What's Dune?

[Aeryn]

Well, the title pretty much asks the question. I mean I saw the movie dune...is that what your talkin' about? *feels like an oblivious, out of date...person*

[IronParrot]

The film was based on a novel by Frank Herbert that spawned a lot of sequels. And I mean a lot.

Not that I've read them.

[BeardofPants]

The sequels are well worth reading once you get past messiah, IP.

Dune is the best thing ever, and you're a heathen for never having heard of it, Aeryn. :p

[Treebeard's apprentice]

I am also a Dune virgin. Could someone give a brief outline of the plot, please?

[Aeryn]

Yeah, a plot for the VIRGINS!....wait....that didn't sound right!
I meant the DUNE VIRGINS! ;)

[BeardofPants]

This Hugo and Nebula Award winner tells the sweeping tale of a desert planet called Arrakis, the focus of an intricate power struggle in a byzantine interstellar empire. Arrakis is the sole source of Melange, the "spice of spices." Melange is necessary for interstellar travel and grants psychic powers and longevity, so whoever controls it wields great influence.

The troubles begin when stewardship of Arrakis is transferred by the Emperor from the Harkonnen Noble House to House Atreides. The Harkonnens don't want to give up their privilege, though, and through sabotage and treachery they cast young Duke Paul Atreides out into the planet's harsh environment to die. There he falls in with the Fremen, a tribe of desert dwellers who become the basis of the army with which he will reclaim what's rightfully his. Paul Atreides, though, is far more than just a usurped duke. He might be the end product of a very long-term genetic experiment designed to breed a super human; he might be a messiah. His struggle is at the center of a nexus of powerful people and events, and the repercussions will be felt throughout the Imperium.

Dune is one of the most famous science fiction novels ever written, and deservedly so. The setting is elaborate and ornate, the plot labyrinthine, the adventures exciting. Five sequels follow. --Brooks Peck

[Ms. Undomial]

You didn't know about Dune? that is like saying "Who is Tolstoy?". sorry, that really didn't make very much sense.... Dune is a really good book once you get passed the first 100 pages or so.

Aeryn- Empty your mailbox!

[Aeryn]

says you!

[cassiopeia]

Dune sounds good, BoP. I have heard of it, but never read it. I am a big sci-fi fan and love AC Clarke and Asimov, but for some reason have never read dune. I will put it on the growing list of books I must read.:rolleyes:

[BeardofPants]

I can not recommend it high enough Cass. My BF finished last night - after months of nagging - and he now wants to read all the sequels; this from a purely non-fiction reader!! :)

[TwirlingString]

THe series is really deep, it makes you think. I saw the movie too, the version I saw was really good, if really long (3 two hour tapes!)

[Draken]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
now wants to read all the sequels

Ah now THEY should dampen his enthusiasm! ;)

[Silverstripe]

*bursts into tears at the thought of someone not even KNOWING what Dune is*;)

Just kidding. I save THAT for LotR and Tolkien.

[trolls' bane]

Originally posted by Ms. Undomial
You didn't know about Dune? that is like saying "Who is Tolstoy?". sorry, that really didn't make very much sense.... Dune is a really good book once you get passed the first 100 pages or so.

Aeryn- Empty your mailbox!

I sure agree with that. Almost stopped reading it after the first 30 pages, but luckily, I had a few unanswered questions so I kept reading.

[luinilwen]

Dune is really worth reading. as you can probably gather from this thread, most people who read it add it to their favourites list. i haven't had a problem with the sequels i've read, although i've only read Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. eventually i'll get around to the next three, although i don't think i'll read the prequels written by Brian Herbert, nor the new trilogy currently being written.

i've seen both versions of the Dune movies, although I haven't seen Children of Dune yet. anyone seen it yet? is it good?

[trolls' bane]

Well, now I'm quite intersted anyway. I finally got to Muad'Dib, too.

[Nurvingiel]

I've just started this book, and I think it's great so far. I'm only 51 pages into it, so I can't really judge, but it does seem a bit too politicky to me. I really like Paul, he's such a neat, intelligent, and hard-working person. Arrakis also sounds exciting, and the Harkonnens are wonderful bad guys.

According to the front page of my copy of Dune, the sequels to Dune are:
Dune Messiah
Children of Dune
God Emperor of Dune

(My copy was only 65 cents at a Salvation Army thrift store! It's a bit beat up, but still - why let such a book go for such a small amount?)

[BeardofPants]

Woohoo! New converts. :D ;)

[Nurvingiel]

That's right! :) It's not hard to convert me to reading a new sci-fi book though, especially one so acclaimed as Dune.

[brownjenkins]

i enjoyed the dune series a lot... it does tend to be somewhat heavy-handed at times though... more in a philosophical than tech-sci/fi way

if you enjoy the first 100 pages or so, you'll love the series

[luinilwen]

Originally posted by Nurvingiel
According to the front page of my copy of Dune, the sequels to Dune are:
Dune Messiah
Children of Dune
God Emperor of Dune


There's also Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse Dune by Frank Herbert.

Brian Herbert (his son) went on to cowrite (not sure of the name of the other author) the "Dune: House Trilogy" which is:
House Arteides
House Harkonnen
House Corinno

and currently doing a trilogy which so far is:
The Butlerian Jihad
The Machine Crusade
(i suppose these are also prequels, or rather "History of Dune", something like that.)

[BeardofPants]

BJ, you did not enjoy it enough! :mad: It is *not* enjoyable, it is life-changing, amazing, astounding, magnificent... *smacks self with trout* Eh, sorry 'bout that. ;)

[Nurvingiel]

They've hinted at a time where humans were enslaved by other humans who controlled powerful machines, it would be interesting to read a book about that.
I'm going to read a little Dune before bed. :D
Gnight.

[BeardofPants]

They did - Butlerian Jihad. And it sucksass.

[Nurvingiel]

Aw, too bad. Maybe I should stick with Frank Herbert originals. Or are some of the ones he wasn't the sole author of good?

[brownjenkins]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
BJ, you did not enjoy it enough! :mad: It is *not* enjoyable, it is life-changing, amazing, astounding, magnificent... *smacks self with trout* Eh, sorry 'bout that. ;)

actually... i've been looking for something to pick up lately and may read it again... i only did once before, and it was quite a few years back (when i was about 14 i think)... maybe i'll catch some more of the fish-smackin' splendor ;)

[trolls' bane]

Well, what page are you on anyway? You forgot to answer on What About Bob?.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Nurvingiel
Aw, too bad. Maybe I should stick with Frank Herbert originals. Or are some of the ones he wasn't the sole author of good?

I haven't read any of the preludes, so I really wouldn't know. But from what I can gather, they're pretty bad - and inconsistent. I've only read Butlerian Jihad, and like you, I only did it because I was interested in the war that caused the anti-machine thing.

[Falagar]

Dune better be good, 'cause now I've spent some of my hard-earned and scarse money on the first one, solely because of all your praise, BoP. :p

[BeardofPants]

Well, YOU'D better like it, or I'll be over there to beat you to a bloody pulp with MY autographed Heretics of Dune. :p

[Falagar]

BoP, help me out here; I'm wondering where to place my self-made Muad'Dib altar: in the middle of my room or in front of my bed. Or perhaps make an extra room where I can place it?

Am also struggling with the idea of wheather to make a mouse-doll and place it on the altar or buying a living mouse...

[BeardofPants]

Well, the obvious place would be at the end of the bed, since that's the last place you see before you go to sleep, and the first thing you see when you wake up. However, if it's size (as proportional to how much you liked it) that you want to go for, then I'd recommend buying a mansion, and putting shrines every where. As for the mouse, I guess I'd recommend getting a real-live one, and gluing bigger ears on it or something. But you know, the problem with a living mouse is that you've got to give it the run of the place, and they leave pee-trails, so maybe you should consider just getting a mouse-doll. But then, if you were genuinely worshipping Paul, maybe you wouldn't mind the pee-trails? :confused: Or maybe you could compromise, and just pee on the doll, so it could smell like a real mouse....


;)



edit: Nice location. :D Perhaps you could just wait for the Lions of Kenya to pee on your doll? :p

[Falagar]

How about getting a real mouse to pee on the doll? Or perhaps I'll just drop the whole mouse-thingy and buy a
maker (could live in the garden, I'll just need a few bags of sand).

I can ask him 'cause here comes the lion!


*is eaten*

[trolls' bane]

I just finished it a few days ago. The ending was rather "flat" I should say.:D

[Falagar]

Luckily there are sequels. ;)

[Katie of the Golden Wood]

*Another ashamed novice wanders in*

Planning to go buy a copy, but though I love fantasy I've never really liked sci-fi...is it really hard core science fiction or is it more....allegory (is that the word??)

