Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

Dune by Frank Herbert

76 reviews

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This book is a labor at times. Its pace is slow, its world building and characterizations are deep and detailed. But it’s fantastic. I got a bit obsessed with the Dune universe with the releases of Denis Villeneuve’s movies and after two failed attempts at reading this book in 2022 and 2024, I’m so happy to have finally accomplished it.

DV’s movies are some of my most viewed and all time favorites and it is fascinating to see the liberties he took with the story, especially compared to the other two adaptations I also watched last year. Though that is said with the note that he actually improved on the story, its flow, and its stakes in many ways. 

While there is no shortage of emotion or tension in this book, DV’s changes to some characters and some order of operations found ways to modernize the story and up the stakes in some cases.

The book itself is clearly one of the most influential pieces of sci-fi ever written, and I’m sure there is more to be gained from second and third readings - which I hope to do at some point. For now though, the only thing keeping this from that 5 star rating is exactly that; that the thought of re-reading this feels like too daunting of an undertaking to consider any time soon.

Now reading Dune: Messiah on the other hand is something I cannot wait to get done. 

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adventurous challenging mysterious tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: N/A
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

 Fantastic worldbuilding, loved the political intrigue to a point, and the mysteries of the Bene Gesserit. The characters felt 1-dimensional, the plot was barely there, glacial at best, nonsensical at worst. In fact, it really does go into some nonsensical drivel with the metaphysical strangeness and the political stakes, towards the end. And certainly a lot that hasn't aged well. Also didn't vibe with the writing style much at all, the constantly head-hopping was frustrating and sometimes felt the writing was kinda... juvenile. Truly the worldbuilding is where this book shines. 

I may still give Dune Messiah a try, it's only 300 pages and I'm curious now. But not yet, I need a break. Although the elation I feel at finishing a book that for the last 50% felt like a chore to read that had sat unread on my bookshelf for 20 years is pretty sweet.

TLDR? 20% excellent, 30% awful, 25% mid and 25% interesting. 

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I'm so fucking Dune-pilled

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slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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challenging reflective tense 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

This is an intense and thoroughly researched and thought out sci fi classic. The interweaving themes of corruption, treachery, the powerlessness of those in power, the unrelenting press of destiny, and more are skillfully woven together. The world building has so much depth and is so elaborate and well-designed. The plot was interesting and creative. My only complaint? The characters. With so much information about the economic and political players in the universe, and a story that takes place over many years with lots of plot points in a single novel, something had to be left out, and that’s lovable characters. The women especially were two-dimensional (this book was written in the 60s), but every character suffered from a lack of depth and emotion that springs from a lack of screen time. Even Paul, the main character who we spend the most time with, isn’t given enough time as a character to just breathe and have soft character moments that allow the audience to care for him. He doesn’t have time to grieve for
his father or later his infant son
. He’s ushered along with the plot as much as we are, and that makes him and his struggles feel distant instead of emotionally resonant. Still a great book!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

i can't in good conscious give this 4 stars, because although the world building was excellent and i really enjoyed the appendices, nothing happened? and like i know things happened
his dad died, his son was killed, they lost the planet, he managed to take it back, he became the leader blah blah blah
it was written in a way that it made all of these big events seem like nothing?? and because we had so many povs, it wasn't very character driven, which would have made up for the 'lack of plot'
WHEN IS PAUL GOING EVIL????
i will continue with at least the next book and need to watch the movies but i have been warned about books 3 onwards, so i am concerned 

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adventurous challenging slow-paced

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dark slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
slow-paced
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings