Scan barcode
ayodelepearce's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-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
4.25
campbelle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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? Yes
4.0
iswendle's review against another edition
3.0
I'm torn between one of the best Sci-Fi world's I ever delved into and the most confusing and, frankly boring writing ever. No one will doubt the significance of Dune and its impact on science fiction, it is like Star Wars to movies. Funnily enough, I feel like Frank Herbert is the George Lucas of Sci-Fi writers. I hope I don't offend anyone, I really told myself I had to like this book every chapter I read, but it did not live up to its legendary status.
So, Frank Herbert is to writers what George Lucas is to directors. I loved Dune's worldbuilding, yes it is a haphazard mix of "desert" cultures somewhat unapologetically thrown together. Despite this, Arrakis is a world that truly speaks to the imagination. The huge worms travelling sand seas, the fight for water, the Fremen culture, it's all woven together to form a truly unique stage. Throw in the squabbles of the political houses and the strange Bene Geserrit religion and the stage is set for a harsh and savage universe. See I like Star Wars a lot, and it does much of the same thing. The interwoven political squabbles with an ancient, magical religion. The fight of multiple factions and the explicit detail to all of its worlds, characters and magic. However, this all is often presented in an awkward and unrealistic conversation that pulls away the beautiful decor and leaves a messy set for the eye (looking at you, Attack of the Clones).
Dune is a beautiful universe I am glad to have stepped in but giving this more than 3 stars would be lying to myself: the writing style is awkward and the pacing is not only slow, it's all over the place. At least Star Wars had its flashy light saber duels. Dune failed to deliver on this. Maybe I am too sensation driven, but Sand Worm riding deserves to be described in more extravagant and expressive language. In much of the same sense, for a book about an otherwise detailed desert culture focussed on fighting and "live and let live" there is an awful lack of fighting described in the 500-something page epic. What about the climax? The battle foreshadowed (read: spoiled) within the first 100 pages is merely described after the fact, a little summary. No big fighting scenes, no huge battle of the sands. Again, call me sensation driven, someone who does not appreciate books without action; but this huge space Jesus saves the oppressed culture and conquers the world CALLS for action!
The story is intricate, the world detailed. I feel compelled to learn more about the Dune universe (much the same as the Star Wars universe where every single character has 5 wikipedia pages). But I do not want to sit through the writing again! Awkward conversation filled with heroic language that to me screamed pretentiousness in my ear are only interrupted by awkward thoughts of characters that state the obvious. This makes the novel hard to get used to, but once you are used to it, it feels redundant. The characters then are intricately interwoven and shaped and do add to the charm of the story, but they are then written in such a pretentious and inhuman way that you cannot connect to them, at all. Paul (space jesus) is wiser than any human ever and is probably younger than most readers, his mother is Mary who cannot do anything wrong, and they both talk to each other in this incoherent Shakespearian verse? Yes, the entire book is written as an epic and the severity of the future of Arrakis and our Paul is severe, but the characters talk like they are giving monologues for English lit. classes. That altogether does not help Dune in being an easy read.
If the story hadn't been written in the third person, omniscient style a lot of this could have been avoided. The writing style is used a little too liberally, when the author emphasises his plot points multiple times through multiple characters. You'd think this redundant, but it adds more to confusion than anything else. This along with the introduction to each chapter basically being a spoiler I actually felt annoyed more than anything when the betrayal finally happens, or when X finally kills Y.
The epic lives up to a climactic ending but then suddenly stops, which to me just added to the confusion. Had there been a final, religious reckoning by Paul and his Fremen fighting against the fat, unlikeable emperor I might have been more positive. Unfortunately, what we have now is a rather low take stand-off that results in what we all know would happen after the first 50 pages. Not because it was predictable, but because it was literally written that way.
No doubt Dune is a great book and the foundation for modern SciFi, I can see that. No doubt some people adore this book, especially those who read it around its release. I keep telling myself I missed something, but in the end the writing is so unattractive that I just can't agree with all the fans. I stick to my George Lucas theory: Frank Herbert wrote about a beautifully harsh planet with a political and religious crusade bound to happen. Frank Herbert came up with a beautifully intricate universe. Frank Herbert could've put it on paper better, the prose is as dry as Arrakis, awkwardly dry (haha), and just shoots itself in the foot by not creating any tension! Frank Herbert did to his universe what George Lucas did in the prequels: think of a beautiful story, and forget about writing it.
So, Frank Herbert is to writers what George Lucas is to directors. I loved Dune's worldbuilding, yes it is a haphazard mix of "desert" cultures somewhat unapologetically thrown together. Despite this, Arrakis is a world that truly speaks to the imagination. The huge worms travelling sand seas, the fight for water, the Fremen culture, it's all woven together to form a truly unique stage. Throw in the squabbles of the political houses and the strange Bene Geserrit religion and the stage is set for a harsh and savage universe. See I like Star Wars a lot, and it does much of the same thing. The interwoven political squabbles with an ancient, magical religion. The fight of multiple factions and the explicit detail to all of its worlds, characters and magic. However, this all is often presented in an awkward and unrealistic conversation that pulls away the beautiful decor and leaves a messy set for the eye (looking at you, Attack of the Clones).
