Vanity - I started reading "Dune" by Frank Herbert last night

[Perdogg]

I apologize for the vanity, but I know that FR is a community of avid readers. Last year, I read "The Hobbit", "The Lord of The Rings" and "The Silmarillion".

I read that Arthur C Clarke referred to "Dune" as 'The Lord of the Rings' of Science Fiction.

What are Freepers opinion of Dune (the book not the movie) and should I continue with the sequels? I saw the film 30 years ago, I remember receiving a sheet with a primmer at the movie theatre after buying a ticket.

also, is there a Gothic horror equivalent to "Dune" of "Lord of the Rings"?

[Seruzawa]

Lord God Emperor could have benefited greatly by some editing. Like getting rid of around 100 pages by reducing the interminable speeches.

A lot of authors get like this when they get older. Heinlein’s and Asimov’s later stories were also long drudges of exposition and virtually unreadable. Unless of course one is a fanatic fan.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

You will love it. However, my personal recommendation would be to read Dune, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. Proceeding on to God Emperor of Dune is not something I’d recommend. It was just a tad weird for my tastes.

[Perdogg]

I am ready 25% through CoD. It is getting weird but I like it.

[RansomOttawa]

A lot of authors get like this when they get older. Heinlein’s and Asimov’s later stories were also long drudges of exposition and virtually unreadable. Unless of course one is a fanatic fan.

Heinlein and Asimov also attempted to tie all their major works together in some way. Asimov was at least somewhat successful at this, though as you point out, the quality of his later writing is meagre in comparison to his earlier novels. Heinlein's protagonists just hop in and out of their various alternate universes. It's like reading a superhero-comics "crossover" event.

[Perdogg]

Well let’s see.

Arrakis - Desert planet; Tattoine - Desert Planet

Sardaukar - Dune; Imperial Storm Troopers - Star Wars.

Chani, who is ‘married’ to the one, Paul Maud’dib, gives birth to twins Leto and Ghanima then dies.;
Senator Padme Amidala (aka HDRC), who is ‘married’ to the one who will restore the force, Anakin Skywalker, gives birth to twins Luke and Leia then dies.

Dune - Duncan Idaho; Star Wars - Hans Solo

Dune - evil relative Barron Harkonnen; evil relative Darth Vader.

Dune - Bene Gesserit ; Star Wars - The Council.

[simpson96]

Wait til you get to Dune: Chapterhouse.

[Perdogg]

I am 1/4 way through God Emperor Dune.

[M Kehoe]

I have some of the spice. I also have spice addicts who can navigate at light speed. The only thing I don't have is a light speed capable ship.

I'm working on that...

5.56mm

[SunkenCiv]

I had to stop reading that series, I was constantly running the vacuum.

[Perdogg]

LOL I finally made it to the end of God Emperor Dune.

[otness_e]

My personal opinion? Well, that depends. It seemed pretty good (the miniseries at least, not too sure about the film, and I haven’t exactly read the book), though that being said... Baron Harkonnen’s... outfit (not the red robes, the other one, when he’s either bathing or... well, having sodomy sessions with a slave boy) gives me very painful reminders of a boss in Cho Aniki (which I only knew about because a former friend of mine thoughtlessly showed me it, and as such am disgusted by the game and its implications).

However... I heard that it was also intended by Frank Herbert to push left-wing propaganda, especially when the Emperor of the known Universe was apparently supposed to represent America in a fairly negative light, the Fremen were supposed to be Islamic radicals, the Bene Gesseret were supposed to be the Roman Catholic Church, Arrakas itself [not to mention Melagne Spice] was supposed to be based on the Middle East and oil mining by outside countries, respectively, and House Atreides were apparently supposed to be Greek leftists. Probably the only good thing that would come from all of this is that the Harkonnens were based on the Soviets, meaning I can in fact root against them as the author intended without any hesitance (since I hate the Soviets, Communists, Socialists, heck, Atheists in general for what they did to us Christians). Certainly better than with Star Wars at least, where George Lucas made sure to manipulate countless audiences into rooting against America by allowing them to think the Rebels were the American Minutemen/French Resistance/America as a whole and the Empire was the British Empire/Nazi Germany/USSR, when in fact, he based the Rebels on the Vietcong, and if anything, America was the Galactic Empire.

Honestly, other than maybe the original Starship Troopers, is there ANY science fiction works that DON’T try to demonize America and promote our enemies in a leftist fashion?