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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must-have 20th century SF Classic,
By Greg (Australia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Dune (Spanish Edition) (Paperback)
To sci-fi fans, Frank Herbert needs no introduction, but for those who may be new, one is probably necessary.
Frank Herbert was a professional writer and photographer who had a penchant for science fiction. His first story, somewhat prescient, was about a nuclear submarine being used for warfare under the Arctic, a story he wrote in the 1950's. Dune was not Herbert's first novel, but is his most famous. It is basically an epic in the same sense War and Peace or Lord of the Rings are epics, though this epic is set to a science fiction theme, rather than history or fantasy. The novel is set in the distant future when humanity has mastered interstellar space flight and has colonised many planets throughout the galaxy. Humanity has not achieved this easily though; first there was the Butlerian Jihad, a war against a hostile A.I. civilisation which had enslaved humanity (which is told in the novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson based on Frank Herbert's unpublished notes on the series) and then a massive series of religious wars, caused in part by the advent of FTL spaceflight and partly by the stresses of the anti-machine jihad. Human spaceflight however has come at a cost; FTL travel throughout the universe can only be achieved by 'folding space', a process which requires vastly enhanced states of human conciousness that are capable of performing the incredibly complex mathematical calculations necessary for FTL spaceflight and navigation. These enhanced states can only be accomplished by consuming a substance known as 'The Spice', a hyper-psychotropic substance that completely alters human conciousness and physiology. The only known supply of Spice in the universe is the planet Dune, also known as Arrakis. Since Spice is such a valuable, rare and essential commodity, without which the human interstellar empire would collapse, human politics in the period of time in which the novel is set revolves around the control of its production, extraction, harvesting and trade. Many wars have been fought over control of Arrakeen spice, however by the time the novel begins, a sort of uneasy stability reigns. The political control of human civilisation rests with a complex arrangement between the Spacing Guild (a Guild of humans who navigate foldspace using spice), The Houses of the Laandsrad (the most powerful stellar empires in the galaxy), dominated by Houses Atreides and Harkonen and by the Emperor Shaddam the IVth, and by the religious order known as the Bene Gesserit, whose aim is to create a superhuman being with super-cognitive powers, including the ability to accurately forsee the future. The focal character is Paul Atreides, son of Leto Atreides, the King of House Atreides. House Atreides control the harvesting of Spice on Arrakis and the lucrative power and wealth that flows from it. But Baron Harkonen is determined to unseat this dominance and destroy the Atreides, who are mortal enemies of the Harkonens. The story unfolds with an almost Byzantine complexity in terms of politics and power relationships, intruige, war, and betrayal. Towards the end however, both the Harkonens and the Emperor himself are undone by the hidden power and strength of the native people of Arrakis, Sufi-Buddhist warriors called the Fremen, under Paul's leadership and military skills. However, this is not the end but only the beginning of the story, one which will unfold over thousands of years and across entire planets. The book is a staggering achievement of vision, scope and complexity. Herbert manages to create a convincing set of worlds with their unique politics, religions, civilisations and history told in a way that is plausible and fascinating. While hard SF fans may be dissapointed at the lack of details over things such as space folding, soft SF fans will no doubt be fascinated with topics such as interplanetary politics and economics, interstellar diffusion of religions, the effect of drugs on human conciousness and its possibilities, and extra-ordinary forms of human cognition such as prescience. In terms of world builders Herbert is one of the most imaginative and inventive, and make the Dune series one of the boldest and most successful attempts ever made in science fiction to create a convincing universe where humans have made it to the stars and carried the human condition with them. This book is a must read for any serious fan of SF, hard or soft, and will be enjoyed by anyone at multiple levels.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Benchmark For The Sci-Fi Genre!,
By Jeffrey Peter A. Hauck "Guerrilla Reader" (Pennsylvania USA) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Dune (Spanish Edition) (Paperback)
Author Frank Herbert's masterpiece of science fiction, "Dune," has earned the bragging rights to be known as one of the premier sci-fi classical writings of all time.
