Nick Perzacki’s Reviews > Heretics of Dune > Status Update

Duncan’s most consistent character trait throughout the whole series is that he’s a sex god but only 100% directed where he wants it to be; people are constantly telling him he must or mustn’t fuck somebody and he never listens - he’s nobody’s stud! Also, I stand by this should be called Assassination Attempts of Dune.

I’m convinced this is a comedic masterpiece: every scene between Waff & a Bene Gesserit is 25% him thinking “They can’t possibly know about this secret we’ve kept for millennia” and then she will immediately say “so about that secret you thought you kept for millennia…”, then he gets his arms shattered; Taraza admitting Sisterhood records are unintelligible; Teg slapping the memories back into Duncan.

Taraza made Waff look like an absolute chump, she’s right the Honored Matres don’t appear remotely comparable to the Bene Gesserit. Odrade watching a full-on riot with several deaths happen directly below her like it was a concert was kinda hilarious. Honestly, so far, the post-Paul books have been comedy gold, often intentionally but occasionally just on the sheer absurdity of the situation.

The entire Rakis part of the story is pure comedy gold - Sheeana purposefully seeking out the questions that make the priests most uncomfortable; the priests themselves arguing over her holiness; the clear distortions in their history that they seem totally unaware of - it’s *chef’s kiss*. Of the Bene Gesserit I’m most intrigued by the Mother Superior Taraza and recently-revealed-to-be-Teg’s-daughter Odrade

Plans within plans within plans within plans… good lord it is hard to keep up. I love Sheeana continuing to take advantage of her power over the Rakian priesthood, it’s very funny to read them try and make sense of her within the confines of their religion. Also, Miles Teg was cold as fuck threatening to blow himself up with the soldier from the Scattering - that man has dedication.

Very curious what the Honored Matres goals are, and I’m enjoying the little spy thriller the Tleilaxu have going on. We got a small time jump to age up Sheeana and Duncan. Sheeana’s kinda hilarious for immediately taking advantage of the praise of the Rakian priests, and Duncan’s busy trying to out-Chad Schwangyu; I want to see their response to the Bene Gesserit scheming that is setting them up together.

We’re finally getting some expansion on the other factions in the world that have been largely inactive/irrelevant for the last two books. Fun to see Scytale return and we got a solid intro to the new Duncan. It’s been largely introductions of characters, of which I’ve found Seeana’s the most interesting, with her village tragically being wiped out by a worm immediately before she realizes she can control it

I really like how Herbert isn’t married to any one time period or character, just following families and groups through the eons. After 4 books I’m also excited to learn more about the Bene Gesserit as seems to be a focus based on the first couple chapters, pretty tough that the first thing they’re doing is planning out their grooming of an adolescent Duncan Idaho ghola though - seems on brand for them.