Dune

Title: Dune

Author: Frank Herbert

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Dune#1

Pages: 794

Synopsis:

Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, heir to a noble family tasked with ruling an inhospitable world where the only thing of value is the “spice” melange, a drug capable of extending life and enhancing consciousness. Coveted across the known universe, melange is a prize worth killing for….

When House Atreides is betrayed, the destruction of Paul’s family will set the boy on a journey toward a destiny greater than he could ever have imagined. And as he evolves into the mysterious man known as Muad’Dib, he will bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream.

My Thoughts:

Dune is considered by many to be one of if not the best Science Fiction Novels ever made. And it’s definitely made its impact on the genre. It’s definitely an Epic story. I really like the World-Building that went on in this book as there is some Middle-Eastern influence here. It was really interesting following the world of Arrakis, the Fremen was a very interesting people. I also just found the idea of water being a currency really interesting. I also just loved the Politics scenes, they were in my opinion the chapters where I was most hooked on. I also was very intrigued by the villain Baron Harkonnen. The action scenes were also pretty good.

I feel like Frank Herbert was quite a visionary, as he was talking about things such as Sustainable Development and Environmentalism. And reminder this book was made in 1965! The Environmentalism in this book to me just made the book even better!

This may get me in hot water, but I didn’t really like Paul Atreides as a character. Paul Atreides seems a bit like a Gary Stu to me. He just seems good at well…. everything. He knows how to survive, fight, and he’s a genius and he has powers too! He has almost no real weaknesses. To be honest, I thought Jessica Atreides was a much better main character. She struggles to live in a world that she is not familiar with, she had to mourn and get over the loss of her partner Leto, and she has to look after her son and later her daughter. Not to mention she avoids getting assassinated by the Harkonnen, defeats one of the strongest fighters among the Fremen, and thrives in an unforgiving land amongst a fierce people.

I also just found the pacing at times a little rough and it was a bit of a slog to get through.

Overall, the book was definitely a joy to read and if you really like Science Fiction, this book is a must-read.

Rating: