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    I understand it’s a critically acclaimed book, but a part of me feels like it’s going to be filled with too much slow, political dialogue and world building.

    Is it actually an engaging read? Or is it incredibly dense in this way?

    by conn_r2112

    14 Comments

    1. Practical_Ass_3066 on

      Just go grab it from the library and give it a try. Maybe you’ll like it, maybe you won’t. You’ll get people saying yes you should or no you shouldn’t, but only you can decide if you like it.

    2. It’s quite long, can be quite slow in places, a little weird, and is philosophical enough that it’s definitely not for everyone.

      But it is beloved for a reason. It’s one of the foundations for modern Sci-fi/fantasy, so if you enjoy the genre you will like Dune. But it wouldn’t be my recommendation for a first read if you’re tentative about this style of book

    3. fernincornwall on

      It’s dense.

      I made it through the first two books but it was a struggle at times.

    4. Ireallyamthisshallow on

      Give it a try. The worst that happens is that you don’t like and stop.

    5. KingBretwald on

      Yes. Both. It’s very dense in an engaging way. The next two books are OK and the ones after that go downhill, IMO. By the time you get to the ones written by Brian, don’t bother. Again, IMO.

    6. Im reading it right now, im right where the first movie ended, the thing is i’ve seen dune part 1, so it was easier to picture the characters, places, groups, races etc. i would suggest watch 30min of dune part 1, the same thing im doing with Shogun i watched the first episode, because always i struggle to start i book, i would rather read 10 books of the characters i know rather then start a new book (new characters).
      Its political but is not smart who you need to know political idealogies, its not that difficult but to enjoyed i dont know if its your thing. The movie make it more sci fi than it is, (not a bad thing).

    7. slobinson666 on

      I think it does a good job at world-building while moving the story forward. It is political. But it’s written in a way that keeps the reader interested and invested. I’d say go for it. Like other have commented there’s a reason it is so renown. I swallowed it. And this was right after reading LotR for the thousandth time. I was reluctant going to another large book after reading a huge slow book. But I couldn’t put Dune down.

    8. I read this way back in college. It was a bit of a challenge but I loved it, on par with the same sense of literary satisfaction after I read *The Lord of the Rings* (same time frame actually). It can be a bit of challenge the first chapter or two, with the vocabulary and world-building, but for me it clicked after that first chapter (pro tip: put a bookmark in the glossary, you’ll be hitting it a lot at first) and became an engrossig and affecting read. It was the book I credit with my political awakening as a clueless 19 year old. I haven’t read the others but I gotta at least read *Dune Messiah* now that it seems Denis Villeneuve will be giving us one more Dune film. Happy reading!

    9. I have read it too many times to count and still find it enjoyable.

      The ideas in it are complex, but you can read it as just a good story and come back to examine the deeper stuff if you want.

      I would recommend it

    10. Plane_Woodpecker2991 on

      It moved pretty quickly for how dense it can get. I’d recommend, especially with the movies being out. They’re a rare instance of the movie actually doing justice to the books. Minor changes, but it’d be splitting hairs considering how much they got right.

      I dunno. I’m not a huge fan of big political sci fi epics, but Dune was a pretty engaging read.

    11. I actually wasn’t able to enjoy the movie until I read the book and properly understood what was going on. I loved it, couldn’t put it down

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