So, fellow Dune geeks...

[Chovexani]

...I picked up a mint condition hardback copy of the Dune Encyclopedia at a local little sci-fi con this weekend for $80.

It was a good con. :D

[Mythsaje]

1. Have you read the series finale yet?

Not quite up to Frank's standards, in my opinion, but satisfying nonetheless. At least it was based on his notes rather than pulled out of the imagination of Brian and Kevin Anderson.


Big time Dune geek here. Read the original series probably as many as fifteen times.

[Dr. Strange]

3. Satisfying? Really?

I haven't read the last two books. I read all of the prequel stuff. It was fun, but mainly because I didn't go in with high expectations. I'm planning on re-reading Heretics and Chapterhouse before I read the two new books. I hope you're not teasing me Mythsaje!

The best book of the original series was God Emperor of Dune. That doesn't really have anything to do with this conversation; I just like pointing it out.
:)

[Mythsaje]

8. I liked God Emperor...

But I liked Heretics and Chapterhouse better. I find it fascinating how different people get different things from the series. Some have never read past the first three, or hate the last three. I think they're all good, for different reasons. My least favorite is Dune Messiah, actually.

If you pick up the last two expecting too much, you will be disappointed. But even they acknowledge that they can't take the place of Frank...they're working from his notes, and both of them were heavily influenced by his writing, but (in my opinion) they can't match his sheer genius.

But, yes, I was satisfied with the culmination. I haven't even read all the prequels because I was pining away for the ultimate end to the original series. Now I may get around to it.

[Dr. Strange]

10. That was my experience with the last two...

When I first read Heretics and Chapterhouse, I was disappointed. I enjoyed it more the next time I read them (back in grad school). I think my disappointment stemmed from my expectation: the first four books had this one "super-human/demi-god" character (Paul or Leto II), while the last two didn't. That (for whatever reason) threw me for a loop the first time.
But I got over it. :)

I'll try to approach the last two books in Brian and Kevin's series with cautious optimism...

[Mythsaje]

11. I liked the insights into the Bene Gesserit...

And I really liked both Miles Teg and Duncan Idaho, as well as Darwi Odrade and Sheeana.

[Arkham House]

12. "God Emperor" almost seems at times like a parody of the whole series...

...and I wonder if Herbert meant it to be...I also like both film versions, and greatly enjoy the "Children of Dune" series, though they kinda cheated by making Leto and Ganni adolescents...and by the way--I picked up a hardbound copy of the "Encyclopedia" for fifty cents at a library book sale...so there...

[CrownPrinceBandar]

2. Good score..........

I only have the softcover edition :(

[SouthoftheBorderPaul]

4. I just started watching the Dune movie from the 80s.

I've heard this movie mentioned in the same breath as Ishtar, so my expectations were really low but it was free OnDemand so I thought I'd give it a chance. I kinda liked it.

Is this blasphemy among Dunies?

[NewJeffCT]

5. I don't consider myself a Dune fanatic

I haven't read any books not by Frank Herbert, and also nothing at all Dune-related in over a decade.

However, I thought when they re-released the David Lynch movie with extended footage, it made it a lot better. Not re-released at the movies, but they added footage to the video release...

Still not great, but it was an improvement, I thought.

[EstimatedProphet]

6. As it played first run, it was terrible

One of the things about the books was that they had a lot of unspoken dialogue. Lynch made the boneheaded decision to write in a lot of that dialogue as voiceover. When it came to the screen, it looked stupid.

Brad Dourif really rocked as Pieter deVries though.

[Dr. Strange]

7. Visuals were great.

The movie deviated (unnecessarily) from the book at times. I'd say watching (and enjoying) Lynch's DUNE is no more blasphemous than reading the new novels from Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson.
OTOH, the Sci-Fi miniseries was more faithful to the book, but was inferior in terms of acting and visuals.

[Mythsaje]

9. Primarily because it has almost NOTHING to do with the books...

MY main objection was people would walk away understanding nothing about what Herbert was actually saying. The "Weirding Way" in the movie was pure nonsense. The Weirding Way is actually the Fremen term for the Bene Gesserit fighting style.

The sci-fi channel's mini-series is far, far closer to the original, though there's no way they could really touch on some of the wondrous philosphy he tried to impart.