Dune Discussion

[Kristina Simon]

This is the discussion thread for the Spring 2014 Group Read Dune by Frank Herbert. Please post your comments here. This thread is not restricted to those choosing this book for task 20.10, feel free to join in the discussion. Warning- spoilers ahead!

[Jessica]

I ended up choosing this because I've already read the other two group choices, and I have mixed feelings about it. Sci-fi's not normally my thing, and while I can see the appeal of this for genre fans, I struggled with it. Herbert's plot can't really hang together unless Paul is a messianic figure, but his omniscience makes it hard for me to connect to him as a character. Ultimately, I found myself much more interested in the ancillary characters because they're the only ones capable of doubt or uncertainty, which I as a reader need to keep my interest in the story.

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

It's been years since I read this, and I liked it a lot, both back when I was in high school (yeah, I read it back in the 60s when it came out) and again when I read it a few years ago. But you're right - I don't think the characters were easy to connect to or identify with. I guess that didn't bother me, because I've always been a science fiction fan and a lot of older science fiction is like that, but this is certainly not a character-driven story!

[Nick]

Slight SPOILERS

I am a Dune lover. I haven't read it in years, until now, but I hold it as the best of the best in SF. (I cannot understand those who prefer "Ender's Game," as it and "Dune" always seem to be vying for the top spot in "Best Sci Fi Novels" lists...but that's another story.)

The scenes of the novel are so classic, from the early scenes where Paul is introduced to each of the minor characters in turn, each with their own idiosyncrasies, to the arrival scenes on planet Arakis, to Paul and his mother's flight through the desert and the subsequent introduction of the Fremen society. And those worms!-- sci fi monsters incarnate, with all kinds of surprising twists and turns in their relationship to the plot.

Planet Arakis is a marvelous invention. ...according to Herbert's forward, it's a predictive one in an age (the '60's) where environmentalism was just beginning to blossom. In this first book, I am right there with Paul, empathizing with him all the steps of his way. In subsequent books in the series, he did become an aloof character, harder and harder to identify with. But none of the sequels match up to this first volume. It's truly one of the great novels.

[Andy]

I looked forward to reading this book as it is considered one of the classics of Science fiction. I'm not much of a science fiction fan but I have enjoyed Robert Heinlein and thought Herbert must be his equal. Sadly, I didn't bond with either of the major characters, Jessica and Paul. I ended up thinking this was a war story translated into an imaginary setting. Since that genre is also not on my favorites list, I couldn't really dredge up much enthusiasm for the book. The only aspect I found mildly amusing was that people can get at odds with each other over many different things and fight over the control of said commodity, in this case, water.

[Abigail]

I just finished this. As with Jessica, I read it just because I'd read the others -- both of which I LOVE. And maybe a slight feeling of obligation as a nerdy sort who has been told by many fellow nerds that Dune is worth reading.

I could NOT stand it. I am SOOOOOO glad it's over. I'll admit: Herbert is an amazing world-builder. His overall conception of a plot is impressive too. But the execution of it? And the mind-numbingly horrible characters? Nope. Not for me.

[Elizabeth]

This was my first time reading Dune, and I also decided to read it because I'd already read our other group reads. Now that it's finished I'm both glad I read it and glad it's over.

For me, reading this book was a lot like sitting in traffic (which I've never likened a book to before - it was an odd realization). The first hundred pages I felt that the book was slowly plodding along, trying to make me care for the characters, which I kind of did. Then, all of a sudden, we were moving - I got totally into it and thought to myself "finally! I get it! I understand why people love this book!". That lasted for another hundred pages or so. Then, everyone I really liked died, and it got slow again. Even the "huge" conflict at the end of the book wasn't all that interesting to me, I was just glad to finish it. Just like I'm glad to get to work at the end of my commute every morning. Though I'm taking a lot more out of reading this book than listening to the same music again.

Overall, I liked it, but I don't feel the need to reread it or to read any of the rest of the series.

[Angel **Book Junkie**]

I have just finished reading Dune and I have to say that I know that I seriously hate sci-fi and as much as I wanted to love this book or at least like it but I did not. I was bored throughout the book and felt like the book would never end and the only good thing about these challenges is that sometimes you are thrown into a book that you might not like and you actually fall in love with it. This time it was far from that.

If I had to compare this book to something it would probably be Lord of the Rings in which I Hated with a passion. Not only was this book dull when it did get excited you had to live with the fact that half the decent people were gone and you had to get to know new characters. While this can be entertaining at times this time I do not think that it worked for me.

I think there was way too much in the story and found myself wanting to breath in between scenes because as soon as I finally figured something out it was over. As a woman I was actually surprised at how the author really really put us as a statue within the story. What I mean by this is the job of the women throughout the story was to make the men look good. I am not sure that we had any other part within the story. I was a little taken aback by the story and the way that women were looked at.