If you can get past the commercialism spanning over decades of a board game or two, a movie, a television series, comic books, etc., and read the book objectively with no biases, you most likely will find an unbelievably rich and detailed story that harkens back to the likings of a Greek tragedy. The setting in "Dune" is far into the future where mankind has warred and has spread out into the universe. Organized religion still plays a vital role (Orange Catholic Bible, etc.). The nobility of each habitable planet bicker, plot, negotiate, and war with each other like Renaissance city-states. The title planet, Arrakis or "Dune" is a desert planet of sand that is rich in the spice "Melange." Melange allows, when ingested as a narcotic, primarily among other things, the Space Guild to bend space so as to transport personnel and cargo great distances in little time. The main plot involves two warring Noble Houses that compete for control of "Dune" for various reasons involving much deceit and treachery. The protagonist of the story, Paul Atreides, finds himself a sort of "Hamlet" type of figure who grows physically, mentally, and spiritually to become a Messianic type of figure who controls the desert planet and terraforms it to become habitable (like Earth). The story is so much more involved than this though! I believe, however, that the sci-fi reader will not be disappointed. I read this book in 1987 after having seen the Dino DeLaurentis movie of the same name a few years before. Needless to say, I loved it! This book is the benchmark of the sci-fi genre. I rate this book at five stars. A masterpiece!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Giant Worms, Deep Desert, Fremen & their Messiah!,
By
This review is from: DUNE (Spanish Edition) (Paperback)
Ultramar Editions irrupted into Spanish book market early in the `80s, providing sci-fi fan with economic and varied pocket-book collection.
They introduced such valuable authors as Julian May with her Pliocene Exile saga, Jack Vance's Planet of Adventure quartet, Herbert's Dune saga (first time in paperback), Stephen Donaldson's "The Mirror of Her Dreams", Frederik Pohl's Heechee saga and Philip José Farmer's Riverworld saga amongst many other. The present book is one of my all time favorites regardless of genre! I've read it more than a dozen times since the first time I did it in the late `60s. Then I proceed to read every new book of the series as soon as published, treasuring the six original in my library. It was a sad day for me when I read Frank Herbert's obituary. Frank Herbert (1920-1986) wrote masterpiece "Dune" (1965), generating a recognizable turning point in sci-fi literature. The variety of themes he touched influenced many genre authors thereafter: ecology, political-religious interaction, genetic manipulation, longevity drugs and secret sisterhoods and brotherhoods. Dune's universe is fascinating not only as the backdrop to the present story but for all the other issues that are glimpsed in each chapter heading. This thematic richness allows Frank's son nowadays to produce prequel trilogies deploying those implied scenarios and also extend his father uncompleted saga. The story is as follows. The Scenery. There is a Galactic Empire ruled by the Emperor. There are powerful Noble Houses that rule different planetary systems and confront each other in endless struggle, yet subject to strict rules. There is a Guild of interstellar Pilots. There is the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood following their eugenic plans and playing in backstage as advisors to all powers. Computers & AI are forbidden and replaced by human-computers called Mentat. Arrakis is Desert Planet inhabited by fanatical desert dwellers: the Fremen. The Conflict. Noble House Atreides is forced out of its Home system under Emperor's command and ordered to take care of the planet Arrakis. It is a two edged task in one hand Arrakis is the only galactic source of "Mélange" a drug that prolongs human life AND allows pilots of the Guild to conduct foldspace traveling ships. Controlling the planet is of supreme importance. In the other hand Noble House Harkonnen, Atreides' ancestral enemy, was in command of Arrakis and Duke Leto Atreides suspects a trap was laid by them to ruin his House. The Adventure. As soon as the Atreides set foot on Arrakis conflicts erupt. Paul, Duke Leto's son & heir, seems to immediately adapt to this planet conditions. After several issues that I will not disclose, Paul and his mother are left isolated in deep desert. There the will meet the Fremen and their Destiny! I recommend this book to sci-fi lovers and general public too. I will characterize "Dune" as unforgettable, outstanding and amazing. Do not let it pass by unnoticed! Reviewed by Max Yofre.
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