6 ms·

Side question: Is it worth reading the entire series of books?

rihegher 7y ago
My business partner read it three time, the entire collection. I guess it is a good clue
Drakim 7y ago
The 4th book in the series is the one that either makes you hate Dune or love it. Up until that point it could pass for some interesting sci-fi fantasy, but after that point, either you'll put down the book in boredom or find yourself utterly mindblown. I highly recommend it.
tspiteri 7y ago
Word of warning, the entire series of books should be considered the six books written by Frank Herbert, not any of the poor worse-than-fan-fiction by Brian Herbert + Kevin J Anderson.
- chasingthewind 7y ago
  I read a few of those and it's just like reading later Sherlock Holmes pastiche. They both capture the setting and the mechanics and completely exorcise the spirit. It's almost sad to read things like that. It's the wish that the author had written still more in mortal conflict with the fact that he didn't.
AndrewBissell 7y ago
If you're referring only to the Frank Herbert books, then having read them through twice let me offer a resounding YES. They stay really solid throughout, arguably the weakest chapter of the whole series is the second, "Dune Messiah." You can skip everything by Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson.
- deleted 7y ago
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cgriswald 7y ago
In my opinion: Yes! Here's the advice I give to people about the entire Dune series: Read Dune. If you don't like it, stop. Read Dune Messiah. If you don't like it, stop. Read Children of Dune. If you liked Messiah you'll probably like this as well. Read God Emperor of Dune. This one stands alone. Lots of people hate it. Whether you like it or not, don't stop. Read Heretics of Dune. If you don't like it, stop. Read Chapterhouse: Dune. Weep that it's over. In my experience, people who like Dune generally will enjoy at least through Children of Dune. Anyone who enjoys God Emperor of Dune is insane (maybe why it might be my favorite). Regarding the other Dune books, read them out of curiosity if you like, but they're not really Dune books despite being in that universe. I've read about seven of them out of optimism and hope but didn't enjoy them at all. Even Sandworms of Dune which is ostensibly based on Frank Herbert's notes for Dune 7 wasn't enjoyable to me, although it was least bad.
- arethuza 7y ago
  God Emperor of Dune is my 2nd favourite of the series after Dune - I regret reading the novels after that though.
- jcranmer 7y ago
  > Read God Emperor of Dune. This one stands alone. Lots of people hate it. Whether you like it or not, don't stop. Here is the plot of God Emperor of Dune: <SPOILER> sits on their butt all day and discusses politics. Oh, there's a sort of assassination plot happening on the side, but let's not let that distract us from hearing political ruminations! As for (some of) the Dune books whose position in canon is of some dispute: ... I can't recall anything that happened in Dune 7. Surprisingly forgettable. Then again, I don't remember a lot of Heretics or Chapterhouse in the first place. The pre-prequels are set during the events of the Butlerian Jihad and suffer horribly from the sin of feeling the need to explain the genesis of every single important piece of lore in the series. Be amazed as every important event in the universe happened within a hundred years of each other, no matter how unrelated they are to one another.
  - milquetoastaf 7y ago
    I mean if you take a reductive tack like that then you can say the plot of Moby Dick is just that a certain sea captain chases a whale around and some poor simp is along for the ride. The plot isn't the sum of these works, it is the scaffolding provided so that the author can explore various themes and theses.
Tycho 7y ago
Definitely! As thrilling as the first novel is, when I think of the Dune universe it's content from the sequels that first springs to mind. Great balance of speculative fiction, philosophy, character development and action.
valiant-comma 7y ago
After reading entire original series (Dune through Chapterhouse), I eventually read Butlerian Jihad, Hunters of Dune, and Sandworms of Dune. Taken together I felt they provided sufficient context and closure for questions posed in the original series. And notably, although they are written by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson, the last two in particular are based on notes of Frank Herbert’s for a seventh book, discovered in a safety-deposit box[1]. [1] https://web.archive.org/web/20070703213605/http://www.digitalwebbing.com/interviews/042104_anderson.html https://web.archive.org/web/20070703213605/http://www.digita...
hwwc 7y ago
Another vote for God Emperor. For me, it was a bit overwhelming on first read, but I love that I can keep going back to it. The ones I reread the most (and probably consider the most mind-expanding) are Dune, God Emperor, Heretics, and Chapterhouse.
ptidhomme 7y ago
I was mind blown by Dune I enjoyed Messiah But I just couldn't go through Children. I had to put it down. Felt like an average TV series.
- foobiekr 7y ago
  I hated Children. God Emoeror on the other hand is great. I’ve never been able to finish Heretics, though. I just get too bored.
Groxx 7y ago
Let me also throw in a recommendation to check out his other books/series, if you enjoy his style of writing (personally he's my favorite). He's remarkably good at that "powerful mental images in very few words" quality that e.g. the first Dune book in particular absolutely nails (partly because it's the first, so everything is new).
Crontab 7y ago
Personally speaking? I don't think so. I liked the first one but the rest felt like a cashing-in attempt. But that seems to be the case with everything these days.

