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Eye

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Anybody who's read the in depth novels of Frank Herbert will understand my enthusiasm directed toward this book. Frank Herbert could get a little....well...overly philosophical at times. This caused quite a few within his fandom to sigh and/or scratch our heads and say, "I wonder what he means by that?" But here, in 'Eye,' we get to see the short version of his ample mind....

'Eye' is a collection of short stories by Frank Herbert. Since Mr. Herbert's genre has almost always been Science Fiction, these stories are also. And to top off this wonderful collection, it's been illustrated (on the cover and with sketches inside) by Jim Burns, a world renowned British artist. The cover alone makes it worth your while to buy, as does Mr. Burns explanation in the back of the book as to why he chose this subject material in this color scheme. The 'Walking Tour of Arrakis' with its multiple sketches and descriptions were outstandingly and tastefully done.

But let's get to the meat-and-potatos of this book: Frank's mind. It starts out with Mr. Herbert's feelings about the making of the movie, Dune. Most insightful. Then we quickly move on to 'Rat Race,' a 25 page short story about first contact with aliens on earth and how that might come about. And how these aliens might perceive us. Freaky! Then we move on to a short version of 'Dragon in the Sea,' which actually became a novel and a series. The interesting part of this story is it shows Mr. Herbert's past experiences within the Navy. Then on to 'Cease Fire' which was undoubtedly my favorite story and only 19 pages long. Here Mr. Herbert shows us what he's famous for: diving into the human pysche and human power struggle from governments but doesn't do it overly-so. Thank Shai-halud!

All the stories are worth mention but I feel I'm already lengthy in my review. But pick up a copy of this book for your Science Fiction loved one this Xmas season. They'll love you for it. And you can ogle at the beautiful artwork.

Herbert was as good at producing tight short stories as epic, far-reaching novels. The story "Murder Will In" is the best "body-stealer" tale I've come across. His terrific "Devil in the Sea" (aka Under Pressure) is, for some reason, only half published in this book! What a dumb mistake!

Cheers to iBooks for apparently being the only major publisher who cares about resurrecting classic sci-fi for the current market. They've put several books by R. Zelazny back in print, and they seem to be on the road to reprinting Berkley's Masterworks of Sci-Fi & Fantasy series, of which this book was one, originally released in the mid-80s. This short-lived series, consisting of story collections by the pros of the genre, was amazing. The care that was put into the product is something readers don't get today. Not only did you get a good selection of stories, but also many extras such as fantastic artwork (both covers and interior), informative story intros (as with A.C. Clarke), or biographical sketches (as with Fritz Leiber). "Eye" has a good intro by Herbert discussing the Dune movie, and you get the brief titular story, which is an excerpt from an Arrakian tour guide, complete with illustrations of characters and landmarks. Jim Burns provides the art, which includes a piece for each story, as well as a beautiful cover. The stories are not the literal "best" of Frank Herbert, but they are enjoyable, certainly much better than other stuff coming out today.

Welcome,

Let me preface this review by saying that I love Frank Herbert and I love how he mixes in his personal philosophy with his story telling.

The book Eye is a compilation of short stories. In many of the short stories, there is too much philosophy and too little story telling. The stories simply do not stand on their own. And unless the reader is a Dune addict, the reader will get very little enjoyment out of these stories.

The most interesting part of the book is the introduction by Frank Herbert, where he discusses his views on the David Lynch Dune film released in 1984.

The 'Road to Dune' is also of great interest to Dune fans, therefore I've provided my a separate analysis for each of its 20 pages.

Below is a synopsis of each of the stories in the compilation. The heading of each story starts with the title, followed by the copyright, and finally the number pages. Please note that many of the stories (but not all) contain spoilers.

Stories that do not contain any spoilers are: 'By the Book'; 'Seed Stock'; 'Murder Will In';

The only story that I liked in this collection was Seed Stock.

-------------------------

Copyright 1985 (1 year before his death).


Cover Page:
- In the end of the book, Burns writes that he modeled the Fremen on the cover after the Touregs of Timbuktu. However, I don't agree that the Fremen would have worn purple. It would have made them extremely hot and made them highly visible.


