One of the world's most loved science-fiction novels of all time. There's probably not a lot that hasn't been said about this book. So, let's get straight to the elephant in the room. Why only three stars?

Honestly, it's a little hard for me to explain. Three stars means "I liked it". And I did, in fact, often find it intriguing. But except for the intricate world-building I can't really point to a tangible reason for that.

On the other hand there are several things I wasn't impressed with. From Princess Irulan spoiling several plot-developments at the beginning of chapters, the languishing pace and a lack of characters I cared about to average (dialogue) or below average (inner monologue) writing. Especially the last point was a little annoying. You really don't have to explain to me everything that has just happened by letting the characters think about it at length. Over and over and over. Actually, now that I think about it, that's pretty bad writing.

Surprisingly little sci-fi in this sci-fi classic as well. But that was more of a surprise than a disappointment.

If I had read this in another month, not one where I struggled badly reading anything, I might have appreciated a book that's so heavy on politics and religion maybe a little bit more. Maybe.

Sandworms are cool though. And the one passage that I added to my quotes is actually pretty awesome.

جهانی رو تصور کنید که حکومت فئودالی بین سیاره ای بر اون حاکمه و تنها راه ارتباطی این سیاره ها ناوبری فضایی عه. تصور کنید سوخت مورد نیاز ناوبری های فضایی، نه از نفت به دست بیاد و نه از سوخت های هسته ای، بلکه وابسته به نوعی روانگردان طبیعی باشه که روی سطح یک سیاره خشک و برهوت ماسه ای تولید میشه. حالا تصور کنید یک امپراطوری فضایی تلاش میکنه تا کنترل این منبع انرژی رو به دست بگیره. بعد هم تصور کنید که یک قوم بیابان گرد از افراد متعصب بادیه نشین قیام‌ میکنن تا این کنترل رو بازپس بگیرن. برای کامل شدن تصویرهای ذهنی تون اینم تصور کنید که رهبری این قیام بیابانی رو پسر جوانی از یک خانواده نجیب زاده وابسته به اون امپراطوری بالایی بعهده گرفته و توی راه پیروزی از جادوگران ، کرم های آدم خوار با دهان به قطر ۱۲ متر و طوفان های شن استفاده میکنه. تازه اینم تصور کنید توی اون سیاره بیابانی آب هم وجود نداره و مردم عرق تقطیر شده بدنشون رو می‌نوشن.
همه اینارو توی پس زمینه ای از عرفان، سیاست، تاریخ و مذهب تصور کنید.
کتاب خیلی غولیه، هم از نظر حجم و هم محتوا.
...........
مرسی از سام بزرگ که کتابو برای تولدم کادو داد. وگرنه با این قیمت زیادش عمرا میتونستم بخرم و این حجم کتاب رو هم که نمیتونستم پی دی اف بخونم، پس مرسی که نجاتم دادی سام ♡

“The prayer of the salat has carved out our hiding place. Now … I must play the part of Auliya, the Friend of God… Sayyadina to rogue peoples…”

Genialne.

Nie potrafię wskazać w tej książce elementu, który by mi się nie podobał. Wszystko wydaję się być zaplanowane i przemyślane w skali najmniejszych szczegółów. Mam wrażenie jakby każde ziarnko piasku z pustyni wiedziało co ma robić.

Sci-fi, polityka, religia i ekologia. Kreacja tego świata naprawdę wykracza poza moje wszelkie wyobrażenia.

I’m speechless right now i nie umiem pozbierać myśli….

Nie mogę się doczekać czytania kolejnych części…

Ocena: 5,0. Będzie czytana ponownie

I have to write this review without rhythm so that it won’t attract a worm.

In the distant future Arrakis is a hellhole desert planet where anyone who doesn’t die of thirst will probably be eaten by one of the giant sandworms. It’s also the only place where the precious spice melange can be found so it’s incredibly valuable, and the honorable Duke Leto Atreides has been ordered by the Padishah Emperor to take over control of Arrakis from his mortal enemies, the House Harkonnen. While this seems like a great offer on the surface the Duke and his people realize that it’s actually a cunning trap being set by the Emperor and Baron Harkonnen.

The only hope seems to be allying with the local populace called Fremen whose harsh environment has led them to become an incredibly tough and disciplined people, but they have their own vision of what Arrakis should be. They also have a prophecy about the coming of a messiah figure who will lead them to freedom, and the Duke’s son Paul looks like he may be exactly who they’ve been waiting for.

This is classic sci-fi that really deserves the label. What Frank Herbert accomplished in one novel is stunning because he built a fascinatingly detailed universe in which the politics, religion, economics, espionage, and military strategy are all equally important. He then blended these more grounded concepts with bigger sci-fi ideas like being able to use spice to see through space-time, and the scope of that encompasses trying to pick the proper path through various potential timelines as well as free will vs. fate.

I think one of the factors that helps this story stay timeless is that so much of it is based on what humanity becomes vs. trying to predict what futuristic technology would be like. This is a society that once had a war with machines and has since rejected any type of computers so people have developed to fill the gap with the help of the spice. The Mentats are trained to use data to predict outcomes. The Navigators of the Guild have used so much of the spice to help them move through space that they’re mutating. The all female Bene Gesserit have developed a variety of skills to place their members alongside positions of power to help advance their breeding scheme that spans generations. Herbert also cleverly came up with an excuse that explains why knives and hand-to-hand combat are so important with the idea of the personal body shields.

So even though we still got a good sci-fi’s novel worth of cool gadgets the emphasis is on what the people can do and how that’s developed over a long period of time. It also adds a lot of depth to the political dimensions because all of these groups have different agendas that cause them all to mistrust each other, but because they all fill these various roles none can exist without the others.

There are also parallels to our world that are still in play because the idea of a desert people caught up in the power struggles of various outsiders because of their valuable natural resource is an obvious allegory to the Middle East that still works today. Plus, the classic film Lawrence of Arabia came out a few years before Herbert published this, and you have to think that it had some influence on him because there are elements of the story that seem very much inspired by it.

While the whole concept of a Chosen One has gotten a bit worn over time that’s not Herbert’s fault, and this is still a fantastic sci-fi story with big ideas that also works as space opera as well as being an epic adventure story.

No one should argue the importance Dune. It laid the foundations for a great deal of the themes and constructs in modern science fiction. Frank Herbert was as important to the genre as Isaac Asimov and Arthur Clarke. Unfortunately, just like them, he's quite dated, and his books can be a labor to read. One thing he maintained from old science fiction was prim and scientific dialogue that no one would ever actually speak. I've known many scientists, and they don't talk like this. You're not going to convince me a child does.

The stuffy dialogue is inserted into even stuffier narrative, until it feels like nothing is organic about Herbert's prose. This is a terrible tragedy when you've got a world that he put so much effort into building - and it is an amazing feat of world-building, technically interplanetary building. But unlike J.R.R. Tolkien, who he is so frequently compared to, Herbert didn't make sure to include a great story in his world. Instead he included a story that frequently illustrated how clunky an artificial world can be, even if it's lovingly crafted. I struggled to attach or find interest in anyone, yet they're more archetypes than human beings, whose logic races past modern skepticism and whose dialogue is cloyingly artificial, the way people cared for the Hobbits, Dwarves and Rangers. In his world-building, Tolkien at least saved himself from being dated by antedating himself, and even with his illuminated prose, wrought more characteristics in just one protagonist than all of Dune's cast.

Even the political intrigue Herbert tries to fall back on was overdone in the Spy genre decades before he started this book. All fans of the "Genre" genres should appreciate Herbert's massive contributions, but they shouldn't pretend to enjoy the books if they don't, and they should be wary of certain pitfalls typical of science fiction that survived into his landmark work.

5 ⭐️
2024 Re-read

I have consumed the Water of Life and felt the spice agony.
It has revealed to me the error of my past ways. But as the Lisan al Gaib teaches us, ways can change.



Original Review
4 ⭐

A word of warning as you venture out to peruse the veritable smorgasbord of delectable reviews for this Sci-Fi/Fantasy Classic!
Be sure to do your Du(n)e diligence. Be wary of key phrases such as “I don’t usually read Fantasy/Sci-Fi”, “Too many made-up words” or “I’m just reading before the movie comes out”. These individuals have come down with a bad case of bandwagonitis and any self-respecting Sci-Fier-er cannot count on their reviews being in any way accurate or beneficial!
As I’m firmly placed in the 3rd category of Blockbuster-hungry fools, I’d advise you to immediately move on to another review, there’s nothing of value here. In fact, I won’t actually be writing a review, I’ll simply address one simple question:


What is Dune?

Dune is sand as far as the eye can see.
Dune is the sphincter opening.... of a desert tent.
Dune is thirst. The distillate esthers of reclaimed waste; the sour effluvia of humanity. It is greedily, no… joyously sipping your overweight Uncle’s recycled knacker sweat in a desperate effort to quell the rapid loss of your own bodily fluid.
Dune is the Water of Life; Molecular Modification; a Transcendental Trinocular Acid Trip. The [Boy] with Kaleidoscope Eyes experiencing a Psychokinesthetic extension of self.
Dune is the middle-aged man who, on hearing praise for his young sons, must always exclaim "I taught them everything they know!"
Dune is defiance of fear.
Dune is an unsettling change in POV turned familiar, insightful friend.
Dune is saying very little with a great many words.
Dune is Pardot Kynes, micro-ecology, patience and long-term goals.
Dune is the Shai-Hulud; the scandalous straddling of a worm.
Dune is religion, planted and shaped to the needs of the latest conquests and heraldic symbols.
Dune is the Ghost Wind of the Jihad
Dune is Alia, is Stewie Griffin.
Dune is Feyd-Rautha, is Commodus playing Gladiator.
Dune is a feint, within a feint, within a feint.
Dune is the house Atreides, is the Greek house Atreus.
Dune is the Kwisatz Haderach; the Messiah; a planet afflicted by a Hero.
Dune is power and wisdom at the cost of humanity; Friendship lost to worship.

n  ”Everything he touched brought death and grief… it was like a disease that could spread across the universe… How little the universe knows about the nature of real cruelty!”n

8-3-2024: part 2 was esthetically pleasing and raises interesting questions on leadership and followership, and the price of power.
15-9-2021: saw the movie tonight and loved it’s esthetics and how it conveys the gravitas of the story

Like medieval (but the Islamic enlightenment version of it) times, a caste system and the oil industry imposed upon space opera, with mystical elements permeating the whole and simultaneously telling the rise of a Napoleon like hero. Dune sounds like a book that shouldn’t work, but does, in an unique, complex and compelling manner.
The person who experiences greatness must have a feeling for the myth he is in. He must reflect what is projected upon him.

Start of the legend
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.

The last 25% of the book was a wild ride that really upped my enjoyment of this reread, and left me impressed with the worldbuilding and boldness of Frank Herbert.
But to start: Dune is a classic in the scifi field, but is quite atypical. Technological progress has stalled after a jihad against thinking machines (aka computers) and a kind of medieval society in space has emerged. An emperor reigns, planets are dished out as fiefs and mysterious sects (We Bene Gesserit sift people to find the humans.) follow their own paths to influence events. Some kind of social darwinism is at play, and the conviction that humanity can be massively better (or worse) is we return our attention to oneself instead of towards technology.

