Dune newbie questions

[JD]

I just picked Dune a couple days ago, and I have a couple questions before I read it.
1) Which adaptation is better? I'm talking both general quality, and closeness to the book. A few years ago I tried to watch both of them, and I really liked the miniseries, but I didn't make it very far in the movie. I don't think they'd even gotten to Arrakis yet before I turned off the movie.
2) If I decide to continue the series what is the best order to read the sequels/prequels/interquels, midquels or whatever you want to call the new series?

 

[Lindley]

I prefer the two Scifi minis to the Lynch movie. I suppose an argument could be made for the style of the Lynch movie, but in terms of telling the story, the 2000 Scifi mini is certainly better. In most cases I prefer its casting as well.

I haven't read any of the non-Herbert books myself, but of those I will say that the first four (through God Emperor) are certainly the best. Both Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse: Dune had me falling into a pattern of not being able to manage more than one chapter at a time for most of the book, and then suddenly becoming awesome in the last quarter of the story.

 

[Smiley]

1) The Sci-Fi Channel miniseries is much closer to the book. I prefer it in all ways, although some are turned off by its more theatrical-looking sets and length.

2) Assuming you like Dune and want to read everything, I would read in chronological order:

1) Legends of Dune trilogy (Butlerian Jihad, Machine Crusade, Battle of Corrin)
2) House trilogy (Atreides, Harkonnen, Corrino)
3) Dune (it's worth a reread, and you'll have more knowledge of everyone's backstory)
4) Paul of Dune
5) Dune Messiah
6) Winds of Dune
7) Children of Dune
8) God Emperor of Dune
9) Heretics of Dune
10) Chapterhouse: Dune
11) Hunters of Dune
12) Sandworms of Dune

Enjoy!

 

[Starbreaker]

I recommend you read

Dune
Dune Messiah
Children of Dune
God Emperor of Dune

and the rest is really up to you

There's a timeline at www.dunenovels.com

 

[Kegg]

Read the Frank Herbert books first (although Lindley is right, the last two aren't so hot); though I'll admit I haven't read tbe Brian Herbert works.

These are:

1) Dune
2) Dune Messiah
3) Children of Dune
4) God Emperor of Dune
5) Heretics of Dune
6) Chapterhouse: Dune

Again, though, only the first four are good, and are fairly complete by themselves.

 

[Darth_Daver]

Well I like Heretics and Chapterhosue better than God Emperor...

The Legend trilogy is interesting, however it's a bit too fanficish Let's see how EVERYTHING we've seen in Dune started ten thousand years ago!!

House trilogy is almost on par with the first 3 dune books. Must read.

Paul of Dune is similar to the House trilogy in style, in substance it's a little weaker.

Haven't read Winds, I should really have bought it by now...

The two sequels are extremely interesting, the characters are drawn perfectly, however there are like twelve threads going on, third of them completely separate from the main story, some even pointless. And it takes 5 deus ex machines (hehe, bad pun) to save the day!

If you got time, go ahead!
You can read it in any order, just read the House trilogy before Paul, and the Legend trilogy before the sequals. And after you finished with the House trilogy, reread Dune. It makes it MORE AWESOME!

 

[Colonel Midnight]

1) The Sci-Fi Channel miniseries is much closer to the book. I prefer it in all ways, although some are turned off by its more theatrical-looking sets and length.

<Snip for Brevity>
Enjoy!

The mini-series are quite good -- just have to ignore the somewhat goofy-looking hats for the various sects... *oy*



Cheers,
-CM-

 

[jadcox@mindspring.com]

Read Dune, then stop. ;-)

 

[Itisnotlogical]

The first book I read was the original Dune, and in my opinion that's the best one for a beginner to start, mostly because of the glossary in the back. I haven't read any of the Brian Herbert ones (I haven't even finished the original 6 Frank Herbert books), but in my opinion my favorite is the original.

