I just started reading this. It seems like Brian Herbrt and Kevin Anderson have now made new Dune books their sole livelihoods. They're coming fast and furious now, almost as fast as a new Stephen King novel.

At any rate, it's not bad so far, it's actually the first book in a trilogy (surprise!) but I have one objection from the outset.( I will not talk about plot, but I will put it in a spoiler anyways) It's more about the context in which the story is told than the story itself:

That's it. I'll go back to reading it, and just enjoy it for what it is: another Dune book, and another minor work of fiction.

Holy Toledo!!! When did this come out? I haven't heard jack squat about it. Time to look more carefully at the campus bookstore. Thanks for the tip.

BTW I haven't read it yet but

When is the next one supposed to come out? And does the current one match up with the description in the Dune Encyclopedia?

Tuan Jim

I saw this hardcover in BORDERS tonite and I started to drool.

As far as stuff matching with the DUNE ENCYCLOPEDIA, the new books are changing some things. I noticed this while reading DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES.

I never checked out the Dune Encyclopedia so I don't know how well they match up.

The already have Holzman generators, this is 10,000 years before Dune, so look that one up.

Isn't the DUNE ENCYCLOPEDIA apocryphal?

Now I've never actually read or even seen a copy myself, but the general impression I get is that it isn't really considered to be 100% accurate. Sort of like those old STARFLEET TECHNICAL MANUALS or ancillary STAR TREK/STAR WARS material.

Oh, and you know what I hate about the new DUNE books (and even the re-releases of the original books)?

The cover art is so damned tiny. Call me old-fashioned, but I kind of like the big lurid paintings. What the hell is with all of these books with covers that have the title and author's name in huge typeface, and a little postage-stamp-sized piece of artwork?

Giantrobo, that's why I use the library.

My last 2 reads have been Terry Brook's Morgawr and Orson Scott Card's Shadow Puppets.

All the newest books are 2-weeks. Those 2 were relatively short with large print, this book is long (over 600pages), involved and has smaller print. Don't think I'm gonna make it in two weeks, and someone always reserves it so I can't renew. It's worth the $.10/day penalty tho.

From the speed this one came out, I bet they were working on House Corrino and this one simultaneously.

I met KJ Anderson last night at a book signing at the Tattered Cover. He's a really nice guy. He said many things I think the followers of this thread will enjoy.

First off, at one point he said the encyclopedia is NOT cannon, and that Frank Herbert saw it only as "interesting" and not something he (or the Anderson/Herbert team) would stick to.

Second, he said that many ideas, several passages, and even a chapter or two from the prequels were written by Frank Herbert. Many of the characters and events were already written, at least in outline or note form, by Frank before he passed away. One example is the first meeting between Leto and Jessica.

Third, Anderson mentioned that the duo plan on writing book 7 of the original DUNE series (in other words, a book that comes right after GOD EMPEROR). Apparently, Brian wanted to write the Jihad books and Anderson wanted to write book 7, so they wrote the prequels, now the Jihad, and afterward, they'll go back to the future and write book 7 (which by then will be book 13 or 14 or whatever).

One other interesting idea they have for future books is a publication of Frank's notes and outlines and ideas, many of which could never happen in the timeline. Anderson wasn't sure how they will do this, but it sounded like they'll write the stories out in a sort of "DUNE what if" novel (as in, what if this had happened).

Actually I just wait for the paperback several months later. I'm just now getting to the House Corrino paperback.

<small> </small> Muad'Dib exits illegal Fremen shower room; Whew! The last 10,000 years were just a spice-infused dream!

It's all "what if" because Frank Herbert is dead.

Of course he has some notes and outlines of what he intended, but you can see the major differences in the writing between his books and the pre-quels. Frank would lean more to the socio-economic side of things (very political) with a little bit of adventure thrown in. Kevin and Brian seem to be all adventure.

Not such a bad thing, certainly as good or better than many other books that have come out in the genre recently. I must say I was very dissapointed in Shadow Puppets, in which OSC was leaning more towards what Frank Herbert was trying to do with his original Dune series.

Much, much better than the first 3 "prequels".

Do you mean the 1st 2 two?

Actually I loved both of the previous prequels especiall HOUSE HARKONNEN.

But I admit I can't put this one down though...and UGH!!!! AXTOTL TANKS

There are 3 prequels: House Atriedes, House Harkonnen and House Corrino.

The Butlerian Jihad books will be a trilogy as well: The first as named, The Machine Crusade and The Battle of Corrin.

The Butlerian Jihad was much better than the other three, probably because they weren't constrained by plot and the characters were all new.

The past 3 books including this one have come out in October of every year so I can only assume that at this time next year we will see the next in the series.

Anyone STL on this from Amazon... Thanks

[email protected]

Anderson said they duo plans on having a DUNE book on the shelves every October for the foreseeable future. The rest of the Butlerian trilogy, then probably a sequel to the original series. After that, he's not certain.

I have mixed feelings about that because while House Atriedes and House Harkonnen were good, House Corrino was boring (I barely even remember any of it).

We know they're going to do 3-sequels as well. These books are conistantly showing up on the big bookseller lists. But I think it's just plain weird that there will be more Dune books by someone other than the original author.

Dune is to sci-fi, almost like LotR is to Fantasy. How many (published) LotR books (and I'm talking fiction) are there other than those published by JRR himself?

My bad...

I see what you're talking about DOH!!!