From the Bookshelf of RMFAO (Reading My Frigging A** Off)…

Dune (Dune #1)

Frank Herbert

Start date: December 1, 2014

Finish date: December 31, 2014

Discussion: Buddy-Reads

Discussion leader: Heena Rathore Rathore-Pardeshi

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BOTM-2-October'20 - My Dark Vanessa
By Heena · 6 posts · 34 views

last updated Oct 22, 2020 08:04AM

BOTM-1-October'20 - If It Bleeds
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last updated Oct 01, 2020 09:49AM

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What Members Thought

Nov 05, 2011 Mark rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi, american-writers, dune

I did buy the new and beautifull edition celebrating its original publishing in 1965 and expected movie this year, which was the one movie I was really looking forward this year and with Covid-19 being the factor that stopped this party I decided to reread this novel once more.

As a fifteen old kid who kept annoying the ladies of my local library with my great thirst for reading books they had decided to offer me some books to keep me busy. First of was Lord of the Rings by one Tolkien which got I did buy the new and beautifull edition celebrating its original publishing in 1965 and expected movie this year, which was the one movie I was really looking forward this year and with Covid-19 being the factor that stopped this party I decided to reread this novel once more.

As a fifteen old kid who kept annoying the ladies of my local library with my great thirst for reading books they had decided to offer me some books to keep me busy. First of was Lord of the Rings by one Tolkien which got devoured with a speed they considered somewhat unsettling they then gave me this book Dune a scifi book. With my scifi taste being mostly Star Trek and Star Wars this book was of course an eye opener and something of new territory for a young kid. For I while I read quite a lot of scifi, classics and whatnot but Dune and its sequels always remained special.
I did read the three sequels, Messiah, Children and God Emperor and was and am still today totally in awe of these books. When I discovered the next two Frank Herbert books I put one on my reading list for English and my teacher who turned out to be a fan too disputed that books existence. Until I put it on his desk and he decided that afternoon to visit the bookstore to obtain a copy and during my oral exam we did discuss this book and I am sure I learned a lot of insight from this English teacher more than he learned from his student. But this teacher loved students that read and came up with different choices than the average student who read because they must.

Anyhow this phenomenal Scifi book tells a story about a duke and his family whom get displaced from their own watery world to a desert world where the article Spice is being found and its application is considered to be a boon to health, prescience and is actually very important in Spaceflight by the Guild navigators. It is difficult to not slip into information later learned in the sequels Messiah & Children because they feel actually not like book 2 & 3 but part of the original tale of Dune.
Paul Atreides loses his father to the treacherous Harkonnen on the planet Arrakis also know as Dune. He becomes the leader of the desert people that inhabit the planet and leads them on a path to religious Jihad and throw the other houses of the Landsraad and the Emperor aside.
This sounds like a lot of action but most of the story is weaving a new world and its secrets and culture. There is so much to be enjoyed in Frank Herberts creation and often you are left in some bewilderment how one man could make up so much different cultures of humanity and there is not an alien around.
My advise would be to read the three books that make up the story of the Atreides and the genetic line they represent and the duty they have for the Universe.
Recognize the prescience that leaves Paul Atreides some choices and he is definitely afraid of his choices and the future he will create. This story tells about a special young man who is meant to change the universe and yet is terribly afraid for the future he will create and yet must do so or die and leave the universe in danger for the future.
The story represents some Greek tragedy which admittingly was also some of Frank Herberts source/inspiration, the foreword by Brian Herbert who went on to enlarge his fathers Duniverse does give you some insight in his fathers writing and thinking.
For me the Bene Gesserit have always been the most fascinating of creations and considering their role in the Duniverse they were important too for Frank Herbert. It is their part in the story that gets everything rolling.

This particular copy is absolutely beautiful and one might hope that the next two installments also get the same treatment with a new release as there is plenty of time and need before we get to see the movie next year. They actually deserve the same respect as they are one story and it would look amazing on my bookshelves of course. ...more

68 likes · Like · see review

May 13, 2009 Steve rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, reread, read-in-2014

This was a reread for me; I first read it over 30 years ago, in 1982, I think. It's still a classic in the realm of science fiction, and is among the same standard as Tolkien's Lord of the Rings set for fantasy writing.

Not much to add to the hundreds of thousands of reviews and ratings. The truly amazing thing about this book (and series) is the amount of detail that the author put into not only the world creation, but the entire galaxy, including languages, religions, politics, and space trave ...more

24 likes · Like · see review

Mar 22, 2014 Vicii rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: don-t-own, fantasy, series, follow-series, sci-fi, mid-list

I read this book many years ago whilst on holiday, so practically completed it in about 3 days. I've just found out that this is actually a series and not a stand-alone book (where have I been?) so I guess this means I might have to read it ago and then complete the series as it would be 17 years since I last read it. I was pregnant with my son whilst on holiday which it how I can be so specific about when I read it! ...more

2 likes · Like · see review