Dune

[Kheron]

What can I say that hasn't been said about this book before? I can see why Frank Herbert is likened to JRR Tolkien.

Herbert, an ecologist, literally crafted a world. A world that isn't just mere ramblings - he used his knowledge as an ecologist to make sure Arrakis made as much sense as possible. That it was believable. Further, beyond the trials of life on a desert planet, he looked at how one might transform it from an inhospitable hellscape to a world with enough water and greenery to make it an almost pleasant place for human life.

And then, of course, there's the political backdrop of it all. The scheming, the treachery, the warring between Great Houses of a Universal Empire.

Well written - rightfully deserving of the praise it receives as one of the (if not THE) best written Scifi books/series around, Dune remains an easy read despite its hefty 181k word count/600 page chonky fucking story. It's thicc. But it isn't bogged down by technobabble, Arrakis never feels overwhelmingly, annoyingly, TOO GOD DAMN SANDY (a fear I had for sure, hating desert planets in other forms of media, such as any and every time Tatooine is depicted in any of the Star Wars games/movies). Hell, it keeps you wanting more, even after you're 400 pages in.

I'd heavily recommend Dune to any would be readers. I've yet to even get my hands on the rest of the series, so my knowledge of it begins and ends at book 1, but from what I hear it remains strong. At least through the 6 books Frank Herbert himself wrote. He eventually passed and his son wrote more in the Dune Saga. Those...I hear are a bit lacking.

[AngryIVer]

So it's like Waterworld but the opposite?

[Kheron]

Kinda, yea. Sandy ass planet, giant Tremors worms bigger than spaceships, and the Spice that helps humans think like computers & have limited view of the future and shit. Arrakis basically controls the universe because it is the only place to get Spice.

[AngryIVer]

Oh shit, I think I know more what you're talking about. They're making it into a movie this year, yah?

[Kheron]

They are, yea. I kinda wanna see it. I was afraid Dune would be a difficult read, or bogged down by technobabble, or get boring af with the setting, but it was awesome. I actually was doing like 150 pages a day after finally starting it. I hope the movie is good.

[AngryIVer]

It's cool when books are well written enough to immerse you in the fictional tech without getting lost in the details. Jules Verne was very good at that if you can get past the 100 year slang barrier.

[Kheron]

Oooh, speaking of old books, my favorite book of all time probably has to be Dracula. Such a fun read, and creepy as hell. So glad my GF lent me her copy to read. I def think it's a must read for anyone even slightly into that kind of stuff.

[AngryIVer]

GF?

[Kheron]

You know, being a child soldier indoctrinated into what is essentially a militaristic cultish society might not be so bad if I get cool ass Guardian Forces. They'd even give me amnesia so I don't remember my horrible life of servitude!

[AngryIVer]

Real talk though, Dune sounds kind of bad ass. I wonder what stops me from reading.

[Kheron]

I have problems starting books/movies/shows/etc, idk why. It feels overwhelming. So I can def understand.

[AngryIVer]

My bigger problem is finishing things