Dune

November 9, 2020
Reasoning that cramming the entirety of Herbert’s landmark 1965 space opera into one graphic volume could prove futile, veteran Herbert world expanders Brian Herbert (son of the classic’s author) and Kevin J. Anderson’s dutiful adaptation covers just the prose version’s first third, in a planned three-volume release. They break down the story into bright plot points drawn by Raúl Allén and Patricia Martin (the Harbinger Wars series). Thousands of years into the future, the royal house Atreides moves to the desert world Arrakis, recently vacated by their rival house Harkonnen. Though Arrakis is a valuable source of the coveted drug “spice,” Duke Leto and his Jedi-like concubine Lady Jessica realize it is also “infested with Harkonnen intrigues” and prepare their son Paul for a bloody power struggle. Herbert’s Middle East history—and ecology—informed universe is on full display, including imperial infighting, Medici-like assassinations, the Bedouin-like Fremen tribes, and extremist water conservation (for instance, spitting is a sign of respect). Though the arc moves swiftly, the traditionalist art feels stiff in talky scenes with characters poised mid-gesticulation—but it excels in broad action shots, such as the first spotting of a massive sandworm maw. This efficient take will whet appetites for more adventures to come. Agent: John Silbersack on behalf of Trident Media Group, and Mary Alice Kier, Cine/Lit Representation.

November 1, 2020
This adaptation of the beloved sf novel aims for faithfulness to the source material, and the authors--also responsible for the slew of spin-offs that followed Frank Herbert's passing--make an admirable attempt at condensing the classic into comics form. This first of three volumes (paralleling the original's three sections) gives the necessary space for the intricate opening act, the tragedy of Duke Leto Atreides and the transition of his son, Paul, from nobility into exile. For a story that revolves around the slow building of suspense around an impending betrayal, the streamlined format costs tension and nuance, but the various character motivations are well defined, resulting in a puzzle plot of palace intrigue that is easy to follow--with the possible exception of Paul's arc and metaphysical awakening. One of the source material's greatest challenges, the head-hopping between various inner monologues, is elegantly solved by color-coded captions, and the art lifts the heavy world building load, blending the aristocratic costumery, sf technology, and desert landscape into a world that is unmistakably Dune.

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December 1, 2020

Herbert and Anderson (both, Dune: The Duke of Caladan), coauthors of more than a dozen novels in the "Dune" series, here adapt into the graphic form the original epic of political machinations, religious zealotry, and revolution within a vast interstellar empire. After his father is ordered to assume stewardship of Arrakis, an inhospitable planet of massive economic and strategic importance, Paul Atreides is targeted for assassination by his family's rivals. Plots, schemes, and prophetic dreams abound as Paul bears witness to shifting alliances and is tested by a mystical order who suspect him of possessing messianic powers. Herbert and Anderson retain the novel's intricate plotting and intense exploration of the struggle to balance intellect and emotion, resulting in a philosophically rich but exposition-heavy first volume in this ongoing series. VERDICT Illustrators All�n and Mart�n (both, Harbinger Wars 2: Deluxe Edition) enliven this extremely faithful adaptation with cleverly designed pages that highlight various characters' inner turmoil and deliver satisfyingly awe-inspiring depictions of the gargantuan sandworms native to Arrakis and central to series iconography.

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 9, 2002
The sands of time have not diminished the impact Dune
has had on the evolution of SF, and this new prequel by Frank Herbert's son and bestseller Anderson, following 2001's Dune: House Corrino
(the concluding volume of their "House" trilogy), offers the kind of intricate plotting and philosophical musings that would make the elder Herbert proud. Reaching back into the beginnings of Arrakis, the authors show us Selim, a boy cast out by his tribe who discovers how to ride the fearsome giant sandworms. Selim tastes and learns the visionary power of the magical spice, melange, and how the future of Arrakis hinges on who controls it. At the same time, on planets far removed from the desolate dunes of Arrakis, others are involved in a Great Revolt. Free League World humans, led by Tercero Xavier Harkonnen and Serena Butler of Salusa Secundus, battle Omnius, a computer "evermind" intent on extending its dominion. The ominous Omnius seeks to conquer all planets not yet incorporated into his Synchronized Worlds system with the help of servile robotic extensions and colleagues, including Erasmus, a Thinking Machine "Hannibal Lecter" whose whimsical Mr. Spock–ish meditations enliven the proceedings immeasurably. Throughout, key revelations regarding the Zensunni Wanderers and their fight for freedom and other historical Dune elements lend an air of discovery to this fast-paced tale. (Sept. 24)Forecast:A $250,000 marketing campaign, including a national author tour and SF convention appearances, should launch this one onto bestseller lists.

Starred review from October 4, 1999
It was a daunting task to describe the origins and intricacies of the many feuds, alliances, schemes and prophesies of one of the most beloved SF novels ever written. Herbert, the son of Frank Herbert, who wrote the original Dune, and Anderson (coauthor, Ai Pedrito!, etc.) have met the challenge admirably. Within a web of relationships in which no act has simple or predictable consequences, they lay the foundations of the Dune saga. Duke Atreides and his son Leto are faced with an attack by their ancient rival, House Harkonnen. Eight-year-old Duncan Idaho strikes a small blow against the cruel Harkonnens by escaping their territory and defecting into the service of the duke. Emperor Elrood, Ruler of the Known Universe, takes vengeance on the machine planet Ix in retribution for a personal affront. Elrood, in turn, is maneuvered off the throne by his son Shaddam. The Bene Gesserits' 1000-year-old plan for breeding a perfect being--the Kwisatz Haderach--nears completion. And behind it all lies the harsh, desert world of Dune, the only planet in the known worlds to harbor the mysterious and powerful Spice, which everyone wants to control and one man, paleontologist Kynes, seeks to understand in his quest to make Dune flower again. Though the plot here is intricate, even readers new to the saga will be able to follow it easily (minute repetitions of important points help immensely), as the narrative weaves among the many interconnected tales. The attendant excitement and myriad revelations not only make this novel a terrific read in its own right but will inspire readers to turn, or return, to its great predecessor. (Oct.) FYI: Dune: House Atreides launches a proposed trilogy.

