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My Rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Sci-Fi
Page Count: 412
Why I chose this book:
I came across this book after my boyfriend asked me to buy it so we could read it before the movie comes out in December.
Apparently this booked had really peaked his interest, and after I saw that one of the main characters, Paul Atreides was going to be portrayed by Timothee Chalamet I decided to give it a go ( I know… compelling factor, right?).
My Review:
This book has been the model/inspiration book for writers, and you can definitely see why as you are reading it.
Frank Herbert does a great job of painting the picture of a whole universe and the complicated strain between families and their legacies.
Dune can definitely be a difficult read at the beginning, as there are many characters and plots to keep track of, and the character lists keeps growing as the book goes on.
There are even some parts where a princess starts commenting on the story going on, and you have no idea who she is as she has never appeared in the story. Still, she somehow knows what Paul thinks of an event from conversations they’ve had, implying they meet in the future.
The book also has a great way of keeping you guessing while still giving you plenty of information to make up your mind about characters and future events.
There was always a sense that characters and conversations were telling you more than what you were actually getting.
I loved that you get a wider sense of what is happening than the character does, since you get to experience what several characters are thinking and going through.
Some of the Sci-fi books I have read pay more attention to the technology, than to try and build a plot you can connect with. Dune is the complete opposite.
This book really showcases it’s characters in all their depth. Here the fact that the genre is sci-fi is an addition not the whole point.
Although technically an older book, it is surprising how much it connects to the modern world. This book shows a variety of different themes all wrapped into one harsh yet misunderstood world, from the power of myths and religion to politics, militarism and more.
Definitely a must read book for a strong introduction into sci-fi.
Dune ends on an interesting cliffhanger. One that gives you enough information for you to be satisfied, but also tempts you enough to think about reading the nexts books in the series.
Why I gave a 4/5 rating:
I really enjoyed the book and most of the time it was hard to put down. Yet, there were other times where I thought it was a little predictable. There were only a few events that shocked me, and most of those were not major events.
And also, Paul can come off as a little dramatic at times.
Audible review:
I actually heard this book through my Audible membership.
I was initially annoyed with the book because every character has its own narrator. Yet, after a couple of chapters I kind of really liked it! It somehow worked with the story to give a more unique persona to each character, as it is after all told through several perspectives.
This Audible book had something I had never experienced before while listening to an audible recording. Audible inserted the sound of the wind when the book was transitioning between chapters. Really immersing you in the feeling that you were with Paul in the desert world of Arrakis. Somewhat of a pleasant surprise and an interesting add in.
**Note: Just found out that Audible is giving 46% off your first 4 months of membership! I honestly couldn’t recommend Audible enough, I have been using it for over 5 years and I LOVE IT!
Synopsis
Set in the far future amidst a sprawling feudal interstellar empire where planetary dynasties are controlled by noble houses that owe an allegiance to the imperial House Corrino, Dune tells the story of young Paul Atreides (the heir apparent to Duke Leto Atreides and heir of House Atreides) as he and his family accept control of the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the ‘spice’ melange, the most important and valuable substance in the cosmos. The story explores the complex, multi-layered interactions of politics, religion, ecology, technology, and human emotion as the forces of the empire confront each other for control of Arrakis.
Published in 1965, it won the Hugo Award in 1966 and the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel. Dune is frequently cited as the world’s best-selling sf novel.
