I just started reading Herbert’s Dune - the first book. I read sci-fi (spec-fic) regularly but I’ve never gotten around to this novel until now in spite of the dozens of recommendations I’ve had to read it. I haven’t seen the movie either nor have I read much about the Dune series.
I understand that the mythic universe in Dune is pretty complex, complete, and unique – somewhat akin to Tolkien’s LOTR. So, question:
I’ve noticed notes and appendices in the back of the book - should I read these first? Will it help me understand the novel in a first reading, or will it contain spoilers? Also, is there anything that I should know before reading the book that will enrich the experience for me? I don’t want spoilers but I know that there were things that I wish were clearer to me when I read LOTR for instance. I’m not looking for detailed explanations of every little detail either - I can enjoy a book with mystery and intrigue.
If you are unsure whether or not it is a spoiler please don’t post it or please box it - thanks.
I just read it for the first time a couple months ago. I’d say read the appendixes. There’s a lot of weird, unexplained stuff in there that is much clearer after reading the appendixes.
What I did was just read the book like normal but flip to the back when I found a word I didn’t know.
I loved the first Dune book but the rest of them went down hill pretty quickly IMO.
Hmm, now I want to dig out my copy of Dune and re-read it. I just finished The Godfather after being inspired to re-read it by the current thread on it, so why not?
I’d say stay away from the appendices if you can help it, except for the glossary-type stuff. The Dune universe becomes more clear as you get into the story, and I personally found getting aquainted with the place as the tale unfolds a big part of the appeal.
Since I am referencing a specific piece of info given in the back of the book, I guess I have to go dark:
There was one note tucked in the back somewhere: Herbert had been inspired to write “Dune” while on a trip to Eastern Oregon. I wondered throughout my first reading if he was familiar with my favorite region. If I had known the connection while reading it the first time, I think I would have enjoyed it even more.
I agree with this as well. After reading the first, I quickly moved on to the second, and third. It’s been about 15 years since then, so I don’t recall if I read the fourth. Which probably says how much of an impression it made. But the first one is definitely worth reading.
That’s what I did, too (the first time). I have to disagree about them going downhill, though. I thought God Emperor was even better than the first, although I wasn’t too impressed with Messiah.
“Muad’dib” is supposed to be “Mohammed”, and Arrakis is supposed to be Mecca? The middle east did have quite a spice trade going at the time of Mohammed, from what I understand.
The first book is okay by itself, but if you want to get the full story as Herbert intended it, you have to continue on to Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. The three books were concieved by Herbert as one story. The other sequels came along much later.
To put it simply, Herbert said that the main point of the trilogy is that messiahs and heroes *not *good things and that people shouldn’t follow them.
I read the appendices first, then read the book, then waited a few months in slight confusion, and did it all again. I recommend reading the appendices first, in order to get a better understanding of what is going on. Kynes, the planetologist, becomes much clearer, too.
I definitely enjoyed Dune a great deal, and even liked the (newer) Sci-Fi movie version. The David Lynch film was great, in my opinion!
The second book, Dune Messiah, was horrible the first time I read it, and excellent the second time. I’m not sure why that is.
What you **don’t ** want to do is read Frank’s son Brian Herbert’s “prequels” first - apparently they are based on Frank’s notes but lack the elder Herbert’s elegance, and spoil plot elements in a few lines that the original Dune books revealed over several chapters, or an entire book. I’m not a fan of BH’s comparatively amateurish writing style and think he’s done a big disservice to his father’s masterwork. My opinion aside though, seriously if you are going to read the BH books, do so after reading Frank’s original six. The pace of those varies but taken as a whole they are a fascinating work. Couldn’t put them down.
I dont think so although Herbert does draw a lot on words with semetic roots. I think he just draws a lot on the only large sized desert culture there is, that of the Middle East. My jewish friends say that they see Dune as relating to jewish history and the words being of Hebrew origin.
I’d say it depends on just what appendices are in the edition you have. The ones in the edition I read were pretty spoiler free.
OTTOMH- Inkvine- A plant native to Gard’nin Eye’ls. It is popular with sadists everywhere, and the overseers of House Hardcoreponen in particular for use as a whip. Scars caused by these whips are filled with toxins and stingy cells and cause residual pain for the rest of the sufferers life.
Re Hebrew
AFAIK Arrakis is Arabic and means dancer. It’s an actual star. There have been CS threads analysing political allegory in Dune. Short version- Dune=barren desert nobody would care about except for one extremely valuable substance=the Middle East and its oil. The Harkonens=big, oppressive bad guys who want to control the area and its valuable commodity=The Soviets. Atreides=good guys who are trying to make the native government like their own because they’re convinced it’s in the natives’ best interests=The US.
Now-
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You’ll also have to bear in mind that Dune was first written back in 1963. Two of the main themes of the novel, Islamic culture and global ecology, were generally unknown to readers back then. A 21st century reader is going to think that some of Herbert’s writing is a little obvious.
I don’t know how to do the spoiler box thingy, so you’ve been warned:
I think Muad’dib is a bit of a pun. It’s the purely Fremen name for a species of kangaroo mouse, and happens to sound a lot like “maudi” which I believe is Arabic, means roughly “messiah”, comes from the Sunni tradition.
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Little Nemo I didn’t mean to imply that I found Herbert’s writing to be obvious, preachy or anything else. Though I haven’t read any of his son’s prequels (and plenty of folks have advised me not to), I have read from Dune all the way to Chapterhouse: Dune. (Though this was at least a decade ago, so I may have lost some of the details)
AlbertRose First, they call him the Lissan Al Gaib, the voice from the outer worlds.