My business partner read it three time, the entire collection. I guess it is a good clue

The 4th book in the series is the one that either makes you hate Dune or love it. Up until that point it could pass for some interesting sci-fi fantasy, but after that point, either you'll put down the book in boredom or find yourself utterly mindblown. I highly recommend it.

tspiteri 7y ago

Word of warning, the entire series of books should be considered the six books written by Frank Herbert, not any of the poor worse-than-fan-fiction by Brian Herbert + Kevin J Anderson.

chasingthewind 7y ago
I read a few of those and it's just like reading later Sherlock Holmes pastiche. They both capture the setting and the mechanics and completely exorcise the spirit. It's almost sad to read things like that. It's the wish that the author had written still more in mortal conflict with the fact that he didn't.

AndrewBissell 7y ago

If you're referring only to the Frank Herbert books, then having read them through twice let me offer a resounding YES. They stay really solid throughout, arguably the weakest chapter of the whole series is the second, "Dune Messiah." You can skip everything by Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

cgriswald 7y ago

In my opinion: Yes! Here's the advice I give to people about the entire Dune series: Read Dune. If you don't like it, stop. Read Dune Messiah. If you don't like it, stop. Read Children of Dune. If you liked Messiah you'll probably like this as well. Read God Emperor of Dune. This one stands alone. Lots of people hate it. Whether you like it or not, don't stop. Read Heretics of Dune. If you don't like it, stop. Read Chapterhouse: Dune. Weep that it's over. In my experience, people who like Dune generally will enjoy at least through Children of Dune. Anyone who enjoys God Emperor of Dune is insane (maybe why it might be my favorite). Regarding the other Dune books, read them out of curiosity if you like, but they're not really Dune books despite being in that universe. I've read about seven of them out of optimism and hope but didn't enjoy them at all. Even Sandworms of Dune which is ostensibly based on Frank Herbert's notes for Dune 7 wasn't enjoyable to me, although it was least bad.

arethuza 7y ago
God Emperor of Dune is my 2nd favourite of the series after Dune - I regret reading the novels after that though.
jcranmer 7y ago
> Read God Emperor of Dune. This one stands alone. Lots of people hate it. Whether you like it or not, don't stop. Here is the plot of God Emperor of Dune: <SPOILER> sits on their butt all day and discusses politics. Oh, there's a sort of assassination plot happening on the side, but let's not let that distract us from hearing political ruminations! As for (some of) the Dune books whose position in canon is of some dispute: ... I can't recall anything that happened in Dune 7. Surprisingly forgettable. Then again, I don't remember a lot of Heretics or Chapterhouse in the first place. The pre-prequels are set during the events of the Butlerian Jihad and suffer horribly from the sin of feeling the need to explain the genesis of every single important piece of lore in the series. Be amazed as every important event in the universe happened within a hundred years of each other, no matter how unrelated they are to one another.
- milquetoastaf 7y ago
  I mean if you take a reductive tack like that then you can say the plot of Moby Dick is just that a certain sea captain chases a whale around and some poor simp is along for the ride. The plot isn't the sum of these works, it is the scaffolding provided so that the author can explore various themes and theses.

Tycho 7y ago

Definitely! As thrilling as the first novel is, when I think of the Dune universe it's content from the sequels that first springs to mind. Great balance of speculative fiction, philosophy, character development and action.

valiant-comma 7y ago

After reading entire original series (Dune through Chapterhouse), I eventually read Butlerian Jihad, Hunters of Dune, and Sandworms of Dune. Taken together I felt they provided sufficient context and closure for questions posed in the original series. And notably, although they are written by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson, the last two in particular are based on notes of Frank Herbert’s for a seventh book, discovered in a safety-deposit box[1]. [1] https://web.archive.org/web/20070703213605/http://www.digitalwebbing.com/interviews/042104_anderson.html https://web.archive.org/web/20070703213605/http://www.digita...

hwwc 7y ago

Another vote for God Emperor. For me, it was a bit overwhelming on first read, but I love that I can keep going back to it. The ones I reread the most (and probably consider the most mind-expanding) are Dune, God Emperor, Heretics, and Chapterhouse.

ptidhomme 7y ago

I was mind blown by Dune I enjoyed Messiah But I just couldn't go through Children. I had to put it down. Felt like an average TV series.

foobiekr 7y ago
I hated Children. God Emoeror on the other hand is great. I’ve never been able to finish Heretics, though. I just get too bored.

Groxx 7y ago

Let me also throw in a recommendation to check out his other books/series, if you enjoy his style of writing (personally he's my favorite). He's remarkably good at that "powerful mental images in very few words" quality that e.g. the first Dune book in particular absolutely nails (partly because it's the first, so everything is new).

Crontab 7y ago

Personally speaking? I don't think so. I liked the first one but the rest felt like a cashing-in attempt. But that seems to be the case with everything these days.