Book Review: The Winds of Dune
Book: The Winds of Dune
ISBN-10: 978-0765322722
Author: Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
Series: Heroes of Dune interquel tetralogy
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Science Fiction/ Space Opera
Release: August 4, 2009
Length: 448 pages (Hardcover)
Rating: B
Verdict
It’s astonishing how seamlessly Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson have matched the tone and technique of Frank Herbert. Both the best and worst that can be said of The Winds of Dune is that is that it fits seamlessly into the original Dune series, flawlessly mimicking its style. Which is to say that Dune fans are going to rave about it, while casual readers are likely to shelf it for future use as a sleeping aide.
That’s always been true of the Dune series, though. Dune has been the series that separates out the hardcore science fiction aficionados from the tourists since it first became a series with the release of Dune Messiah. However, even those who have had difficulty reading beyond Children of the Dune (which is were most casual readers stop reading the series), are going to want to pick up this volume. It isn’t as difficult a read as most of the books of the original series, and it features blessedly few character rants. Plus, it goes a long way towards reconciling Dune’s single most glaring fault – the disconnect between the honorable character of Paul Atreides and the brutality of the Jihad he launches.
If you finished and enjoyed the first three books of Herbert’s original series, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up to complete the picture. The four books form quite a tidy story line all on their own, without the rapidly expanding labyrinth of other books being released into the series.
-
Pros: Puts some nice finishing touches on the Paul’s role in the Dune series.
Cons: No matter how they advertise it, the Dune series is never going to be about excitement, at best, it’s sci-fi’s answer to a political thriller.
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