Dune

[Durandal7]

I love these books. Anyone else read them?

[cleo]

They're my dad's favorites (well, that and Clan of the Cave Bear), but I've never read them. What's the premise?

[Durandal7]

They are set in the distant, distant, distant future. Mankind has basically turned into a feudal society with warring noble houses. The books revolve around two houses that are feuding. A member of one of the houses eventually becomes a messiah of sorts to the inhabitants of a desert world and ends up seizing all power in the known universe.

They are really quite complex, I would recommend reading Dune and seeing how you like it. It is the best-selling science fiction novel to date.

[Sun Baked]

I thought Dianetics® was one of the best selling science fiction novels to date.

--

If I had to choose between rereading the Dune novels or one of the other huge sci-fi or fantasy sets I'd probably choose something else.

[scem0]

I have heard they are very good from multiple sources. I really want to read one, but my friend described it as SF's equivalent to LOTR, which I didn't particularely like. They are too complicated, and have way too many uneeded details. Personally, my favorite authors are Terry Brooks, Terry Goodkind, and Melanie Rawn.

[Durandal7]

Originally posted by scem0
I have heard they are very good from multiple sources. I really want to read one, but my friend described it as SF's equivalent to LOTR, which I didn't particularely like. They are too complicated, and have way too many uneeded details. Personally, my favorite authors are Terry Brooks, Terry Goodkind, and Melanie Rawn.

They are like LOTR in the respect that they layed the foundation for a lot of sci-fi novels. They go into detail but the details are relevant, unlike LOTR which sometimes rambles about Dwarven wine.

edit- if you get a hold of one then make sure it is Dune since if you find another one they won't make much sense.

[scem0]

Originally posted by Durandal7


They are like LOTR in the respect that they layed the foundation for a lot of sci-fi novels. They go into detail but the details are relevant, unlike LOTR which sometimes rambles about Dwarven wine.

edit- if you get a hold of one then make sure it is Dune since if you find another one they won't make much sense.

Well then I would probably like it. But when I am reading about the lineage of the kings of LLowarndeyath for 3 straight paragraphs I just blank out, and then I get to the end of the chapter, and have no clue what I just read.

[Durandal7]

Heh, I know what you mean. Dune was written in the 1960's so the language isn't as confusing as LOTR. Dune doesn't really babble, the book is written to keep you interested.

[scem0]

Thats good. I think I will buy it... sometime. I have never read a science fiction book (a lot of fantasy), it better be good, or my whole view of science fiction will be forever distorted.

[diorio]

I haven't read the books, but I know that in the movie the baron is really, really weird, and gay.

[mischief]

Originally posted by diorio
I haven't read the books, but I know that in the movie the baron is really, really weird, and gay.

I wouldn't dignify a pedifilic rapist by calling him Gay. Be more clinnical: He was a sociopathic, homosexual pedophile who was only aroused by snuff sex. You can blame the RM Gaius Mohiem (sp?) for his other maladies.... though you'll have to read the prequells to find out why.;)

I will offer a word of caution to anyone who's curious about these books: Although they do not include monster asides into history and language there is a fat glossary and 2 or 3 indeces in the back that I advise you read BEFORE getting into the books themselves so you don't get lost in wondering WTF a Maker Hook is (for example).

Frank Herbert (and later his son) have written a true Sci-Fi Epic.... You just have to appreciate ahead of time that he wrote about 5000 years of back-history and fifty years of back-story notes to come up with the extremely tight and rich universe he portrays.

[Durandal7]

Originally posted by mischief
Frank Herbert (and later his son) have written a true Sci-Fi Epic.... You just have to appreciate ahead of time that he wrote about 5000 years of back-history and fifty years of back-story notes to come up with the extremely tight and rich universe he portrays.

Actually with the first Dune the back story went back about 10000 years to the era of machines and the Butlerian Jihad. The new book about the Butlerian Jihad is based on his notes and extends the history another several thousand years. All in all the Dune epic covers around 20000 years :eek:

As for diorio's post he has only seen the 1984 adaption of Dune though I've been pushing him to read the book. That adaption was a tad bit odd.

Have yor read Butlerian Jihad yet? I just finished it and though it was pretty good.

[mischief]

I read House Atreides last winter..... I tend to do Book Binges in winter. I'll be doing more of the prequels. Herbert (the younger) has a much more concise writing style, much like Zelanzy (the younger). Have you read any of the Amber series by Roger Zelanzy? Good stuff......:D ;) :cool:

[Durandal7]

Originally posted by mischief
I read House Atreides last winter..... I tend to do Book Binges in winter. I'll be doing more of the prequels. Herbert (the younger) has a much more concise writing style, much like Zelanzy (the younger). Have you read any of the Amber series by Roger Zelanzy? Good stuff......:D ;) :cool:
Well, you still have Harkonnen, Corrino and Butlerian Jihad to look forward to then. :D Then of course there's the Machine Crusade coming out next year and Battle of Corrin coming out after that. I think that I liked House: Harkonnen the best out of the prequels.

I've never read the Amber series but I'll look into it. I have heard of Zelanzy before though.

[Rower_CPU]

I should go back and reread some stuff...

I read Dune and Dune Messiah...great books.

The recent sci-fi version of Dune was better than the '84 version, but I still can't help of thinking of that one first when I think of the characters...

[diorio]

Originally posted by Rower_CPU
I should go back and reread some stuff...

I read Dune and Dune Messiah...great books.

The recent sci-fi version of Dune was better than the '84 version, but I still can't help of thinking of that one first when I think of the characters...

So, do you think of the baron as a really wierd, gay, a**hole?

[Rower_CPU]

Originally posted by diorio
So, do you think of the baron as a really wierd, gay, a**hole?

He never came across as all that gay to me...Sting/Feyd seemed more gay, but then I need to read more of the books to get a better picture.

Creepy, definitely...the whole heart plug thing...

A**hole? Close enough, I guess...a villain kind of has to be one...

[diorio]

I guess I just got my picture of the Baron from when he pulls out the slaves heart plug and starts making out with him while blood is spurting everywhere. It just added on to him already being extremely fat and covered with skin problems. Feyd did kind of seem gay, but it didn't disturb me as much as the baron. I was also glad when that one Harkonan got his head chopped off.

[Durandal7]

Originally posted by Rower_CPU
I should go back and reread some stuff...

I read Dune and Dune Messiah...great books.

The recent sci-fi version of Dune was better than the '84 version, but I still can't help of thinking of that one first when I think of the characters...

If the 1984 version had anything going for itself it was vivid characters.

Picard made a damn fine Gurney though ;)

[diorio]

You realize that the actor who played Picard is named Patrick Stewart? Picard was probably the role we know him best by, so I guess its okay if you just call him Picard. However if you referred to him as Gurney, most people wouldn't know what the hell you were talking about.

[Durandal7]

Originally posted by diorio
You realize that the actor who played Picard is named Patrick Stewart?
'twas a joke. :rolleyes:

[scem0]

Me mad. My mom isn't buying me books anymore. She complains that I am going to read her broke... So I guess I won't read Dune until I can convince my mom to buy it...