Customer Reviews

Dune (Unabridged)

I know some people who hate the movie and will not touch this book. I know a few who own and love the movie but have never read the book. I have lent DUNE to friends who could get no further than page 20 because it was too "out there" or too difficult, with its array of characters and glossary of made-up terms. But of all the people who have gotten past page 20- I don't know one who doesn't praise it among their absolute favorites. I am no exception.
I love sci-fi but don't read much of it because I prefer fantasy. DUNE feels like a perfect blend of the two. A war of noble houses set in space. Paul Atreides is heir to the duchy- and to say that he is well trained for the job would be an understatement. His father, Duke Leto, is given charge of Arrakis- a hellish desert-world and the sole source of "the spice" which the entire universe needs. A very prestigious assignment, but treachery and peril comes with it. Paul finds himself thrown into the mystery of Dune and its fierce natives, the Fremen. Is he the savior their prophecy speaks of?
I was first blown away by DUNE at the age of 16, and have since considered it "the one to beat". In 8 years, very few books have made me question that judgment: Game of Thrones, Foundation, Lord of the Rings, Ender's Game. I had to reread it to be sure I wasn't just na�ve at the time. Was it really THAT great? Absolutely.

I've read this book multiple times in the past and so won't comment on just how good the story is.

The low mark reflects problems with formatting on the Kindle version. Repeatedly, almost once per page, I find instances where quotation marks are missing. Speech starts from characters and I find myself not realising that the story has transitioned from description to speech, meaning I end up going back a sentence to get the full context.

Hopefully Amazon will get the publishers to update the Kindle version with corrected formatting.

In conclusion: great real book, not a great electronic book.

This book is as wonderful as ever, and for the most part the kindle version is great. It has quite a lot of typos in, though, many of which read like OCR errors - Yueh written Yuen, for example, and quite a few instances of missing opening quote marks.

You will find no nine eyed purple Martians in "Dune", only human fears and desires, albeit in different circumstances. Deep psychological analyses, intricate relationships, and power plays give this book a unique edge. I especially liked the separation of a human from an animal by the ability to stand immense pain, and overcome the urge/reflex to withdraw his hand from a "pain box" - i.e. placing the will before the instinct.

Do read this book (not once, but several times), and see if you see why "Dune" has consistently been voted Best Sci-Fi Book Of All Time.

Epic in scale. Epic in vision. Epic in ideas. Dune’s place as the greatest science fiction novel of all time can be attributed to these three phases. Whilst the other contenders that are frequently thrown around as the best ever (such as The Demolished Man, Ender’s Game, Foundation, 1984, The Forever War, etc.), Dune surpasses them in all aspects from writing style, story and, most overlooked in the genre, depth of character.
What really sets this apart from other books is its length. Whilst this has never ensured consistent quality (quite the opposite in many cases), Herbert has filled the 600-odd pages with superb prose that never wanders, never sags and always is delightful to read. The story is told from multiple points of view (often changes occur within a paragraph), so we learn effectively about the characters but we are never confused by this style. Every thought is recorded for our digestion which means the characters of Dune are wonderfully complex, each with their own nuances and failings. However I don’t imply that the book is full of dense, terse, symbolic writing that would make English graduates salivate. Rather the plot moves along with a large amount of dialogue and the subtle action sequences ensure even the most impatient reader is never bored.
The story revolves around Paul Atreides of the House Atreides. In a galaxy far away and far into the future, Dune features no aliens and few of the usual SF trappings. This is essentially a character-driven story so a hard SF fan may not enjoy it to the extent that I (and others) have. As we follow Paul and his family relocate themselves to the planet Arrakis/Dune as new rulers, much of the first act is concerned with the ducal court that surrounds Paul. At this point it could easily be classed as a fantasy novel because of the abundance of swords and of the royal hierarchy, ritual and betrayal. But it is definitely grounded in science fiction with its limited use of force fields, flying vehicles and highly-conditioned individuals that can perform extreme logical computations.
The most enjoyable part of the book for me was when the natives of Arrakis/Dune (the Fremen) ride the massive sand worms. Where Herbert got the idea for them I don’t know but they take the book to such a higher level that any comparison with Lawrence of Arabia seems redundant and misguided. One definitely thinks of T.E. Lawrence throughout the book with the galactic Emperor being the Ottoman Sultan, the spice melange being oil and the CHOAM corporation being OPEC etc. But after a while Paul’s ascent to greatness is unique and distinctive and is genuinely inventive.
I have not read the other 5 or so sequels, let alone the prequels written by Brian Herbert and have no intention to do so. For me, Dune is a standalone novel that needs no further explanation with other pieces of literature (save the fantastic glossary included, which clarifies everything you need to know). Very few books deserve a five star rating. This is one of them.

