Children of Dune: Deluxe Hardcover Edition

One of my faves. It sets the scene for God Emperor of Dune. Leto takes on the burden his father could not. Avoiding that role would have doomed humanity to face once again an enemy hostile to humankind. One that they thought they had defeated. Great lines and a novel of profound familial love and love of leadership.

“Power attracts the psychotics. Always. That’s what we have to avoid within ourselves.” In this one we get another time jump and the twins are now nine although in reality they seem much older. I think it was often hard to forget that they were only nine until someone referred to them as a child. Once you read this one I think Dune Messiah makes more sense and can be appreciated just a little bit more. In this one we start to see just how far Paul's religion has failed and how complacent the Fremen are starting to become. The twins have come up with a rather intense plan that I have to admit I didn't understand at all until the very end when it was explained but holy cow. Alia's storyline in this one was interesting I think just because we got to see a bit of what could happen to those who are preborn like the twins. The Preacher was an interesting addition in this story because he went against all of the things that Paul taught. He didn't feel like a super important character for most of the story though in my opinion at least not until the end. We get Lady Jessica back in the story as an active participant this time. She seems to be back to her Bene Gesserit roots in this one and she returns to Arrakis! We also get some new House Corrino members who are wanting the throne back. We also get some old favorites who seem to be a bit different which connects to all the various changes happening around them. I think I really loved how much this one felt like Dune with all the political scheming. I mean like every single character is working some angle. I loved how much we weren't told until the end. I also enjoyed all the plots within plots. We had spies and double agents. I honestly think this one was really engaging. I wish the twins were older characters just because they act older and sometimes it confuses me. I loved that we start to see how a religion can begin to unravel so easily once it's in the wrong hands. I mean without Paul around things have gone so far to the extreme and the Fremen have become so different. The twins have a plot to fix things and I wasn't expecting it to be honest. However, it does make perfect sense once it begins to be explained. I loved seeing just how different Ghani and Leto became as they encountered different journeys in this book. I look forward to seeing how the scheming plays out in the next book. I love that this series has consumed me so completely when it's not something I would normally read. It's been a wild ride and honestly it's an amazing story if you are willing to let yourself get immersed in the characters and the world. It can at times be a bit overwhelming and confusing but it always becomes clear in the end.

I think I just keep reading these books because they offer my mind an exercise. The writing is so poetic and ethereal that it takes me to another world. Frank Herbert's unique voice and one of a kind tone are hypnotizing. The whole experience is like grasping at a dream. Every step gets you closer and yet every step takes you farther away. Toward what? The Golden Path maybe? In this, the third in the epic Dune series, we follow the story of Paul Atreides' twin children Ghanima and Leto Jr. These are not average children. They were conscious inside the womb and have the memories of thousands of people including their mother, father, and grandmother. The key to this is a combination of genetic manipulation from thousands of years of breeding programs and a high dose of melange, the addictive substance that in the right circumstance can unlock the secrets of consciousness and time. Ghanima and Leto are the heirs to the Empire that their father left behind, possibly dead but maybe not. Before Ghanima and Leto can take the throne they have to contend with everyone thinking they are the age they look, as well as their aunt Alia who is the regent in control of the empire and doesn't want to give it up, as well as a growing plot from the Corrino Family who was displaced by Paul Atreides when he took over Arrakis in the first book. To make matters worse the Preacher is running around sowing doubt about the moral authority of Alia and the path that the government is taking the people down. As the fight for the Empire rages on a new threat emerges from the sand. A threat that is destroying the infrastructure that has brought water to the desert planet and is creating a new mythology. Is it a god or just another passing contender? If you like epic sci-fi worlds with fantasy elements and can handle diving into a world with its culture and language then I recommend reading the Dune books. Obviously, you have to start with the first one but once you get into this epic story it does not disappoint. It continues to intrigue and mystify. The series is like the additive melange. While it might be confusing at times its allure is undeniable.

Frank Herbert wrote parts of Children of Dune and Dune Messiah before he’d even finished Dune, he says, in the afterword (the tail end of the e-book). Children of Dune vests the trilogy, pays off the conflicts and themes he wove into one of the best works of literature in the canon, one that ought be taught in schools as much for his attention to the detail of ecology as for his lean grasp of politics and economics. This book was written by someone who really “got it”, whatever that might mean to you. Herbert deftly spins the threads that make up this grand tapestry, through innovative world-building, expert use of language (especially Arabic and the structures of messianic Abrahamic theology), and by giving us characters that are as much magic prophets with superpowers as they are people in extraordinary situations making the best decisions they can with what they have. A particularly exquisite touch is the paragraphs seemingly written by the main characters long after the story concludes about the events of that chapter. For me, this goes down as one of my favorite books. The issues Frank Herbert identifies - a people trapped in a feudal serfdom, superstition precluding understanding, climate change, the machinations of the political class, and the dependence of an economy, planetary or galactic, on a rare commodity. On that last point, Herbert wrote that he meant for water on Arrakis, and spice galactically, to be a stand-in for oil. The wars and schemes over this most precious commodity, with great powers fearful of changes in its price and instability in its supply, with Machiavellian treachery behind the scenes, should result for us, the people of 2020. To stray back to Dune Messiah, I should hope the so-called populist swept to power to clean up a stagnant ruling class should resonate as well, for all of us. Nonetheless, this book remains vital, and inspiring, a work about people who realize where the greatest food is, what they’ll have to sacrifice to make the world a better place for everyone, and a meditation on the importance of long-term planning in doing so.

