Dune (Remembering Tomorrow)

Frank Herbert

Frank Herbert's DUNE presents a society and universe created entirely by the author. The story was...more

Frank Herbert's DUNE presents a society and universe created entirely by the author. The story was very complex, and written wonderfully with just the right amount of discription. Herbert made up his own religions and forms of politics which are absolutely enchanting. One of the story's components was the classic "coming of age" tale. Paul, heir to a Dukedom, moves to the world Arrakis, aka Dune, where his father has taken control. However, a rival family isn't too happy about the situation. Thus unfolds a tale of conspiricy and wonder, and Paul is suddenly revealed as a legendary man foretold. I especially enjoyed the psychological accounts of Paul's metamorphis. However, I really didn't like the person he became, but I prefer this change. The book was a tad more political than sci-fi, and the story becomes rather entangled in itself. I was very impressed by the complete world Herbert created, but I found myself not as absorbed as I perhaps should be. The ending, the last couple pages, were rather disappointing, compared with other highlighs of the novel. There are many thought-provoking one-liners and symbolism in the book. However, I am still not absolutely enthralled with it. Still, I recommend this to any who enjoy fantasy worlds.    hide

Frank Herbert is my hero, 1 reason being that he dropped out of college so that he might educate...more

Frank Herbert is my hero, 1 reason being that he dropped out of college so that he might educate himself, as pertaining to his own interests; the 2nd reason of course being his fantastic writings. Dune has about everything anyone could want. I was most drawn to the human capabilities of the logic driven Mentats, the political power struggles of the Houses, all under allegiance to House Corrino, the power held by the Fremen (we the people are Fremen, and we certainly need a Paul), a world in which the people and leaders are ruled by spice melange, and the relationships of family in a new chaotic world, the desert world Arrakis, which provides many ecological problems to be solved by Muad'Dib. The Kwisatz Haderach is simply wonderful to watch rise to the apex of power, only to then, in all his glory, humble the Padishah Emperor, the Reverend Mother, the Spacing Guild and all other enemies. There are so many facets of Dune one could divulge on; sandworms, prana-bindu training, ....   hide

Dune – a story of Melange (a life-altering drug), wars, plots, double-plots, strange...more

Dune – a story of Melange (a life-altering drug), wars, plots, double-plots, strange traditions, genetic legacies, fierce dessert nomads and a boy who overthrew an inter-galactic emperor. Herbert's social and cultural masterpiece is more than just SF (it’s not ‘sci-fi’, you uneducated bigots!). It reads like a thought experiment on future cultures and terrifying possibilities – Bene Gesserit witches, Mentats (human computers) and Kwisatz Haderach (the human god). It must be said that the book is not an easy read. At points within the book, there is this annoying feeling that it’s meant for people in the know – like lawyers sharing an inside joke. E.g. Why did Paul Atredies take the waters of life? What’s the big deal about Kwisatz Haderach? A lot of which it can only be answered by with re-readings of the book. On the whole, Dune deserves its due for its daring (and that’s putting it mildly) vision of our intergalactic future.    hide

Brian Herbert's masterpiece is set in a distant future, within a galaxy-spanning empire dependant...more

Brian Herbert's masterpiece is set in a distant future, within a galaxy-spanning empire dependant on the spice, a substance required for super-luminal flight and found on only one planet in the universe--Arrakis, or Dune. Paul Atreides is heir to a dukedom until his family is betrayed and all but destroyed. Coming into his heritage as a turning point for the evolution of all mankind, Paul is caught up into an epic that delves into the workings of politics, religion, morality, messianism and other motivators of human society. Dune also serves as an allegory for modern geo-political strife; spice represents oil while the desert world of Arrakis represents the Middle East. As the Lord of the Rings formed the central statement and set the bar for fantasy, being one of the few novels int he genre to attain 'literature' status, so too does 'Dune' represent the pinnacle of science fiction. Even scifi detractors will find this novel a glorious read.   hide

Dune is a science fiction epic set in the way future. Man has expanded into the stars and human...more

Dune is a science fiction epic set in the way future. Man has expanded into the stars and human colonies stretch over light years of space. The story explores the line of the Atreides family who manage to gain power of Arrakes (Dune), a desert and dry planet on which melange, a geriatric spice, is harvested. Melange is formed by giant worms that roam the sands of the deepest deserts and its addictive properties (as well as its prescience capabilities) make it the most revered and sought after substance in all known space. The story explores the birth, development and death of a religion, drawing on common characteristics found in the histories of nearly all religions in the world today. The story shows how the forces of government and religion interact, and how the power struggle develops between different groups that are found in any society. The story has very deep religious as well as political undercurrents and is an interesting assessment of human nature.   hide