"Dune Novels: When to Say When?" Topic

I just finished a re-read of Dune, and it got me thinking about the other novels. Years ago, I read the second book (Dune Messiah), and that is where I stopped. When I first read these books there were four, and Frank Herbert was still writing them. Nowadays, there are -- several. Where to draw the line?

Original series by Frank Herbert:

• Dune – 1965
  
• Dune Messiah – 1969
  
• Children of Dune – 1976
  
• God Emperor of Dune – 1981
  
• Heretics of Dune – 1984
  
• Chapterhouse: Dune – 1985
  

• Hunters of Dune – 2006
  
• Sandworms of Dune – 2007
  

• Dune: House Atreides – 1999
  
• Dune: House Harkonnen – 2000
  
• Dune: House Corrino – 2001
  

• The Butlerian Jihad – 2002
  
• The Machine Crusade – 2003
  
• The Battle of Corrin – 2004
  

• Paul of Dune – 2008
  
• The Winds of Dune – 2009
  
• Sisterhood of Dune – 2012
  
• Mentats of Dune – 2014
  
• Navigators of Dune – TBA
  

The Road to Dune – 2005 (By F. Herbert, B. Herbert, and K. Anderson)

I will more than likely stop with Frank Herbert's original novels, but Paul only appears in the first two or three, before the time skips of the later novels; I have a bit of a dilemma whether to stop with the last of Paul.

Ron

IMHO I'd read them all. Some of the books I didn't like at first, but after attempting them again, I really liked. Chiefly God Emperor of Dune. I think Herbert in his latter days could have used an editor (like many writers that are/were popular…Steven King I'm looking at you…), but if you really liked Dune, I think it is worth pressing on.

I would never, ever reccommend his son's derivative Dune books. Absolutely uninspired. That is where I draw the line.

Damon

After the first one

I have been convinced since reading the second book in the series that Frank Herbert did not write the original novel. For one thing, as far as I can tell it's based largely on The Sabres of Paradise by Leslie Blanch, which is a history of the Imperial Russian conquest of the Caucasus in the mid-19th century and from which, aside from the general shape of the plot, Dune borrows quite a few place names, cultural references, etc., sometimes verbatim from Blanch's book.

For another, I've read a lot of Herbert's other stuff and, frankly, most of it is crap. The only other novel of his that comes close to Dune is The White Plague and, that being so, I have doubts as to whether he wrote that book either.

As to the prequels, legends, etc., I have read one, Dune: House Atreides, and (to quote the sage Bart Simpson) it performed the physically impossible: it sucked and blew at the same time.

LT

I read the first. Meh.

I haven't read anything past the first one. I really enjoyed the first one. I think it is one of the best sci-fi novels I've read.

I didn't want to read more because I doubt they would be as good as the first, the first was complete in itself and I would be afraid that anything after that would be worse.

Same with Ender's Game.

I read to the third one* and wish I'd stopped at the second…

John T

* I'd bought them as a boxed 'trilogy' and back in the days of my youth, such was the parlous state of my bank account and my lack off an appreciation of how little time one has left on this planet, that – if I invested hard cash in a book – I darned well read it! Nowadays, I know better…

Children at the very latest. A strong case can be made for stopping after the first.
-Kle.

The tale is best ended at Dune. I enjoyed GEoD but felt it was lacking in many respects.

link

Just the first book IMHO

I liked 1 the best and stop after 3.

I concur with Sergeant Paper.

I read a few of the sons work and they were very uninspired.

I didn't really like GEoD, but it was used to spin the clock WAY forward in the setting. I seem to recall thinking that the last two books were starting to develop a more interesting story line….that then ended. For most people reading the 1st one is probably more than sufficient.

I read the first 4 but none of the expansions so I can't judge them. I'd also say stop at the first one.

What Saber6 said.

I lost interest past the first book, I must admit. I made it through 2 or 3 others but it just never felt the same.

They weren't bad, but I liked the original setting more.