The terms are at the start quite hard to get into, even though I know the story and remember some of them from last time reading the book. Arrakis, the Dune from the title, is an other interesting thing. This desert planet is almost a separate character (The highest function of ecology is understanding consequences), being handed to the Atreides duke and worsening a blood feud with the Harkonnens, the previous owners of the planet.

It is interesting how Herbert decided to reveal the first murder plot perpetrator quite soon, showing evidently that this is a book more about ideas then tension.
In general the book is biblical in language and the weight assigned to events, with foreshadowing and myths. The world feels rich and alive.

The main character is Paul Atreides, the son of duke Leto. He is groomed to take on his role of leader of a major house, and by his Bene Gesserit mother Jessica (who is, for lack of a better analogy, a kind of crossing between a martial arts expert, nun and witch). There are several other retainers, who are depicted in a manner that I can only compare to The Lord of the Rings.
The characters in general feel greater than life, for instance the level of perception and deduction at the dinner party is superhuman, I can only imagine because there is no advanced technology that the psychic training must somehow become more advanced and leads to the kind of casual analysis Jessica and Paul are capable of.

The fall of house Atreides is still a brutal event, even if you know it is coming and feels swift and unexpected, as does Paul’s enlightenment.

Predetermination versus free will
A kind of Heisenberg indeterminacy intervened: the expenditure of energy that revealed what he saw, changed what he saw.

To be fair, halfway in the book I felt a kind of lull in reading. The main characters are thrown back upon themselves and need to establish themself amongst the Freemen, Bedouin like desert folk who are much more powerful than thought.
In these sections there is such a sensitivity to culture and worldbuilding, Tatooine or the Aiel of Robert Jordan are nothing compared to the depth Herbert manages to bring go Arrakis and its Freemen. So much must have been thought of but has been left out, given a richness in the world conjured that is only rivaled by Middle Earth.

The scenes are intense, and well written, but in way a bit dull since the ascent of Paul to power seems assured. There is banter that is really sharp, like:
“Do you trust me?”
“I hear your sincerity.”
And Paul is shown as doubting, self aware of his rise and what it entails, commenting on heroism and mythmaking, and the restraints to his powers: (The vision made him want to freeze into immobility, but this, too, was action with its consequences.)

But the third part, especially to the end, shows real boldness by skipping two years and taking on tragic events (Grief is the price of victory), sometimes only in an indirect manner.
Alia is a good example, and all the implications and struggles, guilt, she must bring with her. You feel it, it is touched upon, but never in an on the nose manner.
And the development of the relationship between Stilgar and Paul also carries sadness and an awareness of the corrosive power of adoration and myth: I have seen a friend become a worshipper.

The epicness of both the story and main character Paul (and a shoutout to Chani and Jessica as well) is just beyond anything.
For instance somewhere near the end Paul responds the following to a warning that the galactic emperor is coming down upon him in force:
"When the Emperor learns that he’ll not rest until he has you over a slow fire."
"The Emperor’s not likely to have that power over me."

Decadence as an indication of ineffectiveness and decline, while orthodoxy, returning to the core of human struggle for life, is a way out of the impasse, comes back as a theme.

The actual enlightenment and power of Paul as gained by the spice is unknowable to a reader, since he operates on another level entirely. Time being a dimension, Paul transcends the three dimensions and becomes something inhuman along the way, a singularity like the technical singularity.

Some minor criticism
"How could you do such a foolish thing?" she demanded.
"He is your son"

Oké, what is this convenient weirding suddenly along the way?
Why is count Fenring there, what does he add in anyway to the story?
And how the hell does Paul get nuclear weapons all of the sudden.
And as said: the second part of the book really did not speak that much to me.

But in no way it can be denied that the world conjured by Dune is rich, bold and interesting, and that I very much look forward to see the movie in 2021!

Bad ass quotes:
She said that the mystery of life isn’t a problem to solve, but a reality to experience.

...and the mystery of life is not a problem to solve but a reality to experience.

The concept of progress acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from the terrors of the future.