August 11, 2003
SF space opera titans Herbert and Anderson continue to investigate the tantalizing origins of Frank Herbert's Dune universe, this time achieving mixed results in their fifth action-packed collaboration, the bloated but occasionally brilliant second installment of the trilogy that started with Dune: The Butlerian Jihad
(2002). Twenty-four years have passed since the independent Thinking Machine, Erasmus, killed Serena Butler's son and began a bloody Holy War against Ominius, a computer "evermind." Leading the League's Army of the Jihad are Primeros Xavier Harkonnen and Vorian Atriedes, the son of cymek (human brain/robotic body) General Agamemnon, who, along with his fellow "semi-immortals," shares the computer evermind's wish to eradicate all unnecessary humans but secretly also wants to destroy Ominius. Harkonnen and Atriedes loyally report to their Priestess leader, unknowingly the political puppet of Grand Patriarch Iblis Ginjo, a former Earth slave-master. Unfortunately, the short spacehopping chapters neglect some characterizations and more intriguing story lines, such as the Arrakis conflicts swirling around Selim Wormrider's growing outlaw band and the relationship of Erasmus with his human "son," in favor of too long battle segments and extraneous details about the emotionally remote Ginaz mercenary, Jool Noret. Despite the flaws, Dune fans will still enjoy the sweeping philosophical power that surfaces, invoking the senior Herbert's remarkable vision. Agents, Robert Gottlieb and Mart Bialer of Trident Media Group. (Sept. 16)Forecast:A $250,000 marketing campaign, including extensive advertising in publications for U.S. military personnel, should propel this, like its predecessor, onto bestseller lists.

August 31, 2020
Herbert and Anderson’s tepid 15th foray into the universe of Herbert’s father’s Dune novels (after Tales of Dune) adds little to the original series’ mix of action, politics, magic, and religion. Duke Leto Atreides, whose son, Paul, here just 14, is the fulcrum of the original Dune trilogy, is attending the inauguration of a new museum built by Emperor Shaddam IV when he notices someone lurking suspiciously in the vicinity of the emperor. Leto sounds the alarm, enabling Shaddam to get off-planet before the museum complex is destroyed by explosives launched from orbit. The subsequent hunt for the terrorist overlaps with Leto’s own search for answers after he’s accused of being involved in distributing a deadly drug. Meanwhile, teenage Paul undergoes rigorous physical training, alongside a handful of characters who will be familiar to followers of the series. Despite some nice touches, such as the elecrans, sea creatures that move like living lightning, this prequel is largely uninspired. The passable prose and lackluster plot will limit this one’s appeal to diehard fans only.

August 20, 2001
In this fully satisfying conclusion (after Dune: House Atreides
and Dune: House Harkonnen) to the authors' "House" trilogy, Emperor Shaddam Corrino tries to grasp greater power than any emperor before him and to rule the Million Worlds solely according to his whims. On the captured planet Ix, the research Shaddam directs into the creation of a synthetic spice, amal, that will make him all-powerful spirals out of control, putting the entire civilization at risk. Meanwhile, the enslavers of Ix must contend with threats from exiled Prince Rhombur Vernius, who wishes to rule the planet instead. Tumultuous times are also in store for the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, whose breeding plan has been thrown off course one generation shy of its end. Tension between the houses Atreides and Harkonnen builds to a dramatic showdown. While the intricacy of the first prequel is absent here, so is the filler of the second. Because Herbert and Anderson are extrapolating from someone else's ideas and characters, they tend to overuse catch phrases (like "the Golden Lion throne") from Dune
and its sequels with a resulting flatness of language. The inevitable derivative features aside, this is a good, steady, enjoyable tale, and readers who haven't read the first two books can easily follow the plot. A bold, red-and-gold dust jacket, with illustration by Stephen Youll, is a real eye-catcher. Fans who will be sorry to see the end of this series will be heartened by the hint that the Dune saga is far from over.

August 16, 2004
Dune addicts will happily devour Herbert and Anderson's spicy conclusion (after 2003's Dune: The Machine Crusade) to their second prequel trilogy, Legends of Dune. A fearsome robot-engineered plague opens the tumultuous Battle of Corrin, climaxing the century-long galactic war between humans and the computer Omnius's robotic Synchronized Empire. Varian Atreides, supreme commander of the human Army of the Jihad, initiates the no-holds-barred feud between House Atreides and House Harkonnen by exiling Abulurd Harkonnen for cowardice, while Varian's granddaughter Raquella molds the Sorceress survivors into a biochemically based sisterhood and Ishmael leads his people into Arrakis's sandwormy desert to become Fremen of Dune. All the Dune themes-religion and politics, fanaticism, ecology, opportunism, totalitarianism, the power of myth-exhaustively prepare the way for Frank Herbert's sweeping classic of corruptibility and survival.