DUNE, A NOVEL BY FRANK HERBERT, BOOK REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION

Hello! In this post, I'll share my review for Dune, a cult novel by Frank Herbert. Published in 1965, Dune is a science fiction classic. It won both the Nebula in 1965 and the Hugo award in 1966. This novel achieved a cult status among science fiction fans. Even those who have not read Dune have probably heard about it, for Dune has been adopted a number of times. In fact, a new adaptation will hit the theatres any time now. (Post update, the sequel has hit the theatres and there's talk of more!)

Today I shall not talk about the movie versions I saw, not because I do not  respect or like them, but rather because I want to focus on the novel itself.  While I am not one of those bookworms that hates every movie adaptation before even seeing it, book reviewing is what I do best. I did study literature for five years, but even before I did that, writing about books always came naturally to me. Besides, I would have to see the films anew to be able to review them.

 The book on the other hand, I have read a number of times, so reviewing it shall be easy. Moreover, I listened to an audio excerpts from Dune back in December and they are still fresh in my mind. My focusing on the book does not mean that you should not  watch the films. In fact, I am grateful for the movie adaptations because they inspired me to look for this book in the first place. 

 Anyhow, I quoted Herbert and the Dune series on my blog before, I even reviewed some of his other works, but I do not think I shared a full review of Dune yet. Today seems a good day as any to do it. The photographs I choose to accompany my book review are about a year old and were taken in Split city. I mixed these photographs up with photographs of the final book in the series, taken a few days ago. You probably can guess that the art you can see on the photographs is mine. 

Dune, the first novel in the Dune series, is (in my view) absolutely one of those life-changing reads. It is unique, that is for sure. The novel is wildly imaginative, set in an unique dystopian future and populated with some of the most memorable characters I have ever come across. Dune takes world building on a whole new level but at the same time, it speaks of our present human society. It offers a future vision of mankind, but our struggles are still the same. Dune is a very relevant novel that raises numerous questions about religion, power, politics and identity. As many science fiction works I admire, Dune asks the question- What does it mean to be human? Some of its characters exhibit or acquire superhuman abilities, but even they are often trapped by the constraints of human society and their own social programming. It is fascinating to observe the conflict between the individual and the society in this book so rich in meaning and philosophical questions. The imagined world of Dune can be seen as a mirror in which we can see our inner selves. Many of the principal characters in this novel find themselves trapped between their duty to the outside world and their duty to themselves. Among the ruling class, often it is hard to remain truthful, even to the loved ones. There is always danger, lurking both outside and inside. Dune encourages us to explore our humanity and to face our fears. ..... “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” Frank Herbert, Dune “Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic.” Dune is the best selling science fiction novel of all times- and deserving so. It wouldn't be far fetched to call it the best science fiction work of all times. When it comes to my personal reading experience, it is certainly one of the best novels I have read, science fiction or otherwise. Besides the absolute fascination the world building presented for me, I was (and still am) deeply fascinated with the individual characters. The psychological portrait of the characters is wonderful. The power structures in Dune are so well presented and an interesting area to study. There are so many fascinating societies within this dystopian world and they are all well presented in the characters themselves. In fact, most important characters almost always present a certain key structure of society. “Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free.  