But the test of a man isn’t what you think he’ll do. It’s what he actually does.

The people who can destroy a thing, they control it.

The power to destroy a thing is the absolute control over it.

Why You Should Read Dune (video): https://youtu.be/oOomSvGXfaM

Asking me to describe why Dune is so important to me is like asking a child to explain nuclear fusion. I do my best in the video linked above, but just know it probably isn't for the reasons you think.

My journey to Dune becoming my absolute favorite book of all time goes all the way back to the mid-1990's upon finding it in my high school library and deciding to give it a try because I remembered my dad and brother watching the movie when I was a kid. At 15 years old, I got to the middle of "book II" and gave it a big fat DNF. I decided it just wasn't for me. At 17, for the 30th anniversary, I decided to try again and while I finished it that time, I thought the ideas were overly pretentious and way too out there. But a year went by and somehow, it was still in my head. I thought about it frequently and I began to ponder...did I actually really like it?

I tried again the final weeks of my senior year of high school and became absolutely obsessed and it has stayed that way for almost the last 25 years.

Dune is social science-fiction in that it's more concerned with the people and society than it is with hard science. Besides telling you that these navigators "fold space" for interstellar travel, Herbert doesn't bog you down with the math. He focuses more on the politics, cultures, religion, and philosophies of a world rich in the most valuable resource in the known universe, but barren in everything else.

If you go into the story expecting a Star Wars style adventure, you're going to leave disappointed. Dune is extremely thought provoking and deals with the struggles of coming of age while the fate of the universe is on your shoulders.

I'll also say that the book is certainly not for everyone. If you love things like ASOIAF and The Wheel of Time, there is no way this book won't be for you as both of those series borrowed heavily from the story Frank crafted. But I think it truly depends on where you are at in your life. Look, I just told you the story of how it took until my third reading for this to really click with me. Those who the story and lessons click with, it REALLY clicks with. But, again, this isn't a crowd pleaser and not everyone is going to love it, especially modern readers. So while I encourage those that are interested to read it, I expect more modern readers to not like it than like it.

Not only is this the greatest science-fiction story of all time, but I believe it should be on mandatory reading lists in schools and everyone interested in the genre owe it to themselves to read the pillar of the genre they have come to love. Dune is every bit to science-fiction what Lord of the Rings is to fantasy.

2021 Reread - 5*

I was totally blown away by the recent movie version of this, that much so I decided to revisit and revaluate my opinion of this extraordinary book.

So, I read it again six years on and this is something I said I would never do because I found it so difficult to read the first time. It wasn’t the complexity of the world and politics, but the narration style which totally perplexed and frustrated me. Though I think that was more to do with my immaturity as a reader at the time than anything else. This is a difficult one, but it’s worth it.

This time I was impressed with everything: the intelligence of the writing, the details of the world and the intricate nature of the storytelling. There’s just so much brilliance here. And it’s entertaining. It’s interesting. The balance is perfect.

The Freman culture is driven by ideas of ecology, efficiency and waste reduction. And whilst they are not without their faults, the sense of oneness and appreciation they have for their home planet is a strikingly important commodity. I found them fascinating to read about and of the many thing this novel has going for it, they are the jewel in Herbert’s crown.

I want to see more of this world.

n  Original Review (2015) - 3.5*n

I could never give Dune five stars because I really struggled to get into the novel in the beginning. It has taken me almost two months to read. This, for me, is a very long time to spend on a book. It took me so long to read because I found the writing style incredibly frustrating. I had to read whole chapters again so I could get the gist of the plot. This was more so in the beginning, which I found particularly hard to read because of the author’s way of shifting between the thoughts of multiple characters. I found this very annoying; however, I persevered over my initial despondency towards the writing, and plodded on through the book. I’m glad I did so because in the end I did come to really enjoy it. Indeed, the story is fantastic, but the writing will always remain unbearable for me.

