pslili1998 's review for:

The Great Dune Trilogy by Frank Herbert

4.0

adventurous tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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The first book is by far the strongest. It’s a clear coming-of-age story that follows Paul. It’s not overly complicated and even though politics are already woven into the narrative, it remains digestible. There’s a good balance between the sci-fi elements and a comprehensible and entertaining storyline. I would give book one a solid 5 ⭐️ on its own.

Book two becomes a bit more technical. The sci-fi aspects are explored in more depth. Some events require more thought, but even if you miss a detail here and there, you can still follow the overall story. I found some of the reasons why certain characters suddenly disliked each other a bit vague, but the pacing was still decent enough to keep the story moving. I’d give this book 4 ⭐️. But…

Then you get to book three. There’s a time jump, which makes it feel like you’ve missed key developments. By this point, I had accepted that the Bene Gesserit are strange women with a breeding kink. And that Alia is addicted to drugs — more so than everyone else — which makes her an abomination and, technically, the villain. The twins are their own people, but also carry other personas within them. And I don’t understand the Golden Path at all. Thankfully, someone on Reddit confirmed for me that it’s not really explained anyway. All in all, this was the most confusing book, and it felt like a spice-induced fever dream. The pacing also felt pretty slow, so I’d give it 3.25 ⭐️.

Altogether, this brings me to an overall rating of 4 ⭐️. A good trilogy — as long as you know what you’re getting into.