But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.” Frank Herbert, Dune Dune is a world of the future but one where technology is taboo. Space travel exists, but planets are ruled by feudal houses - all of them united under the rule of a single king. The emperor with the noble houses may seem at the top, but it is the secret societies that hold much power- such as the 'witches', i.e. Bene Gesserit, a sisterhood of women who like to rule from the shadows. They are one of the key figures in the Dune universe, often using religion to manipulate others and achieve their gains. What is so ingenious about Dune is that all of this world building just flows with the plot and the introduction of characters. The plot of the novel starts when a noble family Atreides has to leave a water planet they rule in an exchange for Dune (Rakis), a desert planet where 'spice' (a mysterious substance that elongates life and hold the Empire together) is produced by giant worms. The descriptions of planets are fantastic and many interesting questions are raised in terms of ecology, the effect we have on nature (and vice versa). This planet is really a character in itself. Human influence to the planet they inhabit is a theme much discussed in the novel. “Greatness is a transitory experience. It is never consistent. It depends in part upon the myth-making imagination of humankind. The person who experiences greatness must have a feeling for the myth he is in. He must reflect what is projected upon him. And he must have a strong sense of the sardonic. This is what uncouples him from belief in his own pretensions. The sardonic is all that permits him to move within himself. Without this quality, even occasional greatness will destroy a man.” Moreover, the influence our surrounding and training may have on us is often examined. I already mentioned the sisterhood as a key force in the novel. These female society uses many technics to improve their minds and be able to control others. The noble houses use the services of sisterhood and other trained societies such as human computers Mentats, but are often unaware of the fact that sisters have an agenda of their own. That is what makes them different from other specially trained individuals from different schools such as trained doctors knows as Suk doctors or human computers known as Mentats. “The mind can go either direction under stress—toward positive or toward negative: on or off. Think of it as a spectrum whose extremes are unconsciousness at the negative end and hyperconsciousness at the positive end. The way the mind will lean under stress is strongly influenced by training.” MEMORABLE QUOTES FROM DUNE QUOTES ABOUT TEACHING AND LEARNING  “It is so shocking to find out how many people do not believe that they can learn, and how many more believe learning to be difficult.” ..... “Proper teaching is recognized with ease. You can know it without fail because it awakens within you that sensation which tells you this is something you have always known.” QUOTES ABOUT RELIGION, RULE AND POLITICS “Give as few orders as possible," his father had told him once long ago. "Once you've given orders on a subject, you must always give orders on that subject.” “When religion and politics travel in the same cart, the riders believe nothing can stand in their way. Their movements become headlong - faster and faster and faster. They put aside all thoughts of obstacles and forget the precipice does not show itself to the man in a blind rush until it's too late.” QUOTES ABOUT FREMEN “Whether a thought is spoken or not it is a real thing and it has power," Tuek said. "You might find the line between life and death among the Fremen to be too sharp and quick.” “The Fremen were supreme in that quality the ancients called "spannungsbogen" -- which is the self-imposed delay between desire for a thing and the act of reaching out to grasp that thing.” QUOTES ABOUT FIGHTING “What has mood to do with it? You fight when the necessity arises—no matter the mood! Mood's a thing for cattle or making love or playing the baliset. It's not for fighting.” Duke Leto, the patriarch of a family is a deeply honorable man loved by many. His only heir is Paul, a boy described as unusually small for his age (but very clever and promising). Paul's mother Jessica, a Bene Gesserit pupil, is officially a concubine to Leto but is treated and loved as a wife. The reason why Duke Leto hadn't married her are strictly political. The love that exists in this relationship will have many interesting consequences. The product of that love is Paul- a boy who is under a watchful eyes of everyone. Jessica betrays her sisterhood when she gives birth to a son, as they demanded a daughter of her. This betrayal is something unheard of and Jessica knows her son is in mortal danger. Her choice also sets the whole political balance at risk. If she gave birth to a girl, she could have been married to someone important, ensuring peace. Duke Leto has reasons to worry about the safety of his son as well. Leto does not know the sacrifice Jessica has committed for him nor what it means. He may ignorant of many things, but he is not a foolish man and understand who his enemies are most of the time. Despite loving one another sincerely, Duke Leto and Jessica are forced to hide secrets one from another. Their son is forced to grow up fast. Jessica trains Paul in secret, hoping he will learn enough to protect himself. His father does he best he can and the boy is also not without other teachers, for example sword master Duncan Idaho, Mentat T. Hawat and warrior Gurney. Early on, Paul learns some important lessons:...