Title: Dune
Author: Frank Herbert
Pages: 863
Rating: 3.95/5
‘A world is supported by four things… the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the righteous and the valor of the brave. But all of these are as nothing…” She closed her fingers into a fist. “…without a ruler who knows the art of ruling. Make that the science of your tradition.”
The world of Dune is marvelously built and the October theatric release of its namesake is likely to launch its cinematic universe. Should anyone doubt how solidly Frank Herbert built these worlds, they need only look to the Appendices following the book.
This is a story of the desert planet Arrakis, of the House Atreides who are instructed to go rule over the planet, and of the boy Paul Atreides, suspected by many of the planet’s blue-on-blue-eyed inhabitants to come to fulfill a prophecy.
It is a great premise and a well-crafted world; Arrakis is a planet so dry that its inhabitants do not even often shed tears. The action is spread out, with plenty of exposition on the religion, on the politics, and on the threat of an impending war.
Just when the book seems to pick up, just when things finally seemed to coalesce, just when I had found my favorite character to be Alia the Strange One, the book ends. In the middle of a scene. In the middle of a conversation.
I wish there were more sandworms, more action, and a proper ending. But, I understand that Frank Herbert intended a three-book series, that ultimately grew to 14. So I guess this just means I am on to be Book 2.
Inside the Ink 