Introduction (6 pages) - Herbert discusses the movie Dune which was released in 1984. Frank Herbert discusses his involvement in the film. He said that he enjoyed the film it was as he envisioned it. Although he wasn't happy about the cuts that were made to the film. He stated that the uncut version was much better. Note: I've seen the uncut version and was didn't find it to be any better.

The only negative that Herbert had to say about the film is the rain at the end of the movie. According to Herbert. Paul was a man playing god, not a god who could make it rain.

Although Herbert admits that the movie was a disappointment, he states that time will tell how successful the movie would be. Fast forward 26 years later. The movie had a production budget of $45 million, it grossed $27M at the US box office. In at least one poll I've read the movie is considered one of the worst movies ever made. A view I would agree with. However the rotten tomatoes rating is 62 - Fresh based on 26 reviews.

Here's a list of the short stories along with the copyright and the number of pages.

Rate Race -1955 - 28 pages -
This story is about an alien race that seeks to experiment with humans. The humans catch on. The story ends with the aliens taking one of the humans to test his intelligence.

Dragon in the Sea 1955-1956- 36 pages -
Dragon in the Sea also know as Under Pressure was Herbert's first novel. I believe the 36 pages here are just a piece of the novel. The version in Eye isn't even a coherent story.

Set in the cold war between the US and Russia, It appears to be couple of chapters about a submarine crew. The crew is on a mission to steal oil from Russian seas. However, there are threats of sabotage. There were 20 missions and all failed. But the Russians don't about this huge oil well discovered on in their seas so it's vital that the Americans keep try to exploit it.

This is just stupid. It's ridiculous to think that if the Russians are able to foil every attempt to drill in their seas, that they wouldn't know where the Americans are drilling. As for the story, there seems to be one developing, but then the story abruptly ends without explaining what happened. Absolutely horrible.

Cease Fire - 1958 - 22 pages -
This short story is about a young Army Corporal who invents a machine that causes explosions from a distance. The Corporal thinks that the invention will end the War and end all wars for mankind. But a senior officer disputed the notion that Wars would end, stating that humans would just revert to more simplified forms of combat. Herbert may be right on this end, but Herbert doesn't speculate what would happen when Nations possess planet busting weapons. One car argue that the presence of weapons of mass destruction actually decreases the risk of war, because both sides know they would be wiped by each other's weapons.

A Matter of Traces - 1958 - 16 pages - T
his is a short story about a family that colonizes a new world. The family buys a draft animal but the neighbors decline to show the family how to harness it, instead they just laughed at the family. Eventually, the family invents a new harness that is far superior to the one currently being used. The neighbors quickly ditch there old harness in favor the new one. What bothered me was the lack of illustrations, based on the descriptions I couldn't figure what the animal was, and I couldn't figure out this harness that was invented.

Try to Remember -1961 - 42 pages -
An alien spaceship has come to Earth, threatening to destroy the human race is the humans are unable to communicate with the 5 aliens, but promising great rewards if they succeed.

After of seven months of futile attempts at deciphering the alien language, the world governments have given up hope of communicating with the aliens. The governments decided that offensive military action is the only viable alternative, before the aliens wipe out the humans. However, one human disagrees with the governments. She has begun to understand the language of the aliens and believes that military action against a vastly superior civilization would be suicide.

Overall, I thought the whole story was stupid and unrealistic. There are ancient languages that even today we haven't translated. It's ridiculous to think that humans could translate a complex alien language in a matter of months. I also didn't get Herbert's points about symbolic language (communication through dance over verbal communication).

The Tactful Saboteur - 1964 - 32 pages -
The plot focuses on a saboteur named Jorj McKie, who is fired from the Bureau of Sabotage (a government agency) after committing an of sabotage on his boss. McKie then encounters a Pan-Speci (another race who is friendly with humans), who happens to be head of the Tax Watchers, which a government agency seeking to eliminate the Bureau of Sabotage bc they contend it's a waste of tax dollars. The Tax Watchers are legally immune from Sabotage, however after McKie is fired for committing the act of sabotage on his boss, McKie is accused of attempting to Sabotage the Tax-Watchers because McKie explains to the Pan-Speci why the Bureau of Sabotage exists as an agency.

