Dune Rant

I have just started listening to the Heretics of Dune Audiobook, and I have come to the crashing conclusion of why have been avoiding it. It is not anything to do with the quality of the audiobook Simon Vance is as always on top form, and portrays the characters with the gravitas they deserve. Neither is it to do with the fact that the last 2 books are my least faviourite (..cause they aren't and having listened to about a third of Heretics I've got to admit its so far only 2nd to Dune(and Messiah) at the moment.) It is because this is the point where the depth of the Frank Herberts work comes to startling clarity. Why is that a bad thing? As this clarity is brought by comparison to the non-Frank Herbert written Sequels. As most who have got this far in this rant will know Frank never finished his great work. He tragically died leaving one book un-written and seemingly few notes on how he planned to continue and finish the narrative.

....before I get into trashing the sequel let's get things straight I enjoyed them. They were never going to be up to scratch. Herbert (senior) was a master of the art and dune was his masterpiece, while Kevin J Anderson is not. Don't get me wrong his work is enjoyable but he is not the literary genius the Frank Herbert was. The sequel(s) give me a conclusion to the story it just wasn't the conclusion to the story.

Over the years I have come to feel that the story may not have needed a conclusion, Daniel and Marty representing Herbert himself and his wife and the passage representing the narrative breaking free of his or any control. Dune always had the feel of a window into another universe and this ending is fitting for such a story. Maybe that's why the sequels angry my blood so, they cast dune as just a story through their inconsistencies, convenience and logical gaps. While Herbert's dune is filled with genius philosophers, deep motivations and abilities based in the existing mythos of the series. The sequels are filled with dim witted action heros, villains of the mustache twirling cape wearing variety and magic powers (both
Duncan's energy less super speed and Paul's telekinetic healing.). In handing over the dune universe to a super human saviour they miss the entire point of the dune universe, that to put ones faith in messiahs is dangerous, its Leto II's most important lesson.

But let's talk my specific reason for this rant and this is just from the first third of heretics

The drastic reduction in scope of human space. Let's give them that dune's definition of the known universe may well be ignored as a label rather than descriptive. That aside in god emperor of dune. Leto explicitly states he rules a multi galactic empire and that the intentions of his pressing ix to make no tech and his breeding program was to ensure that the scattering that would be the inevitable consequence of his death would allow humans to spread so far and so wide as to never again be vulnerable to a single threat. The no-ships and Siona's inheritance making sure that not even presience could find them all.

Let's now move to heretics were so far almost every single character has described the scattering as entering universes beyond measure. One (or was it 2)even described humanity as now being infinite and occupying infinite space. Let's skip ahead to the end of chapter house were to escape Duncan explicitly jumps his no ship to another universe devoid of the hunters.

Now let's look at the sequel. Human space (old empire and scattering) is compressed into a small part of our galaxy. So small that a well placed gamma ray burst or other large scale astronomical event could wipe all of humanity out (bit of a flaw in your golden path there Leto call yourself a God Emperor.) So small in fact a probe carrying an Ominus(?) clone has managed to beat the instantaneously traveling ships of humanity in such a way that we are now enclosed by its machines (despite space folding drives that could pass any barrier and out run any ship. See logic flaws.)

This downsizing is fact and was done to allow a threat to effect all humanity (a threat that leto would have seen easily.) From a foe that was only introduced in the prequels. It robs the life of leto of its meaning and therefore trashed 2 of the 6 original books. I'm not qualified to speak for frank but it seems to me the final trilogy is about the peril to the old empire of those returning from the scattering (chapter house shows that the Honoured Matre's are just the first and not even the worst,) the threat to the gold path (or the threat to the old empire's branch of the golden path, but not necessarily the whole golden path) of the wild talents to see no ships. Dune 7 being the resolution to these threats and the continuation of the golden path in to the infinite future.


Rant over.....for now.

Dune Messiah(Novel) Review

Following on from my review of Dune last week. I thought i'd continue on with the next novel in the saga, Dune Messiah. Its important to remember that he Author the great Frank Herbert saw Dune Messiah as the fourth book to the dune novel. In essence making both novel part of one larger story. That said there is a distinct break in the story..

..Its tweleve years since Paul Muad'Dib (Atreides) lead the Freeman to victory over the Emperor and his Sardaukar. Paul now presides over the greatest empire ever known, after the Freeman Jihad he set in motion has waged across a large majority of human space. Despite his political and personnel power, Paul struggles to limit the destruction caused by the religion built around him. A religion ,that some think, no longer needs their living God to be quite so living. Paul struggles with the knowledge that he has caused so much death, but his prescience tells him this was the lesser of evils and that the future could still lead to humanities extinction if he cannot find the right path.

Meanwhile the Bene Gesserit, Spacing Guild and Tleilaxu resent that Pauls Empire usurps the power they had in the previous Imperium. They set their conspiracy to topple Paul and return themselves to power, but are all members of the conspiracy happy to return to the status quo or do they play for a greater prize?

Over the years my love for Dune Messaih has grown somewhat. When I first read it I was young and resented what I saw as sad ending for Paul. Over the proceeding years and the many many rereads I came to agree with Herbert the typical Superman isn't a very good character. Arguably Paul is a rather more fleshed out superman than your son's of Krypton or your Spidermans. Rather than being born with powers or as a result of some accident Paul gains his prescient powers through a ”painful and slow personal progress”. Also Paul isn't the exception to the norm the guild and Bene Gesserit both have members with limited versions of his prescient gift and in the Freeman and Sardaukar we have a large number of normal people who through training have gained almost superhuman fighting skills. This is where Herbert excels himself he presents his superman with trails that really stretch his abilities and where a perfect ending is impossible. In essence Paul is no longer a superman just a great man and a true Messiah.

