Is Dune overrated?

Susan Ledezma · Post by **Susan Ledezma** » 15 Aug 2023, 13:36

I am interested in reading the Dune series by Frank Herbert however I have heard a lot of mixed reviews about it. Some people have said that it is extremely overrated but others have said that it was super good. Is Dune overrated or should I give it a shot?

NetMassimo · Post by **NetMassimo** » 16 Aug 2023, 14:56

The first book in my opinion an absolute masterpiece. It addresses a number of different themes using an interestellar empire to develop the themes of the nature of power and the relationships between various types of power: political, economical, and religious. The planet Arrakis has a unique ecology, another theme crucial in the first book, quite a unique choice in the 1960s. The anthropological element is imporant especially in the parts of the plot connected to the Fremen. These are just the most important themes developed in a novel in which every bit is significant.

The sequels are the controversial novel. I liked them all but, as a rule of thumb, I recommend to go on until you feel tired. They're not easy novels exactly for the complex themes developed by Frank Herbert.

The "apocryphs" written years later by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson are in my opinion a way to exploit Frank Herbert's work. Anderson is a writer of quantity, definitely not of quality.

Susan Ledezma · Post by **Susan Ledezma** » 17 Aug 2023, 15:08

NetMassimo wrote: ↑16 Aug 2023, 14:56 The first book in my opinion an absolute masterpiece. It addresses a number of different themes using an interestellar empire to develop the themes of the nature of power and the relationships between various types of power: political, economical, and religious. The planet Arrakis has a unique ecology, another theme crucial in the first book, quite a unique choice in the 1960s. The anthropological element is imporant especially in the parts of the plot connected to the Fremen. These are just the most important themes developed in a novel in which every bit is significant.

The sequels are the controversial novel. I liked them all but, as a rule of thumb, I recommend to go on until you feel tired. They're not easy novels exactly for the complex themes developed by Frank Herbert.

The "apocryphs" written years later by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson are in my opinion a way to exploit Frank Herbert's work. Anderson is a writer of quantity, definitely not of quality.

Thank you so much for your opinion! It's very helpful, I think I'll give the first few novels a try and go from there. I'll probably stay clear from the ones written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. I've read other series in the past where a different author takes over and continues the series and they're usually pretty bad. It's easy to tell that the same passion and ideas are not there anymore.

Dawn Flootman · Post by **Dawn Flootman** » 30 Dec 2024, 17:45

Yes, I totally agree. You should take your time reading the novels and take a said "Break" from the novels when feeling tired. I am still working on the last one as we speak!

Post by **Annika porter** » 11 Mar 2025, 16:07

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but even the first Dune book was a bit of a slog for me. So much of the book seemed to be occurring within Paul’s inner thoughts that it often felt like it took forever for something exciting to occur. If you are a big fan of world building then this is definitely the book for you! If you are a super big fan of science-fiction then Dune is an excellent choice and a must read book. If you are a more casual fiction enjoyer then this book may be a bit of a slog for you. But I hope you do enjoy it!