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austengal's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Author was homophobic when creating the baron, merging pedophilia with homosexuality when they are not the same.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Pedophilia
jesselopod's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This is an interesting story, very political, and I can certainly see how it greatly influenced other works that came after it. I did find some things really hard to appreciate. Firstly, and perhaps this is of its time, the villainous characters were really portrayed as evil through largely physical traits. Fatphobia, eunuch's, and pedophilia (though in a way which continually demonised the homosexuality and not the fact that they were minors as the issue) were used as ways to portray the character rather than their actions. I found that incredible uncreative and it frustrated me when so much attention was put into the creation of so many other characters. Secondly, the internal struggled the characters faced seemed to be very repetitive and never really reached a resolution.
The audiobook version I listened to was atrociously performed. The accents were inconsistent from the narrator, and it jumped randomly between voice acting from American actors and the British narrator doing totally different characterisation. It made it really hard to connect with the story. Is the villain a bumbling wheezy idiot or are they a deep voiced conniving political mastermind? I think they should have either had it all acted or all narrated but not both, and the narrator needed to work out how he was playing different characters. There were also moments where it felt like the story skipped, but I have no idea if that is because it is an abridged version or not. It’s a good tale, but the voice acting really didn’t do it any favours.
The audiobook version I listened to was atrociously performed. The accents were inconsistent from the narrator, and it jumped randomly between voice acting from American actors and the British narrator doing totally different characterisation. It made it really hard to connect with the story. Is the villain a bumbling wheezy idiot or are they a deep voiced conniving political mastermind? I think they should have either had it all acted or all narrated but not both, and the narrator needed to work out how he was playing different characters. There were also moments where it felt like the story skipped, but I have no idea if that is because it is an abridged version or not. It’s a good tale, but the voice acting really didn’t do it any favours.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Pedophilia, and Slavery
cupidnono's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Nono Meter:
Spoilers likely ahead!! ⚠️
- Overall Enjoyment: 35/40
I was a little wary going into this book since I had seen the movies before reading. I thought it would hinder my enjoyment since I already knew what would happen. However, the exact opposite happened. A lot of it has to do with the book versions of the characters and Herbert's prose. This book had me enthralled, even in the slow bits of the book. Overall, I LOVED this read, and I'm intrigued to read the rest of the series. I'd also like to add that I'm slightly turned off by sci-fi for some reason, and this book never ever gave me the mysterious sci-fi ick. I seriously enjoyed every word and page in this book.
- Prose: 12/12
Alrighty, another reason I was wary was how many people discussed Frank Herbert's style of writing. Most people say it's a difficult read, mainly because of narration and how the language is outdated. While I did find myself having a hard time starting up the book, I credited it to pacing, not the Prose. I loved Herbert's head hopping, 3rd person omniscient narration. Most say they don't love it because it gets confusing to read. While I can definitely see that, I personally didn't have an issue with this. As for the outdated diction in the book, I honestly thought it was well suited to the book. Plus, the book was published in '65, so what do you expect going into this. There are so many sections of beautiful description, internal dialogue, and regular dialogue. Seriously, my book is marked up with highlights 😭
- Pacing: 8/12
Alright, I will be the first person to admit DUNE IS SLOWWW, I'll always be honest about that bit. This book is slow and will be a fat read. I'm insane, so I dedicated hours of my time to finishing this book quickly. I will say that even in the slow bits of the book, the prose and characters usually make up for it. However, some of this description does contribute to the slow pacing of the book. All I'm going to say is that the pacing is slow. Could some things be cut? Yeah, probably, but honestly, it depends on the person to see if they'll enjoy the slow bits like I did. I felt it added a sense of immersion, not a lot of books have, but that's just me :))
- Plot: 12/12
Craziest revenge, chosen one type plot out there. The time jumps I wish were a bit more obvious 😭 but that's just me...
- Characters and their dynamics: 11/12
Okay, I LOVE these characters. Primarily Paul and Jessica, specifically Jessica in Part 1. Jessica is such a strong, maternal, feminine figure in literature. Seriously, I have so many quotes from her during her time as "Lady Jessica." Also, the argument scene with Hawat is literally so messy🤭. Jessica went off... Also, Leto doesn't get his own section, but his love for Jessica was so heartwarming a painful at the same time. I loved reading Leto's pov, too, btw. He is a very tragic man who almost knows his own fate but does everything he can to prevent it/hope for a better future. A man who can not bear the thought of his Lover being his betrayer. A man who is happy Paul takes after his mother. A man who finds peace knowing his son and wife are saved while he's used like a puppet in his final moments. Big hearts for Leto and Jessica.
