“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.”

Dune is one of those reads that just feels so, so iconic when you read it. There is a certain gravitas to the writing that makes you feel like you are about experience a truly unique reading journey.

My brother very kindly gifted me with a special edition of Dune, so I was very lucky to be accompanied by some absolutely fantastic illustrations as I read this.

“There is no escape—we pay for the violence of our ancestors.”

Dune is a book that after reading and thinking on it a while I admire so much. It has had such a huge role on science fiction since its release, and is a truly epic tale that encapsulates so much life and vividness in the pages. Whilst I did not adore the read, it is one that I still thoroughly enjoyed, and would most definitely read again in the future.

The world is of course one of the strong points. We are taken to a place that has living, thriving politics, with a rich history that makes the story feel very real. I thoroughly enjoyed how Frank Herbert included the reader in the mechanisms that would run a planet such as this, and shows how every decision influences the future of our characters.

For me the characters were a mixed bag. Those such as Duncan Idaho were compelling, with fleshed out motivations and some truly epic moments. The villains were similarly fantastic. The Baron was terrifying, and Frank Herbert did a great job making sure he did not full into the archetype, and in doing so crafted such an entertaining character.

“The mystery of life isn't a problem to solve, but a reality to experience.”

Sadly, I did not click as much with Paul and Jessica, two of the main characters. They were solid, but as leading roles I felt they did lack something for me. It was by no means a negative to the story, but for me it really held it back from reaching those higher levels, despite the success of everything across the other spheres.

Dune is most certainly a unique and extraordinary book in many ways, and I can see how this has shaped an entire genre and dictated how it has evolved in so many ways. Not many books can claim to have had such an impact. And I think Dune deserves that. Whilst everything did not click with me, most of it did, and there were so many awesome ideas and concepts that Frank Herbert explored so well. A great mix of characters, with a certainly epic story, and an engaging plot that rides on the revenge story that we love so much.

4.25/5 STARS

Like most of my five star books, I’ve read Dune multiple times. In fact, I’d say that what makes a book more than just enjoyable and instead truly amazing is that you want to read it more than once and are rewarded for doing so. I’ve probably read Dune six times, and I’ve never gotten tired of it but my understanding of the work has increased over time.

To begin with, the first time I read Dune, I got about three pages into it, realized I didn’t understand a thing and that I was hopelessly confused. I had to go back and reread what I had read, and then go back again and reread the whole chapter. I would excuse myself by saying that I was 10, but I’m sure I’m not the only one that has had that experience. Don’t be dismayed if it happens to you - whether 10, 18, or 45. If you are confused at first, consider that Paul is also confused and finds so much that happens strange and new. Understanding will come in its proper time.

At one time at least, there was a fairly famous website (at least among geeks) that humorously summarized books in thirty words or less. Maybe it still exists, but its name escapes me. The summary provided for Dune read something like this, “I’m Frank Herbert and I’m a lot smarter than you are.” When I was younger, this would have seemed a fair appraisal of the work. One of the most central aspects of ‘Dune’ is Herbert manages to write convincingly about people whose intelligence is supposed to vastly exceed that of the reader. More than anything, to create a believable Messianic story, the writer has to create a Messiah possessing believable Messianic wisdom and insight, and Herbert succeeds at this invention probably better than any other writer. We come to believe that the protagonists do have deep and profound insight into the question of ‘Life, the Universe, and Everything’ so that we do not immediately feel cheated and we are able to believe in the characters – even someone like Maud’Dib. As I’ve gotten older, and hopefully wiser, I’ve come to see that Herbert is not in fact possessed of superhuman intelligence, but that he creates the illusion of superhuman intelligence by a variety of clever devices. The appearance of a superhuman intelligence and wisdom is really a sham and the pool is really pretty shallow, but even this revelation does not reduce the esteem in which I hold the work. It’s not Herbert’s real job to be a prophet: he’s an artist. Herbert succeeds brilliantly in what he should be judged on – the ability to paint the illusion deftly and convincingly. If we acquire the sophistication to see through it, it shouldn’t reduce our appreciation of the artistic mastery used in creating it. I think now I would amend the summary of the work to be, “I’m Frank Herbert, and I’m a lot better writer than you are.”