Dune is a beautiful universe I am glad to have stepped in but giving this more than 3 stars would be lying to myself: the writing style is awkward and the pacing is not only slow, it's all over the place. At least Star Wars had its flashy light saber duels. Dune failed to deliver on this. Maybe I am too sensation driven, but Sand Worm riding deserves to be described in more extravagant and expressive language. In much of the same sense, for a book about an otherwise detailed desert culture focussed on fighting and "live and let live" there is an awful lack of fighting described in the 500-something page epic. What about the climax? The battle foreshadowed (read: spoiled) within the first 100 pages is merely described after the fact, a little summary. No big fighting scenes, no huge battle of the sands. Again, call me sensation driven, someone who does not appreciate books without action; but this huge space Jesus saves the oppressed culture and conquers the world CALLS for action!
The story is intricate, the world detailed. I feel compelled to learn more about the Dune universe (much the same as the Star Wars universe where every single character has 5 wikipedia pages). But I do not want to sit through the writing again! Awkward conversation filled with heroic language that to me screamed pretentiousness in my ear are only interrupted by awkward thoughts of characters that state the obvious. This makes the novel hard to get used to, but once you are used to it, it feels redundant. The characters then are intricately interwoven and shaped and do add to the charm of the story, but they are then written in such a pretentious and inhuman way that you cannot connect to them, at all. Paul (space jesus) is wiser than any human ever and is probably younger than most readers, his mother is Mary who cannot do anything wrong, and they both talk to each other in this incoherent Shakespearian verse? Yes, the entire book is written as an epic and the severity of the future of Arrakis and our Paul is severe, but the characters talk like they are giving monologues for English lit. classes. That altogether does not help Dune in being an easy read.
If the story hadn't been written in the third person, omniscient style a lot of this could have been avoided. The writing style is used a little too liberally, when the author emphasises his plot points multiple times through multiple characters. You'd think this redundant, but it adds more to confusion than anything else. This along with the introduction to each chapter basically being a spoiler I actually felt annoyed more than anything when the betrayal finally happens, or when X finally kills Y.
The epic lives up to a climactic ending but then suddenly stops, which to me just added to the confusion. Had there been a final, religious reckoning by Paul and his Fremen fighting against the fat, unlikeable emperor I might have been more positive. Unfortunately, what we have now is a rather low take stand-off that results in what we all know would happen after the first 50 pages. Not because it was predictable, but because it was literally written that way.
No doubt Dune is a great book and the foundation for modern SciFi, I can see that. No doubt some people adore this book, especially those who read it around its release. I keep telling myself I missed something, but in the end the writing is so unattractive that I just can't agree with all the fans. I stick to my George Lucas theory: Frank Herbert wrote about a beautifully harsh planet with a political and religious crusade bound to happen. Frank Herbert came up with a beautifully intricate universe. Frank Herbert could've put it on paper better, the prose is as dry as Arrakis, awkwardly dry (haha), and just shoots itself in the foot by not creating any tension! Frank Herbert did to his universe what George Lucas did in the prequels: think of a beautiful story, and forget about writing it.
jackrob8's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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? Yes
4.25
merireadstuff's review against another edition
3.0
i feel conflicted
i read this because of the movie and i loved the movie more than the book, mainly because i feel like you can clearly feel that this is a 1960s novel, with all that that entails.
at the same time, i did not mind the pretentiousness of Paul, it felt right for the kind of character that he was, but towards the end i did not agree with many of his choices and behaviours,,,
also this was VERY about the balance of powers between rich houses and not much about saving a deserted planet where water is scarce. i feel like the environmental aspect was hinted a lot and not acted-upon as much.
overall not a bad read, but it was very long and at times boring (i skimmed through the last 300 pages bc i couldnt take it anymore) and i don't think i will continue with the saga, but that is to see... in the meantime ill wait for the next movie
i read this because of the movie and i loved the movie more than the book, mainly because i feel like you can clearly feel that this is a 1960s novel, with all that that entails.
at the same time, i did not mind the pretentiousness of Paul, it felt right for the kind of character that he was, but towards the end i did not agree with many of his choices and behaviours,,,
also this was VERY about the balance of powers between rich houses and not much about saving a deserted planet where water is scarce. i feel like the environmental aspect was hinted a lot and not acted-upon as much.
overall not a bad read, but it was very long and at times boring (i skimmed through the last 300 pages bc i couldnt take it anymore) and i don't think i will continue with the saga, but that is to see... in the meantime ill wait for the next movie
wispwill's review against another edition
Maybe I'll try again later, it's so long
lunamothma's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
4.5
smartplasmid's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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
3.0