A review by spootilious
Dune by Frank Herbert

adventurous reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

 

2.5/5 

I would like to preface this review by stating that this is my opinion and I understand that not everyone will agree with it. So, please don’t come at me. 

I have a lot of mixed feelings regarding Dune. If I rated the book solely on my enjoyment level I would probably rate it a 0.5/5. Finishing this book took quite a bit of effort and ended up putting me in a reading slump. 

However, there is a lot more to a book than just how much we enjoy the story. 

Dune deserves a lot more recognition than I have given it. It is certainly a book I recommend to anyone with an interest in the history of Sci-fi/Fantasy or politics. Dune is one of the foundations of modern fiction just as the Lord of the Rings is to fantasy and Sherlock Holmes or Poirot is to Mystery. Dune has helped mold the greatest fictions of the last 56 years. 

It could be said from Herbert’s acknowledgement that this book was meant as a possible ‘prediction’ of the future of mankind. That being said, it could be viewed as a discussion piece of the human condition, and in that aspect, I find the book to be intriguing. 

 I also had the privilege of being surrounded by a number of individuals that had read the book when it was first published as I journeyed through the pages. I am not sure how many hours we spent arguing about the representation and implication of character designs throughout the book. As a modern day reader I see the female representation throughout the novel as sexist despite the power they hold, while many of the individuals I discussed the novel with found it to be a form of female empowerment. I found the mention of homosexuality to be a form of demonization, while those who read it 56 years ago where simply astonished to see the mention of homosexuality in a novel groundbreaking. Neither of these views are right or wrong, but rather point out the difference 56 years can make. The mention of jihad could be seen as disrespectful today yet might have been seen as a rare representation then. 

 If Herbert’s work was meant to be a discussion point than he has certainly achieved his goal. Dune has become more than just a sci-fi novel/series, it is a study of humanity, a caution for the future, a look into the past. All of these things make the book one of my top ‘must-reads’ even though I didn’t care for the novel at all. 

As for why I didn’t care for the book, there are a lot of factors that went into the low rating I’ve given Dune. First and foremost, I suppose the biggest issue I had with the book is that it is excessively monotoned. Herbert’s writing style is somber and even throughout the work, from beginning to end, with no exception. There is no palpable suspense or twist, which made it more of a trudge than my usual tenacious devouring. 

I also have to admit that I didn’t care for the constant inner monologue. While inner monologue is a wonderful tool to use to express things that cannot be explained by simple context, it felt overdone throughout the work. There were many points throughout the book that it felt like a point was being beaten into the reader rather than allowing the reader to confer and interpret on their own. In other words, it felt as if I was being treated like I wasn’t intelligent enough to connect certain obvious dots. 

Yet, at the same time, Herbert’s world building was so complex that I wouldn’t mind some more elaboration. That is certainly a subject I could spend hours discussing with others regarding this book, and one that I felt I didn’t get enough of throughout Dune. 

To sum up, setting aside my social opinions of representation throughout the novel (which I did not include when considering my rating) I found the book to be unentertaining and extremely dry, but a wonderful exploration of the human condition and the foundation of modern Sci-fi.