# Dune: what novels should I read? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [September 29, 2020, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-what-novels-should-i-read/921845 "2020-09-29T23:01:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2020, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-what-novels-should-i-read/921845/42 "2020-12-04T16:30:55Z")
I’ll return to say I read the first, and am not feeling super motivated to pick up the second. I’m not opposed and I might when I whittle down my reading stack, but it’s pretty low on the list. > [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > One thing I did not expect, and did not remember from the last time I read it, was how the quality of the description and plot went downhill, around the time Paul becomes Muad’Dib. I had the same reaction. Whereas before I was eagerly reading, this marked the point where I started checking how many pages I had left. I’m not sure if it’s entirely due to the writing dropping in quality, or because it’s about the time that Paul starts showing himself to be an asshole. > [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I read the first book in high school and liked it a lot; read it again recently and it didn’t hold up all that well. Great worlds-building and nifty concepts, but very poor characterization and clunky dialogue. And this too. I guess I’m the triplet to you and **Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle**. The politics, the Guild, the Bene Gesserit, sandworms and spice - it was all wonderful and imaginative and original. But it just bogged down in too many places. I remember seeing the David Lynch movie when it came out and thinking how stupid all the inner monologue sounded in the voiceovers. Reading Dune a second time, I realize that it was a pretty accurate reflection of the book. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2020, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-what-novels-should-i-read/921845/43 "2020-12-04T20:22:19Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I’ll return to say I read the first, and am not feeling super motivated to pick up the second. I’m not opposed and I might when I whittle down my reading stack, but it’s pretty low on the list. I saw your reply and started laughing, because I was **so** excited to start _Dune Messiah_, after recently finishing _Dune_, despite what I wrote about the plot and detail going downhill. I got about fifteen pages in, Life briefly intervened, and I haven’t picked _Messiah_ back up since. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2020, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-what-novels-should-i-read/921845/44 "2020-12-05T01:19:53Z")
Start with ‘Dune’ and keep reading until you don’t want to read them any more… ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2020, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-what-novels-should-i-read/921845/45 "2020-12-05T04:27:08Z")
Uhhh, I kinda feel that way already and I’m maybe 1/4 through Dune. Will it pay off? Does anything… you know, happen? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2020, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-what-novels-should-i-read/921845/46 "2020-12-05T04:30:10Z")
I"m afraid that was my reaction as well. I don’t think I was able to get through the first novel. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2020, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-what-novels-should-i-read/921845/47 "2020-12-05T18:46:46Z")
I would definitely finish the first novel, if you possibly can. Stuff _does_ happen. Despite my criticisms upthread, I do believe that the original book is worth reading. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2020, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-what-novels-should-i-read/921845/48 "2020-12-05T19:03:10Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Uhhh, I kinda feel that way already and I’m maybe 1/4 through Dune. Will it pay off? Does anything… you know, happen? I’ll support you here. Time is short, and this is supposed to be entertainment, right? We don’t have to read this for some work assignment or other thing? So, why waste time if you’re not liking it? Where are you in the book? If Paul and the rest are already on Arrakis, and have experienced things in their new house, and you still don’t like it? It’s not going to get better for you. Maybe stick it out until the big dinner scene in the house? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dune-what-novels-should-i-read/921845.md?page=2)