If you've read Dune you will probably have read this but if not you really really must.

Dune (Audiobook) Review

Dune was the first Audiobook I purchased, said purchase occurring about 2 years ago. I'd say I've listened to it about 20 times since than which probably brings the total number of times I have read/heard the book well into triple figures. To see my review of Dune click here.

The Unabridged Audio Book was created by Audio Renaissance Now an arm of the publishing house Macmillian. As I stated in my review of the Pandora's Star, The Dune audiobook is very lavish, which is currently very rare in the (re)burgeoning a-book industry. Here we have not one voice actor (as is common) but several, and this does improve the quality. The actors are able to bounce of each other as needed, and give real depth to their performances.

The book is expertly narrated by Simon Vance. With the other actors taking on several parts. Of note are the portrayals of The Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, who is portrayed as having a relatively soft public voice and Bass almost demonic private voice. Which gives the perfect feel to the complex character. Also Scott Brick's Stilgar, is fantastically portrayed as a voice full of power, wisdom and command.

Dune is such a rich tapestry, it was definitely the right call to do this “Theatre Style” I.e as though it where a live production (although at over 24 hours it would be some stage show.) The very talented Paul Goodrich expertly mixes in subtle background music and effects, it really is a joy to listen to.

Audio really is the only other medium Dune truly works in. Dune is so lean, which is surprising at 645 page. Like his creation Count Fenrring Herbert never uses two words were one will do, or limits himself to one meaning in one word. Their really isn't any sub-plots that can be trimmed off, without effecting the whole. Which is why though their have been some very good efforts, Dune will never translate properly to film or TV.

My recommendation for this audio-book is buy it, but it now. If you already own a copy buy another one.

Dune (Novel) Review

What can I say about Dune and further the Dune Saga? Dune is a masterpiece! Dune is un-filmable! Dune is the cause of literally millions of lost man hours every year as fans argue about the smallest details, and if the books published after his death should be counted as Canon (the answer is no!!!!) Dune is single handedly responsible for increased demand for Cinnamon!

In this review I won’t be touching any (more) of the contentious subjects and will be reviewing the first Novel in the Dune Saga, the original, the best….Dune.

Dune is a Novel by Frank Herbert. It was first published in 1965, it won both Hugo and Nebula Awards in 1966. It is the far future, where personnel shields that are impermeable to all but the slowest blow make the weapons of choice blades and poisons. A secretive guild controls all interstellar travel. A future were society has rebuilt itself from a great Jihad against the use of machines in to tightly controlled Feudal Empire.

Into this arena steps Paul Atreides teenage son of Duke Leto Atreides. Paul's father is instructed by the Emperor to take control of the planet Arrakis, the unique source of the valuable spice Melange. This will mean Pauls Family replacing their arch-enemies the Harkonnens, but is everything as it seems for "A popular man arouses the jealousy of the powerful." and Paul's father is a popular man. Meanwhile Paul's mother Jessica is brought to task by the Bene Gesserit sisterhood, of which she is a member, who ordered her to bear only daughters. The Bene Gesserit have been controlling key bloodlines for generations in the hope of breeding a Kwisatz Haderach a super-being. Meanwhile on Arrakis a people known as Freman await their prohisied "voice from the outer world" who will lead them to there freedom.

The novel is comprised by three books, the First book "Dune", The second book "Muad'Dib" and the final book "The Prophet". I don't want to spoil it by going into to much detail, as it truly is a must read. It easily stands up with other classics of literature. Herbert thought every single little detail of the story out, and it really shows.

Herbert disliked the idea of the Übermensch "The bottom line of the Dune trilogy is: beware of heroes. Much better rely on your own judgment, and your own mistakes."- Frank Herbert, and although at first Dune seems a story of the rise of such an Ubermensch, on closer examination it becomes a man's struggle with his own destiny, or in Pauls case "Terrible Purpose". Where as the follow up Dune Messiah is an exploration of the limitations of ultimate power "There exists a limit to the force even the most powerful may apply without destroying themselves" and "People call it a power, a gift. It's an affliction!". Herbert always saw Dune Messiah as the fourth book of the Dune novel. Making the story not a story of the rise of a superman but the story of a man as he falls into than tries to escape the trap that is godhood "His curse lay in the fact that he saw the cage."

Herbert also explorers the issues of the Decline of Empire's. With the rich tapestry he builds of the Empirieum we see an Emperor clinging to power, beset on all sides by intrigues and plans. Forced into actions he does not want to take in the possible futile attempt to keep his throne. Also Nature and nuture while Paul is the product of selective breeding and the Freman/Sardaukar are the product of immense selection pressures, it is made quite clear that what they are is as much from their training as their genes. That training was a large influence on a mind choosing hyper-alertness over unconsciousness when stressed. "Unlike previous superheroes who acquire their powers suddenly and accidentally, Paul's are the result of "painful and slow personal progress." "

I can not recommend Dune enough. If i could only read one book for the rest of my life Dune would be the book i chose. The only thing wrong with Dune is the saga was never finished, Herbert died before writing the 7th novel). I quite like that however, as it gives the same feel to the last book as the first that you are actually looking into another universe. The story doesn't start with Dune neither does it end with Chapter House Dune. We are simply dipping into an on going history. Like a flower seen from a moving train, it grew before we saw it and will continue growing long after.

*For those that need closure, their is the fan fiction released jointly by his Son Brian and Kevin J. Anderson. I intend on reviewing them at some point, they are fun in their own rite but the quality just isn't there and they take far to many liberties with the story. That really isn't a criticism of those books they just pale in the light of the original works, even Herbert's own sequels never seem quite to attain the majesty of the first two books.