Scan barcode
christyscholts's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
eupham's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
vatsal_was_here's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
njdarkish's review against another edition
3.0
Though undeniably important to the sci-fi genre, it failed to really get me excited, which is what I had hoped for from all I had heard over the years.
I feel like Arrakis is masterfully designed and the overall story is interesting. That said, I was drawn into sections quite tightly just to be dropped back out in terms interest very abruptly. I didn't particularly care for any of the characters, nor their relationships with each other. Many sections that had interesting action were skipped over in time or just given in reports. The politics were pretty confusing. The importance and effect of the spice is explained quite late considering how critical it is to the piece as a whole.
I definitely feel it was worthwhile to read the book and recommend that others who care about science fiction do the same, but I feel this book isn't for the lay reader anymore. I probably won't pick up its sequels.
I feel like Arrakis is masterfully designed and the overall story is interesting. That said, I was drawn into sections quite tightly just to be dropped back out in terms interest very abruptly. I didn't particularly care for any of the characters, nor their relationships with each other. Many sections that had interesting action were skipped over in time or just given in reports. The politics were pretty confusing. The importance and effect of the spice is explained quite late considering how critical it is to the piece as a whole.
I definitely feel it was worthwhile to read the book and recommend that others who care about science fiction do the same, but I feel this book isn't for the lay reader anymore. I probably won't pick up its sequels.
eolson30's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
stephfanny's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
a warm story about mother and son and their new found family :)
daumari's review against another edition
5.0
Finished my reread in time! Dune is a classic American science fiction/fantasy, inspired by the Florence sand dunes out here in Oregon among other things (which the series was prescient about in their own way, re: how introducing species could transform the landscape as humans introduced European beachgrass to keep said dunes from overpowering human structures like road, but also affecting native species).
The scope of the sextet is sprawling, but here focuses on the single planet of Arrakis, and who controls the spice (which turns the economic cogs of the universe and enables the foresight of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood).
Dune is seminal for sf/f, with big ideas about religion, politics, and ecology. So many things afterward have obvious influences (as a Wheel of Time fan, the Aiel and a spin on a messiah who will bring destruction come to mind). Some things haven't aged as well (example: Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is a formidable enemy yet falls into the "he's evil so he must be a predatory gay" trope, also classic orientalism before Edward Said published about it), but in general must-read for any fan of genre.
The scope of the sextet is sprawling, but here focuses on the single planet of Arrakis, and who controls the spice (which turns the economic cogs of the universe and enables the foresight of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood).
Dune is seminal for sf/f, with big ideas about religion, politics, and ecology. So many things afterward have obvious influences (as a Wheel of Time fan, the Aiel and a spin on a messiah who will bring destruction come to mind). Some things haven't aged as well (example: Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is a formidable enemy yet falls into the "he's evil so he must be a predatory gay" trope, also classic orientalism before Edward Said published about it), but in general must-read for any fan of genre.
mmarino331's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely loved it! Book 1 is hard to get through, but the story takes off immensely by the end and throughout books 2 & 3. I would have loved if Herbert expanded on the 3 books within Dune into their own separate ones, turning it into a more self contained trilogy. I wish there was more world building and character development for the time period in the universe it is set in.