the astounding legacy of his visionary fiction will live forever.

Book Description

The all-time science fiction masterpiece...now in a special hardcover edition.

"Unique...I know nothing comparable to it except Lord of the Rings."--Arthur C. Clarke

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 Maud'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 is undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction. Frank Herbert's death in 1986 was a tragic loss, yet the astounding legacy of his visionary fiction will live forever.

Worth reading even if you saw the movies already. *****
Although I had already watched both movie adaptation, I wanted to read this book. It was well worth it. Anyone who gave this novel one star is being dishonest, and I doubt they read the book. If someone didn't enjoy the story they should not give it one star unless the writing it self was poor, and Dune is written well. That is why it won both sci-fi awards for best novel. I really like how more indepth the book is, which is always the case vs a movie adaptation. You learn so much about the characters, their motivations, etc, that the movies do not show. If you have not seen the movies, then the book is going to blow you away. if you like this sort of thing. The last line almost made me cry, and only one book has ever made me cry, and that was Swan's Song. Where the red fern grows came close.

Worth reading even if you saw the movies already. *****

Although I had already watched both movie adaptation, I wanted to read this book. It was well worth it. Anyone who gave this novel one star is being dishonest, and I doubt they read the book. If someone didn't enjoy the story they should not give it one star unless the writing it self was poor, and Dune is written well. That is why it won both sci-fi awards for best novel.

I really like how more indepth the book is, which is always the case vs a movie adaptation. You learn so much about the characters, their motivations, etc, that the movies do not show.

If you have not seen the movies, then the book is going to blow you away. if you like this sort of thing. The last line almost made me cry, and only one book has ever made me cry, and that was Swan's Song. Where the red fern grows came close.

3 thoughts about "Dune" *****
Everybody else has already grokked "Dune" to the high heavens, and it definitely deserves all such praise. Here I just want to mention a few thoughts I have about "Dune" that should add to its lustre and help explain (but not explain away) its runaway success. 1) "Dune" is extraordinarily well-written on a literary level. Most sentences have the look of having been polished to a high sheen. Not that they necessarily were... point is, there's no "filler" here at all. Every word is in its place. The richness of detail is overwhelming, especially sensory detail. The narrative is well constructed, there is masterful use of 3rd-person omniscient narrator, and the plot unfolds at exactly the right pace. 2) Frank Herbert never wrote anything as good before or since. Not even close. The "Dune" sequels? No way. They don't even feel like they take place in the same universe, although the same terms, organizations, characters, etc... are still there. Why? Because starting with "Dune Messiah", Herbert's writing lost that hallucinogenic vividness. Speaking of which... 3) "Dune" is the only fiction book I've ever read that has the power to raise my awareness every time I read it. This comes from two sources. The first is something I mentioned above - the extraordinary sensual richness of the writing. The second is that Herbert is describing human beings with extraordinary powers of perception. Somehow, Herbert hit on a manner of describing human beings with psychedelic levels of awareness which is vivid, authentic, and subjectively-congruent enough to actually bring this level of consciousness out of the person who is reading his work. To read any part of "Dune" is to have your senses immediately sharpened. You don't just read about the Bene Gesserit "voice" -- you actually sense its power within you. You don't just read about the psychedelic power of the "spice" -- you actually consume the spice yourself as you read, and feel its power. You don't just read about "plans within plans" and intricate Machiavellian strategies -- you actually gain access to this level of strategic intuition within yourself. You don't just read about the knife-fights -- you actually feel your muscles and nerves becoming more subtly attuned and your reflexes sharpen as you read. I don't know quite how Herbert managed to pull this off... but pull it off he did, and it's wonderful.

3 thoughts about "Dune" *****

Everybody else has already grokked "Dune" to the high heavens, and it definitely deserves all such praise. Here I just want to mention a few thoughts I have about "Dune" that should add to its lustre and help explain (but not explain away) its runaway success.