I liked Paul in this MORE, than Paul in the movie. I think he has an aura about him that is more controlled or more competent than movie Paul. Honestly, how the movie changed his character and the plot points, it makes sense why he feels so different. No, but Paul embodies a person of power, yet you get glimpses of his youthful pride at times. He's tragic, he's powerful, and he's a 15 year old determined to avenge his father.
Channi was a bummer to read, I'm actually more than happy with how they changed her character in the movie. She's a bit too devoted, but I can appreciate it to an extent. Paul and Channi, being a mirror to the relationship between Leto and Jessica, hurt my heart, but it had to be done. No, but Channi does feel slightly flat in the book, but I still love her. The final line from Jessica to Channi was fire, btw 🔥
The Baron is a villain I truly DISLIKE, so props to Herbert creating a villain I can actually hate. Too many times do I find the benefit of a doubt for villains in media, and I'm so happy I didn't with the Baron. However, one more description of his baby like features would have killed me 😭
Alia is freaky deaky, that's all I have to say. It's not a bad thing, I actually love it.
- World Building or Immersion: 12/12
Honestly, the dialogue is what hammered in the Immersion for me. I loved the dialogue in this novel. It was usually the fast-paced parts of the book, but it flowed so well. The characters truly reflected their personalities and backgrounds in their speech. It's what made them feel REAL. Also, Herbert's Prose is the real foundation to this!
Nono Meter total = 90%
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Does Nono recommend this?
Yes! Read it!!!!
Who does Nono Recommend this to?
For seasoned readers and sci-fi readers? YES
For new readers? NO
Fast-paced readers? no
Readers who loved in world fictional politics? YES
People who live the drama/serious themes of starwars? YES
People who love the movies and crave more? YES
Themes/Tropes:
Chosen One, Fate, Revenge, political corruption, resistance, oppression, betrayal, dangers of religion, power of religion/faith, duty over love, and probably more I can't think of.
Content Warnings:
Implied S/A and pedophilia.
Violence, but compared to some other things I've read, it's not SUPER graphic 👍
Ps: When I was 15, I was not falling into fate's hands as an all-powerful being with unfathomable power. Nor was I building my religious following alongside my mother. Or even avenging my father, no, instead, I was sitting inside during quarantine eating quesadillas.
Spoilers likely ahead!! ⚠️
- Overall Enjoyment: 35/40
I was a little wary going into this book since I had seen the movies before reading. I thought it would hinder my enjoyment since I already knew what would happen. However, the exact opposite happened. A lot of it has to do with the book versions of the characters and Herbert's prose. This book had me enthralled, even in the slow bits of the book. Overall, I LOVED this read, and I'm intrigued to read the rest of the series. I'd also like to add that I'm slightly turned off by sci-fi for some reason, and this book never ever gave me the mysterious sci-fi ick. I seriously enjoyed every word and page in this book.
- Prose: 12/12
Alrighty, another reason I was wary was how many people discussed Frank Herbert's style of writing. Most people say it's a difficult read, mainly because of narration and how the language is outdated. While I did find myself having a hard time starting up the book, I credited it to pacing, not the Prose. I loved Herbert's head hopping, 3rd person omniscient narration. Most say they don't love it because it gets confusing to read. While I can definitely see that, I personally didn't have an issue with this. As for the outdated diction in the book, I honestly thought it was well suited to the book. Plus, the book was published in '65, so what do you expect going into this. There are so many sections of beautiful description, internal dialogue, and regular dialogue. Seriously, my book is marked up with highlights 😭
- Pacing: 8/12
Alright, I will be the first person to admit DUNE IS SLOWWW, I'll always be honest about that bit. This book is slow and will be a fat read. I'm insane, so I dedicated hours of my time to finishing this book quickly. I will say that even in the slow bits of the book, the prose and characters usually make up for it. However, some of this description does contribute to the slow pacing of the book. All I'm going to say is that the pacing is slow. Could some things be cut? Yeah, probably, but honestly, it depends on the person to see if they'll enjoy the slow bits like I did. I felt it added a sense of immersion, not a lot of books have, but that's just me :))
- Plot: 12/12
Craziest revenge, chosen one type plot out there. The time jumps I wish were a bit more obvious 😭 but that's just me...
- Characters and their dynamics: 11/12
Okay, I LOVE these characters. Primarily Paul and Jessica, specifically Jessica in Part 1. Jessica is such a strong, maternal, feminine figure in literature. Seriously, I have so many quotes from her during her time as "Lady Jessica." Also, the argument scene with Hawat is literally so messy🤭. Jessica went off... Also, Leto doesn't get his own section, but his love for Jessica was so heartwarming a painful at the same time. I loved reading Leto's pov, too, btw. He is a very tragic man who almost knows his own fate but does everything he can to prevent it/hope for a better future. A man who can not bear the thought of his Lover being his betrayer. A man who is happy Paul takes after his mother. A man who finds peace knowing his son and wife are saved while he's used like a puppet in his final moments. Big hearts for Leto and Jessica.
