Ok, when I read the original Dune, I absolutely LOVED it. I never did get around to reading the "Children of Dune" though. Recently, however, I've started expanding what I'm willing to "read" since I'm doing alot of "books on tape (CD's)" through the library to occupy me during my long commutes and dull times at work.
Recently, I started a couple of Dune books. I listened to the first book of "The Butlerian Jihad" trilogy and am, unfortunately, having to read the 2nd, because the library lost the CD's to it. It's ok, but really NOTHING near as good as the original.
What is more disappointing is the "Book 7" that I'm listening to. Supposedly this is the last one that Herbert left notes for before he died, but they only just found them, or something like that. There was a very long prolog before the book detailing how the son, and some other guy (Anderson, I think) were talking about the book, and wanting and not wanting to write it... very boring. They also mentioned that they thought they had been "influenced" by Herber's writing style. I just can't see it. I mean, the book isn't THAT bad, as far as books go, but it's definitely not GOOD either. I just don't understand how they can claim the Dune series is one of the best ones out there when most of the books weren't even written by the original author.
The original was good, but I'm having a hard time buying alot of the stuff in these more recent additions. Is there something I'm missing?
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
It sounds to me like you're missing the books in the actual Dune series. Herbert wrote several, all the way up to Chapterhouse: Dune. When most people talk about "the Dune series," those are the books they mean.
Posted by Ophelia (Member # 653) on :
It's a pretty simple breakdown. The ones that Frank Herbert wrote were varying degrees of good, although they declined as the series went on.
Then Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson came along and wrote prequels that were complete crap.
Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
I think when most people discuss the Dune series, they're only referring to the books actually written by the elder Herbert. The later books are kind of fun and pulpy, and interesting because you learn some back story, but they're not in the same category as the original series.
At the same time, I loved the first book, was pretty happy with the second, and got bored half way through the third. Excellent writing, but the story started to drag for me.
Posted by Luet13 (Member # 9274) on :
I'm with MightyCow for the most part. The Herbert/Anderson books are fun, but not as great as the orginal books.
My favorite was Children of Dune. The last three of the orginal series got pretty hard to follow, and it didn't help that the characters changed in almost every book.
Posted by Ophelia (Member # 653) on :
Yeah, actually, the more I think about it, I have a hard time categorizing Chapterhouse: Dune as good.
Still a hundred times better than the prequels, though. The writing style hurt me to read.
Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :
I only read the first of the prequels, but the writing just screamed Kevin J. Anderson to me. I find it difficult to believe that Brian Herbert even did any writing in it, and I suspect that his name is mostly there to add credibility. I read Brian Herbert's Prisoners of Arionn, which was actually quite decent, and the style was nothing like Anderson's.
--Mel
Posted by DDDaysh (Member # 9499) on :
Random thought to add to that... has Geoff Card ever written anything? Is writing style related at all to genetics? It doesn't seem like it would be, but it would be interesting to know.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I had about as much fun reading Chapterhouse: Dune as I did reading The Silmarillion.
Jes' sayin'.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Yes he has.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Oh, and by the way, The Silmarillion is a very difficult pick to get in Charades.
It is impossible to act out, and it sounds like nothing.
So, I put it in the hat for the other team to pick.
Other Team: "It's a book!" "Two Words!" "First Word -- it's a small word!" "The!" "Second Word!" "Five Syllables!" "The Silmarillion!"
That's what I get for hanging with such a geeky set in college.
Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :
Tante, can I hang out with your friends? I'm convinced mine would have guessed "The Hobit...ititit" Posted by pfresh85 (Member # 8085) on :
I enjoy all the Dune books but for different reasons. The Frank Herbert ones are a bit better written and they're more thought provoking or something along those lines. The Kevin Anderson/Brian Herbert ones are fun to read but they don't provoke as much thought. They're sort of action-oriented with no real subtlety. I still like them though as they are a fun read, particularly when I just want to sit down, relax, and read.
EDIT: Kevin Anderson and Brian Herbert have never actually said they tried to emulate Frank's writing style. Quite the opposite actually; they admitted early on that they couldn't match or compare to Frank's style and so they weren't going to try. Instead the books they wrote were going to be in their own style, and they hoped it would be enjoyable still.
Posted by DDDaysh (Member # 9499) on :
They said they were "influenced" by his style. Personally, I didn't see any influence at all. They were completely transparent. I'm glad you still had fun with them though. I agree that they are very "action oriented", but I guess that's what bores me about them. I've seen more intereting plots in Star Wars books (though admitedly, none of the recent ones).
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
I thought "God Emperor Dune" was the best...and I really enjoyed "Chapterhouse". I liked seeing how the BG are the last remnant of the old Empire.
The new prequel Dune books are horrible... plot is interesting but the writing is bad, imo.
Posted by Seatarsprayan (Member # 7634) on :
Dune - excellent Dune Messiah - decent Children of Dune - snore
Gave up after that. Read the synopses of the others at wikipedia. Felt justified in choice.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
"why are you on the Dune set?"
"Because I'm Picard!"
Posted by Architraz Warden (Member # 4285) on :
It took a long time, but I finally pinpointed my particular distaste for the prequels.
They read like an encyclopedia.
There was a certain condition that had to be filled, and it became rote color by number to get there. Honestly, it would have taken superb writing and nearly superhuman finesse to make them great (or even good) literature. Honestly, Tolkien didn't even accomplish it with Silmarillion. I enjoyed reading all the above mentioned books, but only because I was starved for any little bit of the universe.
Also, Dune is by far the best read for me, and upon my last reading of the series I decided that Children of Dune is my second favorite. I was somewhat shocked by that...
Posted by pfresh85 (Member # 8085) on :
I think Dune is probably my favorite as well. After that I would say either Children of Dune or God Emperor Dune. Both are really good and I enjoyed them quite a bit. For some reason I've had a hard time getting through Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse: Dune. I need to finish those at some point so I can actually read Hunters of Dune, which has been sitting on my shelf since around the time it came out.
Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :
At different times I thought one or another book from the original series was my favorite. That won't happen with any prequels or sequels by KJA and BH. They are just there to fill in the blanks but are nowhere near the quality of the original series. I suggest reading Frank's books till the end. Reread them if you have to - I did because there were a lot of things I didn't get the first time. But they are all worth it, which can't be said of the "new" ones.
Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
quote:The ones that Frank Herbert wrote were varying degrees of good, although they declined as the series went on.
Just want to disagree with this. 'God Emperor' is by far my favorite Dune novel, followed by 'Dune', then 'Chapterhouse'... The others are all about equal, in my mind.
This is all, of course, personal preference.. But 'God Emperor' is just SO, so good.
And I like the new Dune series, but only if I actually pretend it's not really part of the real Dune series. Interesting in many ways -- but compared to what Frank Herbert wrote, very pale and clumsy.
Posted by The White Whale (Member # 6594) on :
Dune was to the rest of its series as Ender's Game was to the rest of its series. They both can stand alone and are considered to be some of the best Science Fiction writen, and the rest of the books in the series pivot around the first.
I forced myself to read all six of the Dune series this summer. I had attempted previously and usually stopped around God Emperor, but tuckered in and read the entire series. I thought that they were all good, especially when taken as a whole.
Parts of me wants to read the newer Dune books, but another part of me says "Are you kidding? Are you really expecting anything good from them? Just forget about it, man."
Wow, that other part of me must be some sort of skater dude...
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