“What has mood to do with it? You fight when the necessity arises—no matter the mood! Mood's a thing for cattle or making love or playing the baliset. It's not for fighting.” “Grave this on your memory, lad: A world is supported by four things..." she held up four big-knuckled fingers. "...the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the righteous and the valor of the brave. But all of these things are as nothing..." She closed her fingers into a fist. "...without a ruler who knows the art of ruling. Make that the science of your tradition!”  Frank Herbert, Dune Dune starts off as a story of a noble Atreides family and while it remains focused on this family (or the surviving members of it), with time Paul steps onto the scene. With many wanting him dead, Paul is forced to find a way out of his predicament. Indeed, it is Paul's actions that change the course of history. Towards the end, there is no doubt who is the protagonist of this novel. As the young boy Paul risks his life to acquire supernatural abilities, we see him grow up into a man determined to do what it takes to save his family and claim what is his. However, what is the price Paul will have to pay? The question is both metaphysical and practical. I cannot really say more without giving away the plot and including numerous spoilers. What I can say is that this novel contains plenty of action and that the plot is very eventful. There are murders and murder attempts, constant suspicious and several betrayals. There is an opposing noble family, the House Harkonnen that wants to destroy Paul and will not stop at nothing. At the same time, there is much philosophy within its pages. “Muad'Dib learned rapidly because his first training was in how to learn. And the first lesson of all was the basic trust that he could learn. It's shocking to find how many people do not believe they can learn, and how many more believe learning to be difficult. Muad'Dib knew that every experience carries its lesson.” The characters are definitely one of the strengths of this novel. It is interesting how the characters that were created in this novel haunt all the sequels and sometimes even get repeated again. In a way, Lady Jessica survives in the sisterhood, Idaho lives on in his gholas and Paul/Leto survive through all the numerous Atreides descendants. Not surprising, especially considering how real of these characters seem. “Any road followed precisely to its end leads precisely nowhere. Climb the mountain just a little bit to test that it's a mountain. From the top of the mountain, you cannot see the mountain.”  Frank Herbert, Dune “Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.”  Frank Herbert POST UPDATE- I POSTED ABOUT DUNE SEQUELS! CHECK OUT OTHER MY DUNE POSTS. I REREAD THE DUNE MESSIAH BY FRANK HERBERT I was reminded why I love the Dune series so much. I do understand why a lot of readers prefer the original book to the sequel. The first novel introduced the world of Dune to us. Moreover, it's more or less a  tale of success. A young Paul is essentially a positive and moral character. Not that Paul is a negative character in the sequel, but leadership places demands on him and you see that things aren't black and white. This time around (rereading Dune Messiah), I was able to concentrate more on the personal aspect of the novel. I sympathized with Paul and his pain. I remember the incredibly touching tribute (that makes me cry every time I read it) Herbert wrote to his wife after losing her to cancer. Paul and Chani's love story remains incredibly touching. Back to the Dune novel! I UNDERSTAND WHY EVERYONE LOVES THE ORIGINAL BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THE DUNE SEQUELS! WHY?  Dune Messiah feels anti-climatic because it undermines and questions Paul's success. While some dislike sequels for that reason, I actually admire the author for taking such a bold risk and making the sequels so different from the original book. Some might call the sequels a bit confusing. I actually wouldn't argue with that. Herbert's writing is not mean to be simple. This science fiction series is meant to provoke the reader. If you like your typical black and white, clean cut characters, this is definitely not a series for you. The characters are constantly re-examined and questioned in all of Dune novels. The writing can feel overwhelming at times. In this novel we slowly start to glance at the appearance of the 'golden path', something that will be fully explained only in the sequel to Children of Dune. ALL DUNE NOVELS REVIEWED!  I'll do a little recap of my Dune reviews now.  DUNE  DUNE IS ONE OF THOSE ABSOLUTELY LIFE-CHANGING READS! DUNE MESSIAH   BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT DUNE MESSIAH Dune Messiah was originally serialized in Galaxy Science Fiction magazine in 1969 and published the same year by Putnam. Whereas critical response was largely positive with many reviewers praising the novel, the sequel didn't achieve the same level of success as Dune. However, that could be said of all the sequels. Dune is, without doubt, the best received novel in all the series.  