I first read this book about 35 years ago.I was working in a not very busy Fish & chip restaurant in Streatham.
I was having difficulty with the unfamiliar terms and newly invented language and as a result kept nodding off.
One of my customers,after I had explained this to him,advised me to read through the whole of the Index and Glossary and look at all the Maps and then start reading it again,but I said..I won`t be able to remember all the meanings when I next come across them.
He said..It won`t matter,your brain knows,it is all now in your subconscious.Then Lo and behold,I stopped nodding off.All I can say is this book is probably the best I have ever read and I cannot recommend it strongly enough.every time I put it down,I really felt as if I had just arrived back after some incredible journey.No other book has ever had such an impact.
PLEASE DO NOT SEE THE MOVIE BEFORE READING THE BOOK.And even then...Don`t watch the movie,it is dreadful.

Dune is the first in a series of 6 books. Dune is the story of the conflict between many great forces set in the far future where space travel is controled by a group of mutated humans called the spacing guild. The two main forces in the book are however house Atredies recently instaled as goveners of Arrakas, or Dune for short, a inhospitable wasteland that is the only place in the universe that the Spice Melange can be found. The spice is the fuel for space travel and also enables long life and phychic powers. House Harkonnan are the ones that have been removed from Dune but viciously want it back. They set a plan in motion that will see house Atredies destroyed, for now. Within the rocks of dune live a people know as the Fremen who have long wanted to have control of their world, when the young leader of house atredies flees into the desert they reluctantly acept him into their ranksnot aware that he is the producty of a millenium long breeding program to create a super human with the power to see all the posabiltys in the future. Little do the Fremen know that the actions that they will take will not only take back their world but will end with the overthrowing of a millenium old dynacy...

Just an astonishing work of Fiction, easily the finest series of books I have ever read, and all kicked-off by the cream of the crop, Dune!
Enough people have summarised the content and general themes and I have no argument with any of them. This book is a must read! That said..........
Beware of some of the content. I read the book at 27, and consider myself an intellectual chap, but some parts of the book were clearly intended for beings higher than myself.
Mr Herbert enjoyed confusing his audience from time to time. Some of his talk of genetics, especially given the current GM climate, is simply decades before its time, but some of his other passages, especially surrounding prescience, can be a bit esoteric to say the least.
Having said all that, just an immaculate book. I couldn't put it down (even when my head hurt!) and am now on book 5. For me, book 2 is more enjoyable, but far less startling and challenging than the original. I have never seen the film, and I'm in no hurry to do so. How could anyone ever do the book justice??
Prepare for the ride of your life (but take some Ibuprofen with you.. ;))

I read Dune when I was twelve and I continue to revisit it as its lessons remain as potent today as yesterday.

In my mind it remains the greatest single science-fiction novel ever written, not simply due to the quality, depth and cadence of the writing, but also because of the universe Frank Herbert wrought, so real that it is more real than the world we live in. If there ever was a contender for a SF novel worthy of the Nobel Award then surely this must rank high.

There is a certain timelessness to this Science Fiction eco-religio-political classic that defies interpretation and continues to capitivate and tantalise. There is a brooding quality that erodes limits and barriers. It emphasises certain realities, but continues to hint at even greater depths and mysteries.

Dune was turned down by twenty or so publishers before it was finally accepted and even then, grudgingly...there perhaps lies hope for writers who achieve only rejection instead of recognition. Publishers are businessmen: don't expect them to fund art for art's sake.

Finally, in today's world of eco-nightmare and addiction to petroleum, the nature, shape and influence of "spice melange" has a message for us today. There lies the secret of a timeless classic - it answers questions of the day in perpetuity.

Whilst not as broad in its scope or as daring in its aims, this sequel to one of the best sci-fi books ever is a real gem and a lot more than I was expecting. Up until about halfway I felt that Herbert was rambling, but once the endgame kicked in, I was treated to a dazzling story which tied up all of the loose ends. The fine balance between religious fanaticism, statecraft and the power of the human spirit is something to behold. I found myself with a wry smile on my face as the final act ended and Muad 'dib's fatalistic plan was finally realised. Bravo to Frank Herbert, truly a genius at work.