Dune

[Tinker Gnome]

Well, i have heard some stuff about this book series(is it a series?). I know it is a Sci-Fi book. But i also heard it inspired some of the stuff in the D&D setting Dark Sun. So, for those who have read it. Have you enjoyed it? I know it is about a civilization on a planet where water is scarce. But what else is it about?

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Essentially, its a Messiah story. Jihad, power corrupting society, etc etc. Its really hard for me to describe WHAT its about...though others probably could.

It is probably my all time favourite book. I've read it at least seven or eight times now...and I think I'll re-read through it again.

 

[KenM]

Its a sci fi story. The main planet is called Arakas(SP?), a desert planet, nicked named Dune. The reason the planet is so important is because its the only place in the universe that a spice can be mined that allows for interster travel. There are many families (Houses) that want to be appointed to run the planet. Lots of political stuff. Dune is the first book, start with that, very good. It gets alot weirder more books in.

 

[Greatwyrm]

I don't read much, but I'm glad I read Dune. I liked the movie as well, but as usual, the book gives you a somewhat different story.

It's interesting to see science fiction that's comparatively low tech. The whole "no computers" thing took a little getting used to as well.

On a side note, if you enjoy Dune, I highly recommend picking up the Dosadi Experiment. It's also by Frank Herbert. Completely unrelated to the Dune stories, but very good all the same.

 

[KenM]

If you do decide to rent a Dune movie, rent the Sci Fi channel mini series, NOT the 1984 david Lynch movie. Much better adaptation.

 

[Alaric_Prympax]

Many people have said that what LotR is to fantasy, Dune is to scifi, it is a many times must read IMO. I've only read the first four books and two of the 'House' Prequels.

 

[Frostmarrow]

This is a must read. I read it once a year. The best book I've ever read.

I love the movie David Lynch directed. The Sci-fi channel version is okay.

 

[Dark Jezter]

The movie by David Lynch is visually stunning and has a cool soundtrack, and also features a pretty good cast. The Sci-Fi Channel miniseries is more true to the novel (although there are still a few changes).

The novel itself is a science fiction classic, although the sequels get progressively weirder as they go on. I was able to get up to God Emperor of Dune before things got too weird for me.

 

[ConnorSB]

The sequals/prequals actually have quite an interesting story of thier own. Frank Herbert origionally wrote six, and the common misconception is that they were 2 trilogies. In fact, Books 1-3 was a trilogy, book 4 (God Emperor of Dune) was completely standalone, and books 5-6 were the first two books in the second, incomplete trilogy.

Brian Herbert, Frank's son, is a writer in his own right, and based on his father's notes, he and Keven J. Anderson (known for his Star Wars books), first wrote a prequil trilogy, the "house" trilogy, that basically set up more fully for the events of Dune.

They are in the midst of writing a second Prequil Trilogy about the Butlarian Jihad, which was basically the war against AI that happened 10,000 years previous to Dune. Because of this war, all "thinking machines" are outlawed, which allows for computers, as long as they do not mimic the patterns of the human mind. Thus, there are com-links and such, but no robots, etc.

Anyway, I actually went to a book signing a few years ago for Dune: House Harkonen (book 2 of the prequil trilogy), and Brian basically said that once he and Kevin finish the Butlarian Jihad Trilogy, they are going to go back through his fathers notes and attempt to write the final book in the series- Book 7. The notes left a lot of things ambiguous, but there was definite direction going on.

Oh, and I've read dune at least 30 times, and have about ten copies of it in three different languages (english, french, and spanish). I love them books.

 

[Chain Lightning]

I read the first Dune book back in college. Enjoyed it very much.

Personally, I like the Lynch "Dune" movie much better than the made for tv mini-series Dune. I haven't seen the 2nd mini-series yet...but it looked like they spent a tad more money on it (from clips I've seen). I may rent it to check it out. Just haven't done so because I didn't enjoy the first mini-series at all.

If you're into the flavor the setting of Dune gives. I recommend checking out some Warhammer 40,000 material. Both settings have six-digit dates, lower tech than what you'd expect that far into the future. Although 40k has a good dose of WWII kind of flavor too. {in the battle sequences} Although some of the books are good and some are bad. My favorite is the Eisenhorn Trilogy.