Title: Dune

Author: Frank Herbert

Publisher: Chilton Books 1965

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 894

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: NPR Scifi and Fantasy; NPR Teen; Ebook; New Author; Monthly Motif - Award Winner

Here is the novel that will be forever considered a triumph of the imagination. Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who would become the mysterious man known as Muad'Dib. He would avenge the traitorous plot against his noble family--and would bring to fruition humankind's most ancient and unattainable dream.

A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what it undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction.

J has been trying to get me to read Dune for ages (at least 2 years).  I finally did it and I'm pleasantly surprised. I actually enjoyed another classical science fiction book. Many complain that the book throws the reader into a complicated world with its own language.  That's true, but I had not problem parsing out the meaning of the words or figuring out the various houses and motivations.  As the book progresses, Herbert touches on  a variety of topics including politics imperialism, race, and religion.  I loved the layers.  On the surface you get a story about a boy/man avenging his family name.  But then we start to see that this isn't just Paul's story.  Instead, it's a story of a universe; a variety of people all striving to survive and thrive under a multitude of restrictions.  I really got into the story and couldn't wait to read what happened to all the great houses and players. Definitely a good read.