After the first. The second was frustrating and the third was unrelenting tedium.

The review in ANALOG said of God Emperor "Herbert is building up to something more in every book, and now he's going to have to pull a huge rabbit out of this hat to finish it"

I don't think any of the books afterwards did, they merely explored the universe more thoroughly. I don't really have a problem with the prequels in the Butlerian Jihad days myself, but YMMV.

I've read all six of Frank's and one of the House books. I didn't mind the House book too much, bot of the first six, stop after the first.

Reading over these posts, I think I'll stand pat for now. Thanks, everyone.

Ron

P.S. I wouldn't mind seeing the movie again, but that's a totally different topic.

Back in the day I read three. I wish I had only read the one.

All and will read the next one as well.

Are the non-Frank books bad, or are they just not as good as the original book? Most people compare all of the sequels and prequels to the original book, rather than to the more routine sci-fi books out there.

Both.

Compared to good SF books like Dune they are bad.

Compared to routine SF books they are about the same, but since routine SF books are bad, the sequels are still bad too.

-Kle.

After the first, why prolong the pain?

As for the first – well, it is like "Great Literature" only not so great.

Read the first four. Should have stopped after the third."God Emperor" was god awful

Jumped the shark.

I rather enjoyed 'God Emperor' but each to their own.

Anyway, the original Frank Herbert ones are fine, if you like space opera (ie up to and including Chapter House Dune).

Never bothered with the ones written by other people, what is the point?

" I wouldn't mind seeing the movie again,"

I watched it again on TV recently, it really is gloriously bonkers and utterly incomprehensible to anyone who hasn't read the book. Fantastic stuff, the Baron in particular is a thing of wonder, as is Sting/Feyd.

I stopped after the first book. Paul became a God and ruled the universe.

I believe Frank was pressured into writing more stories by his editors. In my mind he never wanted to write another one.

As for the movies, there is a big rumor that Sting pranced around in tiny black underpants. It has never been confirmed.
I am talking about the David Lynch one.

I recommend the Sci Fi three part mini series. It follows the book much more closely (the emperor does not have neo alpha centauri sun troops). Give it a watch if you liked the first book.

" there is a big rumor that Sting pranced around in tiny black underpants."

Well, he doesn't exactly wear a great deal in the final showdown scenes:)

Dune, maybe Dune Messiah. After that it looks like Herbert mailed them in whenever he was a bit short on his boat payment.

Before you get to anything by His son OR Kevin J Anderson.

I tried reading the jihad books, but they just lacked a certain something.

I'd have to say I found Messiah thin, reedy.

Felt very much like, both in tone and size, a place holder to go on.

Stopping with the first, and I REALLY liked it, though not reread for a long time, makes sense. If you get through the second, I think the next two worth the read.

Everything beyond is rather like my collection of most of the books edited by Tolkien's son. Pleased to have as reference, doubt that I'll read anything like a tenth.

Doug

Yeah, I would say first, then if you HAVE to go on, go on up to God Emperor. I enjoyed those although God Emperor is in the dictionary under the word ponderous…

I saw the movie first; loved it. Then I read the book and loved it too. Then I went on and read the second book and didn't like it very much. I got half way through the third and put it down. That was all back when I was in high school.

A few decades later, on whim I read God Emperor of Dune and absolutely loved it. I think I had matured and was no longer expecting an action packed sequel to the movie version like I was when I had read book 2 and been disappointed. God Emperor doesn't have much action but it is very thought provoking about the future of humanity. (The God Emperor reminded me a little of Isaac Asimov's Harry Seldon character in that here is someone contemplating the far distant future of the human race and the course to get there.) The next book Dune Heretics is also very good but in a different way; back to a more traditional action packed story line with a few twists and turn.

This thread reminds me that I still need to read book six.

I'm currently re-reading all six original novels this year, for the anniversary. I think you really either need to stop after Dune, or read the first six – and my personal recommendation would be to read all six. Children of Dune is a remarkably intricate work.