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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
An amazing book. Frank Herbert's world building is incredible. This is what really made the book for me. The cast is great and the plot is really solid, but the world building! You really get the sense of how fleshed out Arrakis is, and of all the groups tangled up with it. Another thing I loved was the mysticism and pseudo-magic of the Bene Gesserit et al. The Fremen were of course amazing. Herbert shines when he writes about the Fremen mounting the sandworms. And the whole Fremen culture is just so fascinating - from their harsh traditions borne by necessity to their religion. It doesn't feel like Paul cheated his way to the top, it feels like he earned it, even though you know pretty early on he is the chosen one. Lisan al-Gaib.
For me the thing keeping this book from a 5 is a lack of battle scenes. It felt unsatisfying when, after so much build up, most of the big battles are glazed over in a couple paragraphs (if even).
I didn't find the changing of character viewpoints inside of chapters to be overly confusing. I found watching the 2021 movie first helped my understanding of the book. Many people find all the new terms hard to navigate, but if you watch the movie first I think it makes this much easier.
For me the thing keeping this book from a 5 is a lack of battle scenes. It felt unsatisfying when, after so much build up, most of the big battles are glazed over in a couple paragraphs (if even).
I didn't find the changing of character viewpoints inside of chapters to be overly confusing. I found watching the 2021 movie first helped my understanding of the book. Many people find all the new terms hard to navigate, but if you watch the movie first I think it makes this much easier.
frank herbert mvp for really interesting concepts destroyed by boring execution
adventurous
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
It was an interesting read considering the way it has inspired a lot of other science fiction books. I'm personally not all too fond of books where there's some sort of pre-determined destinies, but here it was written in an interesting way through how Paul's internal dialogue shows that his destiny is not simply set in stone, and how he sees potential paths ahead of him.
With how well known it is, I'm glad to have read it, but I don't feel compelled to read any of the other books set in this universe.
With how well known it is, I'm glad to have read it, but I don't feel compelled to read any of the other books set in this universe.
Absolutely brilliant! Character development, world development,
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I gave this book two stars because it was orientalist af and sexist and the plot moved fast enough that I still read the whole 800 pages of it. It was entertaining in the world building part of the book - but now that I’ve finished it and am looking back I am left thinking that the world was simply a facsimile of our planet on a solar system scale with all of the same oppressive systems written unintentionally into the book. The only social commentary that is slightly intriguing is the books undeveloped POV about “the guild” - a group of foreign investors that control the means of processing and transporting the oil of the dune world aka “spice”. But it isn’t interesting enough to justify the read.
Some books stand the test of time, unfortunately this one does not. If people are inspired to read this because they liked the movie (as I did) - just skip it… there are many other Nebula prize winners you’d enjoy more
Some books stand the test of time, unfortunately this one does not. If people are inspired to read this because they liked the movie (as I did) - just skip it… there are many other Nebula prize winners you’d enjoy more