A truly brilliant plot



Dune is to science fiction what The Lord of the Rings is to high fantasy; it is the novel that officially, and unarguably, defines the genre. The story begins with the house of Atreides accepting the Dukedom of the planet Dune. The former Baron has been ousted by the Emperor, and is no longer of consequence. Well, that is how it initially appears. Very early on it revealed that the whole thing is a political ploy to bring the house of Atreides to its knees. The Baron lies in wait, and is ready to strike against the new, and benevolent, approach the Duke uses on the Fremen.

The Fremen are the natives of the dessert planet; thus, they know how to survive its harshness above all others. They do this through their frugal approach to water. They value it above all else, and will never waste a drop in earnest. The Baron Harkonnen, as a chide against the natives, squanders water in the cruellest ways. He, and his dinner guests, throw cups of water on the floor of the dinner hall; it was his tradition. The wasted water was soaked up with towels, which the Baron allowed the Fremen to suck the water out of. When the Duke enters he rejects this custom, and is more respectful to the Fremen way of life. He and his son and heir Paul, who is the protagonist of this novel, go as far as to try the Fremen’s grossly effective water saving suits. These Stillsuits, quite literally, recycle all the water the body wastes and feeds it back to its wearer.

The Fremen way is the right way



This early familiarity, with the Fremen technology, no doubt helps to keep Paul’s mind open when he is later forced to live amongst the Fremen. Paul is somewhat of a marvel; he is prophecy’s chosen one. When he eventually gains the trust of the Fremen they allow him to choose a Fermen name. He calls himself after their most revered prophet: Muad'Dib. They accept this and follow him as their leader. His inherited title of Duke dictates that he is their lord, but their religion determines their real loyalty. He has to, quite literally, fight for every ounce of their trust. Indeed, it does not come cheap, and will only be given to one who is a member of their people.

“Without change something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.”

Thus, Paul becomes their saviour. Consequently, he receives heaps of character development through this book. He goes form boy to the revered leader of a nation. The Fremen, like Paul, want the evil Baron Harkonnen gone from their planet. They do no want a cruel oppressor who is ignorant to their ways: they want Paul. I think the imagination behind the Fremen culture really is wonderful. They have efficiently adapted to survive their harsh planet. To emphasise this point you need only look at the fact that off-world humans live in fear of the giant Sandworms that infect the planet whereas the Fremen ride them as a coming of age ritual. Indeed, Paul has to ride a worm if the Fremen are to follow him.



Deep characters

The result of this is a very complex, and intriguing plot. I found the first third of this book to be very perplexing initially. This is a world we are told about rather than shown at the start. We hear about the Fremen but do not truly understand them till the very end. I was very overwhelmed at the beginning, and in all honesty I do think this novel merits a re-read to further establish my understanding of it. This did affect my rating because it inhibited by enjoyment of the book.

“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.”

Indeed, aside from Paul there is a whole host of dynamic, and well rounded, characters. His mother is to be the new revered mother of the Fremen people, which for someone of her age is quite remarkable. There is also the captain of Duke Leto’s household guard who is a very deep and honourable individual. As much as I came to like these characters I was still frustrated with the writing of them in the beginning. I found it difficult to read scenes in which up to four characters internal thoughts are portrayed alongside their dialogue. It wasn’t always clear who was thinking. I much prefer a narrative that is focalised through one person. Well, at least one person per chapter.



Overall, I thought the idea behind this novel was utterly fantastic. However, my personal reaction to the writing style limited my overall enjoyment of the book. I do intend to read some of the sequels. However, I do not have any intention of doing so in the near future. Maybe, in a couple of years I will return to the brilliant, and annoyingly written, world of Dune.

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This was the third or fourth time I've read this story and it was just as enjoyable as the very first time - if not even more so thanks to me now knowing the full mythology (almost) which gives further insight into the beginnings (hindsight is a nice thing).

