From the Bookshelf of SFF Readalongs led by Kitty G…

Dune (Dune #1)

Frank Herbert

Start date: December 1, 2015

Finish date: December 31, 2015

Discussion: Dune Discussion

Why we're reading this: Winner of the vote so we shall be attempting Dune in the Month of December :)
[close] Winner of the vote so we shall be attempting Dune in the Month of December :)

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Dune Discussion

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* Thoughts Before We Start...
By Kitty G Books · 7 posts · 40 views

last updated Dec 02, 2015 09:11PM

'The Prophet' to the End of Book
By Kitty G Books · 2 posts · 19 views

last updated Dec 13, 2015 07:54AM

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What Members Thought

Dec 01, 2015 Kitty G Books rated it it was ok

I picked this book up at last thanks to my buddy reading group as it was the book which was voted for us to read in December. I have to say I didn't know a great deal about Dune before going into it other than that it had big sand worms things and was considered a 'classic' in the SF genre. I think not knowing much about it meant that I assumed it would be something very different to what it was. In my opinion this whole story felt a bit like a weird mash-up between the sci-fi setting and differ I picked this book up at last thanks to my buddy reading group as it was the book which was voted for us to read in December. I have to say I didn't know a great deal about Dune before going into it other than that it had big sand worms things and was considered a 'classic' in the SF genre. I think not knowing much about it meant that I assumed it would be something very different to what it was. In my opinion this whole story felt a bit like a weird mash-up between the sci-fi setting and different races/planets and a very fantastical magical prophetic situation and story. When I entered into this I thought we'd be seeing a lot more of a focus on the science and technology, but actually this was more driven by betrayal and magic and politics, which was interesting, but far from what I think many would have envisioned.

With that said, I think that had I known it was more of a sci-fi/fantasy mash-up going into it I might have enjoyed it more. I do think that the political undercurrents that we see being laid out at the start are pretty well handled and interesting, and that our main character, Paul, is a fairly unique character right away. My main criticism was that prophecy is always something which can easily become a 'get out of jail free' card and can be used to 'conveniently' fix things or make things happen, and I did think that this book suffered a bit for that.

The book is set on a desert planet where there are lots of massive sand Dunes and very little hospitable areas for plants or life. Water is a very rare commodity and most people on the planet haven't got enough of it and so it's largely used by workers to harvest and tend to a special kind of spice which is grown there. We follow the Duke and his lover, Jessica, and son, Paul who are told to look after and watch over the planet by the Emperor at the start of the story and so they fly there with the intention of doing so but quickly become ensnared in the games and plots which are already in motion. As it goes on Paul and Jessica become the two major focuses as they are both highly trained, have gifts and seem to be fairly independent and intelligent.

On the whole I think that seeing the Fremen and their culture living on the water-deprived planet was some of the most interesting sections for me. The Worms didn't appear anywhere near as much as I though they would, and yet they were pretty important to the plot at some points. I think that the story suffered a little from too much prophecy and peculiar magic trying to fit into a modern and desolate SF landscape. It could have been a much more cohesive plot had this been a little less or more subtle.

Overall I would give this a 2*s because it's an okay book and it's certainly not that hard to get into and read, but at no point was I truly fascinated or enjoying it more than anything else I have read recently. It's a book which has a plot that I found somewhat exciting at points and not at all at others, and had character who were interesting at moments, and irritating at others. It's hailed as a classic SF book and yet I think maybe by modern immersion standards it didn't quite hold up for me... 2*s overall. ...more

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Apr 11, 2020 Christina Pilkington rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-scifi

I finally read the most iconic science fiction book in the world!

And.. for the most part I enjoyed the story. I was absolutely blown away by the world building. Very,very impressive. Definitely my favorite aspect of the novel.

The themes and ideas were thought-provoking, too. I can see how current sci-fi authors, especially in the hard sci fi subcategory, drew inspiration from Dune. I didn't expect such a heavy focus on ecology and the environment. In a way, that makes this seem like a current ...more

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Jan 25, 2019 Brit (Circus_of_Damed) rated it liked it · review of another edition

This is a classic Sci-fi book, that being said this was not the book for me. This book had very heavy handed religious tones and messages. Along with that was some complicated writing, messages and language. Along with a very detailed and complicated world. Made this book hard to fallow. Which is why I'm glad I listened to the audiobook, otherwise I'm unsure if I would have finished this book. All that said this book had staying power, I kept thinking about this world, characters, themes, and me ...more

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