Katie

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by trolls' bane
I just finished it a few days ago. The ending was rather "flat" I should say.:D

FLAT??? When Paul marries Irulan instead of Chani? ????? How could you think that that is FLAT? :eek: GNRRRRRR.... *eyes Trolls Bane threatenly*

[trolls' bane]

LOL:D! I don't think you get what I mean by "flat." What I mean by flat, it the way it ends: the last sentence makes it look like there's another page or more. It's like he didn't finish, but as my friend said, it's probably a lead up to a sequel. What is the next sequel, anyway?

[Falagar]

Originally posted by trolls' bane
LOL:D! I don't think you get what I mean by "flat." What I mean by flat, it the way it ends: the last sentence makes it look like there's another page or more. It's like he didn't finish, but as my friend said, it's probably a lead up to a sequel. What is the next sequel, anyway?
I believe the word you're looking for is 'abrupt'. ;) And indeed, it did, I thought there was another chapter after the last one when I first read it (excepting the appendixes, of course).
Originally posted by BeardofPants
FLAT??? When Paul marries Irulan instead of Chani? ????? How could you think that that is FLAT? :eek: GNRRRRRR.... *eyes Trolls Bane threatenly*
I knew he would do that since the first time we "saw" her. She's the one that was quoted all the time. :p

[Nurvingiel]

Paul doesn't marry Chani!!! They love each other! They have a child! What the @^%$#$%!? :mad: Why didn't you put that in spoilers!? I love Chani, and I'm not done the first book yet, so thanks a lot. :mad:
Oh well... now I'm more prepared for the heartbreak. Who's this Irulan chickie anyway? I know she's come into the story already... I'll just have to go read more.

[Falagar]

I won't comment on that, since everything I say can and will be used against me in a court of law. Just read on. :)

[BeardofPants]

Whoops, sorry Nurv. :o Ignore Trolls bane - the ending is really powerful. You get a real sense of how much bigger Paul is.... *zips mouth shut* Not saying another word. :D

[Draken]

Originally posted by Falagar
Luckily there are sequels. ;)

Depends how you define 'luck', I suppose!

[trolls' bane]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
Whoops, sorry Nurv. :o Ignore Trolls bane - the ending is really powerful. You get a real sense of how much bigger Paul is.... *zips mouth shut* Not saying another word. :D
I heard that ;). Hey, I never said that the ending was bad, it was just...incomplete.

[Nurvingiel]

There's four sequels, suck it up! :D

I remember who Irulan is, she's the princess with the interesting quotes at the start of each chapter. Hm... that explains a lot...

I always like Irulan, because of her insightful quotes. But I love Chani. I hope her and her son are happy even if Paul ditches them. Maybe it's just as well. Paul has a hard road ahead of him. :(

[BeardofPants]

Nurv, did you ever finish reading Dune?

[Arathorn]

I've been at it with Machine Crusade for months now but it's been surprisingly slow going for me compared to the original 6 books. Must be since I only read it when I'm on the throne...

[BeardofPants]

You're reading the second one? The first one wasn't useful for anything other than bog roll, small wonder you're reading this one on the throne. ;)

[Arathorn]

Yeah, I'm a sucker for closure and I decided to finish the second one before the 3rd and last one comes out. Kust curious about the story. Brian sure ain't his Dad...

I'll go back to God Emperor one of these days. I miss Hwi Noree. ;)

[Cirdan]

Hwi Noree... Now she could make me feel human again.

*releases some oxygen*:evil: :D

[trolls' bane]

I finished reading Dune just recently, but I can hardly remember half of it. Memory-loss at twelve:o.

[Jonathan]

After seeing how obsessed BoP is with Dune and getting a 15% discount on all books at my English book shop, I thought I'd give Dune a try:). And from what I've gathered from this thread, I should just start with the original Frank Herbert books and skip the Prelude to Dune and Legends of Dune, or at least save them till later. Right? Or do you think starting with the prequels is a good idea?

[BeardofPants]

No, avoid the prequels like the plague. Ugh. :mad:

Hope you enjoy it as much as I have. :) (and if you don't, I may be forced to violence;))

[trolls' bane]

And I hope you don't forget it as much as I have:rolleyes:.

[Arathorn]

Follow BoP's and troll's bane's advice, Jonathan. They have good taste.

[trolls' bane]

Follow BoP's and troll's bane's advice, Jonathan. They have good taste.
Wow. Thanks. No one has ever said I had good taste. At least not that I could remember... :confused:

[BeardofPants]

Arathorn! *hugs*