God Emperor of Dune (Dune Chronicles, Book 4) (Paperback)

by Frank Herbert (Author) "THE THREE people running northward through moon shadows in the Forbidden Forest were strung out along almost half a kilometer..." (more)
Key Phrases: axlotl tanks, fish speaker, enforced tranquility, God Emperor, Fish Speakers, Lord Leto (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
This fourth and apparently final episode in the Atreides saga - following Dune (1965), Dune Messiah (1969) and Children of Dune (1976) - is a fatalistic, somber, typically complex creation which manifests something of the structure of a Bach fugue (a parallel which Herbert clearly intended). 3500 years have passed since the death of Paul Atreides and the accession of his son Leto II: the ecological transformation of Dune is complete, with crops, forests and seas obliterating the desert; the sandworms have vanished, ending "melange" (addictive geriatric spice) production; the God Emperor Leto broods in his citadel as he slowly metamorphoses into Shai-Hulud, the fearsome giant sandworm of old Dune. So now there's a dullish peace throughout the Empire, rigidly enforced by the Emperor's ruthless control of the remaining melange and his omniscient, oracular vision. But, while wise old royal majordomo Moneo is convinced of Leto's essentially benevolent intentions, embittered Siona (Moneo's daughter) and bewildered, reincarnated Duncan Idaho (latest in a long line of clones provided by the Tleilaxu for Leto's use) view him as a vicious tyrant to be expunged at all costs. The resulting struggle unfolds at a stately, almost staid pace, with even more talk than usual (tantamount to a lecture at times) and less action. Leto himself, however, gradually emerges as a genuinely tragic hero, accepting (and even abetting) his own approaching doom at the hands of Siona and Idaho - who never fully appreciate the terrible sacrifices Leto has made in order to redeem a humanity of which he is no longer wholly a part. Something of a disappointment in terms of surface action, then - but ultimately profound, poignant and powerful: a fitting end to a series which, its many faults notwithstanding, is unequaled in scope, intelligence, inventiveness, and narrative power. (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
“A fourth visit to Arrakis that is every bit as fascinating as the other three—every bit as timely.”
—Time

“Rich fare…Heady stuff.”
—Los Angeles Times

“Book Four of the Dune series has many of the same strengths as the previous three, and I was indeed kept up late at night.”
—Challenging Destiny --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 423 pages
• Publisher: Ace Books; Ace edition (June 15, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441294677
• ISBN-13: 978-0441294671
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (157 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #27,970 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps the single best Si-Fi book of all time., May 9, 1999

By A Customer

A text whose depth of religious, historical, philosophical and emotional insights touch at the very essence of what humanity is. As someone who has read the 6-books of the Dune series more than 7-times each, I find God Emperor to be a gifted presentation set within the perspective of a truly unique point-of-view. As with the entire Dune series, Herbert forces us to focus within ourselves to answer the deeper questions and issues raised so masterfully in his book. The relationship and dialogues between the God Emperor Leto, and Moneo, his Majordomo has to be some of the most insightful, honest theater in Si-Fi history. From the silent obeyance of the massive Nayla, or the fostered rebellious attitudes of Siona, the shimmering `Golden Path' that will finally and forever perpetuate humankind in the Universe has been set into place personally by Paul Atreides' son Leto. With Leto's selfless sacrifice of an unimaginable 3,500-years, his metamorphosis of worm and man; man and God, legend and religion with his logical-brilliance of the all-female "Women of the Imperial Guard", the Fish Speaker Army that holds an iron-grip on the human universe- Herbert creates the single most enjoyable, readable, profound, and meaningful book in his timeless collection. This book also ties the Paul Atreides side of the Dune series to the Bene Gesserit-led books in a singular, keystone fashion. The development of the Ixians, and the Tleilaxu; the downgrading of the Guild, and the Bene Gesserit and the extermination of CHOAM and the Great Houses add a great deal to both the overall and continuing plot lines of the Dune series. More so than the rest of the series, this book forces a closer examination of religious, social and interpersonal beliefs, and in a truly long-term thinking frame. This book also stands unique among the Dune-sequels as being the only one that can be easily read, understood and enjoyed without having read the other books. It would be interesting to have originally read this book first, then Dune second. I will never bore of Leto's character or his integrity. Please read this book, and when you finish it, read it again. -Scott Craig "Religious institutions perpetuate a mortal master-servant relationship, they create an arena which attracts the prideful human power-seekers with all of their nearsighted prejudices! Ultimately, we must realize that we are all servants unto God, not servants unto servants." -Frank Herbert 1981

46 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The future of mankind hangs upon Leto's breeding program, April 25, 2001

By	Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

Leto Atreides must be the loneliest person in the world, though he is an Emperor and worshipped as a god. And why a god? Because he is unique and practically, though not really, immortal.

At the end of Children of Dune, (Book 3) Leto makes a terrible choice and covers himself with sandtrout, the spawn of the mighty Shai-hulud, the sandworm. This causes a transformation and we meet him, mostly Worm, all too human, in the fourth book.

The characters are very well drawn, as you'd expect from Herbert. In particular, Duncan Idaho, returned as the eternal clone or ghola, has a large role. Leto, bigger than life, still retains the human tragic-hero quality, similar to that of his father Paul-Muad'Dib. He has created an army of women, the Fish Speakers, to enforce his law throughout the galaxy. There is peace, but at what price? Despite the peace, Leto has powerful enemies, and he knows it. Some are enemies he has deliberately created. Why?

The end of the story has all the qualities of a legend or great tragedy, though Leto's legacy is that men can survive an uncertain future. This is a fine book and better than the second and third of the Dune series, and in fact, quite unique.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Characters, not action., August 12, 2002

By A Customer

First, let me get this out of the way. If youwere annoyed by some of the abstruse and occasionally pretentious dialogue in the first three books (esoecially the third) then you won't like this book in all probability. If you love action and excitement and an intense plot, and thats what youre looking for, you won't like this book in all probabilty.

That said, this book is easily the best book in the Dune series (only the first can compete; and that is because it sets up the world). The setting is a quantum leap from the first one; there is virtually no connection to the petty feuding world of Dune, with the intense Fremen and their intense culture.

This book revolves around 5 characters: Hwi Noree, Siona, Moneo, Leto II and Duncan Idaho, the ever present ghola. The idea of Duncan Idaho being constantly resurrected struck me as as an interesting conceit, and it played well into the story (Leto's psychological analysis of Duncan based on his resurrections is also interesting).

Of these five characters, Moneo and Leto are easily the most interesting. They form a perfect foil- Leto, so intelligent and so far beyond the normal human awareness that his thoughts cant help being nearly incomprehensible, and Moneo, the former rebel who was converted by his visions of the Golden Path and is now staid in his duty and unquestioning in his belief.

Figuring out what exactly the Golden Path is- the path that Maud'Dib could not bring himself to contemplate and that Leto took upon himself in place of Ghanima- is a tussle.

It is an immensely enjoyable tussle, however. Leto seems to be saying, by being the ultimate power-holder and despot of this universe, I accomplish too things. First, I am freeing humanity of the craving for authority and reinforcing free will and action- I am showing people that despotism, even peaceful despotism, automatically creates tension and disturbance. Secondly, I am showing people that enforced peace leads to degeneration of the soul.

God Emperor of Dune is a complex book, one that needs to be reread many times in order to draw the juices of interpretation and understanding from it. Its about government, power, love, humanity. It also has the most interesting and one of the most complex characters created in sciencefiction. And that alone justifies reading it.