Dune Messiah

The present book is one of my all time favorites regardless of genre! I've read it more than a dozen times since the first time I did it in the late `60s. Then I proceed to read every new book of the series as soon as published, treasuring the six original in my library. It was a sad day for me when I read Frank Herbert's obituary. Frank Herbert (1920-1986) wrote masterpiece "Dune" (1965), generating a recognizable turning point in sci-fi literature. The variety of themes he touched influenced many genre authors thereafter: ecology, political-religious interaction, genetic manipulation, longevity drugs and secret sisterhoods and brotherhoods. Dune's universe is fascinating not only as the backdrop to the present story but for all the other issues that are glimpsed in each chapter heading. This thematic richness allows Frank's son nowadays to produce prequel trilogies deploying those implied scenarios and also extend his father uncompleted saga. The story is as follows. The Scenery. There is a Galactic Empire ruled by the Emperor. There are powerful Noble Houses that rule different planetary systems and confront each other in endless struggle, yet subject to strict rules. There is a Guild of interstellar Pilots. There is the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood following their eugenic plans and playing in backstage as advisors to all powers. Computers & AI are forbidden and replaced by human-computers called Mentat. Arrakis is Desert Planet inhabited by fanatical desert dwellers: the Fremen. The Conflict. Noble House Atreides is forced out of its Home system under Emperor's command and ordered to take care of the planet Arrakis. It is a two edged task in one hand Arrakis is the only galactic source of "Mélange" a drug that prolongs human life AND allows pilots of the Guild to conduct foldspace traveling ships. Controlling the planet is of supreme importance. In the other hand Noble House Harkonnen, Atreides' ancestral enemy, was in command of Arrakis and Duke Leto Atreides suspects a trap was laid by them to ruin his House. The Adventure. As soon as the Atreides set foot on Arrakis conflicts erupt. Paul, Duke Leto's son & heir, seems to immediately adapt to this planet conditions. After several issues that I will not disclose, Paul and his mother are left isolated in deep desert. There the will meet the Fremen and their Destiny! I recommend this book to sci-fi lovers and general public too. I will characterize "Dune" as unforgettable, outstanding and amazing. Do not let it pass by unnoticed! Reviewed by Max Yofre.

As many have noted, this second work veers into an entirely new direction than the first book. Whereas "Dune" reeked of war and heroism and epic events on a grand scale, this one is more intimate, almost inwardly perspective. It is not in any way a clone of the first novel but a continuation of the story.The operative word is in the title, "Messiah". Both the first and the second novels are presentations of the hope of almost every ancient civilization: A mighty man of goodness will appear and smite the sinners while elevating the downtrodden. The way this prophecy coincides with the ancient breeding program of the Bene Geseret witches is the heart of the first novel. Although the author obviously favors Arabic/Islamic motifs, the personal story of Paul is more that of Jesus than Mohammed...the curious birth, the one who does not understand his own mission, the teacher and alas, the one who dies for the sins of the world.Like all Messiahs, the teachings are sublimated as the focus of the cult becomes the person. Despite protests, the object of worship becomes the man himself. Casual sayings are codified into a creed that followers misinterpret or translate to support an existing structure. This path may be inevitable since it is far easier to worship someone that follow their advice. Paul, like Mohammed, excels in bloodshed and his adopted Fremen have conquered the Universe in a Holy War to end all wars. The old adage, "An evil act is justified by its ultimate goal, " plays out repeatedly in this novel. The Fremen have their Messiah yet nothing really changes, people are still the same inside - only the externals have varied.The palace intrigues are more subtle, the dialogue elevated to a new plane, the philosophical arena larger. Like Islam, the cult becomes a hereditary institution whose power remains in the family. Once again, the story of the witches captivates and enthralls and ones attitude toward Paul's siter becomes one of pity at her helplessness.This is not an easy book to start out with but a necessary one for the series itself.

One of the problems with a sequel is that it must contend with the preconceptions of readers, who have ideas about where the plot should go. Never mind what the author thinks, thank you very much. In this case, the handicap is what we think Should Happen to Paul after all he's gone through in Dune. Isn't this the time for them to ride off into the sunset? It would be really great to think that he is a wonderful guy, marries Chani and lives happily ever after. A lot of the reviews of this second volume in the encyclopedic Dune series seem to yearn for it. Sorry, we have to disappoint you.Imagine for a moment that you are the son of a pretty influential guy, that you are pretty happy in your present home, and dad's boss sends him on a wild goose chase after a fortune, hoping, no Planning, that you fail, in order that he can secure a fortune, kill your whole family, and discredit your name forever. Now imagine that you narrowly escape, head off to exile where you are treated with suspicion, alternately an outsider and then as a god. In taking your revenge, you acquire the most important commodity in the universe, and you acquire the status of cult hero living god and emperor of the universe. Do you really think that you would be Mr. Nice Guy after all that? If one looks at Dune in this light, what happens in this sequel, Dune Messiah seems right. Your relcuctant bride, Irulan, is sure to be bitter, and want only to be the bearer of the next emperor. If you are Bene Geserit, you would do anything to interfere with Paul. If you are from one of the conquered worlds, you very likely not be happy about this bitter guy being emperor. If you are of the spacing guild you won't be happy about him having control of the spice. If you are a Paul disciple, you are going to die for him and the heck with anyone else. Thus the fight card is set: Paul and his cult vs. all his detractors, virtually everyone in the universe. Mr. Herbert gives us the blow-by-blow in a relatively compact synopsis.Perhaps the above is a bit too obtuse. Suffice it to say that if you expect to find Mr. Wonderful hero in this, you should look elsewhere. Likewise if you need a warm and fuzzy romance or a shootemup space opera, you may not want to venture here. But if you want to explore the logical consequences of the price of power, and the bitterness it generates, this is just the ticket. I have read and reread this series at different times of my life, and each time am amazed at what I find new in each reading. Mr. Herbert holds up well beside so-called "legitimate" authors, and is head and shoulders above most of our current fantasy crop. Read this book and the rest of the series with an open mind and be amazed.

Dune Messiah suffers in the general consensus from being plot-driven and extremely complex; for readers who take the time and effort to delve into its themes and characters, it is one of the greatest sci-fi books of all time. Messiah is not so much a sequel to Dune as it is a companion; it is impossible to fully understand the themes, motivations, and implications of the original Dune (or any of the others, even) without reading and comprehending Dune Messiah. Herbert takes his average hero from the first book and shapes him into a realistic, faulted human -- ironic considering Paul's decidedly abnormal powers. Finally, we see Muad'dib as he really is: torn by his position as emperor, cursed by his vision of the future, yet still capable of his duties to kingdom and family. His ultimate fate sums up a masterful, twisted analogy to the life of Christ. This is also the incredible origin of Duncan...the Duncan you will come to know throughout the other books. Messiah is not for the faint of heart though. If you can't handle a lot of philosophy, just keep walking. Some points in Dune Messiah are so profound that I had to quit reading and just spend a couple minutes thinking about what Herbert means. What a rare treat that is; I can honestly say that Dune Messiah changed the way I think about things, about life. If you give it a chance, it may just do the same for you.