Scan barcode
imani_r's review against another edition
1.0
Abandoned 5% in. Sounds like an interesting world, but neither the prose nor the dialogue was captivating enough to keep me interested.
rkendylb's review
3.0
I know this is classic sci-fi that really helped to establish the genre. I recognize that and I appreciate the book because of that. And the world-building was phenomenal; I loved all the effort that went into creating this fictional world.
But the plot... meh
My biggest issue was probably with Paul. The rich kid, chosen one who can do basically anything and is literally better than anyone? I was not into that. Given that this book was published in 1965, that cliché probably wasn’t as cliché then, but reading it now, I was just really annoyed by Paul and how everyone around him worships him and how he’s literally better than all of them.
I would rather read Jessica’s story. Or Chani’s. Or Irulan’s. All of these women seem so cool, but we don’t get nearly enough of them. Also (and again, I know this is from 1965) I felt uncomfortable with how sexualized parts of this were. And I really didn’t like how Chani immediately fell in love with Paul and had his kid. Also the only queer character was Baron Harkonnen who likes young boys??? Like, I’m not surprised but come on! Really?!?!
Anyway, this got away from me but the point is, I liked the world-building and was disappointed by the plot. I probably won’t read the rest of the series.
But the plot... meh
My biggest issue was probably with Paul. The rich kid, chosen one who can do basically anything and is literally better than anyone? I was not into that. Given that this book was published in 1965, that cliché probably wasn’t as cliché then, but reading it now, I was just really annoyed by Paul and how everyone around him worships him and how he’s literally better than all of them.
I would rather read Jessica’s story. Or Chani’s. Or Irulan’s. All of these women seem so cool, but we don’t get nearly enough of them. Also (and again, I know this is from 1965) I felt uncomfortable with how sexualized parts of this were. And I really didn’t like how Chani immediately fell in love with Paul and had his kid. Also the only queer character was Baron Harkonnen who likes young boys??? Like, I’m not surprised but come on! Really?!?!
Anyway, this got away from me but the point is, I liked the world-building and was disappointed by the plot. I probably won’t read the rest of the series.
talesoftheraven's review
5.0
I reread this every couple of years. I find new things in it, all the time. Still one of my favorite books of all time.
mxmrow's review against another edition
1.0
A book this long should be able to get characters beyond parodies. A 'mincing' 'effeminate' schemer and an obese paedophile who is an ableist and homophobic trope from it's time is in sharp contrast to The Left Hand of Darkness which was only published a few years later.
katharinaxx's review
4.0
Numerous reviews have been written on Dune, and I don't aim to add to it. The following are vignettes of thoughts I have immediately after reading the book:
I love the comprehensive world-building. On the ecosystem side, the dune, the storm, the caves, and the worm are not only well-researched but also tightly connected to the plot. They influence main characters' behaviors and, in the case of the, even dictate the outcome of key plot lines.
The storytelling is very thorough and plausible. I was deeply stricken by the death of. He was building up to be a likable character, and I honestly didn't expect him to actually pass so early in the book. This makes storytelling realistic and I wouldn't want to have it any other way - though it makes me a sad panda:/ Likewise, I was expecting to have more tricks up his sleeves, regrettably fate took him on a different pass.
I really like how the book is broken into three distinct yet not disjoint parts, and how Paul's character evolved through time and through different environments. The only disappointment I have with characters is that Baron Harkonnen's personality seems pretty flat.
One of the common criticisms of Dune is that it is a white savior story. This was not an issue for me. Paul was not a hero by choice, and the Fremen are far from helpless. Not to mention that I think Frank Herbert's respect for the fortitude and skillsets of Lady Jessica and Chani really shone through.
If there is one big thing I don't enjoy in Dune, it is the schemings. Frank Herbert served as a senator's speechwriter for a period of time and he definitely knew his craft. Unfortunately this is just not something I enjoy reading. I moved to Taiwan as a pre-teen, and was made to sit through lots of dynasty/palace dramas and to study literature of Eileen Chang - both of which I don't particularly enjoy - throughout my teen years.
It takes someone observant in social-political ways to write scheming threads like this, and I admire writers in this trade a lot. In the case of Dune, however, I thought the descriptions of what everyone was thinking in their heads are way too explicit. Perhaps I am conditioned to the styles of Chinese literature, which are generally more subtle and obscure. That makes it harder for a reader to decipher the schemes, but I thought there's a beauty to subtlety. It echos the subtlety of scheming and leaves a much large emotional impact when readers realize the implication.
Following that notion, I thought Frank Herbert was a better thinker and storyteller than a literary writer. See, if I had to hear about Chani's elfin face one more time, I swear I'd smash my Kindle to pieces.
I love the comprehensive world-building. On the ecosystem side, the dune, the storm, the caves, and the worm are not only well-researched but also tightly connected to the plot. They influence main characters' behaviors and, in the case of the
Spoiler
stormThe storytelling is very thorough and plausible. I was deeply stricken by the death of
Spoiler
Liet-KynesSpoiler
Thufir HawatI really like how the book is broken into three distinct yet not disjoint parts, and how Paul's character evolved through time and through different environments. The only disappointment I have with characters is that Baron Harkonnen's personality seems pretty flat.
One of the common criticisms of Dune is that it is a white savior story. This was not an issue for me. Paul was not a hero by choice, and the Fremen are far from helpless. Not to mention that I think Frank Herbert's respect for the fortitude and skillsets of Lady Jessica and Chani really shone through.
If there is one big thing I don't enjoy in Dune, it is the schemings. Frank Herbert served as a senator's speechwriter for a period of time and he definitely knew his craft. Unfortunately this is just not something I enjoy reading. I moved to Taiwan as a pre-teen, and was made to sit through lots of dynasty/palace dramas and to study literature of Eileen Chang - both of which I don't particularly enjoy - throughout my teen years.
It takes someone observant in social-political ways to write scheming threads like this, and I admire writers in this trade a lot. In the case of Dune, however, I thought the descriptions of what everyone was thinking in their heads are way too explicit. Perhaps I am conditioned to the styles of Chinese literature, which are generally more subtle and obscure. That makes it harder for a reader to decipher the schemes, but I thought there's a beauty to subtlety. It echos the subtlety of scheming and leaves a much large emotional impact when readers realize the implication.
Following that notion, I thought Frank Herbert was a better thinker and storyteller than a literary writer. See, if I had to hear about Chani's elfin face one more time, I swear I'd smash my Kindle to pieces.
edazreads's review
3.0
One thing that stood out to me in Dune is the world. It is intricate (and complicated!) and feels like Herbert was inspired by a real place. This is my first time reading a book in the sci-fi genre and after reading what is considered to be a classic of the genre I am disappointed to say this book was not for me. I found it hard to connect with the characters, they were bland to me. As well, the writing was eh. It took me out of the story multiple times. I felt like unnecessary details were added and that dragged the whole book down. The amount of information thrown at me in just the first 50-100 pages was…. overwhelming! While reading I had the cast of characters list open on my phone and kept referring to the appendix to check the terminology etc. It felt more like I was reading a textbook for school than fiction.
wadexxmay's review
5.0
So. Good.
Layers upon layers of timeless truths of the human experience, politics, religion, psychology, ecology, oh *and* there’s space drugs. Best book I’ve read in a while. Always forget how much I dig fantasy.
Layers upon layers of timeless truths of the human experience, politics, religion, psychology, ecology, oh *and* there’s space drugs. Best book I’ve read in a while. Always forget how much I dig fantasy.