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cinemasimulacra's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
__kell__'s review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
suzemo's review against another edition
2.0
I'm pretty sure anything I would have to say about this book is similar to my Review of Sisterhood of Dune because these books all kind of blur together for me.
Bonus for killing an annoying guy I didn't like.
Yay Scott Brick.
Bonus for killing an annoying guy I didn't like.
Yay Scott Brick.
laurapk's review against another edition
1.0
I wish I could say this book is bad, but terrible would be a more appropriate word. I was one quarter into listening the audio book when I realized I've probably read this book before - this is how memorable it was. Brian Herbert has no idea how to create interesting characters, they're all two dimensional caricatures of Hollywood villains (down to the evil pondering of plans while stroking ones beard) and good to the bone heroes. We're told 80% of the time, so the occasional 20% of showing feels surprisingly good. Each chapter is an exposition dump where we catch up with what happened in the previous novels. Sadly, I started skipping entire chapters, and it didn't even matter, the action was so sparse I could catch up in subsequent chapters.
Sigh!
I thought that maybe this would be more bearable if I listened to the books, rather than waste my time reading it, but I feel like even the audiobooks may be a waste of my time. Poor Frank Herbert's legacy did not need to be soiled by these atrocious prequels and sequels.
I'm not even going to bother complaining about the plot too much, but there were several point where I wondered why the authors can't keep up with the rules of the world they've created. So truth sayers are really good at identifying when a person is lying by omission, until it's convenient for the plot that they can't? How did Valya get away with lying to A BUNCH of truth sayer sisters about the murder she committed? Gilbertus Albans couldn't get away with partial truths, so why can she? Because consistency doesn't matter to the authors, that's why.
Sigh!
I thought that maybe this would be more bearable if I listened to the books, rather than waste my time reading it, but I feel like even the audiobooks may be a waste of my time. Poor Frank Herbert's legacy did not need to be soiled by these atrocious prequels and sequels.
I'm not even going to bother complaining about the plot too much, but there were several point where I wondered why the authors can't keep up with the rules of the world they've created. So truth sayers are really good at identifying when a person is lying by omission, until it's convenient for the plot that they can't? How did Valya get away with lying to A BUNCH of truth sayer sisters about the murder she committed? Gilbertus Albans couldn't get away with partial truths, so why can she? Because consistency doesn't matter to the authors, that's why.
darthshep's review against another edition
3.0
Have to say this wasn't one of my favorite books. With the name I was expecting more about the Mentats and you do get some but really not enough. Some of the storylines are getting old and need to be finished with. People seem to get by without to much happening to them. But it did leave it in a great place and I can't wait to see where they go with it next.
jdn_in_sat's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoy the story line, but the frequent repetition of background facts and principles really wear on me after a while.
laileanah's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
2023 Reread:
This is better than the first book in this trilogy but less believable in many ways.
Although given the state of Palestine and the genocide currently in Gaza, maybe human beings' memories are shorter than I usually give them credit for.
It seems too soon for history to repeat itself to this extent in the exact same way.
The storyline with Vorian Atreides and early House Harkonnen feels forced.
I'm also quite tired of Vorian as a character, he hasn't changed, grown or been interesting since Battle of Corrin in the previous trilogy. Please let him just fucking disappear already.
Same with Erasmus. It's illogical for a Mentat to shelter a mass murderer. So the storyline was always paper thin.
Despite it all the action really keeps the story moving along.
Original Review:
Just Ok. Very predictable
This is better than the first book in this trilogy but less believable in many ways.
Although given the state of Palestine and the genocide currently in Gaza, maybe human beings' memories are shorter than I usually give them credit for.
It seems too soon for history to repeat itself to this extent in the exact same way.
The storyline with Vorian Atreides and early House Harkonnen feels forced.
I'm also quite tired of Vorian as a character, he hasn't changed, grown or been interesting since Battle of Corrin in the previous trilogy. Please let him just fucking disappear already.
Same with Erasmus. It's illogical for a Mentat to shelter a mass murderer. So the storyline was always paper thin.
Despite it all the action really keeps the story moving along.
Original Review:
Just Ok. Very predictable
taylorthiets's review
3.75
I really enjoyed reading this and it has been fun as the prequals get closer to the original series and more is coming together. I really don't understand the point of destroying the farming world because it wasn't mentioned at all after the fact. Also, I hope that Manford and Josef get offed soon because they are both really annoying. I also wouldn't mind Anari Idaho either dying or having a major revelation to advance her character.
shane_tiernan's review against another edition
4.0
Holy intrigue Batman! This is getting CRAZY!!!!!! Some big changes going on here and I really HATE the Butlerians. Can't wait to see how this works out in book 3.
aestro's review against another edition
3.0
I hold of reading Mentats of Dune for quite some time, trying to go through quite a list of books to read. I was then pretty excited to come back to the world of Dune and discover the genesis of the Mentats, Bene Gesserit and the Spicing Guild. This book, however, comes short in logics and character motivation.
First, the good. I enjoyed following the familiar characters and how they interacted to come and form the organisations that will be familiar in the original serie. The pace is good and the story is definitively a page turner, being a little annoyed when finishing a chapter and changing point of view character, since you want to know what will happen next.
Then, the bad. I could best describe this book has lazy. Most of the story depends on the characters acting in the most stupid way possible. I know that this is done to advance the storyline, but it could have been done in a less clumsy way. Nonsenses like this are present at every plot turns.
I would say that this book is enjoyable, but ultimately lazy and predictable.
First, the good. I enjoyed following the familiar characters and how they interacted to come and form the organisations that will be familiar in the original serie. The pace is good and the story is definitively a page turner, being a little annoyed when finishing a chapter and changing point of view character, since you want to know what will happen next.
Then, the bad. I could best describe this book has lazy. Most of the story depends on the characters acting in the most stupid way possible. I know that this is done to advance the storyline, but it could have been done in a less clumsy way.
Spoiler
For example, the Harkonnen hate of the Atreides is well established by the previous books, but nothing is done to explain why Tula and Valya hates them personally enough to plan an elaborate ruse in order to kill a random Atreide descendant, several time remove from Vorian. Instead of explaining their motivation, it is just assumed that they hate the Atreides because that is what Harkonnen does.I would say that this book is enjoyable, but ultimately lazy and predictable.