Pretty stupid story. According to McKie to the purpose of the Bureau of Sabotage is make government run less smoothly. Not sure what Herbert is getting at, but I think he's poking fun at the U.S. Government of the 60s and inefficient it was without this Bureau. At any rate, I was content just to get through the story. The Road to Dune is up next.

The Road to Dune - 1985 -20 pages -
At long last The Road to Dune. After all these lousy short stories we're finally here.

First of all - The Road to Dune is not a story. Page 193 states the following:

`You have arrived on the planet Arrakis. You will embark on a walking tour of epic
Proportions. Rarely does a visitor on the road to Dune make his or her way without an Imperium Guide. Here is a sampling from such a guide, complete with Illustrations.'

What isn't clear is when the tour takes place. Later it becomes evident that it's during the reign of Muad'Dib, however this present issues later in the tour.

Page 194 - Gives the following description of the Imperial Palace:

`Your walking tour of Arrakis must include this approach across the Dunes to the Grand Palace at Arrakeen (background). From a distance the dimensions of this construction are deceptive, especially when hazed by windblown dust. The largest man made structure ever built, the Grand Palace could cover more than ten of the Imperium's most populous cities under the one roof, a fact that becomes more apparent wen you learn Atreides attendants and their families, housed spaciously in the Palace Annex
(foreground), number some 35 million.'

First of all, why would the Atreides need such a big palace? Such waste isn't something the Atreides would do. Although in the books the Palace is described as very large (I forget the exact words used, this is taking it a bit far). Also, such a big palace creates security issues. Second of all, why would the Atreides need 35M servants?

The picture of the place on 195 isn't great.

Page 196 - 197 pictures of the central hall and a statue of Alia. Doubtful that there would be a statue of Alia would she is still alive. Also the picture of the hall isn't great.

198 - Description of the Temple of Alia - which isn't mentioned in any of the Dune books.

199 - Illustration of the Temple of Alia.

It isn't clear whether this temple is inside our outside the giant palace. I'm assuming that it's on the outside.

Page 200 - Description of the view of Paul's personal ornithopter. The final sentence states that the Fremen guard after completing the regular inspection yells `His water is secure'.
Uhhh.. There is no water on an ornithopter. Also it's highly to be in the open or to be in a spot where tourists can view it.

Page 201 - Picture of the view of the thopter described on page 200. The problem is the picture shown is clearly a small plane.

Page 202 - Describes an Ixian heating devise, which is shown on page 203. First of all this heating device isn't mentioned in any of the Dune books. Second of all, it's super hot on Dune. Why would they have any need for a heating device? Herbert never describes Dune as getting cold. With Dune's thick atmosphere, no way does Dune get cold at night, like Mercury does.

Page 204 - Picture of a glow-globe illuminating Gaius Helen Mohiam on page 205.
I'm shocked that Helen Mohiam is even at the Palace. There isn't anything in the books that mention her sticking around. Certainly she hated Paul with a bitter passion.

Page 206 - States the picture of Irulan on 207 is authentic. Doesn't Herbert describe Irulan as having long hair? Here her hair is short. Not sure that it's consistent with the books.

Page 207 - Description of the picture of Duncan Idaho on page 208. Page 207 states

`The face of Duncan Idaho, ghola warrior, teacher, friend and adviser of Muad'Dib stares out at you in this official portrait.'

The problem is that Idaho doesn't come on board as a ghola until the last year of Muad'Dib's reign, and he doesn't regain his memories until the final day when Paul walks out into desert at the end of Dune Messiah. So it's highly unlikely that there would be an official portrait.

At the end of the book, the illustrator Jim Burns, provides some insight into the Road to Dune. According to Burns, he wrote the illustrations and Herbert was left to fill in the story line. There wasn't any collaboration between Herbert and Burns who lives in England. Uhh... didn't they do things in reverse? Wouldn't it have made more sense to write the story first and then let the illustrator put in the pictures?

In addition, the illustrator admits that he did not actually read the books, just excerpts from them. This may explain the inconsistencies noted in my review above.

By the Book -1966 -28 pages.

About astronaut who tries to prepare the communication signal with a Colony pod to an new world. Most of the story is hard to follow as Herbert throws out nonsensical made up technology terms. The technology isn't remotely close to realistic, even from an SF view, and the story is pretty boring.

