Dune and science fiction

[sarakoth]

One thing I don't really like is the extremely slow pace of technological advancement. The original Dune series takes place about 20000 years in the future. Although it's not surprising mankind under the Old Empire and the Thinking Machines wasn't advancing at all, the 10000 years of Imperial rule didn't do much either. Considering how fast we're advancing today (50 years is enough to change how we live completely) many things remain the same for mellenia in the Dune universe.

 

[Timewalker]

The question of how much mankind advances during which era depends on whether or not you accept the new novels' retconned history of the Butlerian Jihad. Frank Herbert had the major tech/cultural advances happen over a logical time frame of several millennia -- and then it was thousands of years again until Paul Atreides came along. The KJA/BH novels have Norma Cenva invent everything significant within a single century, which blatantly contradicts Frank Herbert's established canon.

So in the real Dune history, Earth was not devastated by nuclear bombs (at least not when KJA/BH said it was, else the people who hammered out the details of the Orange Catholic Bible would not have had anyplace to do their work). Technology was invented by more people than just Norma Cenva, and over a greater, more realistic time frame. The Bene Gesserit existed long before the Jihad.

Actually, it makes sense that technology/major Imperium-wide cultural advances would have plateaued during the Imperium. That's what tends to happen with every Empire, from Earth's Bronze Age to the far future. People have what they need, their technology works well and serves its purpose, and there is no real necessity to push forward. It usually takes a major event or breakthrough to sufficiently shake up society enough to cause really noticeable change. In our own history, that happened with inventions such as the printing press. In Dune history, it happened with the discovery of foldspace technology and understanding of the myriad benefits of consuming the spice.

 

[Spade]

It's just a book. And written decades ago... Not the holy Bible.

Thank you for saying this. Dune is by far my favorite book, but I don't treat it as sacred material.

 

[Cozener]

Thank you for saying this. Dune is by far my favorite book, but I don't treat it as sacred material.

I would agree with that as well. But importantly...Frank Herbert would agree.

 

[Timewalker]

No, it isn't sacred. But it is worthy of more respect than Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert have accorded it.

 

[Jackols]

i adore the dune series, discovered it about 5 months ago, read up as far as the fifth, ready to start chapterhouse within days..**got a little side tracked with a series of vampirism!!**..but absolutely have adored it books so far..i have also got the hunters of dune and sandworms of dune to hand, even reading the reviews which don't sound pleasing, they are here!!

 

[Flavia]

Dune was the best one, and the God Emperor, too.

I never read them in English.

How is Herbert's style in the original?

 

[endless]

I'm starting to read the Messiah. Some people had told me i should read only 'till the 3rd one, so i don't get disappointed at the end... anyway, i'll read them all.

I find amusing the universe FH created in Dune, it's very easy to believe!