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applesodaperson's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
This book was so boring! This book was so long for literally the most underwhelming ending ever. Like you are telling me that the Bene Gesserit spent years running from the Honored Matres only for them to just make an alliance at the end? It just made no narrative sense and felt so anticlimactic and out of character for the Honored Matres.
I also still do not understand why they locked up Duncan Idaho? Like maybe I missed something but it made no sense to me. What would the benefit to keeping him locked up for years be? Because narratively for the reader it just led to every scene with Idaho in it to be super boring and stagnant. Also this book honestly turned me into a Duncan Idaho hater. He was so cool in the first 4 books because of his talent and his loyalty to the Atreides. But in this book all that loyalty seems to be gone completely and without it, he comes across as a bland and unlikeable character. Also I HATED that 1) they did the graphic sexual assault of a child plot line AGAIN! Like hello that is extremely messed up and is absolutely not vital to the story. Herbert could have just thought up another way to active gholas that doesn't involve the horrific and detailed sexual assault of children. And 2) I hated that Duncan Idaho falls in love with Murbella, who is the one that assaulted him in the last book. Hated hated hated that. No book should ever portray a story line where is a positive thing to fall in love with the person who assaulted you. Horrible message to send to readers.
Also Sheeana was nerfed so bad. Like all that building up of her connection with the worms only to have her leave for no reason at the end? What was the point?
Also the Face Dancers continued to be nerfed in this book, which has been an ongoing and consistent issue I have had with this series.
The one saving grace of this book was Odrade. I really enjoyed her character and i loved how she showed a more human side of the Bene Gesserit. I liked seeing her daily life and the ins and outs of it. And I liked hearing about the pressures she was under as Reverend Mother.
Read my personal copy.
I also still do not understand why they locked up Duncan Idaho? Like maybe I missed something but it made no sense to me. What would the benefit to keeping him locked up for years be? Because narratively for the reader it just led to every scene with Idaho in it to be super boring and stagnant. Also this book honestly turned me into a Duncan Idaho hater. He was so cool in the first 4 books because of his talent and his loyalty to the Atreides. But in this book all that loyalty seems to be gone completely and without it, he comes across as a bland and unlikeable character. Also I HATED that 1) they did the graphic sexual assault of a child plot line AGAIN! Like hello that is extremely messed up and is absolutely not vital to the story. Herbert could have just thought up another way to active gholas that doesn't involve the horrific and detailed sexual assault of children. And 2) I hated that Duncan Idaho falls in love with Murbella, who is the one that assaulted him in the last book. Hated hated hated that. No book should ever portray a story line where is a positive thing to fall in love with the person who assaulted you. Horrible message to send to readers.
Also Sheeana was nerfed so bad. Like all that building up of her connection with the worms only to have her leave for no reason at the end? What was the point?
Also the Face Dancers continued to be nerfed in this book, which has been an ongoing and consistent issue I have had with this series.
The one saving grace of this book was Odrade. I really enjoyed her character and i loved how she showed a more human side of the Bene Gesserit. I liked seeing her daily life and the ins and outs of it. And I liked hearing about the pressures she was under as Reverend Mother.
Read my personal copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Violence
bedwinnjamin's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
I don't think these books were for me. They were a bit too slow, yet also hard to follow. Book 6 with the introduction of the Honored Matres, which I constantly got confused with the Reverend Mothers. Because everyone was trying to do the same thing, yet doing it a different way. I don't understand why they keep cloning Duncan Idaho, he barely seems relevant at this point in the series. Actually, a lot of things that made Dune relevant were so far abstracted that a lot was lost from my point of view. From a science fiction perspective it was an interesting journey back several decades, but I think we've moved on a lot from these. You don't have to read all six.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
muffinunchained's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and War
sir_willyam's review against another edition
After 5 great books of fun, philosophical Sci-Fi, I began getting turned off to Frank Herbert’s storytelling because of his heavy use of sex as a plot-device in Heretics of Dune. In this book, the same plot devices are evident, and the inclusion of a fossilized society of practicing Jews based in anti-Semitic stereotypes really soured the fun, thoughtful adventure I was having with the series. I’m reluctant to DNF, but with no conclusion by the first author himself, I’d rather stop at a point where I still appreciate what I’ve read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Antisemitism, Murder, and War
Minor: Sexual assault
dannilmp's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-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? It's complicated
1.5
And we finally reach the end. This series has been a long one for me this year, or at least it certainly felt like it took most of the year to read them. I found the ending of the book to be satisfying in a way, especially as it wasn't such a clear cut ending. It seems this world will always need Melange and therefore will always need Dune itself.
Being able to see the end finally made me see that pushing through the books I didn't like was worth it. Personally God Emperor of Dune was my least favourite book as I just couldn't get by Leto II's character at all. Either Chapterhouse: Dune or Dune would have been my favoruite books. I actually felt sad at certain characters deaths in this book compared to the first one as well.
I am glad its over now and I don't think I'll be pursuing a re-read any time soon. But I would advise at least giving Dune a read and if you've made it this far, well done and I hope you didn't find the journey too tiring.
Being able to see the end finally made me see that pushing through the books I didn't like was worth it. Personally God Emperor of Dune was my least favourite book as I just couldn't get by Leto II's character at all. Either Chapterhouse: Dune or Dune would have been my favoruite books. I actually felt sad at certain characters deaths in this book compared to the first one as well.
I am glad its over now and I don't think I'll be pursuing a re-read any time soon. But I would advise at least giving Dune a read and if you've made it this far, well done and I hope you didn't find the journey too tiring.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual content
Moderate: Death and War
penny_dlc's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
thank god im done with dune
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual content
carrionkid's review against another edition
2.5
Overall this installment had a compelling plot and I liked how it brought all the threads of the series together and resolved them in a satisfying way. However, I was not a fan of the fact there's a graphic rape scene of a child nor the fact Frank Herbert decided to make literal, actual antisemitism be a plot point. I feel like the negative aspects outweigh the positive aspects, hence my rating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Death, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, and War