Hi, i have read all the Dune books which were written by Herbert. I had no problem with the names or understanding the 1st book. It was nice. During the 2nd book i dont remember if i had any major problems or not. But after that from the 3rd i had to open the net and read a summary of the chapters, or watch a youtube video that summarize the chapters in each book to make it easier to understand. Not all but i had to you know read a chapter, then youtube, then another chapter and again youtube.
But never gave up about it. But for me the 1st one was the best. That one had that adventure feeling about this new planet and new way of life. In the others the planet had no extra danger to offer eventually and it became a story about mankind’s survival, destiny and etc with Leto.
How did others manage? Or anybody had any method to make this easy to read? Or to understand on first read?
by ukselta04
5 Comments
Only liked the first one.
Read the first few when I was younger then came back to finish the rest. It depends on what you’re trying to understand or failing to grasp.
I guess it seems the ins and outs of the plot were a struggle for you. For me the later books felt all over the place and since Herbert was dead by this point I was aware the conclusion wouldn’t be satisfying. Tried to put the “why” in the back of my mind and enjoy the ride.
I was lost when I read the original Dune a jillion years ago when I was in college. I don’t remember having any problems reading Children of Dune.
I re-read the original trilogy around three years ago. At the time, I concluded that I’d read Messiah and Children for the last time. Dune is a stand-alone perfect book.
A lot of it is intentionally hard to understand. Even in the first one. Also Herbert is not the most expert writer and it shows sometimes.
The story in the later books increasingly play out in characters heads entirely. So there is less actual events to follow.
Read the Butlerian Jihad. It’s about humanity’s fight against the thinking machines … the origin of the Dune timeline. *That* is a masterpiece.