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A review by herm333s
Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert
5.0
4.5*
Heretics is a roller coaster, not unlike any other Dune book. It does feel different, distant yet uncanny which makes perfect sense considering Herbert's plan to begin a new trilogy to end the
saga.
At the beginning I was caught off guard with the introduction to a new set of characters and it took
me a little while longer to familiarize with them. Unsurprisingly, the author weaves these characters and the story in his distinctive narrative, keeping the reader --and most characters! - - in the dark. It's an expansive and complex plot that satisfyingly reverberates back to God Emperor, back to the Golden Path. I keep getting amazed in the way Herbert constructs a timeline where prescience exists and how he deals with the possibilities and limits of such power.
Heretics delves in religion, especially the legacy of the Tyrant, and its utilization as an instrument
for power. But also as an unavoidable human aspect.
We also see topics of power structures and social classes, technology and something that I really
enjoy, the intricacies of architecture and its relationship to humanity.
For the first time the reader explores the realm of sexuality in the Dune universe. And here it's
where I've seen most of the conflicting elements.
In its introduction (and in Chapterhouse's--which I couldn't help myself from reading) Herbert's
son Brian explains his mother's influence on these last books in the "Duniverse". It seems that
Beverly Herbert had lots to do with the new spotlight that is shown on the role of women.
In spite of, it is quite interesting to see glimpses of how both these "Herberts", which includes Beverly, might have carried the social and patriarchal gaze in their efforts to explore the women of Dune. The constant use of the word "whore" can be one example.
I give it a 4.5 rating not because of the aforementioned but because the story stagnates a little in its exposition and quickly resolves in its falling action. More so, I believe there's resonance in these
topics of women and philosophies of sex given the oppression and control of bodies in our
current time and history.
I loved Heretics of Dune. It felt different and expansive on what was already an incredible world.
Herbert takes us on a tour deep into Giedi Prime, expands on the ever-interesting Bene Gesserit and
Tleilaxu, and to my pleasure maintains the presence of the God Emperor. And what a fascinating
character in Miles Teg!
I can't wait to go into Chapterhouse, but I also can't believe it'Il be the last of Frank Herbert's Dune.
Heretics is a roller coaster, not unlike any other Dune book. It does feel different, distant yet uncanny which makes perfect sense considering Herbert's plan to begin a new trilogy to end the
saga.
At the beginning I was caught off guard with the introduction to a new set of characters and it took
me a little while longer to familiarize with them. Unsurprisingly, the author weaves these characters and the story in his distinctive narrative, keeping the reader --and most characters! - - in the dark. It's an expansive and complex plot that satisfyingly reverberates back to God Emperor, back to the Golden Path. I keep getting amazed in the way Herbert constructs a timeline where prescience exists and how he deals with the possibilities and limits of such power.
Heretics delves in religion, especially the legacy of the Tyrant, and its utilization as an instrument
for power. But also as an unavoidable human aspect.
We also see topics of power structures and social classes, technology and something that I really
enjoy, the intricacies of architecture and its relationship to humanity.
For the first time the reader explores the realm of sexuality in the Dune universe. And here it's
where I've seen most of the conflicting elements.
In its introduction (and in Chapterhouse's--which I couldn't help myself from reading) Herbert's
son Brian explains his mother's influence on these last books in the "Duniverse". It seems that
Beverly Herbert had lots to do with the new spotlight that is shown on the role of women.
In spite of, it is quite interesting to see glimpses of how both these "Herberts", which includes Beverly, might have carried the social and patriarchal gaze in their efforts to explore the women of Dune. The constant use of the word "whore" can be one example.
I give it a 4.5 rating not because of the aforementioned but because the story stagnates a little in its exposition and quickly resolves in its falling action. More so, I believe there's resonance in these
topics of women and philosophies of sex given the oppression and control of bodies in our
current time and history.
I loved Heretics of Dune. It felt different and expansive on what was already an incredible world.
Herbert takes us on a tour deep into Giedi Prime, expands on the ever-interesting Bene Gesserit and
Tleilaxu, and to my pleasure maintains the presence of the God Emperor. And what a fascinating
character in Miles Teg!
I can't wait to go into Chapterhouse, but I also can't believe it'Il be the last of Frank Herbert's Dune.