Dune, The Butlerian Jihad
OK, so I have not been great about blogging. At all. Like my journal, I'm going to try it again. and probably again and again and again.
I just finished The Butlerian Jihad, the first in the second set of two Dune prequel series in order of writing, but the first to occur chronologically in the Dune Universe. Think the Star Wars episode that would occur if George Lucas were to document Qui-Gon Jin's initial discovery of his Midiclorian infestation.
I've had it sitting on my desk at work and I have comments such as "the author should have stuck to Star Wars novels" and "Brian Herbert is a disgrace to his father's legacy." It certainly is not up to the standards of Frank Herbert and the original Dune series, but I can't honestly say that all of the books in the original series are up to the standards of Frank Herbert and the original series.
The writing was acceptable, if aiming a few school years below the original Dune. It's above newspaper level, but not much. The story is somewhat predictable (perhaps because it is a prequel :P) and I find it curious that <spoiler>10,000 years before the events in the original series all of the interesting technologies, spice, and political upheaval affecting the future storyline occur within the span of about twenty five years</spoiler>.
Having said all of that, I did fly through it. It was a light, enjoyable read if you like formulaic science fiction (which I have a sweet tooth for) with a gratuitously violent antagonist. I think I was supposed to see a moral dilemma or at least consider the cosmic subjectivity of morality, but it passed me by. In any case, it made me want to go back and read the original series so it can't be all that bad.
... or maybe I just need to wash the stink off.
I just finished The Butlerian Jihad, the first in the second set of two Dune prequel series in order of writing, but the first to occur chronologically in the Dune Universe. Think the Star Wars episode that would occur if George Lucas were to document Qui-Gon Jin's initial discovery of his Midiclorian infestation.
I've had it sitting on my desk at work and I have comments such as "the author should have stuck to Star Wars novels" and "Brian Herbert is a disgrace to his father's legacy." It certainly is not up to the standards of Frank Herbert and the original Dune series, but I can't honestly say that all of the books in the original series are up to the standards of Frank Herbert and the original series.
The writing was acceptable, if aiming a few school years below the original Dune. It's above newspaper level, but not much. The story is somewhat predictable (perhaps because it is a prequel :P) and I find it curious that <spoiler>10,000 years before the events in the original series all of the interesting technologies, spice, and political upheaval affecting the future storyline occur within the span of about twenty five years</spoiler>.
Having said all of that, I did fly through it. It was a light, enjoyable read if you like formulaic science fiction (which I have a sweet tooth for) with a gratuitously violent antagonist. I think I was supposed to see a moral dilemma or at least consider the cosmic subjectivity of morality, but it passed me by. In any case, it made me want to go back and read the original series so it can't be all that bad.
... or maybe I just need to wash the stink off.
Labels: Books, Brian Herbert, Dune
posted by GB at 8:24 AM
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