1) "Dune" is extraordinarily well-written on a literary level. Most sentences have the look of having been polished to a high sheen. Not that they necessarily were... point is, there's no "filler" here at all. Every word is in its place. The richness of detail is overwhelming, especially sensory detail. The narrative is well constructed, there is masterful use of 3rd-person omniscient narrator, and the plot unfolds at exactly the right pace.

2) Frank Herbert never wrote anything as good before or since. Not even close. The "Dune" sequels? No way. They don't even feel like they take place in the same universe, although the same terms, organizations, characters, etc... are still there. Why? Because starting with "Dune Messiah", Herbert's writing lost that hallucinogenic vividness. Speaking of which...

3) "Dune" is the only fiction book I've ever read that has the power to raise my awareness every time I read it. This comes from two sources. The first is something I mentioned above - the extraordinary sensual richness of the writing. The second is that Herbert is describing human beings with extraordinary powers of perception. Somehow, Herbert hit on a manner of describing human beings with psychedelic levels of awareness which is vivid, authentic, and subjectively-congruent enough to actually bring this level of consciousness out of the person who is reading his work. To read any part of "Dune" is to have your senses immediately sharpened. You don't just read about the Bene Gesserit "voice" -- you actually sense its power within you. You don't just read about the psychedelic power of the "spice" -- you actually consume the spice yourself as you read, and feel its power. You don't just read about "plans within plans" and intricate Machiavellian strategies -- you actually gain access to this level of strategic intuition within yourself. You don't just read about the knife-fights -- you actually feel your muscles and nerves becoming more subtly attuned and your reflexes sharpen as you read.

I don't know quite how Herbert managed to pull this off... but pull it off he did, and it's wonderful.

One of my first loves! *****
Seasoned readers might sympathise about this being my 2nd Sci-Fi experience - Lord of the Rings was the first. Tough acts to follow, and 35 years later I'm still trying.... Dune is breath-taking for the sheer feat of imagination. The combination of medievalism and high-tech is particularly well wrought, as is the polico-economics of spice and water. Its a total immersion experience and one that's hard to let go at the end.

One of my first loves! *****

Seasoned readers might sympathise about this being my 2nd Sci-Fi experience - Lord of the Rings was the first. Tough acts to follow, and 35 years later I'm still trying.... Dune is breath-taking for the sheer feat of imagination. The combination of medievalism and high-tech is particularly well wrought, as is the polico-economics of spice and water.

Its a total immersion experience and one that's hard to let go at the end.

Mesmerizing fantasy world created ****
Dune truely is one of the absolute finest fantasy (and sci-fi) novels ever and subsequently has become a role model for many science fiction works that came after including George Lucas' Star Wars. The complex plot throughout is stunning, how Herbert creates a fantasy world that is so flawless down to every little detail shows how much dedication he took in writing it. The only problem with Dune is--the writing isn't as smooth and easy to read as it should to make this a true masterpiece. Herbert might be capable of creating a plot around his entirely fictional world flawlessly, but Dune is not a fast easy read. Unlike writers like Kurt Vonnegut for example you find large parts of this book are far too wordy, making it at times a slow, and other times, occasionally Dull. Plot events don't just flow from one part to the other. Herbert also has a strange habbit of throwing in far too many obscure vocabulary words into characters dialogue. In descriptions this is actually a blessing, but in all seriousness, who talks like they're reading out of a thesarus in conversation? With better writing this book would be totally flawless. Because of the writing the plot is occasionally cumbersome and jagged, but the ideas behind it are so stunning that the read is certainly worthwhile. Rest assured...if you have ANY bypassing interest in this genre check this out.

