Dune - light and casual

[Gtkgasman]

Having cruised a couple Dune fan forums over past few days, I found they were way too detailed for a casual fan and reader like me. Especially since I read the bulk so long ago. Looks like I’ll have to read em again eventually.

So, since we have a reading section here on YesFans, thought I would put the topic here, in case anyone wanted to just share what they have read, reading, like the franchise, despise it, etc. But in a light and casual setting …..

I’ll share, maybe someone had similar exposure or experience……

Dune - Frank Herbert:
—-read the first of his 5 books in the 1980’s (most when I should have been studying at RU!!).:
dune.
dune Messiah.
children of dune.
god emperor of dune.
heretics of dune.
—-read book 6 in 2020 right after retirement and during start of Covid lockdowns:
chapterhouse dune.

I read dune in high school and was engrossed, took me awhile though. I read the other four later on very quickly and one after the other. Admittedly when I picked up chapterhouse 30+ years later, I was lost at first.

Dune - Brian Herbert:
—-read the following in 2020 also:
hunters of dune
sandworms of dune.
—-just finished this legends prequel in 2023:
dune - the Butlerian jihad.
—- and currently reading book 2 of the legends prequel:
dune - the machine crusade.

Hunters and Sandworms were ok, they are not Frank, but I didn’t hate them as many do. And they attempted to bring closure to Franks novels. I liked the prequel above a bit more as compared to the first two of brian’s I read. His take is interesting, yes less detailed, and could use some word trimming, but if you want more of the dune universe, and don’t compare to Frank, and want something easy to read for a bit, you might like them.

Frank was obviously the master. During Covid, and after, I also read the entire WorShip series (4 novels) and the Consentiency series (2 novels and 2 shorts), and a book of shorts.

I am going to read some more BH prequels and shorts, and prob mix in some FH stand alone novels here and there. AND re-read the first, epic, Dune, also 👍. Will take awhile, but keeps me out of trouble. 😆

so if anyone here wanted a quick outlet on Dune experiences, please write em down! Curious to see how many yes fans here like it.

[Olorin]

Like you, I read all the Frank-penned ones in college. Actually, I may have read the first in high school, but reread in college and followed with all the then-sequels (mid-80s). I still have all of those, in the trade paperback format, on my bookshelf.

I started acquiring the Brian-penned ones from the science fiction book club, as they always had them. I only actually read one of them, The Butlerian Jihad (or was it The Machine Crusade? It was the first in that sequence, in either case). I thought it was reasonably interesting and I liked some of the ideas, but it wasn't so gripping that I read the next one. At some point a few years ago when I wanted to downsize my collection, I ditched all the Brian ones, even though I'd not read most of them yet. I just didn't feel like I wanted to devote the time to them, especially considering I seem to have so little time/inclination to read any more.

But getting back to the ones Frank wrote, the first one is a stone-cold classic, one of the great masterworks of science fiction. The rest I just found to be depressing. I was excited to see the Villeneuve movie though, and was grateful that at that time, Warner was sending all its movies straight to HBO Max, as it was the height of Covid. I made myself a festive supper (some Middle-Eastern food, in honor of the desert world and the Fremen) and had a good evening. I will be excited to see part 2 this fall...but it will probably be after Christmas, when it hits Max, that I will see it. I'm high risk for Covid and sitting in theaters full of people is quite possibly a part of the past for me.

Villeneuve has expressed some interest in filming Dune Messiah as essentially Part 3. It would make sense to do that, as it completes (at least to some extent) Paul's story. I think DV is a bit apprehensive about dedicating too much of his life to Dune, however, and he may not follow through on this. For example, he is no longer attached to the Sisterhood project for Max (which appears to be in development hell).

