# The recent "Dune" prequels (open spoilers!)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [March 2, 2006, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772 "2006-03-02T16:39:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2006, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/1 "2006-03-02T16:39:29Z")
I liked Frank Herbert’s original _Dune_ very much, but didn’t care much at all for the later books in the series.
Now I see that Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson have written a bevy of prequels: _House Atreides, House Harkonnen, House Corrino, The Butlerian Jihad, The Machine Crusade_, and _The Battle of Corrin_.
Are any of them any good? Do they emulate Frank Herbert’s writing style at all? Are they consistent with the original author’s “canon” (if there is such a thing)?
Use as many spoilers as you like. The stack of books I wanna read is tall enough that I’ll have forgotten any spoilers by the time I get around to reading any of the Herbert & Anderson books (if you think I even should).
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### Author:  [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/2 "2006-03-02T16:56:10Z")
Of the prequels, I enjoyed the Houses most, the Butlerian Jihad series was mostly rubbish in my mind. I don’t know about the writing styles, no differences really jumped out at me - but then I wasn’t looking.
The easiest way to handle it is to put the original Dunes in a box on a shelf and then read those. Keep in mind the same universe, sort of. He explains some things which shouldn’t be known prior to the Dune series and stuff.
I’d say read the House Atreides, House Harkonnen, House Corrino series, one at a time and if you’re happy keep going - but don’t force yourself too. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/3 "2006-03-02T16:56:19Z")
[I haven’t heard good things.(mildly NSFW)](http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/10/15)
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### Author:  [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/4 "2006-03-02T17:00:30Z")
Oh jeez I had forgotten that one.
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### Author:  [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2006, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/5 "2006-03-02T17:02:56Z")
As someone who has read some of KJA’s Star Wars books (back in the day), his writing can only be described as “crappy” if one is in a generous mood.
And the guy is a dick, too.
-Joe
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### Author:  [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/6 "2006-03-02T17:03:48Z")
I only read _House Atreides_… and thought that it wasn’t fit to line a bird cage, so I gave it to my brother. He still hasn’t forgiven me.
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### Author:  [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2006, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/7 "2006-03-02T17:09:13Z")
I also liked the House series, though it is not as good as Dune. Skip the Butlerian Jihad series altogether. Everyone would be better off forgetting that series ever happened.
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### Author:  [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/8 "2006-03-02T17:20:38Z")
I haven’t bothered with _The Butlerian Jihad, The Machine Crusade_ or \* The Battle of Corrin\*.
I have to say I quite liked the others, or at least I didn’t hate them and finished all three, but I’m one of those people who found the last 2 _Dune_ books almost unreadable, and really only enjoyed _Dune_ itself.
The writing style can be clunky at times, but no more so than Frank Herbert at his worst. Come on, a lot of his characters are one-dimensional ciphers by the end.
Herbert and Anderson do their best to try and tie up loose ends- sometimes too neatly, sometimes in ways you’re pretty sure Frank Herbert wouldn’t approve of, but the books have a solid plot and know where they’re going.
OK, they’re not going to win any literary awards, and if you’re an obsessive _Dune_ fanboy you won’t like them, but if you just thought _Dune_ was a good Sci-Fi, but a bit confusing, and want some backstory and more explanation, then you should give them a go.
Try your local library or secondhand book shop and get _House Atreides_- all you have to lose is an hour or two of your life if you don’t like it!
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### Author:  [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/9 "2006-03-02T17:58:40Z")
> [@irishgirl](#):
>
> I haven’t bothered with _The Butlerian Jihad, The Machine Crusade_ or \* The Battle of Corrin\*.
>
> I have to say I quite liked the others, or at least I didn’t hate them and finished all three, but I’m one of those people who found the last 2 _Dune_ books almost unreadable, and really only enjoyed _Dune_ itself.
>
> The writing style can be clunky at times, but no more so than Frank Herbert at his worst. Come on, a lot of his characters are one-dimensional ciphers by the end.
>
> Herbert and Anderson do their best to try and tie up loose ends- sometimes too neatly, sometimes in ways you’re pretty sure Frank Herbert wouldn’t approve of, but the books have a solid plot and know where they’re going.