Mesmerizing fantasy world created ****

Dune truely is one of the absolute finest fantasy (and sci-fi) novels ever and subsequently has become a role model for many science fiction works that came after including George Lucas' Star Wars. The complex plot throughout is stunning, how Herbert creates a fantasy world that is so flawless down to every little detail shows how much dedication he took in writing it.
The only problem with Dune is--the writing isn't as smooth and easy to read as it should to make this a true masterpiece. Herbert might be capable of creating a plot around his entirely fictional world flawlessly, but Dune is not a fast easy read. Unlike writers like Kurt Vonnegut for example you find large parts of this book are far too wordy, making it at times a slow, and other times, occasionally Dull. Plot events don't just flow from one part to the other. Herbert also has a strange habbit of throwing in far too many obscure vocabulary words into characters dialogue. In descriptions this is actually a blessing, but in all seriousness, who talks like they're reading out of a thesarus in conversation? With better writing this book would be totally flawless. Because of the writing the plot is occasionally cumbersome and jagged, but the ideas behind it are so stunning that the read is certainly worthwhile. Rest assured...if you have ANY bypassing interest in this genre check this out.

The Greatest Sci-Fi Tale Ever Told *****
I read Dune before and was very confused by the story at first. Maybe that happened because I read much too quickly. Then I recently re-read it and was immediatly drawn into Herbert's world. His creation truly is epic. It's obvious to see how it has gained so much attention. Herbert creates a world filled with political strife, internal problems and real mental dilemmas, particularly in Paul Atreides as He delves deeper into the Muad'dib persona and continues on throughout the later books. Dune is a great read for sci-fi fans and anyone who enjoys a riveting tale of adventure and loyalty. PARTY ON, DUDES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Greatest Sci-Fi Tale Ever Told *****

I read Dune before and was very confused by the story at first. Maybe that happened because I read much too quickly. Then I recently re-read it and was immediatly drawn into Herbert's world. His creation truly is epic. It's obvious to see how it has gained so much attention. Herbert creates a world filled with political strife, internal problems and real mental dilemmas, particularly in Paul Atreides as He delves deeper into the Muad'dib persona and continues on throughout the later books.

Dune is a great read for sci-fi fans and anyone who enjoys a riveting tale of adventure and loyalty.

PARTY ON, DUDES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Terrific balance of themes *****
As you will gather from other reviewers this is a brilliant read. What I found shocking however, was that reading Dune one comes to the sudden realisation that George Lucas was not only of limited imagination but a B-rated pilferer at that. Once you take away from Star Wars what Dune provided you are left with a fairly limp fairy-tale. Look at it this way: Dune is for Star Wars what Star Wars is for He-Man.

Terrific balance of themes *****

As you will gather from other reviewers this is a brilliant read. What I found shocking however, was that reading Dune one comes to the sudden realisation that George Lucas was not only of limited imagination but a B-rated pilferer at that. Once you take away from Star Wars what Dune provided you are left with a fairly limp fairy-tale. Look at it this way: Dune is for Star Wars what Star Wars is for He-Man.

The best science fiction book ever written. *****
To me this is the best science fiction book ever written and Lord of the Rings the best science fantasy. The originality and depth of this book are amazing. Taking this, Frank Herbert's subsequent books, Brian Herbert's and Kevin Anderson's prequals and sequals, the result is a story and universe of staggering depth and proportions. Frank Herbert also has a very unique style to his writing (the story itself and the thoughts of the protagonists run side by side). The film and the two miniseries are also worth seeing. If I could rate this higher than 5 stars, I would.

The best science fiction book ever written. *****

To me this is the best science fiction book ever written and Lord of the Rings the best science fantasy. The originality and depth of this book are amazing. Taking this, Frank Herbert's subsequent books, Brian Herbert's and Kevin Anderson's prequals and sequals, the result is a story and universe of staggering depth and proportions. Frank Herbert also has a very unique style to his writing (the story itself and the thoughts of the protagonists run side by side). The film and the two miniseries are also worth seeing. If I could rate this higher than 5 stars, I would.