I liked Paul in this MORE, than Paul in the movie. I think he has an aura about him that is more controlled or more competent than movie Paul. Honestly, how the movie changed his character and the plot points, it makes sense why he feels so different. No, but Paul embodies a person of power, yet you get glimpses of his youthful pride at times. He's tragic, he's powerful, and he's a 15 year old determined to avenge his father.
Channi was a bummer to read, I'm actually more than happy with how they changed her character in the movie. She's a bit too devoted, but I can appreciate it to an extent. Paul and Channi, being a mirror to the relationship between Leto and Jessica, hurt my heart, but it had to be done. No, but Channi does feel slightly flat in the book, but I still love her. The final line from Jessica to Channi was fire, btw 🔥
The Baron is a villain I truly DISLIKE, so props to Herbert creating a villain I can actually hate. Too many times do I find the benefit of a doubt for villains in media, and I'm so happy I didn't with the Baron. However, one more description of his baby like features would have killed me 😭
Alia is freaky deaky, that's all I have to say. It's not a bad thing, I actually love it.
- World Building or Immersion: 12/12
Honestly, the dialogue is what hammered in the Immersion for me. I loved the dialogue in this novel. It was usually the fast-paced parts of the book, but it flowed so well. The characters truly reflected their personalities and backgrounds in their speech. It's what made them feel REAL. Also, Herbert's Prose is the real foundation to this!
Nono Meter total = 90%
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Does Nono recommend this?
Yes! Read it!!!!
Who does Nono Recommend this to?
For seasoned readers and sci-fi readers? YES
For new readers? NO
Fast-paced readers? no
Readers who loved in world fictional politics? YES
People who live the drama/serious themes of starwars? YES
People who love the movies and crave more? YES
Themes/Tropes:
Chosen One, Fate, Revenge, political corruption, resistance, oppression, betrayal, dangers of religion, power of religion/faith, duty over love, and probably more I can't think of.
Content Warnings:
Implied S/A and pedophilia.
Violence, but compared to some other things I've read, it's not SUPER graphic 👍
Ps: When I was 15, I was not falling into fate's hands as an all-powerful being with unfathomable power. Nor was I building my religious following alongside my mother. Or even avenging my father, no, instead, I was sitting inside during quarantine eating quesadillas.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault
yzvt's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Misogyny, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Child death, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Slavery, Torture, and Trafficking
jester_k's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
2.5
I wanted to like this mainly because my Dad loved it when he read it as a teen. But the story was so slow-moving that it didn't grip me and I didn't find the glossary til right at the end so a lot of things went way over my head. The Harkonnens are depicted as disgustingly evil but the fact they have slaves and enjoy murder and rape is put on a level with the fact that the Baron is... just fat. It's constantly focused on to show how gross he is and I struggled to enjoy the rest of the book with this deep-seated fatphobia.
Also, Paul starts the book being kind and compassionate and ends up becoming an awful tyrant so I stopped being able to root for him at all. I'm sure that's part of the point but it didn't leave me with any characters to enjoy the perspective of. Then he won and it was mostly just depressing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Moderate: Child death, Death, Drug use, Sexism, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Grief
jonssweater's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Genocide, Mental illness, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, and Gaslighting
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Injury/Injury detail
ambert's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Moderate: Drug use, Racism, Pregnancy, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Child death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, and Excrement
sea_tea_books's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
3.0
The worldbuilding was decent, I can say that much. Otherwise, I felt this was far longer than necessary with too many characters to keep track of. I also found it strange that the author did not explain any backstory for the reader; rather, the story appears to start in the middle.
I would have preferred more information about the technology and engineering of these future civilizations. How did Earthlings go from landing on the moon tointergalactic eugenics and war ? Where was the science in this science fiction?
A lot of heavy themes in this book club pick:religion, addiction, cults, war, politics, misogyny, eugenics, sexual harassment .
Relevant quote:
“When religion and politics travel in the same cart, the riders believe nothing can stand in their way. Their movements become headlong - faster and faster and faster. They put aside all thoughts of obstacles and forget the precipice does not show itself to the man in a blind rush until it's too late.”
Frank Herbert, Dune (Dune, #1), 1965
I would have preferred more information about the technology and engineering of these future civilizations. How did Earthlings go from landing on the moon to
A lot of heavy themes in this book club pick:
Relevant quote:
Frank Herbert, Dune (Dune, #1), 1965
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Pedophilia and Death of parent
Minor: Child death and Incest
regaliaofchaos's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia
The pedophilia and adult/minor relationship do not involve the main character Paulelennadelynn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, and Death of parent
Minor: Pedophilia