Dune Messiah (Dune Chronicles, Book 2) by Frank Herbert
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Book Reviews of Dune Messiah (Dune Chronicles, Book 2)
Book Review: Dune Messiah
Summary: 5 Stars
Mr. Herbert's novel Dune Messiah is an excellently written book about an emperor named Paul Atreides. Ruling from Arrakis, he spots trouble from a mile away with his melange induced powers of prescience.
Of course if you have not yet read the prequal, Dune, then by now you are obscenely lost and would strongly encourage you to run to the nearest book store, pick up a copy of both books, and read them in chronological order.
This book, although difficult to understand is awesome to read and is very easy to get into. Some of the qualities are bewildering plot twists, bizarre characters, and an entertaining and action packed story line.
This book is so awesome it has often been compared to The Lord of the Rings books, however like LOTR it is extremely difficult to read. Don't read this book unless you are both patient and have a lot of time on your hands because if you want to get all you can out of this book you will read some particularly hard sections over again.
This particular author, who has also written Dune, Children Of Dune, House Harkonnen, House Atreides, and many more. He has never ceased to amaze Science fiction fans and this is one of his best books yet. This book has reserved it's well deserved place among the ranks of Science Fiction Classics, so if you haven't read it ... Read It!
A Dune Messiah review by,
Daniel Marchioni
Book Review: Quite possibly the best in the series.
Summary: 5 Stars
Dune Messiah suffers in the general consensus from being plot-driven and extremely complex; for readers who take the time and effort to delve into its themes and characters, it is one of the greatest sci-fi books of all time. Messiah is not so much a sequel to Dune as it is a companion; it is impossible to fully understand the themes, motivations, and implications of the original Dune (or any of the others, even) without reading and comprehending Dune Messiah. Herbert takes his average hero from the first book and shapes him into a realistic, faulted human -- ironic considering Paul's decidedly abnormal powers. Finally, we see Muad'dib as he really is: torn by his position as emperor, cursed by his vision of the future, yet still capable of his duties to kingdom and family. His ultimate fate sums up a masterful, twisted analogy to the life of Christ. This is also the incredible origin of Duncan...the Duncan you will come to know throughout the other books. Messiah is not for the faint of heart though. If you can't handle a lot of philosophy, just keep walking. Some points in Dune Messiah are so profound that I had to quit reading and just spend a couple minutes thinking about what Herbert means. What a rare treat that is; I can honestly say that Dune Messiah changed the way I think about things, about life. If you give it a chance, it may just do the same for you.Book Review: I will never understand most Sci-fi readers
Summary: 5 Stars
As I read through most of these reviews, I see many people complaining of how this book is more literature than Sci-fi. In fact, I agree. I actually believe that Dune is very anti-technology and science, and instead, focuses more on the spiritual side of humanity and the iniate abilities we have as a species. There is very little dealing with technology and science in these book, but rather a strong emphasis on politics and religion, and the effect they have on each other. To call this book a Sci-fi book in many ways seem offensive to me when you see what most people percieve Science Fiction to be. Every book in this series blows all other Sci-fi books away, the polical intrigue, the depth of the characters, the symbolism, no science fiction writer can compare with this, George Lucus be damn. If all of you people writing these reviews have a problem with this novel, then go back to your Star Wars and D&D books. The book was absolutely amazing, the decontructing of a messiah, the jealousy that even his own people showed toward him, the angry and bitter former rulers that conspire for revenge. What did most of you people think would happen after what occurred at the end of Dune, all the defeated former rulers would just go away and sulk, be serious. This book shows the true extent of Frank's genious and it too bad most of you are too dimwitted to realize it.Book Review: the uses of power
Summary: 5 Stars
I think that a lot of readers were disappointed in this book because it is so different from Dune: rather than achieving power - a far more compelling plot - Paul is wielding it. This latter makes from a much more complex, even mundane, story, for it is about maintining political equilibrium, personal rumination, and the mechanics of fate.
Thus, as a political junkie, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is written from the perspective of a profound grasp of human history, in particular from a religious point of view. Paul is seem as a messiah, an oracle who is shaping human destiny. While molding the next phase in the evolution of man, he feels trapped by the necessity of fate. Interestingly, he compares himself to Christ, but also Genghis Khan and Hitler. How many scifi books could ever boast such a scope? Very few. Only Asimov and Octavia Butler come to mind, the absolute top tier of scifi writers.
This is a book for mature readers, not those seeking some swashbuckling shoot-em-uper. Paul's character matures, as humankind is on the brink of enormous change that is only alluded to.
The additions to the Dune unverse are also fascinating. You get the Tleilaxu and their gholas as well as allusions to IX and the suborndinated guild and Bene Geserit. Very fun and complex.
Warmly recomended.
Book Review: If you loved the original then give this a shot!
Summary: 5 Stars
Paul Muad'dib Atreides is now the emperor of the known worlds and respected as the messiah of the Freman religion. But a plot is underfoot to destroy his reign and get house Corrino back into the emperor's throne.
While this is not as fast paced as the first Dune, it is still an exciting read with just as many plots within plots within plots as the original. It is a good portion shorter than the original and others of the series as this mainly focuses on the pregnancy of Chani, the desire of Irulan to have children with Paul, Irulan's involvement with the plot to bring Paul's downfall, the return of the ghola Duncan Idaho, the guild's fear of the events unfolding on Arakis, the finding of a dwarf who possesses the names of the enemies of Atreides who also has a strong role in the plot, and the introduction of many rich characters.
Frank Herbert may be a lot more philosophical (read: long-winded) in this book and its subsequent sequels. If you can get passed all of that then you have an amazing story that I found just as rich as the original Dune book.
If you loved Dune I, then make sure you stick around and read this book. If it doesn't tickle your fancy then drop the series. But if you find it as intriguing as myself, you can thank me later. :D As for me, this was most definitely a "must read".