If all that could be said in Dune’s favor was that it had one of the most convincing invented prophets in literature, it would still be a worthwhile work. But Dune has abundant pleasures beyond the richly realized illusion of philosophical depth and even the deftly realized setting. Chief among these for me is the truly deep and intricate relationships Paul has with the other characters. There is a real depth of feeling here, and I love the way each of the complicated nuanced relationships is portrayed as we are introduced to the cast of Paul’s complicated life. Each character feels a deep mixture of feelings for Paul who is boy, man, friend, soldier, sovereign, and Messiah and much else. There is tenderness to this work. We sense that complexity and tenderness right from the start, when his mother allows him to be tortured and to face murder, and then immediately thereafter experiences profound hope and joy: “My son lives.” We feel Paul’s boyish love for his friends and companions, who are also his father’s henchmen and his teachers and who he is in turn their future Lord. We feel the more mature manly love that these companions have for their young charge and future ruler. Even Yueh loves the boy he must destroy. We feel the boyish admiration Paul has for his father as he strains to be worthy of him and to make his father proud, and we feel the returned pride and satisfaction that his father feels. We feel the aching love of a boy for this Mother when he has already lost everything else when Jessica is buried in sand, and we feel her returned love when she says, “I knew you would find me.”

And though there love is only briefly on stage, still I find the love between Paul and Chani among the sweetest and most charming in literature. Who cannot thrill when scarcely knowing each other, but seeing their lives together stretching out before them both good and terrible, the young becoming but not yet lovers promise with tender vows nonetheless to be forever each other's comfort and joy and they feel their hitherto unseen future becoming a real solid now. Isn’t that how it is in some way for all of us when we meet the one who will be the one and we suddenly realize we want to and we will spend the rest of our lives together regardless of what will happen? And how often have we felt the total unabashed joy as Paul does when we know our lover is now near?

“That could only mean Chani was near by—Chani, his soul, Chani his sihaya, sweet as the desert spring, Chani up from the palmaries of the deep south.”

All that and ‘Dune’ is a wonderful exciting action adventure story filled with thrills and chases, fights and battles, and supersized edge of our imagination wonders. Worms.

It’s no wonder that this is one of the best beloved books of all time. If you haven’t read it, you should. If you have read it, read it again.

Dune is one of the best examples of the hero’s journey in fiction. Most authors, myself included, need more than one book in order to tell an epic coming-of-age story. Herbert did it in one while also creating a unique and interesting setting. Part of his genius as an author was his ability to imply far more about his world than he actually showed. As a result, Dune feels as if it was written by an inhabitant of Herbert’s universe; no small achievement.

As with Anna Karenina, Dune goes beyond the usual surface elements that so much of fiction relies upon. It deals with questions of leadership, ecology, and philosophy (and so much more) while also telling a darn good story.

And it contains one of my favorite quotes:

“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 book does have some flaws (the death of Muad’Dib’s son is dealt with too quickly, and the only homosexual character is the villain), but even with them, Dune is a masterpiece.

I don't know where to start with this book and explaining it to anyone, it's such a masterpiece.

God knows how long it took the author to write it, you can definitely tell it's carefully written; it's just full of depth, details of the characters/surroundings.

Personally I think to fully digest this book, it has to be read two or three times because it's most complex book I've ever read; if you've read it you'll know exactly what I mean.

One thing I would change about it though is the politics, there's a lot of political talk in it but it doesn't affect my rating one iota.

I've never seen the David Lynch adaptation of this so I'll need to see what that's like, I'm also looking forward to the new adaptation - it looks really cool.

Buddy re-read with Athena!

“To begin your study of the life of Muad'Dib, then, take care that you first place him in his time: born in the 57th year of the Padishah Emperor, Shaddam IV. And take the most special care that you locate Muad'Dib in his place: the planet Arrakis. Do not be deceived by the fact that he was born on Caladan and lived his first fifteen years there. Arrakis, the planet known as Dune, is forever his place.”

Thus begins one of the greatest novels ever written.

About ten years ago, when I was ten or eleven years old, I took my first cautious steps away from children’s and young adult books and into the wonderful world of adult literature. I remember that there were especially two grand works of fiction that shaped this period of my life, and eventually managed to change it forever. The first was a huge brick of a fantasy novel whose name was The Lord of the Rings. The second was a rather small, blue book with a particularly interesting cover, which I discovered in one of my father’s bookshelves. Its name was Dune.

