It's a mixed bag:
Part fond reminiscence, including heretofore unrevealed family history;
Part cheerleading session, if you don't know after reading this book that "Dune" & "Soul Catcher" were Frank's favorite of his own works then you haven't paid attention during the MULTIPLE repetitions of this fact;
Part airing of grievances, Frank was less-than-accepting when Brian's brother 'came out'.
The book is uneven -- more focused during the early 'family history' section, long and drawn out during an overly detailed description, culled from Brian's diary, of his mother's (Frank's wife) battle with fatal illness.
Despite its flaws, if you're a fan of the man's work it's worth taking the time and effort to read.

Brian could have gone to therapy to work out the issues he clearly has concerning his father but opted instead to inflicted this biography on the world. The narration is self-absorbed and whiney. It is sometimes hard to distinguish who this book is about, FH or the author.

Part homage, part recollection, this biography is both a personal and a professional biography of the author of perhaps the greatest SF novel ever written. Brian Herbert, in his own way, paints a picture of a deeply flawed human being who wrote with great power and depth. Worth the read.

3.5

Superb. I actually want to read Frank's other books now.

In 2003 Tor released Dreamer of Dune, a biography of Frank Herbert (1920 - 1986) written by his son Brian Herbert, who has written a number of novels as well. The best known of these are the DUNE prequels and sequels written in collaboration with Kevin J. Anderson. Dreamer of Dune is not the only book about Frank Herbert or his works but the others I am aware of are currently out of print. My copy had been sitting on a shelf for years before I finally picked it up after finishing Frank Herbert’s The Green Brain.

Dreamer of Dune covers Herbert's entire life from his birth in 1920 to his untimely death in 1986. ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...

Live the Dune story and it was great to hear more about the man behind it. Thinking of writing something of my own and Herbert’s story was very inspiring and helpful.

Brian does not share his father's talent for writing. Worth it to learn a bit about Dune's origins, but not a great book overall

It was interesting to get the inside story about an author of a beloved story.

The bitterness, homophobia, and defensiveness were a bit off-putting but I don't think that you'd get the whole story, particularly from the son's perspective without it.

Sci-fi epic at its finest, blending political intrigue, environmentalism, and richly imagined world-building. If you enjoy deep plots, this is your

A mediocre biography that read like the musings of a disappointed son of a pretty flawed father.

A truly insightful work on Frank Herbert

If yonjoyed Dune, it's a damn good way to get to know the author & his family. H gave a quite rounded portrait of his father. It was grand to get to know Frank Herbert through his son. You got to see all the various sides of the man who did such great writing. If you enjoy biographies, or if you loved Dune or sny other of his books, you'll enjoy meeting the man!