Dune

Inhoud

One of the preeminent books in science fiction, this classic has endured in the imaginations of readers for over thirty years. It tells the tale of the desert planet Arrakis, which produces the "spice" needed for interstellar navigators to ply their way. The Galactic Emperor has transferred custody of the planet to the House of Atreides from the House of Harkonnen. However, the evil House of Harkonnen has other plans, and casts the young Duke Paul Atreides out into the desert to die. There, Paul comes into contact with the Fremen, the indigenous inhabitants of the planet, who can help him regain his position. But Paul may be more than a Duke; he may be the end-point of a genetic breeding program designed to create a messiah.

Bespreking

One word: Masterpiece!

In the very far future, the Atreides and the Harkonnen families are reaching the peak of their unending feud. When the Padishah Emperor - the ruler of all the known worlds - discovers that the Atreides army is becoming dangerously strong, he develops a complex frame-up to wipe-out the whole Atreides family. The Duke of Atreides is invited to accept the job of administering the planet Arrakis, also known as Dune. On this desolate, almost uninhabitable planet only one thing is of value: the spice Melange, a drug that makes space travel possible. At first this seems to be a fabulous gift, but soon the Duke suspects the true reason for the Emperor's generosity: with the help of the unbeatable army of the Emperor the Harkonnen family attack the planet Dune. All seems lost for the Atreides, but there is still hope: Paul Atreides, the Duke's son, has more power than seems feasible at first sight.

Dune is consistently voted the Number One science fiction book of the century by readers all over the world. Overrated? Reason enough to give it a try - I thought - so I embarked on this epic voyage to the planet Dune, although packed with quite a lot of scepticism. But surprisingly, I didn't regret my decision for a single moment: this is truly a Classic Masterpiece. The narrative of Frank Herbert is simply addictive; his insight into the fantastic gives evidence of pure mastery. The images used to describe the planet of Arrakis are overwhelmingly strong. The human struggle for survival in the most relentless conditions imaginable is so intensely portrayed that the planet itself becomes one of the major villains of the book. Nevertheless, Frank Herbert writes with such involvement that there is no doubt as to the reasons people might have for living in such conditions. High drama and complex plots, filled with treachery within treachery, makes this book an experience you never to forget.

A must read for everyone interested in fantasy and science fiction.