The science fiction masterpiece continues in the "major event,"( Los Angeles Times) Children of Dune. With millions of copies sold worldwide, Frank Herbert's Dune novels stand among the major achievements of the human imagination and one of the most significant sagas in the history of literary science fiction. The Children of Dune are twin siblings Leto and Ghanima Atreides, whose father, the Emperor Paul Muad'Dib, disappeared in the deserts of Arrakis. Like their father, they possess supernormal abilities—making them valuable to their aunt Alia, who rules the Empire. If Alia can obtain the secrets of the twins' prophetic visions, her rule will be absolute. But the twins have their own plans for their destiny.
An improvement over Messiah, but it suffers the same problem the first two books had: for all of the foreshadowing and interior monologues about the path ahead, the main actual surprise appears mostly out of nowhere. Still, the action is well done and the fantastic elements are inspiringly weird. I wish Alia’s characterization was better or the last book had led more towards the state in this book, but it was still a fun read.
I think the best summary of my review is that I had to read a recap of the book when I finished it as I got really lost in the plot this time.
This book, as seen in the previous volume, expands on the struggle for power over the galactic empire between the main characters
I didn’t get lost in the different plot points, but I was just very confused in understanding what each character was plotting for and why they were taking the actions they were taking. I couldn’t break that wall to understand the character’s psyche and in a way could not identify with them in any way.
Once again, it felt to me like the main characters had very similar personalities though I can note the development of Alia and Paul/The Preacher.
To me those character developments …
I read the first three Dune books in a row.
I think the best summary of my review is that I had to read a recap of the book when I finished it as I got really lost in the plot this time.
This book, as seen in the previous volume, expands on the struggle for power over the galactic empire between the main characters
I didn’t get lost in the different plot points, but I was just very confused in understanding what each character was plotting for and why they were taking the actions they were taking. I couldn’t break that wall to understand the character’s psyche and in a way could not identify with them in any way.
Once again, it felt to me like the main characters had very similar personalities though I can note the development of Alia and Paul/The Preacher.
To me those character developments came in too strong and in too stark contrast with the previous books which, once again left me at a loss of understanding them and their motives.
This was particularly true when Herbert was describing Leto’s spice trance. I could feel what the character was going through, but I couldn’t understand anything else, especially what he saw in the future and why it made him change course or keep the course he had planned for himself.
Him meeting with his father made Paul seem like a token character placed for fan service as I assume a lot were upset with his death at the end of the second book.
Overall, I still praise the world building by Frank Herbert and the way he expands on it but despite the depth it still felt to me like this book fell a little flat.
Yet another book in the series where I’m like “great world building, but super weird, dunno if I’ll read/listen to the next one”, and yet I realise now that I definitely will read the next one. It’s just surreal, and at time beautiful, and thus fairly decent escapism.
