Dune

There’s a lot to like about this book. Seriously, a lot. But full disclosure, I picked this up because I saw pictures of Timothee Chalomet and Zendaya starring in a film adaptation of the novel. So, I had to get ready…

Frank Herbert is a master world-builder. You’ve got an entire universe with its own political system, history, and a religious life that is tangible. You may not understand the ins and outs of those things, but you know they’re real.

You have a powerful protagonist, a fascinating antagonist, and a bevy of intriguing supporting characters. Truly, there’s not one character that I didn’t want to read more of. From Paul (obviously) to Lady Jessica to Chani to the the Harkonnen’s and even to Princess Irulan, every character draws you in a little deeper.

But this book has shortcomings as well. It takes a long time to get into. And look, I get that sci-fi/fantasy novels have a learning curve as you get accustomed to the verbiage and the tone, but this one felt especially slow to pick up.

Second, and this is perhaps my biggest problem with the book, is the constant head-hopping. Experiencing the same scene from different character’s point of views in back-to-back paragraphs is disorienting. I want to say I got used to it, but I didn’t. Still, it’s extremely well-written, despite the inconsistent POV..

But what I loved about this book is that I got to watch a story unfold through the eyes of a Messiah. I won’t spoil the book, but Paul is no Jesus, and that makes me even more curious about the rest of the series.

Will I push through the head-hopping to keep reading? Maybe.

Favorite Quote

When religion and politics travel in the same cart, the riders believe nothing can stand in their way. Their movement becomes headlong—faster and faster and faster. They put aside all thought of obstacles and forget that a precipice does not show itself to the man in a blind rush until it’s too late.