About a month ago I finished about a month long listening experience. The Dune series by Frank Herbert. The author wrote this six book series before his death. The series has since been carried on by other authors.
Book one: Dune
Dune starts off on a green water filled world called Caladan. In a castle/fortress lives a the Duke Atreides, his Bene-Gesserrit which, (you'll learn more throughout the series) wife, (by all but marriage) named and titled Lady Jessica. And their son Paul, the ducal heir.
The Duke Atreides is forced to leave his planet, by the Emperor, and relocate himself, his family, servants, and military to the planet Arakis (also called "Dune"). Dune is a desert planet (complete desert, no water, no rain, all moisture is captured and reused). It is the dream vision of the native population (called the Fremin) to remake Dune into a paradise planet,though it may take many generations. They will do this by placing collector plates around new plants.
Through strategic and subtle plans the dukes enemies overwhelm the many defenses around the new fortress (a very trusted and un questionable servant becomes the tool of the downfall).
In the after math Paul and his mother manage to escape into the dessert. There they meet up with the locals called the Fremen. After a tense encounter they are invited to join the Fremen life style in the desert.
When Paul starts to see future events he is regarded as someone out of prophecy or legend. He ultimately "marries a native Fremen named Chaney, leads the Fremen to freedom and power by destroying the Harkonnens that took over the dukedom of dune, then maneuvers him self into being emperor.
My thoughts:
This book was a good listen. It had stealth, cunning strategy, a completely different universe with different rules and personalities.
I did like being transported to another time and place. I did however find it difficult understanding the new rules and relationships. It seems that the priorities set forth in the first book of this series are: selective breeding to bring forth the desired traits. Love is not the rule but the exception to it. Religion is only a tool of the powerful, (i.e. The Bene Gesserrit and even Paul Atraides who uses the prophecies and legends about himself and his mother to gain control of all Fremin and ultimately the empire), to control the masses and changes constantly. There is an a constant battle over power for three different races.
Over all this was a fun ride.
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