I saw an article or youtube video thumbnail recently that raises the question, is Paul a White Savior? I didn't bother to go further, as IMHO he's not a savior at all. True, he brings down the Harkonnens and the Emperor, but he's pretty damned far from being a savior, given the jihad that is unleashed onto the galaxy. And for that matter (and bear in mind it's been since 1984 that I read Dune), I don't know that it's clear in the book that the Atreides are white. Well, I suppose this last paragraph was an unnecessary sidebar, but it was something that seemed interesting...how much will Dune be reinterpreted through a modern lens?

[Gtkgasman]

Like you, I read all the Frank-penned ones in college. Actually, I may have read the first in high school, but reread in college and followed with all the then-sequels (mid-80s). I still have all of those, in the trade paperback format, on my bookshelf.

I started acquiring the Brian-penned ones from the science fiction book club, as they always had them. I only actually read one of them, The Butlerian Jihad (or was it The Machine Crusade? It was the first in that sequence, in either case). I thought it was reasonably interesting and I liked some of the ideas, but it wasn't so gripping that I read the next one. At some point a few years ago when I wanted to downsize my collection, I ditched all the Brian ones, even though I'd not read most of them yet. I just didn't feel like I wanted to devote the time to them, especially considering I seem to have so little time/inclination to read any more.

But getting back to the ones Frank wrote, the first one is a stone-cold classic, one of the great masterworks of science fiction. The rest I just found to be depressing. I was excited to see the Villeneuve movie though, and was grateful that at that time, Warner was sending all its movies straight to HBO Max, as it was the height of Covid. I made myself a festive supper (some Middle-Eastern food, in honor of the desert world and the Fremen) and had a good evening. I will be excited to see part 2 this fall...but it will probably be after Christmas, when it hits Max, that I will see it. I'm high risk for Covid and sitting in theaters full of people is quite possibly a part of the past for me.

Villeneuve has expressed some interest in filming Dune Messiah as essentially Part 3. It would make sense to do that, as it completes (at least to some extent) Paul's story. I think DV is a bit apprehensive about dedicating too much of his life to Dune, however, and he may not follow through on this. For example, he is no longer attached to the Sisterhood project for Max (which appears to be in development hell).

I saw an article or youtube video thumbnail recently that raises the question, is Paul a White Savior? I didn't bother to go further, as IMHO he's not a savior at all. True, he brings down the Harkonnens and the Emperor, but he's pretty damned far from being a savior, given the jihad that is unleashed onto the galaxy. And for that matter (and bear in mind it's been since 1984 that I read Dune), I don't know that it's clear in the book that the Atreides are white. Well, I suppose this last paragraph was an unnecessary sidebar, but it was something that seemed interesting...how much will Dune be reinterpreted through a modern lens?

Hey - yes - we do have a definite parallel journey through Frank’s books! 👍👍. I agree with you, they don’t get “happier” as you progress through them 😆.

I’m also looking forward to the Pt 2 later this year. Enjoyed Pt 1 more than I thought I would, especially watching at home the second time. The two series that were on the Sci-fi channel way back were good also, Dune and then Children of Dune.

The Sisterhood series could be very interesting - mysteriously, eerie - hope it comes to fruition 🤞.

Franks twists and turns, interweaving politics and religion and science and human condition, in all his stories, no matter the setting, always keeps gripped. And at times very confused, and re-reading 🤣🤣

[pianozach]

I think that Dune should be required High School reading.

[downbyariver]

I remember reading some of them as a young child and not finishing the then-six book series, but being intrigued enough to keep coming back to it and to watch the old movie from the 80s and the SyFy miniseries based on some of them.

So, perhaps a decade ago as an adult, I decided to actually start on book four, God Emperor of Dune, figuring I basically knew the content of the first three and would start at a point past where I stalled out as a youngster. I really like that one and read the next, final, two Frank Herbert penned books, followed by the two Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson books that provided a conclusion to the series.

After that, it was on to a B. Hebert/Anderson prequel trilogy named after the three main houses featured in the Dune books and set shortly before the Frank Herbert books (I.e. Featuring many of the same characters a bit younger).

