Heretics of Dune

Heretics of Dune reinvogorated me. The conflict between the Bene Gesserit and the Honored Matres was interesting, Miles Teg and Darwe Odrade were great characters, and the scope felt epic again. Great ending, some interesting twists, and strong characters helped this one be one of my favorites.

Bonk! This one should be buried underneath the horny jail.

At first, it was quite difficult to adapt to this new group of characters, especially since all the previous ones mentioned in God Emperor of Dune were only referenced as great figures from the past. This power transition from the major houses, mostly linked to politics, to these types of "bands" is refreshing, and I appreciated that. The introduction of a new threat—the Honored Matres—caught me by surprise, and I was even more shocked when I learned why they were so dangerous. The fact that they use sexuality to manipulate others is an interesting twist, particularly since the Bene Gesserit do not approach power in that way, as it contradicts their beliefs. It's like looking at two sides of the same coin, in a way.

At the beginning, I found Duncan's return unnecessary, but as I kept reading, I understood why his character is essential to this evolving universe. One of the most shocking revelations involved the Tleilaxu and the process they use to create their Gholas, which I never saw coming. It was disturbing to discover that the females of their race were responsible for bringing people back to life—but at the cost of being reduced to mere tanks. It's repulsive, but something the Tleilaxu are clearly capable of, if I’m being honest. I’ll keep reading this saga to see where this magnificent story leads.

This book was a chore. Hands down my least favorite of the bunch. Here's hoping Chapterhouse is much better.

Another book with a very different feel from the first trilogy. I enjoyed the characters and intrigue in the first half of the book as the plan began to take shape and was set into motion, but I preferred the second half as the Honored Matres made their move and it became a race for all the pieces to fall into place. I was a little disappointed or confused at the reveal of the plan at the end, and am wondering if Chapterhouse will help.

After the series high that was God Emperor, this feels like a new low. It’s comparable to Children, but much much worse as the plotting is so convoluted and none of the characters really stand out. Good as a sleep aid though as it took me months to finish reading because I’d feel asleep within minutes of starting a chapter!

Finalizamos y tengo algo claro, nunca perderán la esencia de lo que Dune es, pero cada libro es muy diferente al anterior y este aunque me ha gustado bastante, me perdió varias veces de atención.
Siento que en algunos casos alarga momentos innecesarios y los momentos relevantes son cortos y sin mayor detalle, dejándote con propias conjeturas.

Puedo decir que hasta ahora sucedió algo de gran magnitud desde los 4 anteriores y me ha encantado.

I enjoy any of Herbert's Dune books, and this is no exception. The focus on the Bene Gesserit this book is a great follow up to God Emperor. Without spoiling anything, the main plot line on Rakis seems to lack in the importance of the overall story. Additionally, it seemed like Herbert got caught up in fleshing out the story that the last few chapters are full of the resolutions for each thread of the story. As a result, the pacing at the end suffered but not enough for me to enjoy the book. Characters are particularly great in this book. I already look forward to Chapterhouse.

Le début du livre est assez difficile à lire car on repart à nouveau presque de zéro. Nouveaux personnages, nouvelles factions, nouveau tout.
Mais une fois les choses mises en place, l'histoire est plaisante à lire même si elle appelle à une suite et qu'elle ne se suffit donc pas tout à fait à elle-même.
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The beginning of the book is quite difficult to read because we start again almost from zero. New characters, new factions, new everything.
But once things are set in place, the story is fun to read even if it calls for a sequel and is therefore not quite self-sufficient.

Intre Children of Dune si God Emperor of Dune, time gap.
Intre God Emperor of Dune si Heretics of Dune, timp gap.
Prima data m-a deranjat deoarece in fiecare carte apar personaje noi pe care le vedem doar in acea carte, dar ca sa dezvolti universul acesta, iti trebuie acesti ani lipsa. Herbert nu a dezamagit nici aici, iar la cum se termina cartea... phew, abia astept sa incep Chapterhouse: Dune.

Did not finish

Il m'a fallu du temps pour lire en entier ce cinquième volet de la monumentale saga Dune de Frank Herbert. Je crois que j'avais déjà essayé de le lire deux fois, sans parvenir à le terminer. Je ne sais pas trop pourquoi j'avais renoncé car cette troisième tentative m'a donné le sentiment de lire un récit bien construit et passionnant, moins complexe à aborder que le quatrième volet, L'Empereur-Dieu de Dune. Tout n'est pas toujours très clair, mais les personnages et le récit m'ont vraiment plu. Il ne me reste plus qu'à lire le sixième volet de la saga originale avant d'envisager lire ou relire les romans publiés ensuite par le fils de Frank Herbert.