Dune #2: Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert

Read: 2007

The Atreides star has risen. Paul is emperor and rules the universe from his seat on Arrakis, transforming the empire into a theocracy. And yet Chani, the imperial concubine, has still not produced an heir.

Dune Messiah was not nearly as good as Dune, but it was still very interesting. Paul's reaction to becoming Muad-Dib - a kind of prophet - have greatly shaped my views on religion and on those who seem eager to speak on behalf of a god. This book does suffer from some sequelitis (trying to be both the original and it's own book, but failing to strike the right balance between the two), but it's still very much worth the read.

Dune #1: Dune by Frank Herbert

Read: 2006

The Atreides are strangers to Arrakis, called Dune. The planet is the only place where spice - the most valuable commodity in the universe - can be produced. Their presence re-ignites an ancient conflict with House Harkonnen, bitter enemies of the Atreides. Amidst political intrigue, a sisterhood called the Bene Gesserit try to breed a superhuman they call the Kwisatz Haderach, and the desert people, the Fremen, look on at the universe that fights over their dunes.

The series, taken as a whole, scores only slightly above "meh." But the original, Dune is a masterpiece. While fantastical, the fictional universe is just similar enough to our real world to provide a great deal of food for thought. The setting is enchanting and the characters are interesting. This book captivated me right from the start and I still think of it as one of my favourites.

Dune #3: Children of Dune by Frank Herbert

Read: 2008

With Paul supposedly dead, his children, the twins Leto II and Ghanima, are left under the regency of Alia who is suspected to have become an Abomination. The Empire has come under attack from a mysterious blind Preacher who some suspect may be Muad'Dib. With Dune becoming green and the worms dying, with a multiple of forces trying to shape Leto and Ghanima to their own desires, the children must find a way to work with their inner voices and find a future of their own.

I liked this book, but not as much as the first two in the Dune series. I felt that it turned the series in a new direction (which makes sense since it's all about Leto trying to change the path his father had started). I also found it far more confusing in parts than the first two, though this might have been because I read it on and off over a few months.

All in all, I did enjoy it and I'll definitely continue reading the series.