10.4k reviews for:

Dune Messiah

Frank Herbert

3.77 AVERAGE

challenging dark reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A masterpiece. I’ve never read such a multifaceted story.

I loved the prose, the unreliable narrators, political intrigue, amazing dialogue and social and human commentary. I loved this characterization of oracles and prescience. I loved how human he made the characters that seem to have surpassed humanity. I loved what a contrast it was to the first book. So many powerful ideas handled so carefully. Just incredible!

And the themes were all so thought provoking. I especially loved the way he handled the conflict of man against nature and time. Like he said: “Some problems in this universe have no solution.”

I feel this is how stories should be told. All the characters were incredibly nuanced and no decision or person was black or white. They were all just incredibly pragmatic products of their environments, which makes it a very fun read.

I also think that anyone who calls Dune a white savior story really hasn’t read Dune properly. Or at least hasn’t read Dune messiah. Yes Paul is a white savior, but Herbert accurately depicts him as one. It doesn’t glorify him for his interloping in the slightest.

Only L is why do they keep describing the 15 year old girl as being super hot
challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
challenging dark emotional slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: N/A
Strong character development: N/A

I finally got around to finishing this book. I love Dune (the book and the Denis movies) and this felt like a solid addition to the series. The shift away from grand Epic to personal drama was very interesting. I do wish it had been more clear with the prescience stuff- it felt like at times we were just supposed to understand the characters knew what was going on.

Interested to see how Villeneuve will adapt this

Eh
mysterious slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced