Dune series: worth reading?

[Bick]

Frank should have stopped after Children of Dune.

I’m glad he didn’t - God Emperor is a better book, I think, probably the second best in the series.

 

[Elckerlyc]

I’m glad he didn’t - God Emperor is a better book, I think, probably the second best in the series.

Very well. I can live with such an amendment.

 

[Bick]

Very well. I can live with such an amendment.

Only if you like God Emperor - if you don't then feel free to stick with your view! That's only my opinion.

 

[Elckerlyc]

It was a DNF for me, but can't remember exactly why anymore. It was 42 years ago or so. Disappointment I think, about... something.

 

[Bick]

It was a DNF for me, but can't remember exactly why anymore. It was 42 years ago or so. Disappointment I think, about... something.

Yes, I liked it a lot more when I read it last year, than I recall liking it as a teenager (about 35 years ago). I found it was slightly less 'weird' than both Messiah and Children. And while there's a lot of dialogue, it is crisp and meaningful dialogue, and there are numerous well-paced and exciting moments too. It's deeper than Dune, though not as immediate in its appeal. You might find it repays rereading at some point, though I'd concede its not a novel that will ever have universal appeal.

 

[Snicklefritz]

All this leads me to recall, sitting at my desk at Chilton Company in 1968 when a project manager dropped a hardbound first edition on my desk saying, "Here, you read "this kind of stuff." It was considered a big fiasco by the corporate powers that be.
Would that I had it still. SIGH

 

[BAYLOR]

All this leads me to recall, sitting at my desk at Chilton Company in 1968 when a project manager dropped a hardbound first edition on my desk saying, "Here, you read "this kind of stuff." It was considered a big fiasco by the corporate powers that be.
Would that I had it still. SIGH

I would imagine that that first edition book would be worth some money today .

 

[Snicklefritz]

I would imagine that that first edition book would be worth some money today .

According to Wikipedia: The first edition of Dune is one of the most valuable in science fiction book collecting. Copies have been sold for more than $10,000 at auction.

 

[Bick]

$10,000 is what they start at... I've seen them between $12k and $30k.
Here's one if you're interested (not even first pinting):

The 1965 Book Club First Edition looks very similar and is cheaper - you can pick them up for as little as $500 if you hunt around. I'd like to get one of them one day.

 

[SilentRoamer]

I have a 1st/1st uncorrected hardback God Emperor of Dune which I found in a charity store - wonder how much one of those would be worth.

 

[SilentRoamer]

Also - the Folio Society Dune is a lovely book, £100 well spent.

 

[Bick]

I have a 1st/1st uncorrected hardback God Emperor of Dune which I found in a charity store - wonder how much one of those would be worth.

Much less, I bought one of these a couple of years ago for about $40.

My Dune books, all HB 1st Eds, except Dune itself, which is a nice matching edition from Putnum, and the Messiah is actually a book club 1st edition, I believe, though it's pretty much identical to the rare true 1st/1st, and still cost me about $90 as I recall:

 

[SilentRoamer]

@Bick I bought it from a charity store, for the grand price of £0.33 (3 for £1). I actually knew straight away by the way the margins were so large that it was an uncorrected proof. I told her it might be worth something and her response was "please darling, you seem to really appreciate it, it will only be left for someone else, you should buy it and take it home"

I felt so guilty I took them a huge stack of kids toys after a big clearout a few weeks later including a large wooden childs kitchen that was pretty much mint condition. The ladyt recognised me and had a cheeky smirk.

 

[BAYLOR]

At the very least , read the first book .

 

[Boaz]

SPOILER ALERT.

I agree.

I read it in the summer of 1984. I enjoyed the large geo-political scope.

It is among the more intriguing half of the books (which were not assigned in school and in which I did not have an interest) that I've read just to be able to speak semi-intelligently aboout them or at least say that I've read them. Some of the others.... War and Peace, The Good Earth, The Mayor of Casterbridge, A Tale of Two Cities, The Eye of the World, Pride and Predjudice, A Pilgrim's Progress, The Sun Also Rises, Cat's Cradle, 1984, The World According to Garp, A Wrinkle in Time, Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone (I prefer the Philosopher's Stone, but I read what I read)...while The Book Thief and One Hundred Years of Solitude are up next.... You know what I'm saying.... it can be a chore to just get through some books while some are suprisingly great.

Anyway, I reread Dune in 2021. I was stunned at how quickly Paul accepted the prophecy and embraced his fulfillment of it. It was much darker than I'd remembered. I enjoyed the story, but I did not relate deeply with any of the characters.

I see Dune as a major inspiration for George Martin's Westeros. Sure the War of the Roses York-Lancaster fight can be seen in the Stark-Lannister clash, but the Atreides-Harkonnen war is just as important. The arcs of Leto and Eddard are similar. The story of Catelyn leading Robb to war and her worry of his romance with Jeyne recalls Jessica, Paul and Chani. The maesters of Westeros echo the Mentats of the Imperium. Worms.... dragons. Prophecy and lost tales.

I also see Dune as a major inspiration for Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn books. Sanderson plays upon the fictional books introductions for each chapter to set up a certain expectation. Ecology, prophecy, and the ingestion of specific materials empowers superhuman abilities.

The themes of the environment, protection of ecology, prophecy, teenage heroes, geo-political machinations, global economics, and ethno-religious diversity and identity are not new themes but all have been used repeatedly since. It's easy to similarties.

I am glad that I reread it though I don't see myself reading Dune again. I do see it as a solid piece in the history of sci-fi.