Richard Houchin's Reviews > Children of Dune

Absolutely agree with Richard's comments. The first book is truly great and the second is good. The rest...

I'm three books in and Richard's assessment is accurate thus far. I really want him to be wrong about the remaining three, but I fear he is not.

Sometimes I am truly amazed at the lack of ability of people to read a work and instead of try to impose their own reality and beliefs upon it INSTEAD attempt to glimpse the view of the writer who has spent enormous vision, time, both waking and sleeping time to create a monument such as the Dune series.

No writer should demand a reader share their views, but readers should at least try to step outside their little realm of comprehension and attempt to see the bigger picture of a work. Very sad that supposedly fantasy or sci-fi readers blast a work and even leave vulgar comments because they are limited in themselves.

Agreed about the first two novels -- got about 50-odd pages in to the third and lost interest when a specific character Returned From The Dead...

I disagree. I found the 3rd book to be concise, well written and full of wonderful wisdom. Perhaps you did not enjoy it because you failed to read between the lines, and missed the true story?

Sounds like Dan Simmons/Orson Scott Card syndrome.

Are there any sci-fi series that keep up quality or even get better with sequels?

You're so right.

Stevie - Share your secrets. Don't keep the true glory of the work from us.

you are not encouraging me, altho i have to admit that book 4 made me question my resolve...

Yeah, I quit the series after God Emperor because it was getting harder and harder to figure out what the heck was going on and why I should care.

Children of Dune is almost as great as the first novel, imo.

I loved the Prequels. Just starting Children of Dune and keeping my fingers crossed.

And by Prequels, I meant the ones by his son and Kevin Anderson.

Children of dune is excellent, good writing, great final

Indeed! I quit a third into the third one...

Children of Dune, as someone said, is full of wonderful wisdom and the book is as good as the previous one, if not better. Both the second book and the third lose to the original, but that's to be expected, considering the scope of Dune.

I've just started the book but, weren't the first three books part of the same original book that only got released as three different books due to editor demandings? I mean, there shouldn't be much difference in quality, right?

A little ways into the 3rd book and I'm already sick of all the inner monologues and endless prevaricating and talking about prescience and all the endless navel-gazing crap that is just copied from the second book. I was SO GLAD when Paul "died" because I thought, HEY, maybe the 3rd book will actually tell a story now that the oracle crap is over with. But noooooo, his children also have oracular powers and here we go again... Another novel that's 70% inner monologue and 30% something actually happening. The fanboys here can whine about certain readers wanting to "impose their reality" on the books. Whatever. I just want to read a STORY that has some EVENTS in it. Not people talking in their head about what MIGHT happen. And because Herbert never actually tells the reader any of the character's plans, or any of the negative consequences of their visions, there is no tension and no stakes, because the reader has no idea what could go wrong or what the consequences are if something does. I'm ready to give up on the series. Boring as fffffffffffff.

Very good review. Completely agree. A progressive decadence of the books. Make me think of mental health issues

Really what was the third book about? I didn't care about Muad’Dib's children a bit. I started this chronicles with big expectations but after that third book, i might even question myself about keep reading.

It just so many things happened. It changed so much –even the book starts 9 years later– i can't get the same feeling anymore.

Finished fourth book, it was even worse than this one. That's it. I am stopping torturing myself.

Okay, so at least I’m not the only one seeing this trend.

That is so true! Book four has more bible quotes than story, and by #5 I was over it.

Gobbledygook I cannot agree with you more. I understand that many authors have what we consider 'different' or 'abnormal' styles of writing but there are times I want to throw this book at a wall. If I have to read another book of internal, seemingly pointless monologue I might cry.

Chapterhouse was one I liked and made me tried to read some other ones after the first and second. So after Chapterhouse I read the third and than see it wasnt becoming like the first one again

I’m on the third book and like I wrote in my review the philosophy and the self awareness has before tiresome. I like the adventure that the twins are experiencing, but the author could have written less philosophical thoughts.

People should still give a try to Chapterhouse!

looks like the series as a whole isn't worth reading, but definitely glad I read Dune. it was great. looks like i'll skip the rest of the series.

Y’all are insane crazy. I’ve liked each successive book more than the last one. Cannot wait to get to god emperor; I’ve heard the trend continues.

Its the best review of Dune ahaha

I've read these books multiple times, but this is the first review to articulate my feelings. I'd only amend it slightly to say that imho Children of Dune is more readable than Dune Messiah because of the slightly lower ratio of palace intrigue to Fremen action.

Haha so accurate

Nice way of putting it. That’s how I felt about the Ender’s Game and Ender’s Shadow series. The only series sci-fi series I’ve read that I felt held up the quality the entire time was the Hyperion Cantos. Any others you can point me to?

Interesting, I feel the exact opposite here. It gets better and better as it progresses. I love the internal monologue and theological/philosophical tantrums. Always makes me pause and think about…life

Mae, so far I've never read an Asimov book that I regretted. Foundation series, Robot series, short story collections, you name it.

Yeah this book was hard to read

Sounds like I can maybe quit now while I'm .... ahead? Bored?... without missing too much. Thanks for the tip

I'm close to the end of the third book, and I like it more than the first so far.

I like all the books so far, I’m on god emperor and I feel like each book till now has been fantastic. Dune messiah was probably the weakest in my opinion. Children was a very good read

Thanks for the heads up. Messiah and palace intrigue were interesting beyond original Dune as it echoes politics in our organizations and in local and federal government. I plan to read all 6. For those interested Cixin Liu’s Three Body Problem sci fi series does NOT disappoint. In fact I think it may be the best trilogy of sci fi ever written.

Comment on trilogy in response to @mae

i’m having such troubles reading book three, i’ve taken a break already from it. book two i forced myself through but i’ve loved the plot and all up until thus far. it feels like it’ll be a chore to finish book three yet this universe captivated me so much

I completely disagree about book 2 - it was one of the worst books I've ever read, and it almost made me quit the series entirely. Book 3 is just fine, and worlds better than 2. Brings back some of what was great about the first.

Agreed, sadly. I liked that this one treats more the dessert and the process of terraformation but… the storyline was weak. Only the Leto becoming a hybrid was ok, the rest was hard to get through

disagree a lot with this, but it’s an interesting and very useful take nonetheless

I agree, and I give up after this 3rd book.

I liked the third more than the second book, but definitely not as much as the first. I read so many bad things about the following books that I’m kinda scared to start the next..

Thank you for this comment! I have been reading Dune #3, and I haven't connected with any of the characters. Right now, I am at the 80% mark, and I honestly would love to DNF it. I am so bored that I don't care how the book ends. It isn't interesting. It is missing all of the elements that I loved so much in Dune #1.

This is too accurate. I gave up after about 70 pages.

Respectfully disagree. I felt Messiah beat the brakes off the first book

Absolutely agree, couldn't have put it better myself. I only read up to the 3rd book until now ( children of dune) and after reading the reviews am tempted to stop reading the series at this point. Loved the 1st book but 2nd & 3rd were lackluster....