Hunters of Dune (Sci Fi Essential Books)
by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson
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Book Reviews of Hunters of Dune (Sci Fi Essential Books)
Book Review: Hmph
Summary: 3 Stars
I have to say that this edition of Brian and Kevin's proved the most supremely disappointing to me. Despite the criticism rained down by some on their previous works, I've enjoyed the prequels to Frank Herbert's masterpieces. But this one, my God... I looked forward to seeing how they'd resolve the "cliffhanger" left by Chapterhouse: Dune. The book read like it had been written hastily by someone who had an outline and didn't care about the story or the characters...someone who just wanted to get it over with. The characters were flat and no matter how much I wanted to I couldn't suspend my disbelief. They almost completely ignored the "show it, don't tell it" axiom that even inexperienced writers can pick up quickly enough. The gholas of the children and Harkonnen were written like cartoon characters. Just awful, awful. The only thing that really annoyed me in their prequels was the little recaps in each chapter of what had happened in earlier parts of the book. I found them insulting. Unfortunately, in Hunters they wasted even more space re-telling us what they already told us.
I so wish they'd recall this text and start from scratch...completely rewrite it the way it should have been, or at least closer to that. In the beginning of the book they do state that they didn't try to write like Frank Herbert. After I finished the book I realized what an immense cop-out their little disclaimer really was.
The sad thing is...I'll buy the next book when it comes out and struggle through the anguish just so I can maybe glean a little of what Frank Herbert might have imagined. I'll hope they do better, but I won't hold my breath. After that one I don't think I will ever read another one of their Dune collaborations. They seem burnt out on the Dune world and should go their separate ways, try to find inspiration of their own.
Book Review: A good entry that fans of the series will appreciate
Summary: 5 Stars
Fleeing CHAPTERHOUSE and the deadly Honored Matres, the darker side of the all female Bene Geserit, the vessel Ithaca sails into uncharted regions of the galaxy with a crew and led by Mother Commander Murabella and 150 mostly frightened exiles. At any point on this dangerous trek, the Mother Commander and her former love slave Duncan know that the known enemy could overtake them with death being the better option. Worse would be if the unknown invincible foe of who has the Honored Matres on the run catches up with the Ithaca. However, as the trek to safety continues Murabella finds some of her passengers have other plans for her and those accompanying her. She must unmask the enemy from within who has caused havoc with violence and murder on board.
At the same time, Murabella and company struggle to survive by using genetics to bring back long dead heroes, the Omnuis of the Synchronized Empire has managed to gain access to the Honored Matres from the inside; they plan to devastate the powerful sect. Also the Face Dancer plans to end man's reign with a race of machines taking over as the acme of sentient beings. Finally the unknown enemy intends to destroy everyone and everything. The galaxy is teetering on the eve of destruction.
Though somewhat overblown, the first Dune novel in two decades is a fun entry that fans of the series will appreciate as the galaxy is in trouble from conflicting factions. The story line is action-packed though somewhat complex and hard to follow as the galaxy is crowded with contenders. Still this is a fine entry that adds to the mythos while paying tribute to its tribute to its founding father as the scientific techno concerns involving genetic engineering that Frank Herbert voiced years ago seems so valid now.
Harriet Klausner
Book Review: A Terrible, Wretched Book
Summary: 1 Stars
I only rate this book 1 star because there isn't an option for zero, or, better still, negative stars.
On its own, "Hunters of Dune" is a bad book. It's poorly paced; it's the litrary equivalent of ADHD with far too many 3 or 4 page chapters that bounce around without reason. It's repetetive - even accounting for the fact that Herbert and Anderson had to catch up readers who haven't recently (or at all) read "Chapterhouse: Dune", there's far too much recap and characters saying the same things over and over, and, worse, conversations where BOTH characters know something and yet must explain that thing to each other. And it is unsubtle; the book leaves absolutely nothing to the reader's imagination. Every point is driven home with a sledgehammer, and then driven home just a little bit more just in case.
As a conclusion to Frank Herbert's Dune saga, this book is appalling. The characters from "Heretics" and "Chapterhouse" are written as though they've lost 50 IQ points apiece in the hands of Anderson and Brian Herbert; for people who are, we're told, great military leaders, the most highly trained and skilled leaders of their civilization, these people are DUMB.
Tying the villains from the Butlerain Jihad prequel trilogy into this, making them the unknown Enemy here, is riduculous. And despite the protestations of Anderson and Brian Herbert, I refuse to believe that that's what Frank Herbert intended. And let's not even talk about all the "Dune babies" runing around; I can't imagine that Frank really meant to bring back basically every single important character from the previous books as a ghola as his conclusion to the saga.
This book is a travesty; the authors should be ashamed to have produced it, and I am very sorry that I spent money on it.
Book Review: Better than the other H/A prequels
Summary: 2 Stars
The first Dune book from the vexing Herbert-Anderson (HA) duo that wasn't a huge pile of stinking fertilizer. At least not initially. Constrained by the plot, technology, and culture already laid out by the real Herbert, HA manage to keep the book on a fairly Dune-ish keel for about the first half of the book. They almost fooled me into thinking they could pull it off.
The problem with all the prequels was HA had to imagine a pre-Dune universe, pre-spice universe. They had to think up a whole bunch of clever ideas on their very own and it was clear from the get go they weren't up to the job. I think after the first Robots of Dune book, HA realized they better rush back all the familiar Dune things (Bene Gesserit, Mentats, etc.). We were forced to accept that "Rome" was built in a day. Every important facet of the Dune universe was gestated in the course of couple decades.
The book does manage to go off the rails at about the half way mark, when they start to resurrect the Dune book characters. Someone needs to sit HA down and carefully explain to them that they're incapable of writing children characters. HA also resurrect all their tired old literary devices. Bad characters commit unspeakable acts of violence and we're given page after page of lurid details. We're reminded constantly of the characters personality traits. We're reminded constantly that there's some evil threat out there and reminded constantly of the unbelievable notion none of the Honored Matres knows what they were actually running from (WTF?). We're reminded constantly of the characters' back story. We get it. HA wouldn't have had to split the story into two novels if they just got rid of all the repetition and lurid pre-teen fantasy violence.
Book Review: A Worthwhile Read
Summary: 4 Stars
Will I hold onto Hunters of Dune for decades, like I have the six Dune novels written by Frank Herbert? Maybe...and I haven't held onto the other prequel Dune novels, although I read and enjoyed each of them.
Look, Frank Herbert was a gifted and visionary writer, the kind that comes along once in a LONG time. Heck, the original Dune is often cited as the best scifi novel (particularly given its crossover appeal among ordinary folk) of all time. Why would folks expect the prequels and sequels to be up to the same standard? That would qualify as a major league miracle, along the lines of safely navigating a Heighliner without the benefit of melange. Even Frank couldn't hold to that standard in all the books (e.g., Dune Messiah).
Yes, Hunters, like the prequels, doesn't feel as "deep" to me as the books written by Frank (I've read God Emperor of Dune at least a dozen times, and I'm still not sure I understand all he was saying in it). But they're still a lot of fun to read, with engaging characters and interesting twists.
I, for one, am looking forward to the "final" volume, where I'm hoping one of the most tormented characters in all of scifi will finally, climactically, get to take center stage.
So don't be put off by the fact that Kevin and Brian have a pretty different writing style from Frank's. Don't come with the expectation that a Frank Herbert ghoula has miraculously appeared to finish the series.
Just remember that it's Dune, and give the story a chance to play out, in different hands, to its conclusion. If you do that, I'm confident you'll be pleased with what you find.