Dune Series

CAUTION: Book Review with spoilers:

I can finally say I've finished the Dune series.

I read the original some time in High School. My brother and I read the original 3 books (Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune), as well as all the later ones done by Frank Herbert's son, at roughly the same time. I had read the continuation of the classic line (God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune, and Chapterhouse) by Frank Herbert years ago, and my brother read them more recently. I remember thinking that it was becoming more and more incomprehensible as Frank Herbert put out his last three sequels.

But that didn't stop the story from being intriguing and interesting. I like the way that the son stepped in and backfilled the original story, as well as taking the old storyline forward.

The continuation of the series was a collaborative effort between Brian Herbert, Frank's son, and Kevin J. Anderson. I just found out, after finishing the series, that Kevin J. Anderson did a lot of the Star Wars books. I'm glad I didn't know that. Most Dune purists probably think of Dune as being an intellectual exercise, and the Star Wars series is more like the pulp fiction branch of science fiction. Heavy on the action and adventure, light on the science and philosophy.

There was a different flavor to the continued series. The original series made the characters seem too complex to completely understand, while at the same time, more respectable and less human. The new series had the characters feeling more human, but also more shallow and superficial. It wasn't a major flaw, just a minor distraction.

The major draw of the continued series, both the backstory and the continued thread of the main story was all the background and explanation as to why things were the way they were. What was the real motivation of people and peoples - this is what made the whole saga more detailed, coherent, and complete.

That said, there were a couple of annoyances. The Deus Ex Machina of having the Oracle of Time simply fly in and solve the problem with the machine invasion and Omnius at the last second was a little too convenient to be satisfying. The fact that everyone simply stopped struggling and got along once Duncan Idaho merged with the machines and was found to be the ultimate Kwizatz Hadderach was not very interesting (it was satisfying, but not interesting). The entire conflict went from coming to a head to being resolved so quickly that you get literary whiplash.

So, in truth, what does the completion of the series accomplish? There were no loose ends left to tie up that I can think of. There is no reason to write more backstory or continued narrative. I have no curiousity about things, it's all been explained. I'm glad I read the series, it was interesting and an epic saga with many interesting characters and concepts. I'm left not feeling sad or nostalgic about the book, as the original three books of Dune left you feeling sympathy for the tragedy of Paul Atreides life. This one leaves you feeling like things will go on, only better now.

The conflict and messiness of the original core of the series is what made it interesting. Like a splinter in your brain, there's always some pressure and a little bit of pain, the issue never goes away completely. I think that I would have always felt that way if I hadn't read the series to the end, but now I find that I miss that feeling.

I hope that's not a comment on life in general. You think you are striving toward completion and contentment, but what does it mean when you're not satisfied being satisfied?