I read DUNE years ago and I finally finished the last two books of the original series over the past year. I've also enjoyed the new books from his son.

Here's my question(again). What was Frank Herbert trying to say about religion, ecology, politics, technology and any other major themes I missed here?

What wasn't he trying to say?

Seriously, he takes on so many topics it's hard to keep track.

What I wonder was where he was going with it? Maybe the BH/KA sequels will give us a hint. Pretty sure he was working on an 8th book when he died.

I just finished Machine Crusade and I must say the ending suuuucked big time. Seemed almost like a waste of 3 books. I'm not so sure I'll take on the next 3.

42?

Frank Herbert only published six Dune books. If he was working on one that takes place after Chapterhouse, it would have been the seventh.

I haven't read any of the prequels (not sure I want to) but The Machine Crusade is the second of the book of the second trilogy. Next will be The Battle of Corrin. Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson wrote the House Trilogy: Dune: House Atredies, Dune House Harkonnen, Dune: House Corrino. All three taking place in the recent years before the first Dune novel. There really hasn't been an indication that BH and KJA will write another trilogy. But there has been word that they are planning to write that seventh book that takes place after Chapterhouse.

My reason for not wanting to read the prequels stems from the fact that tha Dune universe already had a (much more satisfying) history laid out in The Dune Encyclopedia.

The Encyclopedia was published in 1984 with Frank's full approval. It speaks of the Butlerian Jihad not as some Terminatoresque war between humans and machines, but a crusade by some to stop the use of thinking machines. The "war" was about ideology between humans and had nothing to do with surviving the assault of machines.

I'm starting to lose track.

The Jihad series is supposed to take place ~10,000 years before Dune, yet it reads like it's only 500-1000. You'ld think things would be alot different than is portrayed here. Too much is recognizable, too much is obvious.

The ending is still really dissapointing.

Personally, Chapterhouse drove me nuts. I didn't like it all that much. If they right a next book in the series hopefully it will be better than Chapterhouse. I read the Prequels and I liked them. I read Butlerian Jihad and I'll start Crusade when it's in paperback.

The Dune Encyclopedia is moot at this point because things have been changed in the prequel quite a bit...some for good, others...well I gues that's up tot he reader.