It's OK...that's all ***
I don't need to give a synopsis of the plot as most other reviewers have done this ad nauseum. Suffice to say that I am sure for its time (1968) it was a great read - although PK Dick was doing much more 'out there' and interesting stuff than this, and if you only read sci-fi then perhaps this still makes it a very good read. The book is often made out to be very 'detailed' in its complex politics and ecology of the famous 'Dune' Planet of Arrakis. It really isn't. There is some nice interplay between some of the characters which one could call mildly interesting intrigue within the 'Houses' of families, but the Harkonnens (the bad guys) are just two dimensional versions of the 'Borgia's' (poisonings, sexual deviance, gladiatorial combat etc etc). The Atreides (the good guys) are a bit more detailed in their personalities but essentially portrayed as faithful, honour-bound, decent and so on. With the son inheriting the mantle of his 'house' and becoming some kind of messiah. It's all very black and white 'politics' and of course there are the 'Fremen' (the oppressed inhabitants of Dune) who are 'mysterious', 'complex' and for some unexplained reason seem to drop in and out of faux-olde-worlde english (lots of 'thy' and 'thee' until the author gets bored/forgets and reverts back to you and your) and then switch to some kind of pretend 'middle-eastern' argot when whatever ritual is required to keep the plot going. It's all a bit contrived and many will find it tiresome. Yes you can read what you like into the various characters and story lines (some have referenced the spice to Oil and perhaps could even extract some kind of 'meaning' from todays geo-political situation if you really tried), but that doesn't make it a good book even if it were that convincing. I am sure I would have loved this when I was a teenager, but having read a wide range of literature in the meantime, I found it plodding in many places, the characters very two dimensional, the dialogue dry and not very well written and too many unanswered or undiscussed topics considering how 'detailed' the whole ecology and politics was supposed to be. We get plenty of information about those Fremen who live in the desert but nothing about those in the 'cities' and nothing about how the cities even survive considering how much the plot hinges round everyone running about in stillsuits to stop their moisture from being wasted and that water is so valuable. In the end I just stopped caring about any of the characters they were so 'cardboard-like'. Terry Pratchet once said that if Lord of the Rings wasn't your favourite book when you were 14 then there was something wrong with you, and that if it was still your favourite book by the time you were in your late 20's eary 30's then there was also something wrong with you. I kind of feel the same about this book and suggest you watch the film by David Lynch. You'll get the same feel for the book but without the 4 hundred odd pages of wasted ink.

It's OK...that's all ***

I don't need to give a synopsis of the plot as most other reviewers have done this ad nauseum. Suffice to say that I am sure for its time (1968) it was a great read - although PK Dick was doing much more 'out there' and interesting stuff than this, and if you only read sci-fi then perhaps this still makes it a very good read.

The book is often made out to be very 'detailed' in its complex politics and ecology of the famous 'Dune' Planet of Arrakis. It really isn't. There is some nice interplay between some of the characters which one could call mildly interesting intrigue within the 'Houses' of families, but the Harkonnens (the bad guys) are just two dimensional versions of the 'Borgia's' (poisonings, sexual deviance, gladiatorial combat etc etc).

The Atreides (the good guys) are a bit more detailed in their personalities but essentially portrayed as faithful, honour-bound, decent and so on. With the son inheriting the mantle of his 'house' and becoming some kind of messiah.

It's all very black and white 'politics' and of course there are the 'Fremen' (the oppressed inhabitants of Dune) who are 'mysterious', 'complex' and for some unexplained reason seem to drop in and out of faux-olde-worlde english (lots of 'thy' and 'thee' until the author gets bored/forgets and reverts back to you and your) and then switch to some kind of pretend 'middle-eastern' argot when whatever ritual is required to keep the plot going. It's all a bit contrived and many will find it tiresome.

Yes you can read what you like into the various characters and story lines (some have referenced the spice to Oil and perhaps could even extract some kind of 'meaning' from todays geo-political situation if you really tried), but that doesn't make it a good book even if it were that convincing.

I am sure I would have loved this when I was a teenager, but having read a wide range of literature in the meantime, I found it plodding in many places, the characters very two dimensional, the dialogue dry and not very well written and too many unanswered or undiscussed topics considering how 'detailed' the whole ecology and politics was supposed to be. We get plenty of information about those Fremen who live in the desert but nothing about those in the 'cities' and nothing about how the cities even survive considering how much the plot hinges round everyone running about in stillsuits to stop their moisture from being wasted and that water is so valuable. In the end I just stopped caring about any of the characters they were so 'cardboard-like'.