ADAPTATION BY SCIENCE FICTION CHANNEL IN 2003 Dune Messiah and its sequel (Children of Dune) were both adapted as a mini series titled Frank Herbert's Children of Dune. It's a while since I saw that mini series, but as far as I recall, in terms of the plot, the mini series followed the book quite closely. Don't watch it before you read the book if you want to avoid spoilers.  TIME FRAME FOR DUNE MESSIAH- 12 YEARS AFTER THE TRIUMPH Dune Messiah doesn't start immediately after the end of Dune. Rather, it starts 12 years after Paul's triumph. ( I don't think it's a spoiler to write that Paul wins 'the game of thrones' at the end of the first novel. If you know there is a sequel named after Paul, you can assume he survives. I do try to avoid spoilers in my reviews, but some background information is often necessary, especially when reviewing sequels. ) During this 12 years, Paul's rise to power was cemented by a bloody jihad lead by his elite Fremen fighters. The dark shadow of this is upon Paul as the novel opens.  Why did the author choose to leave the jihad out of the novel? I think it is because was more dramatic to place it into the past. This way the author also created some distance between the Paul of the first book and the one of the second. The reader must asks himself: 'How well do I know Paul?'. In Dune, Paul is a boy that is forced to grow up too quickly. Movie versions typically cast older actors, but Paul of the novel is a teenager. Once Paul acquires his prophetic vision, he is changed forever and it is hard to think of him as being of any age. On the other hand, his young age remains a factor. In the sequel, Paul is not as young. Moreover, during this space of twelve years much has changed. Paul is a man fully grown and a ruler of entire Universe at that. What are the consequences of that?  DOES DUNE MESSIAH UNDERLINE PAUL'S SUCCESS? I read that Frank Herbert himself said that Dune was like heroic melody and Dune Messiah its inversion. That was my interpretation as well. In Dune, Paul wins against all odds. He risks his life repeatedly to save his mother and sister as well as to preserve his royal house. At the end of Dune, Paul is a hero. However, the tables have switched in Dune Messiah. Paul is no longer the rebel against the king, now he is the king. Will he past the ultimate test? Will the power corrupt him?  READ MY FULL REVIEW OF THE DUNE MESSIAH HERE! THE CHILDREN OF DUNE SOME BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHILDREN OF DUNE The Children of Dune the third novel in Dune series: Children of Dune.  This novel was published in 1976 and is a sequel to Dune Messiah which in turn is a sequel to original Dune novel. In case you are not familiar with Frank Herbert writing, there are six novels in the Dune series. Moreover, there are more books set in Dune Universe that were written by other writers (Frank Herbert's son Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Aderson collaborated to write prequels and sequels for the Dune series). "Initially selling over 75,000 copies, it became the first hardcover best-seller ever in the science fiction field. The novel was critically well-received for its plot, action, and atmosphere, and was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1977. Dune Messiah (1969) and Children of Dune were collectively adapted by the Sci-Fi Channel in 2003 into a miniseries titled Frank Herbert's Children of Dune." cited from wiki.  THE CHILDREN OF DUNE ARE GROWING UP IN THE ENDLESSLY COMPLEX WORLD So, what kind of world do we meet in Children of Dune? One thing is obvious from the start. Children of Dune are growing up in an endlessly complex word. It is indeed suitable to call them children of Dune because their destiny is woven with those of this harsh and magical planet. The author is very successful in throwing things upside down and keeping the reader on his toes.  THERE IS A LOT A READER CAN PRAISE IN THE CHILDREN OF DUNE I can definitely praise this book.  The plot is great, the characters are masterfully portrayed and the signature Dune atmosphere is there every step of the way. There is a lot of scheming and adventure going on. In that sense it is more fast paced that the second book in the series and more like the original Dune novel. The first book of the series- the legendary Dune was a monumental feat- it is just one of those things you can say a lot about and you have a feeling you'll never get to the core of it. However, it is worth noting that parts of the second and the third book were written before the original Dune was completed. The author didn't write the sequels to cash in on Dune's success. When you read the sequels, you can really feel that they were planned. The sequels feel  different from the original novel- but I think that's actually a good thing.  Herbert wasn't recycling anything, he really had this fantastic vision that spans over the series.Children of Dune is a great novel. Fortunately, the quality of Herbert's writing does not diminish in the sequels. On the contrary,  it can be argued the sequels are just as good as the original. I personally feel that every new book in a series is a whole new world- and what a world it is.  