quote:Robert Jordan modeled "Wheel of Time" after Dune.
If you consider the few parallels between Dune and the Wheel of Time -- e.g. the Aes Sedai and the Bene Gesserit both being "witches" and the Aiel and the Fremen "desert warriors" -- as Jordan "modelling" his work on Herbert's, you might as well claim that Dostoyevsky created Raskolnikov with Abraham Lincoln as a prototype, since both at least once in their lives made use of an axe.
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quote:If you consider the few parallels between Dune and the Wheel of Time -- e.g. the Aes Sedai and the Bene Gesserit both being "witches" and the Aiel and the Fremen "desert warriors" -- as Jordan "modelling" his work on Herbert's, you might as well claim that Dostoyevsky created Raskolnikov with Abraham Lincoln as a prototype, since both at least once in their lives made use of an axe.
What? You mean if whole groups and methods are similar, it amounts to equating one simple thing about one simple unverifiable incident? That sounds rather far fetched. I don't claim anything about Jordan's book, but that's because I have never read it, and almost all reviews from people I trust keep it that way.
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Jutsa, I was exaggerating to illustrate my point. The Wheel of Time has a very different plot, a totally different feel, different milleus, magic system, characters and writing than Dune. While they share a few similar elements -- elements that are common to countless other stories -- saying that one is modeled on the other is, in my opinion, totally baseless.
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As has been mentioned by others, I read Dune in Junior High because it seemed to be required reading for those into SF. I loved it, even if I didn't really 'get it' at the time. I've read it several times since, and liked it more every time. I haven't ever been tempted to read any of the other books--party because everyone says they aren't up to par with the original, and partly because I saw no need. The first book, to me, stands on its own very well.
As far as the "greatest" goes, I suppose it would have to be mentioned in any discussion. Certainly the "greatest SF novel" would have to classic and ubiquitous as well as surpassing in execution and originality.
I don't think I'm well-read enough to even name anything else as a contender. I've always been fond of The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, personally . . .
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I have to admit, I watched the miniseries version of Dune long before I read the novel. And by miniseries version, I mean the one that broadcast on network TV in the mid-80's (I could probably date it by the car commercials on my videotapes if I really wanted to ) that had a male narrator instead of Virginia Madsen (in her role as Princess Irulan). Sting as Feyd-Rautha..... yummy
Even though I'm a big sci-fi fan, I really don't think I could have made it through even the first Dune novel without having seen the movie. And I still have not been able to get through Heretics or Chapterhouse
I've really been enjoying the prequels so far. The House series were absolutely wonderful and really helped to fill in a lot of the gaps in the relationships between the different Great Houses that even 10 years later still had me confused. Jihad had me reeling with surprise in a few places, Crusade left something lacking but wasn't bad. I'm definitely looking forward to Battle... two weeks until release and my library still doesn't even have it on the hold list!
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How has this thread managed to exist for over two months without sparking another sakeriver poll? Mr. Slaine, you are seriously slacking.
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Goody, you're thinking of the David Lynch movie version, which was had a theatrical release in late 1984, as I recall.
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Last time I read Dune books, I got stuck in Heritics. Now, although I almost got stuck in God Emperor, am devouring Heretics, and am almost ready to start in on Chapterhouse.
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quote:Goody, you're thinking of the David Lynch movie version, which was had a theatrical release in late 1984, as I recall.
As my information has it, yes and no. Lynch did the theatrical, which had Virginia Madsen doing the voice-overs. The version I have on videotape definitely came from WGN television, has a man doing the voice-overs, and has scenes that the theatrical doesn't have. After major searching for a DVD of the version that I do have (because my tapes are getting kind of worn out ), I was finally advised that mine is a miniseries version that because of the extended format allowed them to put some things back in for the broadcast version.
Hmmm, think it's time for another re-viewing Feyd-Rautha, here I come!
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I don't remember how many times I have read the Dune series. Probably even more than the Ender ones, or Ph. K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?"...
As for my brother, Dune is his Bible. If he were a writer instead of a painter, I'd trust him to write a Dune sequel/prequel.
mph, I guess this is your first time reading Heretics and Chapterhouse ? In that case, don't worry, they are excellent books. While God Emperor is probably the best of the series, Heretics and Chapterhouse give you a very insightfull perspective from the Bene Gesserit point of view. It's very interesting to see them other than 'black witches' !
As for a question you asked earlier in this thread, yes, sometimes Frank Herbert liked to be veeery profound ! But I liked that. And I re-read the books partly because I wanted to understand more of what he was saying. And I did ! At least I think so...
About the prequels: I've read only the Butlerian Jihad and, while the action can be interesting sometimes, the quality of the writing is way below my expectations. Maybe I'm subconsciously comparing it to the other Dune books, but I don't think so. I just think it's poorly written. One can only hope that by the time they get to Dune 7, they will be more experienced... (I soooo don't want this to become another Star Wars fiasco...)
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I'm listening to it on tape. So far I'm about a fourth of the way through (although the first tape was buggy and I missed that. I just called a tape buggy. Damn I'm a youngster)
The plot is fairly interesting so far, but the writing is really... irritating. I can't use any other words than that. I don't really want to hear about every single detail and thought and thing these people do. Maybe it's just that it's reading out loud. If I was reading it myself, I think my eyes might gloss over the boring parts. :/ (shrug)
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) that had a male narrator instead of Virginia Madsen (in her role as Princess Irulan). Sting as Feyd-Rautha..... yummy ![[Blushing]](graemlins/blushing.gif)
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), I was finally advised that mine is a miniseries version that because of the extended format allowed them to put some things back in for the broadcast version.![[Hail]](graemlins/hail.gif)
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