Avid Inkling

I finally finished reading Dune. I was a little confused, but around page 50 or so I had the following conversation with Nick and the book made a lot more sense.

Kindli: can you tell me in 100 words or less why Dune is a good book? and in another 100 words or so, what the hell it is about? i’ve asked gavin, he just said to “keep reading, it’ll get better”

Nick: It’s an science fiction story set in a world with a convincing, original, interesting ecology. The politics, while not tremendously original, are well-done, and the characters are at least tolerable. The author had some very good ideas and executed them well. The whole thing gets better once Paul actually gets out among the Fremen.

Kindli i was hoping for more of a plot over view

Nick That’s why it’s the short version. And why it’s a good science fiction novel - because it takes one of the normal novel themes and writes it into the future.

Kindli i’m lost, and i dont see why it matters who paul is, or who his mother is, or what powers she may/may not have

Nick Paul’s the heir to one of the major noble houses of a multi-planet empire. The Atredies (Paul’s family) are powerful and are looking to become more powerful. Near the start of the book, his father scores a coup of sorts. He manages to seize control of Dune from the Harkonnens. Dune’s important because it’s the only source of Spice which, among other things, allows for cheap space travel. The Atredies are betrayed, and we find out that the whole thing was a set-up - the Emperor saw Paul’s father as a threat to his power, and conspired with the Harkonnen to destroy him. Paul and his mother survive, flee into the desert, and find a home with the nomadic Fremen.

Kindli what so special about her? they seemed to make a big deal out of her for some reason

Nick Paul’s mother’s important because she’s a Bene Gesserit. The Bene Gesserit are an order of women who have, through mental discipline and the Spice, developed a number of interesting powers. They also have a massive human breeding program set up to attempt to produce a superhuman who can see the future. Jessica Atredies, a Bene Gesserit, throws off their plans by bearing a son - Paul - instead of a daughter.

Kindli so what? i’m failing to see the importance, if anything they sound like a bunch of wackos

Nick They’re not wackos because they get results… power crazed wackos. Now, Paul’s been trained by his father’s men as a “mentat” - a human computer. When he and his mother join the Fremen, they drink the “water of life” - a derivative of the spice - and gain funky powers.

Kindli doesnt paul already have funky powers?

Nick MORE funky powers. Basically, he becomes what the Bene Gesserit have been trying to create. Then he decides he doesn’t like the future he sees, so he starts trying to change it. The whole series winds up being about free will VS predestination, but it gets pretty weird.

I still don’t think the book was quite as great as Gavin said it was, I’d say it was OK.