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OscarWilde
Unbearable Bliss of Ignorance
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 Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 9:41 pm Post subject: Dune... hmmmm.... |
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| Dune is popularly considered one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time, and is frequently cited as the best-selling science fiction novel in history. |
Maybe because i've been told how good 'Dune' is that my expectations for it were to high. After reading the book, I'm a little underwhelmed by the book. Dune is a good book for sure, but it certainly isn't the pinnacle of science fiction that it's heralded to be.
The opposite is true for Lord Of the Rings, which I read after all the hype around the book, and ended up finding the hype to be valid. Dune on the other hand is a political intrigue book (rushed in some aspects and shallow in some places) that is set within what one can call a science fiction setting, but realistically, it's more fantasy then science fiction I think.
I guess I do have a bias against romantic heroes (all perfect and all morally righteous heroes that always win) in literature; and the same can be said for LOTR, which is actually one thing I do hold against Lord of the Rings. Where LOTR succeeds is in creating a great story symbolically within a very rich and diverse world with equally diverse characters (Tom Bombadillo anyone?). Dune however is way to focused on the maud'dib (Duke Paul) and his almost near super human powers and his equally super human religious warrior tribe for the majority of the book. And the story stresses too much the harsh conditions of the desert and the extreme dry climate where water is so precious, it is treasured above all else on the planet.
Also the book is no where near tragic as the tone of the book tries to suggest. The people that die of are not really gone into detail as much. We get a brief idea of Duke Leto (Paul's dad) before he dies; and we get barely a few sentences of Leto Jr., before he's killed of in a raid. In those two possibly significant deaths we see Paul barely register any mourning for his loved ones, and yet he's so concerned about the oncoming jihad. The tragic outcome of his life that he seems so obsessed about is almost unwarranted.
One of the criticism against LOTR is the almost unbearable slow pace of the book, especially the towards the end as Frode and Sam get nearer to Mount Doom; but I find it brilliant that the dreary dark isolated oppressed feeling that Frodo and Sam must be feeling as they neared their goal was actually expressed by the dreary slow pace of the final few chapters. That is true mastering of the art: using the pace and tone of words to bring that emotional feeling to surface, which equals the true nature of the story.
Dune does come across as tragic, but so often is, as I said above, to shallow and superficial. The tone and pace doesn't match the real nature and depth of the story.
I shall read Dune Messiah when I can get my hands on a copy at the library, but truth be told, I'm not all that impressed with the first book that I'm in no rush to read the sequel.
Anywhoooo.... can anyone counter my thesis of Dune and tell me why Dune is heralded as the greatest science fiction of all time?
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Jeremy Reimer
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| Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2006 11:01 am Post subject: |
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I wouldn't call Dune the greatest sci-fi of all time. It's certainly in my top 10 though.
The greatest sci-fi book of all time in my opinion is Anvil of Stars by Greg Bear.
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JuxtaPosition
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| Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2006 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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Bill the Galactic Hero is the BEST SCIENCE FICTION EVAR!!!
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Riso
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| Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 3:51 am Post subject: |
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Personally, my favourite sci-fi book series is the Barrayar series by Lois McMaster Bujold.
But granted, I am not reading as much diverse sci-fi books as other people.
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OscarWilde
Unbearable Bliss of Ignorance
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| Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:59 am Post subject: |
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Well, as I've already said in my first post, I do think Dune is a good book, just not the great sci-fi book that it's heralded to be. And all i'm really looking for is a why from those that consider Dune to be one of 'the greatest evar!!!one111!!111!!!'
So far all i've read from reviews is an emotional, 'i really enjoyed the book, greatest evar!!!111!!!one!!111!one!', and nothing detailed about WHY it's good.
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'An urban myth. Like the dyslexic devil worshipper who sold his soul to Santa.' - Robert Rankin (Raiders of the Lost Car Park)
'Hate traps us by binding us too tightly to our adversary.' - Milan Kundera (Immortality) |
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HitScan
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| Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 6:20 am Post subject: |
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| OscarWilde wrote: |
Well, as I've already said in my first post, I do think Dune is a good book, just not the great sci-fi book that it's heralded to be. And all i'm really looking for is a why from those that consider Dune to be one of 'the greatest evar!!!one111!!111!!!'
So far all i've read from reviews is an emotional, 'i really enjoyed the book, greatest evar!!!111!!!one!!111!one!', and nothing detailed about WHY it's good. |
That's because every book that those people read is the BEST EVAR when they bother to write a review. All they're doing is telling everyone what the simpler half likes to read, and diluting our damned words!
Will no one think of the words?!
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lewis
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| Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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People seem to drool over Schismatrix a lot. I don't really get it. I don't even feel it's worth re-reading.
And the cover picture on my version sucks. I hate when people try to illustrate things from the story.
I've just read Brighton Rock, which was excellent.
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FondueDaredevil
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| Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 9:49 pm Post subject: Re: Dune... hmmmm.... |
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| OscarWilde wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Dune is popularly considered one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time, and is frequently cited as the best-selling science fiction novel in history. |
Maybe because i've been told how good 'Dune' is that my expectations for it were to high. After reading the book, I'm a little underwhelmed by the book. Dune is a good book for sure, but it certainly isn't the pinnacle of science fiction that it's heralded to be ... Anywhoooo.... can anyone counter my thesis of Dune and tell me why Dune is heralded as the greatest science fiction of all time?
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It's the ultimate superhero novel. Dune is just the first chapter in a series of novels that explore different aspects of superheroism and it's consequences.
Frank Herbert is a lot like the Beatles ... people today ask, "Why are they so special?" because they don't realize that everything that followed them are a pale imitation of them. Really the only novel series comperable in depth and wisdom would be The Lord of the Rings.
Actually, that's a perfect comparison; Dune is 'the Lord of the Rings' of the Sci Fi novel world. Unfortunately he died before completing the series and his son made a shitty attempt at completing the last novel Herbert was writing from his notes.
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OscarWilde
Unbearable Bliss of Ignorance
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Joined: 02 Mar 2001
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Location: Somewhere that seems to be no where
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| Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 3:10 am Post subject: Re: Dune... hmmmm.... |
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| FondueDaredevil wrote: |
| OscarWilde wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Dune is popularly considered one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time, and is frequently cited as the best-selling science fiction novel in history. |
Maybe because i've been told how good 'Dune' is that my expectations for it were to high. After reading the book, I'm a little underwhelmed by the book. Dune is a good book for sure, but it certainly isn't the pinnacle of science fiction that it's heralded to be ... Anywhoooo.... can anyone counter my thesis of Dune and tell me why Dune is heralded as the greatest science fiction of all time?
|
It's the ultimate superhero novel. Dune is just the first chapter in a series of novels that explore different aspects of superheroism and it's consequences.
Frank Herbert is a lot like the Beatles ... people today ask, "Why are they so special?" because they don't realize that everything that followed them are a pale imitation of them. Really the only novel series comperable in depth and wisdom would be The Lord of the Rings.
Actually, that's a perfect comparison; Dune is 'the Lord of the Rings' of the Sci Fi novel world. Unfortunately he died before completing the series and his son made a shitty attempt at completing the last novel Herbert was writing from his notes.
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Well, I'm going to read Dune Messiah (the second book right?) as soon as I get my hand on a copy, and as soon as I'm done with Agatha Christie's 'At Betram's Hotel', and Neal Stephenson's 'Snow Crash' which I borrowed from the library this week. I'll write my opinion on 'Snow Crash' since I know Lewis is a huge Neal Stephenson fan and I think he did recommend 'Cryptonomicon' (which I enjoyed and think is a pretty damn good book), 'Diamond Age' (which I think sucked), and Snow Crash.
So book reviews coming up from yours truly:
Snow Crash
Dune Messiah
I doubt anyone really wants to read my opinion on Agatha Christie's Ms. Marple's adventures. Fun to read but otherwise not something to really go and have public discussions about.
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'An urban myth. Like the dyslexic devil worshipper who sold his soul to Santa.' - Robert Rankin (Raiders of the Lost Car Park)
'Hate traps us by binding us too tightly to our adversary.' - Milan Kundera (Immortality)
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Riso
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| Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 5:42 am Post subject: |
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I suggest you read Dune Messiah back to back with Children of Dune.
They tie into each other way too much.
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FondueDaredevil
Linux Looney
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Location: My name is Elmer J Fudd, millionaire. I own a mansion and a yacht.
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| Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Riso wrote: |
I suggest you read Dune Messiah back to back with Children of Dune.
They tie into each other way too much. |
The best book in the whole series is 'God Emperor of Dune', at least IMHO. There are so many quotable phrases in it I took to writing them on my calendar at home as I read the book.
_________________
"Our products just aren't engineered for security."
- Brian Valentine, Senior VP in charge of MS Windows Development
"I call on those who question the motives of the president and his national security advisers to join with the rest of America in presenting a united front to our enemies abroad." Sen. Dick Durbin, 1998
"There's no set architecture in Linux. All roads lead to madness" - William Hilf, Microsoft homonculous
Supervillains for Linux!
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