Books, Number Four

Birthday celebrations are over, so we're back with


Number Four: Dune by Frank Herbert


Dune. What else needs to be said? This (and all the subsequent Dune novels) stands as one of the great monuments of Science Fiction storytelling. It's deep, it's complex, the characters are conflicted, passionate, and emotionally engaging. Yes, the terminology is quite esoteric, and you have to pick up some of the jargon as you go, but it's worth it, as Herbert was a master storyteller. I picked up SO many life lessons in this series. (Fear is the mind killer . . . ) The use of "spice" as the symbol for "oil" in our own society is obvious, yet the reader never feels like he's being preached to; or like the "message" is more important than the story itself. I am also a fan of the other Dune books, both written by Frank Herbert and those written after his death by his son Brian Herbert with Kevin J. Anderson using Frank Herbert's notes. Overall, they're great stories, with great characters, with universal themes. That's what makes the Dune novels classics as well as a damn good read.