Dune - Frank Herbert

I left the book in Mexico, so I don’t have the info from the inside cover.  I need to replace it, and once I do, I’ll add in the info.

Read: March 2012, at age 33

First time read.  I started it in Jr. High on a band trip and closed it after half an hour.  I just wasn't able to read it in those circumstances, and then I left it until just now to try again.

From the back cover:

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 Muad’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.

This is book one of three that I read while on vacation.  The reviews are going to be a little sparse, as vacationing with two kids, ages three and not quite one, wasn't a particularly relaxing couple of weeks.  For starters, I read three books over the span of two weeks.  That’s really, really low for me.  Typically, it'd be 10-12.  Two weeks after we got home, I’m finally starting to feel a recovered from the trip.

Reactions after the break:

Overall:

I really liked the setting.  The setting in huge and detailed and it was just cool.  That being said – when the Fremen have the main source of wealth in the universe (spice) and they certainly have contact with the spacing guild, I don’t understand why they don’t just import water.

The story was all right, I guess, but I didn't like the main characters much at all.  To start with, I’m not a fan of superman characters, and I found Muad’ib (“I can see the past and the future and the present”) particularly unsympathetic.  The high drama of the events became much less interesting when I didn't really care much about any of the people.  The plot was the typical hero’s journey, but instead of simple farm boy done good, we get superman becoming super-ultra-mega-man.  It just wasn't as good.   Oh, and there are huge religious overtones through the whole story, and, well, I guess I find it harder to believe in a sweeping religious reform complete with jihadi warriors taking over multiple planets in a high-tech universe than I do with jumping onto the back of a mile-long sandworm and taking it for a spin.

I’m glad I read it, but… I don’t feel like I was really missing all that much.  I might see where it goes through a few of the sequels.  I understand that the first three sequels are worth reading, but to stop there.  Is that right?

Rating: 3

Other Opinions:

Book Wit

Brief, and to the point.

Tor.com - Jo Walton

Pretty detailed.  Good review.