Fantastic story telling, with smooth interweaving of lore and world building. Frank Herbert takes his writing style to the next level in this installment of the Dune Saga and introduces a set of new heroes ready to take on their own odyssey! I have to say though, Alia, in the original work here is way more obnoxious, heartless and I honestly couldn't have cared less for her in Herbert's original portrayal versus the mini series adaption. Herbert made a great villain out of her and he ensures justice is served to her by the end of this chapter in Dune. Another amazing thing about book three is that it provides ample examples where Herbert makes it clear that Paul is not a Tyrant and he did NOT approve of the Jihad. There's examples of this in Messiah as well, but I think what a lot of modern audiences fail to understand is that the modern (Villnueve) adaption is not cannon and not accurate to the characters or the original work/message of Herbert. Any and all of those people who have that perspective should definitely read, at least, up to this book, in the series. Because if nothing else, if modern audiences think Paul is bad... they obviously haven't heard of Leto II or aren't familiar enough with his story to know just how Tyrannical he is, next to his father. Amazing work by Herbert, can't wait to read the next one!

Once more an empire stands on the brink of revolution. Alia rules as regent, but without her brother’s gift of prescience she is forced to rely on more mundane methods to cling to power, while voices from the past return to oppose her. Elsewhere House Corrino sets their own plan in motion, preying on the discontent in a vain hope to reclaim their throne. And in the center of it all, Paul’s children, Leto and Ghani. As pre-born they came into the world fully aware, containing echoes of every ancestor, a multitude that they must overcome if they are to have any hope of undoing the fate forced upon mankind by their father’s prescience. A series of character vignettes ease audiences back into the familiar world of Dune, setting the stage for a complex web of political intrigue. Within each chapter details are carefully doled out, making a minor mystery of the context, before giving way to dialogue and monologue driven scenes. Audiences are challenged to read between the lines and make their own conclusions about the characters, who speak with many layers of meaning. At times the diverse plots can be a little daunting. Chapters rarely offer more than a scant reference to what’s come before. Instead they consistently plough ahead, engaging a variety of philosophical questions about the moral and utilitarian nature of existence, as well as the burdens of knowledge and duty. Alternating perspectives counterbalance the slow pacing of the narrative, and offer opposing views on the underlying issues. Characters are recognized as both sympathetic and callous, though gradually characters are cast as either villain or hero, paving the way for an ending that is satisfying, if a little anticlimactic, and leaves much unanswered. A strong waypoint that paves a new path for the rest of the series. +Strong Ideas +Strong, Complex Characters *Slow, dialogue driven plot *Challenging Writing *Regularly alternating between numerous perspectives 4/5

Personally, Dune Messiah is my favorite in the series. I took a break between the books so that I could fully digest the great majesty that was Dune Messiah in all its brilliance. But when I picked up Children of Dune, it felt like coming home again. It is Dune and Dune Messiah almost combined elementally. Nothing compares to Frank Herbert's brilliant writing style. His philosophies sprinkled throughout the plot is always a treat just like in Dune & Dune Messiah. The return of Lady Jessica was one of the most exciting parts for me. That, and the mystery behind The Preacher (even though we all know who it is, it's fun nonetheless when it's confirmed). After dealing with the tragedy of Paul Muad'Dib in Dune Messiah, we now have to deal with the tragedy that is Alia. Your heart goes out to her. She is left to deal with the consequences of being a Pre-born "Abomination," when the memories of those from the past start to fight for consciousness or control of her awareness (essentially, possession from an ancestor). Alia is all alone since Paul walked blindly into the desert to die, and their mother abandoned them on Arrakis to preserve herself on Caladan. And when Lady Jessica is finally to return, it's far too late, and she is supposedly working with the Bene Gesserit again (the very group of people who condemned Alia as "abomination" and being "possessed" even before she was born)! So Alia can't trust her own mother, the twins and her husband, Duncan Idaho, are powerless to help her. You're practically watching a woman being drowned to death in her thoughts, memories, and despair until she has completely lost her identity. The once-great Alia that you knew in Dune & Dune Messiah, is no more. Leto is a bit of an oddball, but he's special for that reason because he's about to make a decision that will change the course of human history, and the survival of the human race depends on it. Leto finally sees and understands what his father Paul Muad'Dib was running from. The Golden Path is realized to save humanity, but it will require a sacrifice far greater than anyone could comprehend. Children of Dune is definitely worth the read in the grand scheme of things. Enjoyable read.

I'm sure the book is great, but they are selling this as a paperback when it's mass market. It doesn't match my set now, so I have to return it.

Delivery was prompt however when i received the book, it was in a bad condition. Have requested for a replacement, hopefully this can be resolved.

The Children of Dune is the third book in the Dune series by Frank Herbert. The book focuses on Paul Atriedes children Leto and Ghanima as they find themselves in the midst of power struggles among various factions. This is another engaging book in the Dune Saga. Paul's story more or less ends in the previous book Dune Messiah as this book is about the fate of his children and the empire while laying the groundwork for the next book God Emperor of Dune. Highly recommended for Dune fans and sci-fi fans.

Exactly as advertised and expected

Ótimo

Quelle lecture passionnante! Plongée dans un univers très élaboré, avec l'écriture riche de Franck Herbert. Un best off de à l'intersection entre heroic fantasy, sci-fi et fantastique. Une lecture qui est immersive, que l'on ait visionné les films avant ou après la découverte des romans originaux. A lire et relire.