You may say to me that I have read and liked other books where women have been treated much worse but for some reason I just did not like it and I did not like Paul. This book will not hit my too-read shelf and I probably would never pick up any more of the series. I truly truly did not like this book.

Now what I did care for is that this author can write a story so 2 sstars for me.

[Elizabeth]

I tried to start reading this a couple of times in the past and never got more than a few pages into it. This time I listened to the audio and absolutely loved it. Amazing story, very engaging but judging from the reviews not for everyones taste.

[Jayme Pendergraft]

I also read this because I've already read the other two books. I listened to the audio, which was performed by a full cast, but I was still bored to tears! I had a hard time following the story and just was not at all engaged. I may try to read a hard copy of the book sometime in the future since it is such a classic, but this time around I was sorely disappointed.

[Valorie]

I found the book to be a little slow in some places, but all in all a pretty interesting read. I gave it 3 stars. I found it to be much better than the book I chose for last season's challenge. American Gods was excruciating for me to read.

[Rora]

Dune is one of my favorite science fiction books and I was happy to read it again for this challenge. Five stars.

[Pamela]

I had never read Dune before. I really enjoyed it. I listened to the audio book and found it very engaging.

[Alexis]

This was my first time reading Dune. I chose it because I've already read The Thirteenth Tale, and I've been meaning to read Dune for longer than I've been meaning to read Brave New World.

A Song of Fire and Ice series came to mind a lot while I was reading Dune. The intrigue, the feint within a feint within a feint, the family drama...seems Herbert may have had some influence on Martin. Great read!

[Amy]

Dune...where to begin?
Well written? Yes. Very.
I did like this novel. It was interesting, for sure. It was different. It had well-developed characters. It has a plot see-sawing on the fulcrum of good versus evil. All of these are good things. And yet...

I just couldn't get fully involved with this book. My first problem is all the foreign language. I mean, yes, I understand we're on a different planet, but there are just so many foreign words that I couldn't pronounce which in turn frustrated me.

There were parts of the story that captured me and I was entranced; but there were parts of the story that I slogged through like I was in quicksand.

I've never though of myself as a big sci-fi fan, and I guess this just cements that thought. I am intrigued about the Atreides, Alia, Jessica, and thier fate. I'm a little outraged that Paul seems to be marrying the Emperor's daughter, though he's in love with Chiani. I'm intrigued to see how that goes...so will I read the next in the series? Maybe. I may be caught up just enough.

[Fandury]

I tried to read this one multiple times, and somehow always lost the interest somewhere in the middle. I had the same problem this time, so I switched to the audible version, and that was much better.

In the end I liked the storyand the intrigue in it, but it was not the best SF I ever read. Some plotpoints seems to be only there to insert some drama, and others simply lead nowhere (why was it impotant that Howard should not know that it was not the Lady Jessica who betrayed them, when this was never again important and he was kept under controll be poison. But the whole plot about her being the betrayer seems very pointless to me).

But the world of Arakis really was fascinating and the idea that people that survive in this had to be obsessed with water and be thougher than anyone else.

I'm happy that I finally managed to get to the end of the story, but I don't think I will read the rest of the Dune books.

[Lindy-Lane]

to be honest, the sci-fi genre is my least favorite to read. my reading a book of this genre of my own free will is like pulling teeth. yet, there are a few sic-fi authors that i have felt compelled to place on my "life reading" list and frank herbert's "dune" is one of these. appropriately, i did start reading this book the very day i actually had a tooth pulled. :)

my reading experience for this book was much enhanced by my being in close proximity of "google" there were many phrases i had to "visualize" in order to understand the plot (i.e. gom jabbar). and there were several phrases that caused be to chuckle (i.e. "if only she had born a girl as she was ordered to do!").

it's not been a fast pace read for me. nor a savory slow read because i don't want it to end. it's been more of a stumble, put the book down, pick it back up and "keep calm and simply read on".

[mstan]

I felt as though I needed to read this as it's such a classic. At the same time, I was dreading it a little, because it looked rather forbidding.

In the end, it was a 3-star read for me - not horrible, with plenty to admire, but at times, rather ponderous and flat. I thought the world-building was good, but character development was lacking. As the hero, Paul didn't seem to be able to act in ways other than what has already been prescribed for him. This seemed the same for many of the characters in the book.

[Karen Michele]

I have enjoyed reading through the varied comments here. I loved Dune when I first read it and it was the world created that made me fall in love with the book. The sand worms, the spice and the way people had to live to get enough water made it fascinating. I guess that's the main thing I take away from science fiction and/or fantasy: an intriguing and well constructed world is what makes it or breaks it for me and I loved revisiting the world of Dune.