Terry Pratchet once said that if Lord of the Rings wasn't your favourite book when you were 14 then there was something wrong with you, and that if it was still your favourite book by the time you were in your late 20's eary 30's then there was also something wrong with you.

I kind of feel the same about this book and suggest you watch the film by David Lynch. You'll get the same feel for the book but without the 4 hundred odd pages of wasted ink.

Uncommon Brilliance *****
Frank Herbert has, in Dune, created one of the great worlds of SF. It's a world of more depth than any other I have ever read, contains more nuances and more subtlty, and has a plot which more than befits this magnificent world. Carrying the plot are a set of characters who are more than just believable; they become a part of you as all good characters do, all with hidden depths and their own unique qualities. All bring something different to the book, each possessing their own niche. There's Paul, the protaganist; Jessica, his mother; Yueh, the traitor; Stilgar, the hardened Fremen; Leto, the duke; Baron Harkonnen, the antagonist... The list is endless. Perhaps the only thing which has frustrated me with this book is the omniscience of the narrative, which, while it is enlightening and goes some way to explaining the many subtleties of the novel, often frustrates as it switches from character to character. However, it's a minor gripe, and one borne more of personal preference towards a single viewpoint than an omniscient narrator. Always compelling, and utterly unputdownable, Dune falls into that rare category of a must-read novel, regardless of personal preference. Any decision to read it will not be regretted.

Uncommon Brilliance *****

Frank Herbert has, in Dune, created one of the great worlds of SF. It's a world of more depth than any other I have ever read, contains more nuances and more subtlty, and has a plot which more than befits this magnificent world.

Carrying the plot are a set of characters who are more than just believable; they become a part of you as all good characters do, all with hidden depths and their own unique qualities. All bring something different to the book, each possessing their own niche. There's Paul, the protaganist; Jessica, his mother; Yueh, the traitor; Stilgar, the hardened Fremen; Leto, the duke; Baron Harkonnen, the antagonist... The list is endless.

Perhaps the only thing which has frustrated me with this book is the omniscience of the narrative, which, while it is enlightening and goes some way to explaining the many subtleties of the novel, often frustrates as it switches from character to character. However, it's a minor gripe, and one borne more of personal preference towards a single viewpoint than an omniscient narrator.

Always compelling, and utterly unputdownable, Dune falls into that rare category of a must-read novel, regardless of personal preference. Any decision to read it will not be regretted.

Classic released in HB *****
To be honest you'd have to say that Dune has done the same for Sci-Fi as Lord of the Rings did for the Fantasy genre. Many other novels are measured by the success of this original novel and yet few surpass it. As a milestone it's something that will remain with the genre for years to come and has been recognised as a Fantasy Masterwork by publishers Gollancz who this time are releasing a new hardback version. Why should you buy this, well for those who have only ever owned paperbacks of this classic novel will attest, its something that gets read time and again. Why, I hear you wonder is this relevant? Paperbacks that get read so many times have a habit of falling apart and aren't as durable as the hardbacks so this is your opportunity (or a life saver for Christmas) for fans of the genre to own a reasonably priced hardback. A gorgeous novel with classic characters, wonderful storyline and above all a great price and is one of the books that you really will be pleased to own.

Classic released in HB *****

To be honest you'd have to say that Dune has done the same for Sci-Fi as Lord of the Rings did for the Fantasy genre. Many other novels are measured by the success of this original novel and yet few surpass it. As a milestone it's something that will remain with the genre for years to come and has been recognised as a Fantasy Masterwork by publishers Gollancz who this time are releasing a new hardback version.

Why should you buy this, well for those who have only ever owned paperbacks of this classic novel will attest, its something that gets read time and again. Why, I hear you wonder is this relevant? Paperbacks that get read so many times have a habit of falling apart and aren't as durable as the hardbacks so this is your opportunity (or a life saver for Christmas) for fans of the genre to own a reasonably priced hardback.

A gorgeous novel with classic characters, wonderful storyline and above all a great price and is one of the books that you really will be pleased to own.

Epic Masterpiece *****
Not much more can be said about this book than has already been said. I finally read it after countless recommendations and putting it off for years. I was skeptical that it would be as good as everyone said it is, but it is. Frank Herbert shows himself to be a keen observer of human nature, political intrigue and conspiracy, religion, and the depths and variations of human emotion. His characters are believable and range from psychopathic and ruthless, to morally weak and conformist, to courageous and authentic. Complex, expansive, moving, and exceedingly well written. I can't wait to finish the series.

Epic Masterpiece *****

Not much more can be said about this book than has already been said. I finally read it after countless recommendations and putting it off for years. I was skeptical that it would be as good as everyone said it is, but it is. Frank Herbert shows himself to be a keen observer of human nature, political intrigue and conspiracy, religion, and the depths and variations of human emotion. His characters are believable and range from psychopathic and ruthless, to morally weak and conformist, to courageous and authentic. Complex, expansive, moving, and exceedingly well written. I can't wait to finish the series.

Comparative to LOTR? *****
While it is quite true that comparing this series to that of LOTR is a bit absurd, I will not bow down to the opinions of those who believe Dune doesn't hold a candle to LOTR. In risk of being redundant, I disagree with the opinion that Dune does not delve deeply enough into the characters, or that they are comparably to cheap commercials. The largest issue people have with Dune, especially those who find it boring, is that they simply cannot grasp the various theories being played out through the novel. If you consider yourself a strong reader, a philosopher, and a person of many angles who isn't reliant on the straightforwardness of "good" versus "evil" as many of a lower intelligence are, this is the read for you. This book will keep your mind sharp throughout its read, and you might even learn something about the time chaos theory.

Comparative to LOTR? *****

While it is quite true that comparing this series to that of LOTR is a bit absurd, I will not bow down to the opinions of those who believe Dune doesn't hold a candle to LOTR. In risk of being redundant, I disagree with the opinion that Dune does not delve deeply enough into the characters, or that they are comparably to cheap commercials. The largest issue people have with Dune, especially those who find it boring, is that they simply cannot grasp the various theories being played out through the novel. If you consider yourself a strong reader, a philosopher, and a person of many angles who isn't reliant on the straightforwardness of "good" versus "evil" as many of a lower intelligence are, this is the read for you. This book will keep your mind sharp throughout its read, and you might even learn something about the time chaos theory.

Not LOTR, No, definately not. It's much better. ****
I will surely burn but I have to say it; "DUNE" stands head and shoulders above LOTR. LOTR is good but it is predictable. Dune has much more detailed and it's scope wider. Certainly, "Dune" is the harder read but much more worthwhile. This book digs much deeper into the nature of humanity, its goals, its weaknesses, strengths, and the nature of religions. Comparing the books is, however, like comparing apples to oranges. Yes, they are both fruits, both are round-ish, both are tasty, and both grow on trees but they are very different. One book is about a quest and the battle between good and evil. The other is about the battle between humans who are both good and evil at the same time. It is a book about "wheels within wheels" that exist in each of our natures and in our society. Dune is amazing and worthy of reading twice or three times to see the layers.

Not LOTR, No, definately not. It's much better. ****

I will surely burn but I have to say it; "DUNE" stands head and shoulders above LOTR. LOTR is good but it is predictable. Dune has much more detailed and it's scope wider. Certainly, "Dune" is the harder read but much more worthwhile. This book digs much deeper into the nature of humanity, its goals, its weaknesses, strengths, and the nature of religions.

Comparing the books is, however, like comparing apples to oranges. Yes, they are both fruits, both are round-ish, both are tasty, and both grow on trees but they are very different. One book is about a quest and the battle between good and evil. The other is about the battle between humans who are both good and evil at the same time. It is a book about "wheels within wheels" that exist in each of our natures and in our society. Dune is amazing and worthy of reading twice or three times to see the layers.