Seed Stock - 1970 - 16 pages.

The back cover states that this is Herbert's favorite short story. It's about a colony on a new world and how they struggle with the harsh environment. The lesson is clear, adapt to the environment, don't try to adapt the environment to you.

Murder Will In - 1970 - 34 pages

The story is about a viral type organism that lives off on humans, taking over the mind of the infected person. When the person dies, the virus has a limited amount of time to find a new human to infect. Similar to the Face Dancers of the Dune, series these seemingly live indefinitely, as long as they can find hosts to infect.

There are some issues with this short story. For example, if the humans in the story are not space-faring, then how did the virus get to the planet.

I just found this how story to be stupid. I mean virus infecting a human, controlling all human thought and actions? If the virus did something interesting with the humans than maybe we might have a story, but the whole story covers how they invade other humans. Yawn times a million.

Passage For Piano - 1973 - 24 pages

A family is joining a human colony that is about to leave for another world. The amount of weight that each family can take is very restricted. However, a 12 year old child pianist prodigy of one of the families becomes very ill after he is told that he will be unable to take his 1,400 lb grand piano on the trip. Worried that son, will die of depression, the boy's mother scrambles for a way to get the piano on board the space craft.

Of course, in the end the brat gets his own way. The come up with a way to take the stupid piano. Maybe they decided to leave behind the kid's oxygen so they could take the piano. They definitely should have left his ass behind. Then again Herbert is an author that didn't shy away from lousing endings. Even his masterpiece Dune, great book until the last 20 pages then I wanted to vomit at the stupid ending.

Death of a City - 1973 - 12 pages

Without question the worst story in this collection. And this is saying something to the other pitiful stories that have been reviewed so far. It was a challenge putting together a synopsis, given that all Herbert does is ramble nonsensically take this sentence about life. For example that this typical excerpt:

`Life is the business of constructing dichotomies. And all dichotomies lead to contradictions. Logic that is sound for a finite system is not necessarily sound for a infinite system.'

At any rate here is my attempt at a synopsis.

The city is beautiful, perfect in every way. However inside there are problems: vandalism, scientists are leaving, lack of creativity, and `blind violence from random elements of its citizenry'. People simply hate the city.

Fortunately, a "City Doctor" and his hot intern have arrived on the scene. At first the doctor thinks that the only solution is to destroy the city. To wipe out the memories of the people living their memories so that they remember the beautiful city.

But the intern has an idea. She decides that through love they can overcome everything. And that the people will hate the doctors rather than each other. The story concludes as follows:

`We begin with unquestioning love for each other. That is a very good prescription, Doctor, my love, as long as there remains sufficient energy to support the next generation'

Pretty pathetic effort. Sounds like something a stoned 60s hippie would write.

Frogs and Scientists -1985 - 2 pages.

Its about two frogs who watch a young woman bathing naked in a pond. They also observe a young human discretely watching her. One of the frogs says that his understanding of humans comes from the fact that he likes to observe as a scientist does.

Analysis: What an insult to scientists. Comparing them to frogs and voyeurs.

Eye is a collection of short stories that showcase the genius of Frank Herbert. Many of the main themes of his popular Dune series are seen in each of the stories. One of these is a small section entitled "The Road to Dune" containing illustrations of some scenes from the Dune universe, namely the palace of Arakeen. Even though I'm an intense Dune fan I found the story of the Bacit and the Tegas to be my favorite. Eye is a smattering of worlds and ideas all from the same mind that created Dune. It does not disappoint.

Years ago my younger brother brought this book home. I was so intrigued by the cover art that I decided to borrow it. I never returned the book to him.

I have reread this book several times over the years and I have given many copies as gifts to close friends. As a language arts teacher, I find "Try To Remember" to be profoundly thought provoking. But "The Tactful Saboteur" and "A Matter of Traces" are favorites as well because they are so insightful.

I highly recommend this collection because the stories are intelligent and entertaining. An excellent read! A great selection for a book club.

A collection of top rate short fiction - the best is the shortest of them all "Frog Scientists" - 'Two frogs were counting the minnows in a hydroponics trough one morning when a young maiden came down to the water.....'