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samdalefox's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The word that comes to mind is Epic. Epic in length, complexity, world building, and social commentary, that to be brutally honest is still extremely revelant to today. The only other comparable work of fiction I would describe as epic in this sense is The Lord of The Rings. I am definitely going to continue reading the series.
For such a famous and epic book there are plenty of detailed reviews for you to peruse. I'll only highlight the themes I identified and top line likes and dislikes about the book.
Themes
For such a famous and epic book there are plenty of detailed reviews for you to peruse. I'll only highlight the themes I identified and top line likes and dislikes about the book.
Themes
- Commentary on ecology and Earth's environmental crises
- Investigation into different sorts of power e.g. resource control (spice production, a clear metaphor to oil in the Middle East), 'soft' political control (bene gesserit and other religious sects), 'hard' militarised imperial political control (classism with the Landsraad, Emperor, salusa secundus, and racism against the Freman).
- Eugenics lack of morality e.g. the bene gesserit breeding program, and 'race conciousness'. I can see why the fascists love it so much. I read the book as criticising rather than advocating this point though.
- Beware of 'heroes'/'Messiahs/Leaders - Keynes's last words were explicitly that Dune did not need Paul the Hero. The Freman would have been better liberating themselves on their own terms with their own ecology and power plan.
- Investigation into the powers of the mind, mental capacities, and different ways of seeing. Perhaps influenced/inspired by 60s psychodelic drugs?
Likes
- I enjoyed this as an opposition to Assimov's Foundation series where everything is determined by computers and tehcnology and statistics etc. Dune felt like the mirror image demonstrated in the powers of the mentat and the butlerian jihad.
- Finally, women power! The bene gesserit. The Fremen women. Even Princess Irulan to a degree. Ok, they're not morally 'good' and don't have a lot of power, but women, with some agency, in a book from the 60s!
- The whole world building was beautiful and swept me up. Though detailed, long, and written a long time ago, I found it very easy to read.
- The three appendices: ecology of Dune, religion of Dune, Bene Gesserit motives and purposes.
Dislikes
- Alia. Just weird. I suppose that's the point of her, but, just nope.
- I find it difficult to believe that the missionaria protectivia planted the religious seed of The Prophet. Although reasonable (and possibly a shrewd criticism of religion in general), I get the niggly sense that this may have some unconcious bias or tinged racism to it. The fact that an entire people (brown, Islamic inspired people) so easily adopted this narrative of an outsider arriving to be their saviour... just I don't know, it was the only thing I thought hmmm really, sounds a bit off? I'd like to read reviews from Middle Eastern people to hear their opinions about whether Dune is racist or not.
- Outdated homophobia painting Baron Harkonnen as a depraved homosexual. The film made a good call in updating this aspect. On this point, the film adapted the book brilliantly. It was largely true to the source material and anything it left out or embellished was to enhance the core story and update the text beyond homophobia, sexism, racism etc. So, bravo! I look forward to watching part II at the cinema when it's released.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, and Colonisation
Minor: Child death, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, War, Blood, Violence, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, and Slavery
readingrainbowroad's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Death, and Blood
Minor: Rape, Pregnancy, War, and Child death
dontforgetthelights's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Awe-inspiring world building but not something you can't put down.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy, Violence, Drug use, Grief, Addiction, Blood, Death of parent, Death, and Slavery
Minor: Rape and Child death
mirroball's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Death of parent, Death, Xenophobia, Pedophilia, and Murder
marinapaso11's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Child death, Gaslighting, Genocide, and Pregnancy
Minor: Xenophobia, Slavery, Religious bigotry, and Racism
help_i_cant_read's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Challenging read at times for various reasons: beginning of the book felt quite slow, lots of new terminology used.
Worth sticking with, because at certain points the book totally hooked me with the story. The scene setting is excellent too. Definitely planning on reading the next book in the series.
Am I supposed to like Paul? Because I found him annoying by the end.
Worth sticking with, because at certain points the book totally hooked me with the story. The scene setting is excellent too. Definitely planning on reading the next book in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Child death
melancholymegs's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
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? No
3.0
I can objectively see why this book is held in such high acclaim. But subjectively my feelings toward this book are pretty neutral. Will continue the series, but not in the immediate future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Death of parent, Colonisation, War, Death, and Racism
Moderate: Pregnancy, Slavery, Drug use, Genocide, Torture, and Child death
Minor: Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, and Pedophilia
woolgathering_jane's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
“The mystery of life isn't a problem to solve, but a reality to experience.”
While I can see why this book was such a hit, I was surprised by how boring this was. I expected to be a little bored, as I am with most classics, but this was something else. I was listening to the audiobook, almost always doing something else while listening, and it still took me three months to get through. And the worst part is that in hindsight, it wasn't a bad story at all. It was just buried under words and words of unnecessary... words. I don't know what exactly made the pace so painfully slow.
I'm still not sure if the story was worth it, but hey, I can say I read the Dune. And this is one of those rare occasions when the movie (released in 2021) is better than the book.
I will be reading the second book, but just because I've heard that it makes the Dune worth it and it's only like 200 pages, why not (just in case you wanted to know lol)
Now I feel a little bad for thrashing a classic, so here are two of the many quotes I liked from the book.
I'm still not sure if the story was worth it, but hey, I can say I read the Dune. And this is one of those rare occasions when the movie (released in 2021) is better than the book.
I will be reading the second book, but just because I've heard that it makes the Dune worth it and it's only like 200 pages, why not (just in case you wanted to know lol)
Now I feel a little bad for thrashing a classic, so here are two of the many quotes I liked from the book.
“There is no escape—we pay for the violence of our ancestors.”
“Try looking into that place where you dare not look! You'll find me there, staring out at you!”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Pregnancy, Drug use, Death of parent, War, Violence, and Slavery
Minor: Sexual content
daniel_b17's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Going into Dune I had high expectations. I was not around when it first came out, but due to the movie coming out I decided it might be a good/fun idea to read it and then watch the movie and compare afterward. Getting straight to the point, I want to say that I did enjoy most aspects of this book. When we think sci-fi, or at least when I do, I think of space battles, and big wars. This book is very much not this. The book focused mainly on themes of betrayal and political intrigue of an interesting, dark and sad future of humanity. If you came looking for action and big battles you will be disappointed.
The start of the book really focuses on the world building, and establishing characters. Two aspects I think that Frank Herbert knocked out of the park. The fact that we are dropped into this world that at first seems incredibly difficult to understand and very intricate, and as we progress, we come to understand the subtle terms and nuances along with the people/races and the whole political/imperial system and it's workings. 5/5 on the world building aspect of Dune.
The one thing that I found very difficult to understand was the way Frank Herbert writes. I found that it was very difficult to understand at first. I often found myself re-reading certain paragraphs and/or sentences, because I didn't understand something. Throughout the book however, you come to understand his writing and the flow of how he gets his point across if that makes sense. He has a, what I would call, very olden times type of writing style, which as I said before can be difficult for some.
Overall I though that it was a very well written book, however I found that Frank Herbert's storytelling ability was very choppy and not something that I would be drawn to, had it not been for the hype of the movie releasing. That's where, for me, he lost a few marks. In the future I hope to read the rest of the series, as I have heard good things about them as well. My review is purely opinion based, and by no means is meant as a shot toward the community that reveres Frank Herbert. I say yet again, I have no hate toward Frank Herbert or the people that like his books.
Recommended for people who are at ease with slower paced books, focused more on political intrigue and the inner workings of an empire and betrayal, rather than the more modern Fantasy/Sci-Fi books that focus more on battles and action.
3.75/5
The start of the book really focuses on the world building, and establishing characters. Two aspects I think that Frank Herbert knocked out of the park. The fact that we are dropped into this world that at first seems incredibly difficult to understand and very intricate, and as we progress, we come to understand the subtle terms and nuances along with the people/races and the whole political/imperial system and it's workings. 5/5 on the world building aspect of Dune.
The one thing that I found very difficult to understand was the way Frank Herbert writes. I found that it was very difficult to understand at first. I often found myself re-reading certain paragraphs and/or sentences, because I didn't understand something. Throughout the book however, you come to understand his writing and the flow of how he gets his point across if that makes sense. He has a, what I would call, very olden times type of writing style, which as I said before can be difficult for some.
Overall I though that it was a very well written book, however I found that Frank Herbert's storytelling ability was very choppy and not something that I would be drawn to, had it not been for the hype of the movie releasing. That's where, for me, he lost a few marks. In the future I hope to read the rest of the series, as I have heard good things about them as well. My review is purely opinion based, and by no means is meant as a shot toward the community that reveres Frank Herbert. I say yet again, I have no hate toward Frank Herbert or the people that like his books.
Recommended for people who are at ease with slower paced books, focused more on political intrigue and the inner workings of an empire and betrayal, rather than the more modern Fantasy/Sci-Fi books that focus more on battles and action.
3.75/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, War, and Pregnancy
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
kerryfoley's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book felt like it dragged on for years hence why it took me 2 months to complete it, however the story towards the last 100 pages did get very engaging. It truly is rewarding to say l was able to finish it though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Grief, and War
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Alcohol, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, and Slavery