I saw Hunters of Dune at Borders today. I read the first of the BH/KJA trilogies - the last two gritting my teeth the whole time - but couldn't bear to read the second trilogy. It was simply too awful to contemplate.
Now they've gotten to the books that continue the Frank Herbert books. The last one ended with a huge mystery, and the set up was so good that I want to know what happens.
But, I'm scared of two things:
1.) That the books will suck, and, since these are "real" Dune stories, they will contaminate the first 5 FH books.
2.) That I'll have to face KJA's continual references to his previous books that he seems to like to drop like bricks into all his series work. Since I haven't (and won't) read half of the material he'll be dropping the bricks from, I'll feel lost and pissed off about it at the same time.
So, my question is, has anyone read it and, if so, is the FH-inspired plot worth the suckage brought about by KJA?
Posted by neo-dragon (Member # 7168) on :
I have not read any of the prequels. This is not really because of the bad things I hear about them, but rather just because I don't care about what happened before Dune. However, I do care about what happens after Chapterhouse, even if it's just what BH/KJA say that FH meant to have happen. I haven't read Hunters yet, but I intend to buy the paperback. I don't believe that it can contaminate the originals for me, no matter what. I have heard, however, that stuff from the prequels plays a big part in Hunters. Apparently FH meant for there to be references to books that hadn't been written yet when he died. Posted by pfresh85 (Member # 8085) on :
I have Hunters of Dune sitting on top of my monitor at the moment, along with a handful of other books. I won't know how good/bad it is though until I get through Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse: Dune (those are the only two I haven't read from both FH's originals and all of KJA/BH's prequels).
Posted by neo-dragon (Member # 7168) on :
You know, I really do want to read it even though I don't expect it to be as good as the originals, but I can't justify paying the hardcover price.
Posted by pfresh85 (Member # 8085) on :
I got it for cheap through the Science Fiction Book Club. It only cost me like $14, which I think is pretty good for a new hardcover.
Posted by neo-dragon (Member # 7168) on :
Yeah, but the Canadian branch of the sfbc doesn't even have it yet...
Posted by pfresh85 (Member # 8085) on :
Ah, unfortunate. I'm not sure I could have justified to myself a full hardcover price for Hunters of Dune.
Posted by neo-dragon (Member # 7168) on :
I was tempted, but in the end I said to myself, "I didn't pay hardcover price for any of Frank Herbert's originals, why should I do it for BH/KJA's work?" Maybe that's not fair of me though. I do expect to enjoy Hunters when I finally do read it.
*EDIT* btw, anyone who does decide to get a copy, check inside every copy you can before you buy one. There are 10 000 signed and numbered copies that have been distributed at random. Happy hunting! (pardon the pun).
[ September 09, 2006, 12:00 AM: Message edited by: neo-dragon ]
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Anyone gotten through Hunters yet? I reread God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune, and Chapterhouse: Dune recently. I'm still confused as hell about the end of CD but still haven't managed to convince myself to buy Hunters yet.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
I read the first prequel trilogy. And I hate to be a heretic of Dune, but I liked it. It wasn't Dune, really. It didn't feel like the Herbert books at all. But by itself, it was a decent yarn. And I plan to read the other prequel trilogy as soon as I have a chance. Same with the continuation books. Obviously it doesn't have Herbert's voice, but the man's dead. You can only expect so much. And if they're using his notes to determine what eventually happens in the continuation, that's fine with me.
Posted by TheGrimace (Member # 9178) on :
I'm guessing for an overwhelming "yes" coming from a thread like this, but should I read the remainder of the original series?
Background: Loved Dune managed to finish the next one (I think) got about 100 pages into the third before I gave up out of disinterest (might have been the 2nd, kinda fuzzy on the memory) Read most/all the prequels and had a similar reaction to Lisa's they were allright, and interesting world-building type storylines (lord I feel dirty for using Goodkind's wording)
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
YESSSSSS! (It's hard to do resounding in plain text.)
The third book is indifferent until the second half end. Think of it as the boring quarter of the real second book (which is the second and third book combined into one) and it's much more tolerable.
The fourth is book is much better after reading the fifth and sixth books, but you have to read it the first time without that extra knowledge. The big problem with the fourth (to me) is that there's no clues in the narrative as to what's important. Once you've read the sequels, you have a way to make those judgments. So bear with it if it gets too difficult to keep track of everything, and realize that very soon you'll be able to appreciate it.
quote:I read the first prequel trilogy. And I hate to be a heretic of Dune, but I liked it.
It was ok on those terms. My main objections were the utter screwing with the timeline WRT to the use of no-ships and no-chambers and the trivialization of the Bene Gesserit (the same thing KJA did to the Jedi, IMO).
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
I have the book, but I'm trying to decide if I should read Herbert's last two books yet. I've only read them once, and don't remember it too clearly.
Posted by DDDaysh (Member # 9499) on :
I listened to it on CD. I didn't read any of the originals other than Dune itself, but I have read the prequels KJA wrote (such as they are). I was not terribly impressed, and thought it was rather dumb. I wouldn't suggest PAYING for it.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee:
quote:I read the first prequel trilogy. And I hate to be a heretic of Dune, but I liked it.
It was ok on those terms. My main objections were the utter screwing with the timeline WRT to the use of no-ships and no-chambers and the trivialization of the Bene Gesserit (the same thing KJA did to the Jedi, IMO).
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)