[Overactive Imagination]

Hey guys.

I've read Dune and loved it... kickass book. But I heard that the rest of the books just aren't the same, so I never considered reading them.

But now I'm seeing some people saying they're pretty good?

Should I finish the Frank Herbert ones? How many of them are there that are necessary to read to complete the story?

[Salt-Man Z]

You should definitely read the first trilogy. I like all 6 originals, but you can stop after the third if you want. Or you can stop at the fourth. Or you can go on and read five and six. I would be wary of the prequels and spin-offs.

BK: So the only non-Frank ones you read are 7 and 8? And that worked for you? That's interesting to hear, given what I've read about those two books.

[Salt-Man Z]

Yeah, who knows. It seems fishy, though, when from all I've heard the "big bad guy" from 7-8 is introduced as a major player in the second (chronologically first) prequel trilogy.

I own them all except Paul and Winds, but besides Frank's books I've only ever read the "House" prequel trilogy. I honestly more or less enjoyed it, but they were pretty terrible as Dune books. Dunno if I'll ever read the others, though I really should reread 5-6 again one of these days.

[D'rek]

I've read the first 3 and didn't notice any big difference in quality between them, so I say at least read 2 and 3. I've got a former roommate who's opinion I trust who has read ALL of them, and he said most of the prequels were not so good, but a couple were kinda awesome. I can ask him for specifics if no one else chimes in here about the prequels and stuff.

This post has been edited by D'rek: 07 November 2012 - 03:59 AM

[Overactive Imagination]

Aight, I'll keep an eye out for them in Value Village. Should be able to get them all for less than 20 bucks... but I'm not sure when I'll actually get around to reading them.

[Garak]

I honestly didn't like God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse Dune. There was something lacking there. The House trilogy was ok but the Butlerian Jihad one was horrible (and boring). Haven't read any of the others but I've heard some crappy things about them.

[Use Of Weapons]

I read and loved the original 6. You should be aware that the 'notes' that the saga ending couple are purportedly based on were essentially pulled out of Brian Herbert's ass. There is _so much_ wrong with those two books. They are a crime against literature (I'm looking at you, Kevin J Anderson), and a crime against Dune. I would prefer never to have read them. I frequently cocked my hand back in order to fling them violently against the wall as I did, and once I had finished, I wiped the memory of their existence from my mind. Occasionally, threads such as this remind me, and I shudder and have to restrain my urge to rampage around the room looking for long-distance weapons with which I can slay Brian Herbert for his catastrophic dung-strewing decision to mutilate his father's legacy. And then I wipe my mind of the memories again, and am calm. I AM CALM, YOU HEAR?

[korik]

I would read all of the Frank Herbert ones, I have read them multiple times and like them all to be honest.

The Bryan Herbert books....... meh! If you are really into the series read them for interest, but if not don't bother. They are entertaining at times but not of same calibre and brevity as Frank Herbert's books. I have mentally classified them as fan-fiction and that is probably the best you can say about them.

[End of Disc One]

I'm in the middle of 4 right now. 2 and 3 were alright but they were just bridge novels. 4 seems really good so far, in a different way.

[Macros]

I read the first book and didn't really see where the story and character could go after it so I didn't bother with anymore.
im gathering now that I should have?

[Gothos]

Read all Frank's books, they're awesome (though they progressively get... different).

[Salt-Man Z]

No Dune thread can be complete without this image:

This post has been edited by Salt-Man Z: 07 November 2012 - 04:12 PM

[Durhang]

Read the first three, then try four. If you like it, finish the original six. The House Trilogy was okay in and of itself, but gets bumped up a bit for being Dune, if you are really getting into Dune at that point. That being said, the Jihad trilogy is truly a struggle and only for diehards, even then the first one was the best and it just got progressively worse after that. As for the the alleged 7-8, don't waste your time. Even if you say, don't hate them for what they do to the series, from a completely neutral stance, they did nothing for me. And if all you can say for the final two novels is hey, it didn't make it any worse, well meaninglessness additions are a terrible reason to read them. They added nothing to my experience of the FH Dune books at best, and at worst were so forgettable that they did not last long enough to do any real damage. It was nothing so much as a making the other KJA and BH books feel more like fanfic, and thus it became a fanfic ending with their characters lopped in as a the 'super secret bad ass ultra heroes saving the omniverse.' (Saving it from the big bad villains they invented, I might add.) That being said, I still love Erasmus as a character, though that may be his embodiment of a bland trope with a cliché twist being easy to like. The robot who wants to be human, and will murder as many humans as it takes to understand them.

This post has been edited by Durhang: 07 November 2012 - 05:19 PM

[Geoffray]

For what's worth (my advice ): read the six original book from Herbert. Nothing more. Seriously. I mean it. I'm deadly serious (maybe the house prequel but that all, and only if your in lack of Dune story)

[worry]

Loses steam after those sandworms start speaking English, wearing clothes, etc.

[D'iversify]

Herbert's six are all great. Haven't read 7-8. House Triology is fun but pulp-Scifi.