This third book in the series is particularly brilliant.  Highly recommended! Stay tuned for more Dune book reviews and recommendations. READ MY FULL REVIEW OF THE CHILDREN OF DUNE HERE! GOD EMPEROR OF DUNE  GOD EMPEROR OF DUNE, BOOK #4 IN THE DUNE CHRONICLES I absolutely loved this book even if some see it as a weaker work. God Emperor of Dune is different from others novels in the series, and while I can understand why it might be off putting to some, for me this is the most beautiful and personal narrative in the whole series. I applaud Herbert for trying out something different and going for a book that was so heavily focused on an individual...and what an individual he is! A god who dislikes religion, because: “Religious institutions perpetuate a mortal master-servant relationship,” Leto said. “They create an arena which attracts prideful human power-seekers with all of their nearsighted prejudices!” Leto II is one of my all time favourite characters. I feel that his personal  is truly touching.  GOD EMPEROR IS  A MORE PERSONAL NARRATIVE AND THAT MAKES IT VERY APPEALING I read this book years ago, but so many thoughts from God Emperor of Dune are still with me. I can't tell you how many times my mind has remembered something Leto II has said. If you want to avoid spoilers, now is a good time to stop reading this review. It is impossible to say something coherent about it without referring to the third novel in the series, so if you haven't read that one, there might be spoilers for it here as well. This novel is fourth in Dune's series, and although it is in some ways different from others, I would still recommend you to read the others as well- and best to do in a chronological order. This book is best understood in the context of Dune universe. I suppose that in some ways God Emperor of Dune might be an interesting read on its own, especially since it is a more personal narrative, but as I said, it is best read as a part of a series. READ MY FULL REVIEW OF GOD EMPEROR HERE! HERETICS OF DUNE HERETICS OF DUNE, BOOK #5 IN DUNE CHRONICLES  Heretics of Dune, the book fifth in the Dune series, is a sequel to God Emperor of Dune but it takes place a long time after the rule of God Emperor Leto II. When I say a long time, I mean one thousand five hundred years after the rule of Leto II Atreides (that also lasted for a rather long time). In that sense, the universe it describes is quite different. As a reader, you need to be aware of that books five and six in the series are somewhat different from the rest. AGAIN THE WORLD OF DUNE UNDERGOES GREAT CHANGES The previous novel covered a long period of time (3, 500 years long reign of Leto II) , but it was a time dominated by a single man/god/tyrant so it was pretty monotonous (even if very interesting from some points of view). In contrast, the world of Heretics of Dune is full of unknown. You could even say that this book requires some imagination and patience from its reader. It demands of its reader to understand the Golden Path and its implications. Still, there are many familiar players. You could say that the known world is reverting to its old Dune ways, for example with the spice remaining as important as ever). The Bene Gesserit are stepping on the stage again. The sisterhood is perhaps the only force that is fully aware of the golden path. However, they might struggle with deciding on their role. The sisterhood must evolve or perish. READ MY FULL REVIEW OF DUNE HERETICS HERE! CHAPTERHOUSE: DUNE  CHAPTERHOUSE:DUNE, BOOK #6 (FINAL) IN THE DUNE CHRONICLES In some sense, Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse: Dune feel like the same novel to me, perhaps because they feature almost the same set of characters. Apart from those characters that are killed or perish, all the main characters repeat in the sequel Chapterhouse: Dune, so these two novels are definitely closely connected. I recommend taking on the sequel right after you finish Heretics of Dune, or you could forget some important details.  THE PLANET ITSELF IS ALMOST A CHARACTER Like in some other Herbert's novels, the planet itself is almost a character. The sisterhood is terraforming the planet Chapterhouse to Dune because they need sandworms (as always the spice must flow). With Dune being destroyed, Chapterhouse must become a new home to sandworms. Sheeana leads this project because of her unique connection with the worms, but she also presents a thread to her sisterhood because of her religious potential. READ MY FULL REVIEW OF CHAPTERHOUSE: DUNE HERE! Many cite Dune as their favourite work in the series. Some say that none of the sequels are as good as the first book. Although I honestly love all the sequels, I won't deny there is some magic at work in this first book in the series. It contains so much within itself. Highly recommended for all fans of science fiction! I plan to publish book reviews for all the novels in the  Dune series, so stay posted (POST UPDATE, YOU'LL FIND THE LINKS ABOVE). Thank you for stopping by.