I just finished the first book and I am in awe! It was a truly amazing and mind-blowing read. However, now I have to really think if I want to read sequels.
A few of my doubts:
— I am not a huge fan of sci-fi genre. I liked Dune mostly for nuances in the relationships of characters and the growth of Paul from just a boy to a messiah;
— I have a huge list of books to read and just considering if I want to listen to another 20+ hours of sci-fi book;
— I usually don’t like sequels and feel like they can be a bit repetitive;
— and I am worried that I will compare them to Dune and they will not be as good.
So, what are your thoughts on Dune sequels?
by notaspecialone
7 Comments
the first 3 sure, 4 maybe>! if you want some closure!<. the rest are meh. spoilers >!it ends on a cliffhanger!<
Yes. I’ve read Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. Both were really good. The Butlerian Jihad is a prequel, and it’s also excellent!!
I’ve read them, and enjoyed them. I don’t think they’re repetitive, unless you might get tired of the intrigue and scheming. I honestly think they get kind of wild at the end but I had a really fun time with them.
The characters pretty much change from book to book, so you’re not even really spending time with the same ones for long periods of time (save one- but you need to read the books to find out who!) They explore the universe beyond Arrakis too which helps keep things interesting.
I would say at least read the first three books (through Children of Dune) and see if you want to keep reading after that! Children of Dune wraps up some storylines and tees up the next books, so I think it’s a good stopping place if you’re not feeling it.
If you liked reading about Paul’s growth and relationships then you would probably enjoy *Messiah* and maybe even *Children*.
After that the books become increasingly absurd and grandiose. *God Emperor* is well-loved on Reddit but I found it laughably bad. So don’t feel like you are in it for the long haul if you start reading these; you’re better off stopping after *Children* anyway, IMO.
Dune Messiah completes Paul’s journey and is pretty important for truly hammering home what Herbert was doing with Dune. You could read just that and stop there, if you wanted.
Children of Dune deals with Paul’s legacy, and his kids. It’s good, and is integral for setting up God Emperor.
God Emperor is alternately loved or hated by most people, but it’s perhaps takes the wildest swing and features some of the biggest ideas. You could see it as a conclusion, or a bridge between the first trilogy and what comes later.
Heretics and Chapterhouse are kind of their own thing, with a lot of wacky ideas. I enjoyed them, but they are not for everyone. It doesn’t help that there was clearly meant to be a seventh book that never got finished, until Herbert’s son took a crack at it and retconned a lot of his prequel ideas into it.
I really like the next 2-3, I think a lot of people read them and think “this is different! i want more normal Dune!” but Herbert was never going to top Dune by trying to make something really similar. I really love that he took things further and leaned into the weirdness of the world he built.
The last couple are pretty crazy. I think God Emperor was the last one that felt like it was part of the same overall universe. After that it got progressively more and more silly. If I had to do it all over again, I think I would stop with Children of Dune.