Can’t think of any specific characters, but probably any of the mentats from the Dune franchise, since I wish I could have my mind and thoughts superbly organized and mimic computer abilities like being able to commit new ideas to memory, recall that which is important, and block things that trigger me.
Chapterhouse: Dune by Frank Herbert
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Frank Herbert’s final Dune novel before his death follows the action of Heretics of Dune, chronicling the continued conflicts of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood against the Honored Matres, who are attempting to control the universe and destroy factions and worlds that oppose them. In his introduction, Herbert notes the novel’s setting, over ten millennia in the human future, when women rule the Known Universe. The story begins with Mother Superior Darwi Odrade celebrating the birth of a ghola-baby (in other words, a clone) from an axlotl tank of the recently deceased military genius Miles Teg. Meanwhile, Great Honored Matre Dama, nicknamed the “Spider Queen,” tortures Reverend Mother Sabanda.
Odrade enjoys seeing the cloned Miles at play, with the boy being trained in the military arts just like the original, as the Honored Matres plan to use a mysterious “weapon” to further their conquest of the universe. The Honored Matres destroy Lampadas, a center for Bene Gesserit education, with one of the survivors, Reverend Mother Lucilla, escaping with the shared minds of millions of Reverend Mothers from the past and finding sanctuary with an underground group of Jews. The Rabbi who leads them reveals a “wild” Reverend Mother named Rebecca, who has gained her Other Memory, a well of genetic memory, without formal Bene Gesserit training.
Duncan Idaho returns in ghola form like Teg, retaining memories from his previous incarnations due to being a Mentat. The time eventually comes for the assault upon the Honored Matres, with Teg becoming the Bashar of the military forces, and the tides constantly turn in each other’s favor. Throughout the story, the Bene Gesserit attempt to terraform the eponymous planet, Chapterhouse, to accommodate sandworms, given that the native homeworld of the creatures, Arrakis, had been decimated by the Matres. The story ends with a cliffhanger, which Herbert’s son Brian and Kevin J. Anderson would resolve with the final two chronological books in the Duniverse a score later.
In brief, Chapterhouse does have many positive aspects, such as Herbert’s trend (which his son would continue) of including various philosophical quotes at the beginning of each chapter, alongside the intricate outer space setting, discussion of ecology, and the presence of the Kindle X-Ray feature, which alleviates some confusion readers unversed in the franchise’s unique terminology and many characters may have. However, confusion frequently abounds regarding character ages (namely, the gholas), many lines and terminology are unclear, and it can be hard to keep track of who is talking in conversations given the infrequent mention of names and constant use of pronouns. Though not a bad book, this is one that readers will need to meticulously focus on while being incredibly familiar with the plots of its predecessors.
Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Newer editions of the first Dune sequel have a foreword from its author’s son, Brian Herbert, who indicates that it’s perhaps the most misunderstood entry of the original series, given its antithetical nature to its predecessor, with protagonist Paul Atreides, the Muad’Dib, becoming a “fool saint.” Frank Herbert intended the first follow-up to evoke the lesson that governments often lie to their people, with citizens needing to question their leaders. As in the first entry of the original Dune Chronicles, new chapters open with philosophical quotes, indicating things such as the lack of separation between gods and men.
The second book occurs twelve years after its predecessor, with Paul’s Jihad raging for that intervention. The Muad’Dib controls the flow of the spice melange, with his sister Alia also a religious icon. Meanwhile, Scytale, a Tleilaxu Face Dancer, and Jadacha, a hermaphrodite able to change his gender at will, conspire to assassinate Paul. The Sisterhood also believes that Paul’s Jihad has somewhat gone out of control. Furthermore, a love triangle develops among Paul, Irulan, and the Fremen Chani, with the Muad’Dib contemplating siring an heir and arguing with the two women about doing so.
There are occasional surprises in the second installment, such as the return of a character thought dead in the book’s predecessor, not to mention a sequel hook for the third book in the Dune Chronicles, with Brian Herbert indicating that Dune Messiah arose with the intent of being a bridge between the first and third entries rather than a standalone story. The first sequel accomplishes its goals well, although, like the original, it’s somewhat more human interest than hard science fiction. Even so, those who enjoyed the original Dune will likely appreciate its sequel.
Dune by Frank Herbert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The first written installment of the late author Frank Herbert’s Dune franchise opens with Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam visiting Jessica on the Atreides homeworld of Caladan. Her son Paul is the prophesized Kwisatz Haderach, with the Reverend Mother upset Jessica didn’t birth a girl, and she tests Paul with the gom jabbar, a needle with poison on its tip. The Houses of Atreides and Harkonnen have been bitter enemies for generations, with the latter holding the desert world of Arrakis in fiefdom for fourscore. Family patriarch Baron Vladimir Harkonnen plots with his nephews to lure the Atreides into a trap in the desert world.
The Atreides prepare to move to Arrakis, with an assassination attempt upon Paul. His father, Duke Leto, informs his son of a plot by the Harkonnens to have Paul distrust his mother. The Atreides are targeted by the Harkonnens on Arrakis, with Paul ultimately discovering his true lineage. The spice melange, found exclusively on Arrakis, is considered valuable as water and key to defeating the Harkonnens. Paul and Jessica ultimately take refuge with the world’s native inhabitants, the Fremen, with the Atreides son learning skills like how to ride sandworms.
The Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe, Shaddam IV, is eventually involved in the plot against House Atreides, shortly after which the narrative ends. Herbert follows the main text with appendices explaining things such as the ecology and religion of Arrakis. He also includes a helpful dictionary on terminology exclusive to his Duniverse, with newer incarnations of the novel adding an afterword by his son Brian Herbert. Overall, the first written tale of the Duniverse is enjoyable, with good action and its influence on future science-fiction franchises such as Star Wars, even if it sometimes delves into human interest.
Dune: The Heir of Caladan by Brian Herbert
Dune: The Lady of Caladan by Brian Herbert
Dune: The Duke of Caladan by Brian Herbert
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