And that was how I first came along on the adventures of Paul-Muad’Dib on the endless sands of Arrakis. I met people like the warmaster Gurney Halleck and the swordmaster Duncan Idaho, the aging assassin Thufir Hawat, the wise and powerful Lady Jessica of the Bene Gesserit, the disgustingly evil Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, and the stunningly beautiful Princess Irulan. I encountered the greatest of the sandworms in the deep desert, and I witnessed Muad’Dib as he lived amongst the mysterious blue-eyed Fremen and as he struggled and fought against those who betrayed his family.

Now, ten years later, I have read the book once more. And to my great satisfaction I discovered that it had lost none of the magic that worked so well on me the first time. The political machinations of the Great Houses and the Imperium were still as interesting and exciting as the first time. The sandworms were still as awe-inspiring as when I last read about them. And even though the book could not possibly have the same effect on me today as it had on that little boy ten years ago, it was still an amazingly enjoyable book from the first page until the very end. There was more than a fair bit of nostalgia involved when it came to settling on a final rating, and I find it likely that the rating would have been lower if I were reading this for the first time. Still, I would argue that Dune is not only one of my personal favourites, but one of the absolute best examples of fictional literature ever. It has become a pillar on which dozens of later works now stand, from Star Wars to the Wheel of Time.

What is it that makes this book so great? My answer would be neither the story nor the characters, even though both of those are great. No, the most extraordinary aspect about this book is most certainly its setting. In contrast to a great majority of science fiction, this novel takes place almost exclusively on one single planet. Arrakis. Dune. Desert planet. This is the world that inspired Tatooine. This is the world on which House Atreides fights for its survival in the heart of a treacherous universe. And, last but not least, this is the world where the sandworms roam. The world of the shai-hulud.

n  ”History is written on the sands of Arrakis."n

" هل تصارع الكوابيس ؟
هل تتخطفك الظلال ؟
هل تسير كما النائم ؟
ها قد مضى الوقت ..
و سرقت منك حياتك ..
و اضعت العمر فى العبث ..
و رحت ضحية حماقاتك . "

n
منذ ان شرعت فى قراءة كثيب كان يدور فى ذهنى سؤال واحد ؟! هل العمل مناسب للجمهور العربى , كان اعتقادى بما انها خيال علمى فى كواكب اخرى فانها اشبه بحرب النجوم او ستار تريك السلاسل الذى لاقت نجاحًا عالميا لا يزال صداه حتى الان فى العالم لكن لم تكن بنفس النجاح و الاهتمام بالنسبة للجمهور العربى لكن الاجابة جائت سريعًا بعد اول مائة صفحة انها لا علاقة لها بهم , بل هى رواية ملحمية قد تكون تدور فى المستقبل البعيد ولكنها قريبة جدا لعالمنا خاصة ما اثار اهتمامى و اهتمام الاصدقاء و الذى ذكره ايضا المترجم العبقرى " نادر اسامة " تاثر فرانك هيربرت بالثقافة و الحضارة الاسلامية .

فرانك هيربرت اثبت براعته فى خلق عالم كامل و عائلات و شعوب و طباع مختلفة و لغة من العدم و اثارة ايضًا لا تختلف كثيرا عن ثلاثية الخواتم و سلسلة اغنية الجليد و النار , لكن الاثارة عند فرانك و التحدى كان اكبر لانه اعتمد ان يحرق معظم الاحداث المصيرية فى البداية بسبب نظرة " بول المؤدب " و ايضا الام الموقرة , فهنا انت امام عمل لن يفاجئك و شخصيات واضحة لا يوجد خداع و لا مكائد , فالخائن معروف و الشر واضح و الخير معروف , مع كل هذا لكنك تستمر بالقراءة و لا يمكنك ان تتركها و هنا التحدى الكبير و النجاح للكاتب الذى ارفع له القبعة و اعرف لماذا سلسلة مثل هذة كانت مرجع و عامل مؤثر لكثير من كتاب الخيال العلمى حتى الان .

تبدا احداث الرواية بنظرة للعالم الجديد الذى يعيش به البشر الان بعد 10 آلاف عام نتيجة ثورة البشر على الآلات على كوكب ال��رض ادت الى دمار الكوكب و هجرة البشر الباقين الى كواكب اخري و استوطانها لتبدا مرحلة جديدة محرم فيها صنع الآلات التى لها تفكير خاص مثل الانسان حتى لا تتكرر المأساة مرة اخري .

عالم جديد يحكمه ثلاث قوى
اولًا : الامبراطور الباديشي حاكم الكون و الذي يحكم سيطرته بفضل جماعة السارداوكار
ثانيًا : العائلات الحاكمة او مجلس النبلاء " الاندستراد " و كل عائلة تحكم اقطاعية مخصصة لها
ثالثًا : مجلس النقابة و شركة تشوم-كوام المتحكمين فى السفر و التجارة
المنافسة بينهم سياسية و مادية , تحالفات كل من اجل مصلحته.

- و ايضا يوجد " بنى جيسيرت " هذة الجماعة التى تمثل القوة السياسية و الدينية طوروا جسدهم و عقلهم للحصول على قوة خارقة للنظر الى المستقبل و تحديد النسل و انتقاء الجينات فى البحث عن النبي "الكويزرس هاديراك" للسيطرة على الكون .
- المنتات و هم بشر كاجهزة الكومبيوتر يقوموا بالحسابات المعقدة و التحليلات المنطقية بسبب حظر اجهزة الكومبيوتر .
الفيرمن و هم سكان كوكس اراكس الذى تم اضطهادهم من قبل الهاركونن و لا يخضعون لاحد و يعيشون فى الصحراء حياة شاقة فى انتظار النبى " لسان- الغيب " الذى سوف يحررهم .

و تاخذنا الرواية للتعرف على عائلة الدوق ليتو اتردايس التى اكتسبت شعبية هائلة و تسببت فى خوف الامبراطور و العائلات الاخري لتبدا مكيدة من الجميع خاصة عندما يامره باخذ عائلته و جنوده لترك كوكب كلادان و حكم كوكب" آراكيس " الكوكب الغنى بمادة " الاسبايس " التى يعتمد عليها الجميع فى الانتقالات بين الكواكب و تدر عليهم ارباح مالية ضخمة لكن فى المقابل كوكب صعب المعيشة به لا يوجد به ماء و ايضًا كوكس اراكس كان يديره عائلة " هاركونن" التى كانت على عداوة قديمة مع عائلة " اتراديس " , كوكب لا يحتوى على ماء و استخراج مادة " الاسبايس" ايضا صعب بسبب وجود ديدان عملاقة فى الصحراء الشاسعة تبلع المحطة كاملة , شعب الفيرمن الذى يسكن هذة الصحراء و تم اضطهاده كثيرا من قبل الهاركونن , و اخيرًا عائلة الدوق ليتو , حاظيته الليدي جيسيكا من بنى جيسيرت و ابنهم بول اتردايدس بطل هذة الملحمة الذين يعلموا بالغدر نظرًا لنبوءة الام المقدسة و لا سبيل لايقافها .


مكيدة متكاملة تدور على احداثها الرواية للتخلص من عائلة اتردايس و بسببها يتم الغدر و هذا ما نعرفه فى اول الرواية لكن ما لم نعرفه هو ما ستؤول اليه الاحداث بعد نجاخ المؤامرة و المصير الذى سيواجهه بول فى صحراء اراكس و الفيرمن الذى سوف يعيش وسطهم لتبدا رحلة الانتقام .

الحوارات بين الشخصيات كانت رائعة جدا و كنت انتظرها بشدة خاصة حوارات البارون هاركونن , ايضًا الرواية لطول حجمها 900 صفحة لا تخلو من بعد الملل كما هو متوقع لكنه كان لابد منه فى تطور الشخصية خاصة صراع بول النفسي .

الشخصيات فى الرواية تم رسمها بعناية خاصة الشخصية الرئيسية بول و امه الليدى جيسيكا و التحولات فى افعالهم و تطور شخصياتهم و صراعهم النفسى كان فى افضل صورة .

" الخوف قاتل . الخوف ميتة صغرى تهلك قبل الاوان ، ساواجه خوفى . سأسمح له بتجاوزى و المرور من خلالي . و حين يمر ، سأرنو بعية البصيرة لارى مسلكه . وحيث مضى الخوف لن يبقى شئ، لن يبقى سواى ."

n

للاسف الشخصيات كثيرة و الاحداث كثيرة و متشعبة جدا و ارشحها بشدة لكن مراجعتى لن توفى الرواية حقها و لكن اعجبت بشخصية دانكن ايداهو كثيرا لشجاعته / جيرني هاليك لوفاءه و شخصيتى المفضلة فى الرواية / ستيلجار الذى ذكرنى بالشخصيات العربية و حياة البدو .

الرواية ليست رحلة انتقام كليشيه و صراع الخير و الشر , الرواية لا تخلو من الجزء الفلسفى الذى يثير انتباهك و تفكيرك و الدين كان عامل كبير فى الرواية لاحداثه و النبؤات الذى يومن بها معظم الشخصيات و غيرهم من لا يهتم بالدين و تهمه السلطة فكان اختلاط الدين و السياسة عامل اساسى , البيئة البدوية ايضًا الذى ابدعها فرانك هيربرت بامتياز توضح مدى تاثره بالحضارة الاسلامية .

عالم كبير محكم معقد ملئ بالصراعات و المكر و الخداع و السياسة .
النهاية كانت ممتازة رائعة بكل معنى الكلمة , اخر 100 صفحة فى الكتاب روعة بسببها جائت النجمة الخمسة المستحقة .

اخيراً الترجمة : غندما ارى اسم نادر اسامة اطمئن ان الترجمة سوف تكون ممتازة و بسبب الملحقات التى تعدت المائة صفحة ارى مدى التعب و الاتقان الذى بذله نادر اسامة لايصال العمل الينا فى احسن وجه و قد كان .

** الفيلم ممتاز طبعا و اختيار الممثلين كان اكثر من رائع , بعد التغييرات كان ليس لها داعى مش شخصية كاينز و ايضًا كان من الافضل وجود الحوارات بين الشخصيات الذى تم اقتطاعه مقابل ابراز المؤثرات البصرية .

مش عارف هاقدر استنى الجزء التانى يترجم و لا هاقراه انجليزى لكن الاكيد انى سوف اكمل السلسلة و لن اقف هنا .

I tried, I didn't like it. It was hard for me to get into the plot. Quite frankly most of this book was boring. I can see how this is considered a classic work and is entitled to the credit it deserves. This story had some decent points and descriptive language that added character to the story. The overall story plot included hidden messages of political intrigue and the rise and fall of empires, environmentalism, and even religious undertones that all added to create this 'space opera' epic. Having said all that, it still didn't grab my attention.

The only one thing I thought was neat was the transliterated Arabic language inferences throughout the story. Some examples were (mahdi, kull wahad, hajj, jihad, kitab, lisan al-ghaib). I'm sure there were other languages used in adding dimension to this world but I was unable to identify them off hand.

I only read this book because it has been suggested to me for years now. Now that I've finally gotten around to it, at least now I know it wasn't for me. Thanks!

"No tendré miedo. El miedo mata la mente. El miedo es la pequeña muerte que conduce a la destrucción total. Afrontaré mi miedo. Dejaré que pase sobre mí y a través de mí; y cuando haya pasado, giraré mi ojo interior para escrutar su camino. Allá donde haya pasado el miedo ya no habrá nada. Solo estaré yo"

Primera relectura 2024: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dune es el libro que ha marcado mi inicio de viaje en la CF. Abriéndome así las puertas a un género que ha conseguido toda mi atención. Un viaje sin duda apasionante. Me ha hecho sentir como un niño abriendo un regalo y descubriendo un nuevo camino como lector en la CF. Consigue lo que todo libro y autor puede aspirar, ser memorable en el tiempo y en la memoria del lector que lo disfrutó. No puedo ponerle menos de cinco estrellas a esta joya.

La importancia de Dune creo que a día de hoy es indiscutible. Se considera como el que sentó las bases de la ciencia ficción moderna. Lo que Frank Herbert logró en su libro es sorprendente porque logró construir un mundo fascinante con una ambientación muy detallada que logra sumergirte en el propio desierto de Arrakis. Pero es que no solo esto ya que la política, la economía, las luchas de poder, la religión, la ecología, la supervivencia y las estrategias logra que no solo sean importantes en la trama sino que sean incorporados de manera muy eficiente a la historia. Página tras página me fue demostrando la pasión que le puso a su obra y el derroche de imaginación e ideas que tenía en su mente. El libro se publicó en 1965 y fue rechazado previamente por muchas editoriales. Las cuáles en ese momento y hoy, se deben arrepentir mucho xD.

"¿Qué es lo que desprecias? Por ello serás conocido"

Tenemos una historia atemporal que trata sobre en lo que se ha convertido y como vive el ser humano. Seguimos a unos personajes muy interesantes que cumplen diversos roles o en algunos casos, destinos. Tenemos un montón de intrigas, sociedades de estrategia ya sea militar, política o religiosa pero sobretodo trata sobre la supervivencia en el planeta, Arrakis. Donde la riqueza, la verdadera riqueza, se cuenta en la cantidad de agua que uno posee. Una historia sobre lo que conlleva crear un profeta. Una sociedad muy compleja y complicada en la que la tecnología es algo importante, en algunos casos esencial para la vida. Un mundo muy detallado que se ve diferente pero al mismo tiempo similar al nuestro. Consigue que vivas lo que están pasando los personajes y sus pensamientos. Su brillante ambientación con todos sus paisajes se sienten con total vividez, es un deleite absoluto para la vista o mejor dicho como lectores, para la imaginación. Consigue transportarte al desierto y las dunas de Arrakis.

Para mi este es el mayor logro del libro por parte de su autor, pasar las páginas y sentir que estás ahí, imaginar todo lo que te rodea cada grano de arena, cada roca, los gusanos y lo que supone vivir ahí. La constante importancia que se le da al agua en las páginas, tu propia mente la refleja dándote y a mi me pasó, sed.

"¿Qué es el hijo, sino la extensión del padre?"

El planeta Arrakis me fascinó. Sus desiertos, sus dunas y sus gusanos. Un mundo que curiosamente a pesar de generar la substancia más preciada del universo su bien más preciado es el agua. Que se lo digan a sus habitantes, los indomables Fremen. Una sociedad cuya forma de vida los ha endurecido con curiosas pero lógicas costumbres que se basan en la adoración de un bien que escasea y es fundamental para la supervivencia, es su moneda, el agua. Un bien muy preciado, el agua es vida y aquí todavia mas debido a la escasez y la valoran por encima de todo.

Esto forma los pilares en los que componen a su sociedad por ejemplo; si lloraras a un muerto o escupes es considerado una señal de gran respeto para ellos, ya que significa perder agua corporal.

En Arrakis se utilizan destiltrajes, una compleja y brillante vestimenta que absorve cada gota de agua que sale del cuerpo y la convierte en agua potable para que el portador del destiltraje pueda volver a beberla. Uno podría decir asqueroso. Pero si vives en Arrakis lo necesitarás y agradecerás desesperadamente beber.

"La proximidad de una cosa deseable hace tender a la indulgencia. Ahí acecha el peligro"

Tenemos un repertorio de personajes que muestran cierta profundidad. Complejos, bien construidos y perfilados. Pero sobretodo muy humanos, pues se mueven por el poder, la religión y sobretodo por la supervivencia. Lo que más flojea para mi son los personajes secundarios. Si bien es cierto que no tienen el mismo peso que los principales sí los he notado más de adorno, les falta mostrar algo de complejidad y atracción al leer.

Principales como los que componen la casa Atreides, aquellos que luchan por ellos con lealtad hacía su duque y algunos de los indómitos Fremen. Tenemos villanos, como principal yo diría el Barón Harkonen, enemigo de la casa Atreides y un maestro de las intrigas, consigue lo que se propone sin que nada se interponga y es un ser bastante despreciable.

Con estos personajes obtenemos unos diálogos trabajados, cargados de grandes citas. Citas dignas de marcar.

Tenemos profecías, peleas, armas, sociedades, gusanos de arena y tecnología que aún no siendo un lector experimentado en el género, yo creo que quizás no conste de tantos elementos tecnológicos o términos como en otras obras de CF ya que me pareció más una mezcla de espada/fantasía/CF. Hay momentos con cierta epicidad, cargados de emoción, momentazos que consiguen representar la esencia de lo que es Dune y como lector me he quedado sorprendido. En la historia hay humanos con ciertas habilidades especiales.

Aunque yo diría que la inteligencia en especial con las estrategias es la mayor o la más importante habilidad/arma que se da en el libro. Los personajes le aportan mucho a la trama y encajan en ella a la perfección, captan el interés del lector queriendo o incluso necesitando pasar las páginas para saber lo que pasará a continuación, las estrategias y decisiones que ejecutarán y el desenlace.

"Cualquier camino, si se sigue hasta el fin, no conduce exactamente a ningún lugar. Escalad tan sólo un poco la montaña para comprobar si es una montaña. Desde la cima de la montaña, no podréis ver la montaña"

Como punto negativo para mi ha sido el final. Me dio la sensación de que se precipitaba un poco, me hubiera gustado que tuviera más páginas porque algunos momentos del desenlace me parecieron un poco bruscos, pasan muchas cosas en el último momento. El desenlace es casi ambiguo, un medio abierto medio cerrado. Se dan respuestas y puedes quedarte ahí y no continuar, pero también queda algún interrogante. Añadir que al inicio de cada capítulo hay pequeños fragmentos que quizás se comprendan mejor con una segunda lectura.

Dune es una joya que perdurará en el tiempo y en la mente de los lectores que lo hemos disfrutado. Ha marcado mi inicio en la CF y ahora contemplo con gratitud y una gran emoción lo que me espera en este género. Ahora me entraron ganas de mirar las películas, la vieja y la nueva cuando se estrene.

"La más alta función de la ecología es la comprensión de las consecuencias"

When people ask me what my favorite book is, Dune is always my answer. Words cannot even do justice to what an epic tale this is. We learn about spirituality, human nature, politics, religion, and the making of a hero.

I loved the spiritual aspects of the book the best. The philosophies and practices and Pranu Bindu training of the Bene Gesserit that Paul learns and builds upon. The Bene Gesserit believe in a training regiment that results in a superior human being - one with every sense as refined as possible. This means a focus on learning, on controlling emotion, on controlling your body.

My absolute favorite quote from Dune is the Bene Gesserit litany against fear:

"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 litany is meant to be recited when you are in a moment of fear, and as I first read Dune 20 years ago, I've employed it many times. After Paul employs it when he is fighting Jamis, the affect on him is described as "a cool bath washing over him. He felt muscles untie themselves, become poised and ready." I have read a lot about people who perform at high levels - whether it be in athletics or business, and success is all about getting into that zen state where you have a clear, focused mind. Fear is the biggest thing that can cloud one's mind - usually fear of failure, but there are other forms too. While this Litany won't always eliminate it, I've felt it to be useful to recognize the fear and call it out for what it is.

There is also a focus in the book on being able to read people by paying attention to the minutia. In many crucial scenes we see Paul and Jessica and others employing this skill, using not only their eyes, but reading the tone of what a person says, what their body language or actions say, and more. Imagine the poker player I could be if I learned these skills!

"If you rely only on your eyes, your other senses weaken."

It's interesting to me that so many science fiction novels contemplate a future with AI (aka post-singularity). In Dune, the Butlerian Jihad was the human rebellion to rid itself of AI or "thinking machines". They are now banned, and in their place we have Mentats, who are humans with processing powers far greater than any thinking machine. It's unclear to the software engineer in me how exactly that could be without some sort of physical manipulation (insertion of massive amounts of transistors, for instance), but the affect is pretty cool, we get Spock-esque beings who analyze everything extremely logically, and are great at political planning "feints within feints within feints".

There was a lot in the book about leadership. It started with Paul first learning about it from his Father, and also from the Bene Gesserit. This quote stood out to me:

"She asked me to tell her what it is to rule," Paul said. “And I said that one commands. And she said I had some unlearning to do." She hit a mark there right enough, Hawat thought. He nodded for Paul to continue. "She said a ruler must learn to persuade and not to compel. She said he must lay the best coffee hearth to attract the finest men."

Later as he grows into a leader himself, Paul learns that the most essential ingredient to be a leader is to lead people to a worthy goal.

"It was another of the essential ingredients that she felt her son needed: people with a goal. Such people would be easy to imbue with fervor and fanaticism. They could be wielded like a sword to win back Paul’s place for him."

Much has been made in modern reviews of Dune of the fact that it's clearly a statement about oil and the Middle East. The book even admits the Fremen are of Sunni descent, and many words they use (Jinn, Jihad, etc) are Arabic. I'm not sure I understand all the undertones, but one thing that was clear was about control of the worlds most precious commodity: "The people who can destroy a thing, they control it." I hope we are closing in on the end of the days when oil controls so much, but we aren't there yet. In the meantime, we had best beware of any future Harkonnen's.

Ok, my only reference for Dune was the 1984 movie with Kyle MacLachlan. And, honestly, it was the main reason I've always wanted to read this book.


Ohmygod look what that fake-looking piece of plastic shit is doing to poor MacLachlan's nose? How was he even able to act with that thing pushing his nostrils to the side of his face? I can't stop looking at it!

Anyway.
I remember loving that movie when I was young. Ahhhh. I honestly didn't remember much about it other than it was sorta weird, there were giant worms, a bunch of people had glowing blue eyes, and Sting was in it.



After listening to this audiobook, I decided to rewatch the movie and relive the good times.