This is NOT Lord of the Rings **
Comparing this 500 page sleeping pill to Lord of the Rings is like comparing a Rolls Royce Phantom II to a 1975 Pinto. Dune has some good ideas and in some parts the story really pick up, but over all this book is not as interesting, the characters are not as deep, and the writting style not as polished as Tolken's work. Paul Atreides is not as interesting as Frodo, or even Luke Skywalker. Jessica reminds me of Jan Brady or a 1970s coffee commercial where the character is always talking to themselves about the things around them. Gurney, I must admit reminded me of Sam, but only a little. Whether you like this book or not, Dune cannot hold a candle to LOTR. I must admit Dune has its interesting moments, but not enough for a good review. The reader will find himself or herself saying over and over again, "No, not another sand worm!" The writting style is deplorable. Herbert's prose is some of the worst I have ever read. Unlike Hawthorne, Dickens, and Melville, Herbert sentence structure is choppy, uneven, and cumbersome. I made it through this book, but I must admit, it did not hold my interest and I did breeze over a few pages. This book stinks! I give it a B plus for over all creativity. C minus for the story develpment D minus for style. D plus for Character development F for the micro-font this edition is printed in I know I am going to get tared and feathered for this review!

This is NOT Lord of the Rings **

Comparing this 500 page sleeping pill to Lord of the Rings is like comparing a Rolls Royce Phantom II to a 1975 Pinto. Dune has some good ideas and in some parts the story really pick up, but over all this book is not as interesting, the characters are not as deep, and the writting style not as polished as Tolken's work.

Paul Atreides is not as interesting as Frodo, or even Luke Skywalker. Jessica reminds me of Jan Brady or a 1970s coffee commercial where the character is always talking to themselves about the things around them. Gurney, I must admit reminded me of Sam, but only a little. Whether you like this book or not, Dune cannot hold a candle to LOTR.

I must admit Dune has its interesting moments, but not enough for a good review. The reader will find himself or herself saying over and over again, "No, not another sand worm!" The writting style is deplorable. Herbert's prose is some of the worst I have ever read. Unlike Hawthorne, Dickens, and Melville, Herbert sentence structure is choppy, uneven, and cumbersome.

I made it through this book, but I must admit, it did not hold my interest and I did breeze over a few pages. This book stinks!

I give it a B plus for over all creativity.
C minus for the story develpment
D minus for style.
D plus for Character development
F for the micro-font this edition is printed in

I know I am going to get tared and feathered for this review!

One of the Greatest Sci-Fi Trilogy Ever Conceived *****
The Dune Trilogy, written by award winning author Frank Herbert, is a spellbounding trilogy that captures the hearts of billions. At first glance, Dune seems no more than another tale of fueds and conspiracies, but after reading the book through, it is a complex, deep story that will keep you from putting the book down. The Dune Chronicals is by far one of the most compelling pieces of writting in modern literature and is science-fiction's answer J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings'. Dune is a grand story and should never be without the rest of the Dune Trilogy that ties it's concept together. I myself am looking forward to the conclusion of the Dune Chronicals in Brian Herbert's 'Hunters of Dune' and 'Sandworms of Dune'.

One of the Greatest Sci-Fi Trilogy Ever Conceived *****

The Dune Trilogy, written by award winning author Frank Herbert, is a spellbounding trilogy that captures the hearts of billions. At first glance, Dune seems no more than another tale of fueds and conspiracies, but after reading the book through, it is a complex, deep story that will keep you from putting the book down. The Dune Chronicals is by far one of the most compelling pieces of writting in modern literature and is science-fiction's answer J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings'. Dune is a grand story and should never be without the rest of the Dune Trilogy that ties it's concept together. I myself am looking forward to the conclusion of the Dune Chronicals in Brian Herbert's 'Hunters of Dune' and 'Sandworms of Dune'.