Frank Herbert
Let me begin by saying I do not recommend
reading ANY of the sequels. Stay away from them. They are bad,
and it is sad, and frankly Dune would stand higher in my
mind if the sequels had never been created.
Dune is great. It is really a cross between science fiction
and fantasy, because while the world is science fiction, the plot
is really a fantasy plot. Our hero is the product of design and
prophecy, the center of all the action and the savior of the Fremen
and the galaxy. This idea of a uniquely capable hero is a fantasy
staple, a very mythical ideal. To see how well this idea works
in a fantasy setting all you have to do is look at Robert Jordan's
Wheel of Time which is basically a combination of Tolkien and
Herbert and a couple (rare) original thoughts. Together the extremely
cool futuristic universe and the fantasy plot make for a memorable
book.
A quick comment about the movie. I think it is quite enjoyable,
but only for those who have read the book and can follow the plot.
Otherwise, don't bother. The movie also makes a great drinking
game. Some suggestions:
Drink when you see:
- Worm sign
- The appearance of a new major character (anyone whose name you
know - even the Shadout Mapes counts)
- Use of the voice
- Whenever Paul thinks (should only be attempted by Canadians
and others with extremely high tolerance to alcohol)
- Whenever a character dies (there are quite a lot of these)
- Whenever a weirding module is used (again, a lot of these...)
- Whenever a character says something that can be made fun of
or used later (like "Mmmm, Shai- Hulud" or "Maud-dib
no longer needs the weirding module!" or "He is
the Kwisatz Haderach!")
Be creative...there is so much raw material.
Another ancillary comment. If you like strategy board games I recommend Dune. I love these sorts of games, and Dune is the best I have ever played. The design makes every game unique, and not just in a trivial way. Dune is the rare game in which the action is tense from the first move, and complex enough to be interesting on the 300th playing. Unfortunately it is out of print, so keep your eyes open in used games or book stores. A roommate of mine found a brand new copy just a month ago, so I know they are out there.