Old Favorite: Dune « Books Worth Reading

Old Favorite: Dune

April 10, 2009 at 11:06 am | In Books, Reviews | 3 Comments
Tags: Frank Herbert, Hugo award, Nebula award, Science fiction, Serialized novels, Series

Cover of Dune (Sf Masterworks)

Dune by Frank Herbert (1965)

5 stars!

When I first read this science fiction classic, I was 14 and probably read it purely as an adventure story. (I still remember it vividly. I read it in two or three sittings on a long plane trip.) When I reread it as an adult, I came at it from the perspective of a character-driven political novel that happens to be set on an alien planet. It works both ways. Herbert has created a world that is so complex and layered that the reader has to tease it apart to gain full understanding of all the themes at play. I suspect even more rereadings may be necessary.

One new thing I noticed during the latest reading was how much human political and religious history is infused in the alien societies Herbert created, with a particular emphasis on Islam, which makes this messianic war story just as apropos for our time as it was when it was written 40 years ago. The depiction of life on a desert planet where water is the most precious of commodities and every action is about survival remains fascinating as well. The only thing that fell short for me this time was that the story was so epic and so grand that certain aspects of it had to be glossed over; some characters got short shrift, and some plotlines got lost. But that’s nitpicking. This classic of the genre still stands.

Frank Herbert’s Dune cast a spell on me, writes Sam Jordison (guardian.co.uk)

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this looks like a very interesting ‘political’ book. Is it like 1984?

Comment by zawan — April 10, 2009 #
No, not too much. Dune is “harder” science fiction, in that it involves alien planets and cultures. Herbert has tried to re-create a believable society with a history and culture. It is political in that the plot involves struggles for political power among various factions.

Comment by Shannon — April 11, 2009 #
[...] for environmental fiction, I recommend Always Coming Home by Ursula K. LeGuin, Earth by David Brin, Dune by Frank Herbert and Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. Here is my list of environmental [...]

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