Wow. Just wow.
What in the holy hell did I just watch? Because whatever it was, it certainly didn't have much to do with the actual book. There were some fucking weird changes that they made to the movie that really didn't do anything for the plot. Like that gross dude with the shit in his face that flew around in that goofy air suit?



In the book, he's just a fat dude!
And that thing they do where they all have drain plugs attached to their hearts?
Not in the book, either!
In fact, none of that fucknut crazy/gross sci-fi shit is in the book.



Blowing shit up with their voice guns? Nope.



Bald Bene Gesserits? Nope.



Bugs with butthole mouths? Nope.



Mentat's with clip-on eyebrows who drink juice that gives them herpes lips? Nope.



Captain Jean-Luc Picard going into battle with a pug? Fuck no!



The list goes on and on...

Not that it should matter.
But it does! Because I was expecting something realllyreallyreally different, and if you go into this (like me) you may end up...well, not disappointed but maybe shocked?
Having said that, I think the book was definitely better.
There was no reason for ass-mouth monsters or oily rock stars in weird rubber underwear. It just makes a lot more sense the way Herbert wrote it.
It's a magic is science tale set in space with an incredibly interesting look at how politics and religion can hold hands with each other and make war babies. I can see why people rave about it. It's honestly an incredibly insightful novel.
You know, if you're into that sort of thing...



A little dense, but worth it.
But dense. That's worth saying twice because this thing is massive and you may get lost in it if giant word monsters aren't your jam when it comes to reading.



I listened to the Audible version which is 21 HOURS (and 2 minutes!) long and might be the way to go for anyone looking for the easy way out.
And I am ALWAYS looking for the easy way out.

just when you thought 2021 couldn't get any weirder.

Does the world need another Dune review? I very much doubt it needs mine but that never stopped me before, saturation be damned!

Dune in and of itself, in isolation from the rest of the numerous other Dune books, is by general consensus the greatest sci-fi novel of all time. You may not agree, and one book can not please everybody but statistically Dune comes closest to achieving just this. Witness how often you see it at or near the top of all-time best sf books lists.

I never read Dune with the intent to reviewing it before, it makes for a more attentive and actually more enjoyable reading experience. When I first read it in my early teens I did not really appreciate it, I thought it was good but overrated. There are just too much depth for my young mind to handle. I got the gist of the story just fine but the richness of the novel completely escaped me.

What makes Dune superior to most sf books is the quality of the world building. Frank Herbert went into painstaking details of Arrakis without ever bogging down the story. During the main body of the novel (excluding the appendices) he did not once resort to making info dumps. How many modern day sf authors can do that? Still, world building alone can not possibly account for the legendary status of the book. Herbert places equal emphasis on the characterization, plot and prose. The book is full of memorable characters from the badass Lady Jessica, to Paul Atreides who starts off as a fairly generic Luke Skywalkerish “chosen one” kid to a messianic figure always ready with a sage comment for every occasion. The villains are even more colorful, especially the super-sized Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, so fat he needs anti gravity devices to help support his girth (cue worthless yo papa so fat he needs suspensors jokes). And his psychotic nephew Feyd-Rautha who is a ruthless natural born killer and seems kind of gay for some reason.

When I read it as a young lad the book seemed very long, but by today’s gigantic epic sf/f books standard Dune’s 896 pages length does not seems like much of a challenge if you take into account almost 100 pages of appendices and glossary. It is a highly readable and accessible book that transports the reader to a very vividly realized place. If you are looking for a bit of escapism you can not beat reading Dune for the first time.

That's enough review I think, I just want to make a few random observations for people who are familiar with this book (more than half the people who read this review imagine):

- Most memorable scene for me is the “Gom Jabbar” test where Paul Atreides has his humanity tested by the Reverend Mother. What is yours?

- I love the little quotes from all those Muad'Dib books by the Princess Irulan. How many are there? Is there a “Muad'Dib’s Cookery Without Water” or perhaps a Muad'Dib popup book for the kids?

- The stillsuits are great, I want one!

- What is with all the “ah-h-h” business most (lesser) writers make do with an "ah!" or an "aha!". Are the characters having orgasms?

- Don’t skip the appendices, they are well worth reading.

- Last but not least, do check out Dune - Book Summary & Analysis by Thug Notes on Youtube, preferably after you have finished Dune; it's funny, insightful and informative. Come to think of it, if you are having any difficulty getting through Dune you may want to watch this.