Then I wrapped around to the original Dune F. Herbert trilogy, as well as reading a couple of B. Herbert books set after each of the first two books.

Whenever I get around to reading Children of Dune, that'll give me 13 total Dune books read, and then I can either reread God Emperor of Dune or look at some of the other prequels and in between stuff written by Hebert's son and his son's co-author.

Obviously, the Dune books aren't the only thing I've been reading over this time period. I just pick one up (Figuratively speaking, because I read ebooks exclusively these days, which is a very good reading experience on an eink device like a Kindle) when I feel like it.

My feeling is that the Frank Herbert books are classic literature and very good on their own merits. The Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson books really aren't very good as literature, but are a way to read new stories in the Dune universe and make the whole franchise big enough that you could just keep rereading the 20-something books your whole life in a cycle if you wanted to, with breaks, but always with something you're about to start- probably. They "retcon" the Herbert novels in ways that I think weaken the original 6 in some ways, but perhaps were necessary to make the newer books interesting.

I'd like to see them give some other authors a crack at the Dune universe at some point.

I haven't seen the latest movie from a couple years ago yet. I'm sure I will eventually, though!

[RelayerI]

In my late teens I voraciously devoured fantsy and sci-fi classics including Dune.

I didn't really like it. At least not enough to bother with any of his others. The last movie was O.K. though.

[Gtkgasman]

In my late teens I voraciously devoured fantsy and sci-fi classics including Dune.

I didn't really like it. At least not enough to bother with any of his others. The last movie was O.K. thought.

The first naysayer! Love it. 😁😉.

[Gtkgasman]

I remember reading some of them as a young child and not finishing the then-six book series, but being intrigued enough to keep coming back to it and to watch the old movie from the 80s and the SyFy miniseries based on some of them.

So, perhaps a decade ago as an adult, I decided to actually start on book four, God Emperor of Dune, figuring I basically knew the content of the first three and would start at a point past where I stalled out as a youngster. I really like that one and read the next, final, two Frank Herbert penned books, followed by the two Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson books that provided a conclusion to the series.

After that, it was on to a B. Hebert/Anderson prequel trilogy named after the three main houses featured in the Dune books and set shortly before the Frank Herbert books (I.e. Featuring many of the same characters a bit younger).

Then I wrapped around to the original Dune F. Herbert trilogy, as well as reading a couple of B. Herbert books set after each of the first two books.

Whenever I get around to reading Children of Dune, that'll give me 13 total Dune books read, and then I can either reread God Emperor of Dune or look at some of the other prequels and in between stuff written by Hebert's son and his son's co-author.

Obviously, the Dune books aren't the only thing I've been reading over this time period. I just pick one up (Figuratively speaking, because I read ebooks exclusively these days, which is a very good reading experience on an eink device like a Kindle) when I feel like it.

My feeling is that the Frank Herbert books are classic literature and very good on their own merits. The Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson books really aren't very good as literature, but are a way to read new stories in the Dune universe and make the whole franchise big enough that you could just keep rereading the 20-something books your whole life in a cycle if you wanted to, with breaks, but always with something you're about to start- probably. They "retcon" the Herbert novels in ways that I think weaken the original 6 in some ways, but perhaps were necessary to make the newer books interesting.

I'd like to see them give some other authors a crack at the Dune universe at some point.

I haven't seen the latest movie from a couple years ago yet. I'm sure I will eventually, though!

Wow, you’ve def been through a lot of the universe. 👍👏. I like you comment , in first bold above about Frank v Brian. It would also be nice to see another get crack, as you say, at it also - a fresh take on continuing the saga perhaps past Brian’s Sandworms 🤔. I think the Dune Encyclopedia may offer other’s insights. Eventually I will get to that……hopefully. Lol.

[Gtkgasman]

I think that Dune should be required High School reading.

