Children of Dune

These novels are so ridiculous with their Year 21000 A.D. sword fights, feudal systems, Abrahamic religion, never-ending betrayals, and attempts to create mind-blowing philosophy at every turn. What is Dune? Dune is basically a space soap opera. No one can be trusted. Every move is an expertly crafted grasp at power. And it goes on and on. Every revolution lasts only a decade and then there is a new overlord who brings their own revolution that looks like the last and still doesn't move these 220th Century people, who have journeyed through the universe, past misogynist lords and power by might. Stupid.

Yet, I'm still reading them. Something keeps pulling me in. Despite the logical side of my brain screaming at me that this is the most backward series I've ever read, I keep moving forward. In fact, some voice in my head is whispering “give it four stars.” What the? I don't even like these dumb novels. Maybe Herbert was actually a master of the Bene Gesserit Voice. Maybe one of my ancestors was a fan and is manipulating me. Four stars? These novels aren't worth the paper they're printed on. Children of Dune had potential. In fact, the first hundred or so pages of this one were the best I've read from the Dune universe. But it lost its steam and dissolved into another philosophical “feint within a feint within a feint within a feint” (an actual Children of Dune phrase).

Ludicrous. Will I read another? Yes. Will I give Children of Dune four stars? Not even the Voice could work on me.