We are in the far future, in a far-spread feudal galactic empire full of noble houses that control different planets. There is a navigators' guild who ensures space travel as well as the sisterhood of the Bene Gesserit, an order of female seers that also control bloodlines through clever and strategic influence.
The most important planet in this setting is Arrakis, also called Dune, where the mysterious drug "Melange" (aka "Spice") is made. This drug is necessary for the navigators to see where they are taking the ships to and for the sisterhood to foretell the future somewhat. Therefore, fiefdom of Arrakis is prestigious but also dangerous thanks to court intrigues. So far, House Harkonnen has controlled Arrakis but the emperor has now charged House Atreidis with the task.
Thus, young Paul Atreidis goes from his Earth-like place of birth to the desert planet with his father (Lord Leto Atreidis), his mother (Lady Jessica, NOT a noble but "merely" Lord Leto's concubine and a Bene Gesserit) as well as the entire household (war masters, teachers, and cooks alike). It's quite the culture shock for him there as even tears are alien to the native population because literally every drop of water is precious.
What is more, he might be the prophesized messiah - which at first comes in handy when almost the entire Atreidis family is slaughtered, but also brings immeasurably negative consequences in the end.
In between, we get a rich mythology full of giant worms, nomad-like people, intense battles and a whole lot more.

Even now, after I (and many others) know this story so well, I shall not reveal more as the discovery is what you should be here for. Immerse yourself in the hot sands and spice trances.

The reason I'm reading this again now (and only after I've finally read books 2-6 recently) is that I'll watch part I as filmed by Denis Villeneuve tomorrow. Moreover, I couldn't resist and got myself this stunning edition:









Yep, another edition on my shelf and I don't mind at all because Frank Herbert created the scifi equivalent of what Tolkien did with Middle-Earth. It's vast, it's fascinating, it's invigorating. And the writing sweeps you along, too. Great ecological, political and sociological topics are cleverly woven into a gripping space saga.

I feel like I'm throwing myself to the sharks here, but my thoughts on this book are so conflicting.

Is it about white-saviorism or is it a critique of white-saviorism? Who knows?
And this surely has some very badass female characters but can we also talk about how disturbing the idea of that order of nuns - the bene gesserit, is? And the almost complete absence of reproductive rights had me squirming. It's also fascinating how certain gender roles from Herbert's time are preserved even within the story.

I'm so tired of the 'history is cyclical, you cannot completely alter the future even with enough foreknowledge' trope in sci-fi, but I guees Herbert was amongst the first to use it and that must be lauded.

One of my Goodreads friends, Jan-Maat, told me about historian Daniel Immerwahr's analysis of the Dune series and I'm so into it.

Dune is predominantly about ecology and preservation of indigenous culture. It's about the seizure of native lands and the dispossession it causes. In the first book the protagonist Paul Atreides 'goes native' and joins the indigenous fremen in their revolt against the galactic empire after his family is betrayed. He takes a fremen name, learns their culture, takes a fremen 'concubine' and turns into a messiah figure (this is where the debate about white saviorism plays in.) Herbert himself was very sympathetic towards indigenous communities and rallied for their causes, but he was also a libertarian, far-right political writer. Immerwahr tries to show that this unresolved conflict between Herbert's two opposing political commitments shows up in the power dynamics and political differentials within the series. And I must say, I agree.

'Spice' has been interpreted as a psychedelic drug and there are clear middle-Eastern influences in the writing of fremen culture (although Herbert had a very surface understanding of middle-Eastern culture and politics, and never went deep into it.) The far-right on the other hand, has been very intolerant of drugs, the middle East, climate change, ecological preservation and indigenous populations. This difference in Herbert's ideologies is so clearly discernible in Paul's shifting roles between hero and villain.

The book is also about counter culture and interestingly, we have seen a rise of right wing counter culture recently and a renewed interest in the Dune series. Coincidence? I don't think so.