👍👍. Heck, we read so much other ‘classic’ fiction, that’s a great idea. That would spark some good classroom debates on myriad of subjects facing us today. 👍👍

[RelayerI]

The first naysayer! Love it. 😁😉.

I must admit, I seem to have a contrary streak !

[Olorin]

I saw the SyFY miniseries of the first book and like some aspects of it (script) but not others (horrible costumes, flat acting, flat music). I didn't bother to watch the Children of Dune miniseries. I was intrigued by the participation of Susan Sarandon, one of my favorite actresses, but at the same time I found it hard to imagine her playing a princess 25,000 years in the future, so I gave it a pass.

And then there's the Lynch movie, fabled in story and song. It was...awful...more so even than one might expect from trying to cram a long and complicated book into a single movie. For a friend of mine, it even coined a new paradigm: suck like Dune. I know it has its followers, but occasionally I see clips from it and am reminded how bad it was. And to think that when I was going to see it, I was running late and tripped running across a parking lot, fracturing a bone in my foot in the process. Ugh.

[pianozach]

I saw the SyFY miniseries of the first book and like some aspects of it (script) but not others (horrible costumes, flat acting, flat music). I didn't bother to watch the Children of Dune miniseries. I was intrigued by the participation of Susan Sarandon, one of my favorite actresses, but at the same time I found it hard to imagine her playing a princess 25,000 years in the future, so I gave it a pass.

And then there's the Lynch movie, fabled in story and song. It was...awful...more so even than one might expect from trying to cram a long and complicated book into a single movie. For a friend of mine, it even coined a new paradigm: suck like Dune. I know it has its followers, but occasionally I see clips from it and am reminded how bad it was. And to think that when I was going to see it, I was running late and tripped running across a parking lot, fracturing a bone in my foot in the process. Ugh.

Dune is a novel that one would expect to be very difficult to adapt to cinema . . . it's crammed with an awful lot of "thinking", which doesn't translate easily to film. You can't really film someone's thoughts without voiceovers or flashbacks or thought bubbles or other non-literary devices.

[Grey Wolf]

I read Dune a long long time ago. Enjoyed it enough to finish the book, but not enough to read any of the others.
I actually enjoyed the Lynch movie because it was so bizarre. I like bizarre.

[Gtkgasman]

I’d like to see all of Jodorovsky’s film made - 14 hours (I think that was the estimate?!? At first glance) of Moebius, Geiger, and Floyd! Would have been a trip. 😁😁. His documentary is a good watch. I need to see some of his films.

Dune, 1984, is guilty pleasure/cult/bad…..but it was the first visual. I’ll put it in every couple years and flip around it. And my wife enjoys Sting! “The Righteous!!!!” “I will(!) kill him!!” Haha. I didn’t see in theatre.

Dune sci-fi channel got better.

Children of Dune sci-fi got better again to me.

Dune 2021 was enjoyable for me.

I agree- I think these adaptations are as good as can be done……based on the style of the novel.

Edit: Oh, that reverend mother in the ‘84 film was one creepy looking lady 😧

[Gtkgasman]

I saw the SyFY miniseries of the first book and like some aspects of it (script) but not others (horrible costumes, flat acting, flat music). I didn't bother to watch the Children of Dune miniseries. I was intrigued by the participation of Susan Sarandon, one of my favorite actresses, but at the same time I found it hard to imagine her playing a princess 25,000 years in the future, so I gave it a pass.

And then there's the Lynch movie, fabled in story and song. It was...awful...more so even than one might expect from trying to cram a long and complicated book into a single movie. For a friend of mine, it even coined a new paradigm: suck like Dune. I know it has its followers, but occasionally I see clips from it and am reminded how bad it was. And to think that when I was going to see it, I was running late and tripped running across a parking lot, fracturing a bone in my foot in the process. Ugh.

Oh no! Fractured foot! Not a good start to that night!!! Ouch.