>
> OK, they’re not going to win any literary awards, and if you’re an obsessive _Dune_ fanboy you won’t like them, but if you just thought _Dune_ was a good Sci-Fi, but a bit confusing, and want some backstory and more explanation, then you should give them a go.
>
> Try your local library or secondhand book shop and get _House Atreides_- all you have to lose is an hour or two of your life if you don’t like it!
+1 Well said **irishgirl** - I agree on all fronts…
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### Author:  [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2006, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/10 "2006-03-02T18:13:35Z")
I read all of them, but didnt spend a dime to do so, just borrowed a copy from a relative.
compared to Dune they are all total fluff, I finish the prequels in a couple days, even rereading Dune takes longer and its a book I have read many times.
I would say its a way to pass the time if you dont have anything better to do but I wouldnt go out of my way to track down a copy. and the Jihad books were definitly the worst of the lot.
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### Author:  [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2006, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/11 "2006-03-02T19:43:24Z")
They read like they were written by two-bit Star Wars fan fiction authors :dubious:
I fully expect them to defile Tolkien next.
**Rosie Gamgee, Shire Warrior Princess** or **Rohan Rider’s Acadamy Saga** will be the inevitable result.
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/12 "2006-03-02T20:11:18Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#):
>
> They read like they were written by two-bit Star Wars fan fiction authors :dubious:
>
> I fully expect them to defile Tolkien next.
>
> **Rosie Gamgee, Shire Warrior Princess** or **Rohan Rider’s Acadamy Saga** will be the inevitable result.
Luckily, Christopher Tolkien actually respects his father’s brainchild, unlike some ungrateful, greedy _momzers_ who shall remain nameless…Brian Herbert!
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### Author:  [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2006, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/13 "2006-03-02T22:46:10Z")
> [@jayjay](#):
>
> Luckily, Christopher Tolkien actually respects his father’s brainchild, unlike some ungrateful, greedy _momzers_ who shall remain nameless…Brian Herbert!
Now we know what Frank was thinking about when he wrote Alia, the Abomination.
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### Author:  [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2006, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/14 "2006-03-02T23:07:17Z")
I get so sick of the Brian Herbert bashing. You try and follow up Frank Herbert’s act! I’m grateful that he’s going to finish the series - I’ve been dying to know what happens next ever since I read Chapterhouse. I’m comfortable with the fact that it’s not going to be perfect - it’s the story itself I’m more interested in. Yeah, Kevin’s a bit of a hack and I do wish he was out of the whole business, but I’ve met Brian and he seems like a perfectly good guy. He was lucky enough to inherit his father’s notes and smart enough to use them. The whole Butlerian Jihad series was terrible, I agree. But to characterize Brian as a money-grubbing hack sullying his father’s good name and masterwork is stupid. I’d much rather he wrote the books than keep it all to himself and leave TRUE Dune fans hanging.
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2006, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/15 "2006-03-02T23:45:54Z")
> [@jayjay](#):
>
> Luckily, Christopher Tolkien actually respects his father’s brainchild, unlike some ungrateful, greedy _momzers_ who shall remain nameless…Brian Herbert!
Well, if Frank had left about a grillion pages of unpublished manuscripts laying around, then Brian could have spent his time editing it and releasing it a bit at a time, just like CJRT did. 😃
Yes, I’ve read the prequels (not horrible, got worse as they went along) and HOMES too. I’m more grateful for CJRT’s efforts than Brian’s by about 10 orders of magnitude.
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### Author:  [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)
#### Post date: [March 3, 2006, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/16 "2006-03-03T00:19:37Z")
The books simply aren’t anything special. They aren’t bad per se, but there’s nothing in them which even momentarily seperates them from the literary mass, except the setting of Dune. So if you go in knowing that it’s not that interesting outside of that, they are alright.
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### Author:  [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)
#### Post date: [March 3, 2006, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-dune-prequels-open-spoilers/346772/17 "2006-03-03T14:04:37Z")
I just picked up House Harkonnen again. I loved it and am enjoying the re-read.