Dune: Volume 1

This is a great read. A very quick read for 800 pages. I could write a couple pages on the arc of a would be hero who is little more than an opportunistic upstart. Paul is not the hero of this story. I'm not sure there is one. Certainly not the Lady Jessica (whom I don't trust). Perhaps, only perhaps Paul's father, Leto. But even he wishes to subjugate a people who are merely means to an end of greater wealth and power. I like that these are not good, altruistic characters. No, they are human characters. This is what makes the book work so well. I look forward to the next journey.

Fascinating concepts and world building, clunky prose and terribly stilted dialogue. FH's writing steadily improves over books 1-3 (Dune, Messiah and Children) and later books in the series are much less of a slog than the first. Absolutely worth reading, this is a phenomenal book given its historical context and is full of great ideas even if it's mechanically lacking.

Frank Herbert, who wrote the Dune series between 1965-1984, was one of the greatest sci-fi writers of the 20th century, he passed in 1986. Dune emerses you in the hero struggle between worlds, powers and age. For those complaining of the "jihad" theme "post 9-11"; and the 'role of women' as 'outdated,' did you read the original published date? Herbert wrote and released Dune in 1965, so your opinion is based on criticism of events that happened 35 years later; as well as societal & cultural shifts that happen beginning 6 years later.