Paul of Dune (Heroes of Dune) by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Paul of Dune (Heroes of Dune)
Book Review: A Fascinating Continuation of Frank Herbert's Epic Story
Summary: 5 Stars
Paul of Dune is Brain Herbert and Kevin J Anderson's bridge novel between Dune and Dune Messiah. In this novel, we learn how Paul Atreides goes from the hero we see at the end of Dune to the hated tyrant we see in Dune Messiah. It is a character study, and not only do the authors go into further detail about Paul's character, but they add to the depth of those surrounding him as well
I feel that this book was absolutely phenomenal. Mr Herbert and Mr Anderson expanded upon several of the thematic elemnts that the older Mr Herbert used in Dune, specifically the dangers involved in blindly following a leader, religious or political. Paul himself begins to realize that who we want to be isn't always who we need to be.
I simiply could not put this book down. Now that i have finished, i find myself already counting down the days until Jessica of Dune. Thank you Mr Herbert and Mr Anderson for another spectacular novel.
And a word to those who buy the book to give bad reviews. This is the tenth Dune collaboration. If you haven't liked one by now, quit wasting your money. Each book runs roughly thirty dollars a pop, so that's three hundred dollars you've thrown away. Leave the books for the rest of us who actually want to read them.
Book Review: A Paul Without Paul's Attention to Detail
Summary: 2 Stars
I promised myself that I would never read another Herbert/Anderson 'addendum' to the original Dune series after the disaster that was The Butlerian Jihad. However, due to forgetting to send in my negative desire for this book to the SF book club, it showed up on my doorstep, and obsessive reader that I am, I eventually cracked the covers of this book.
Surprisingly, it's not an unmitigated disaster, but rather a book that fills some holes between Dune and Dune Messiah, and almost managed to convince me that this extra material 'fit' with the original. However, there are some strong inconsistencies with the original, most notably in the portrayed actions and feelings of certain Fremen Maud'Dib worshipers, a rewriting of history to allow Paul to be offworld prior to the events of the original Dune, and a fleshing out of some the characters of the originals, most notably Irulan, that doesn't truly match Frank Herbert's portrayal.
While still having the short chapter/quick switch between scenes and characters that are now the hallmark of the Herbert/Anderson writing style, for this particular book such treatment actually works, as the plot threads are sufficiently many and convoluted enough to allow for such treatment. And the portrayals of the various characters weren't so obviously wrong as to cause me to throw this book away in disgust. However, this is very faint praise, merely an acknowledgement that the original characters of Frank Herbert were very powerful, real people, and as this book follows these original people, with only a few new persons thrown in, some of that power still permeates this book. This book also manages to avoid any ridiculously obvious scientific boners, mainly by not making any scientific statements of importance, but this is certainly preferable to the nonsense that has filled some of the other volumes.
However, the conclusion of this volume is an extreme letdown and is very poorly thought out, as it hinges on Paul and all of his close advisors willfully ignoring an obvious threat. But perhaps this is not surprising, as another threat earlier in the book is also completely ignored until it is sprung with deadly consequences, even though Paul has a prescient dream with clear significance - darn it, I caught the reference, even though it's been about five years since I last re-read the original Dune, and certainly someone who lived through that particular incident would see the relevance much more easily.
Better than some of the other works about Dune this pair has written, but that's not saying a great deal.
---Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)
Book Review: A Very Good Novel of the "Missing Years" of Dune
Summary: 5 Stars
This is another wonderful entry in the Dune chronicles which shows that there is always more to be written in the story even when you know the end. I found that there is still alot of drama going on even though you know where the story will be (sort of) by the time the book ends. It gives some established characters some new episodes and allows the introduction of new characters and their stories which may have been hinted at in the other Dune books, but never fleshed out.
Of all of the books written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, this books comes the closest in being like the style of Frank Herbert. It is still different, but is very enjoyable and fits very into the niche between "Dune" and "Dune Messiah". The use of a parallel storyline which demonstrates how an earlier unreported drama in the life of Paul affects who he becomes later in the series is well thought out and executed.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the series as much as I do as well as to someone who may have only read the first book and has not continued (yet) to the others in the series. It is a good read and the double storyline will keep your interest to the end.
Book Review: A Wonderfully Imaginative Creation!
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved being drawn back into the familiar Dune universe by the compelling writing of Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson. It's amazing to me how deeply they have immersed themselves in the myriad details of Frank Herbert's original series, and continue to creatively weave stories that enrich our understanding of the characters and their worlds. Like all good writing, "Paul of Dune" addresses issues we humans continue to face, such as the danger of following a charismatic leader. I read for pleasure and insight, and this book delivers both.Book Review: A story that needed to be told, and here it is told well
Summary: 5 Stars
"Paul of Dune" is the story of Paul Muad Dib Atreides immediately following his defeat of the Padashah Emperor at the conclusion of Frank Herbert's great novel, "Dune." Dune fans recall that "Dune Messiah," which was the next installment in Frank Herbert's series, is set more than a decade after the conclusion of "Dune." "Paul of Dune," then, fills a gap in the Dune saga that needed to be filled. And after finishing the novel, I believe that authors Brian Herbert (son of Frank Herbert) and Kevin J. Anderson have succeeded well.
One thing that these authors have done well is to explain how the Great Houses of the Landsdraad struggled among themselves, and against the Imperial House. I found this insight to be very interesting, and this novel contains the story of a brush-fire war between House Ecaz and House Moritani that explains some of the mechanisms behind these struggles. The novel "Dune" itself makes reference to this war, and House Atreides' involvement in it.
"Paul of Dune" is very consistent with both the House Atreides, House Harkonnen, and House Corrino series of Dune prequels, as well as with Dune itself. The novel is divided into two perspectives--the first deals with the period of time shortly before the events in "Dune," the second is the story of the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Arrakis which places Paul Muad 'Dib on the throne as Emperor. In this novel we get to know Paul Atreides before the fall of House Atreides that occurs in "Dune," and we also become further acquainted with the unforgettable Leto Atreides, Duncan Idaho, and Gurney Halleck. In this novel, authors Anderson and Herbert are back on their game, (I did not at all like their Butlerian Jihad series of books) and this novel is a worthy addition to the House Atreides, House Harkonnen, House Atreides trilogy. That is what I was hoping for when I read this novel, and the authors delivered. Highly recommended for Dune fans.