 

[Starscape]

I'd suggest reading the Frank Herbert novels first. Certainly before the prequel "House..." trilogy (the only other ones I've read). I thought their fore-shadowing of the original novels was too heavy-handed, not to mention spoiler-y.

 

[JD]

You can read it in any order, just read the House trilogy before Paul, and the Legend trilogy before the sequals. And after you finished with the House trilogy, reread Dune. It makes it MORE AWESOME!

Yeah, based on what I've read on wikipedia and the Dune wikia this does sound like a good idea.

 

[Michael Chris]

I like all of the, but Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, and God Emperor of Dune are really the essentials. Even God Emperor is optional, but it is my favorite book.

 

[Harvey]

Weren't the first three novels written at the same time? I seem to recall Herbert mentioning he had written some of Dune Messiah before he even completed the first novel in one of his introductions.

I've only read the first four novels (and some of the House novels, which were not as well-written).

 

[Kegg]

Weren't the first three novels written at the same time? I seem to recall Herbert mentioning he had written some of Dune Messiah before he even completed the first novel in one of his introductions.

That was my understanding of it. The last two novels were the first part of a never completed trilogy, also, and the fourth novel was, I understand, designed as a bridge between those (though it works quite well independent of the latter duology).

 

[Hyperspace05]

The Sci-Fi Dune mini-series is worth going through just to get to their Children of Dune mini-series. (It covers 'Dune Messiah' and 'Children of Dune' books)

It is by far the best adaptation of Herbert's books.

 

[bryce]

The Sci-Fi Dune mini-series is worth going through just to get to their Children of Dune mini-series. (It covers 'Dune Messiah' and 'Children of Dune' books)

It is by far the best adaptation of Herbert's books.

I agree.

In production quality, if by FAR made up for how low-rent the first Scifi Channel "Dune" mini was...

(You can actually see they are clearly using *backdrops* in the desert scenes in the first mini...CoD actually used CGI desert scenes...and the music - the music is *awesome*...)

 

[The Wormhole]

The Sci-Fi minis are the best adaptations of Dune. I would only suggest the Lynch film if you are a Dune completist and want to see another intrepretation of the novel.

In regards to the order to read the novels, I read them in the order they were published, and that seems to me the best way.

 

[JD]

The Sci-Fi Dune mini-series is worth going through just to get to their Children of Dune mini-series. (It covers 'Dune Messiah' and 'Children of Dune' books)

It is by far the best adaptation of Herbert's books.

I agree.

In production quality, if by FAR made up for how low-rent the first Scifi Channel "Dune" mini was...

(You can actually see they are clearly using *backdrops* in the desert scenes in the first mini...CoD actually used CGI desert scenes...and the music - the music is *awesome*...)

Really? I was kinda nervous about it since the condensed 774 pages (336 for CM and 408 for CoD) into one miniseries.

 

[Hyperspace05]

Really? I was kinda nervous about it since the condensed 774 pages (336 for CM and 408 for CoD) into one miniseries.

It doesn't matter. It is the best adaptation. Plus it has an amazing soundtrack.

 

[Lindley]

(You can actually see they are clearly using *backdrops* in the desert scenes in the first mini...

The use of backdrops is not uncommon; Stargate SG-1 did it all the time. But the real problem was that the sand they ordered for the set arrived in the wrong color, so it didn't match the backdrops, and they didn't have the time or money to replace it.

Really? I was kinda nervous about it since the condensed 774 pages (336 for CM and 408 for CoD) into one miniseries.

CoD Part 1 is essentially Dune Messiah; parts 2 and 3 are the actual Children of Dune story.

They do condense a few things, but it works. Reading the books does add texture and complexity to some of the miniseries scenes, though.

Besides, it's got Alice Krige!

As for the music, a disproportionate number of movie trailers over the past few years have used music from Children of Dune, because the music just screams "EPIC" in every way. Even Star Trek's trailer did.