Xeeban's Musings

Book Review - Butlerian Jihad

The Butlerian Jihad (Dune Series) by Kevin J. Anderson, Brian Herbert

Not a book in the same great company as Frank Herbert's Dune series, this book by his son and Kevin Anderson still does a good job of entertaining. Since its a prequel book, its dealing with events that are historical (maybe even mythical) in the Dune series. Here we see the Machines who control the majority of mankind and the struggles of those who seek to overthrow their oppressors.

I must admit that I am a Dune fan. I started reading Frank Herbert's Dune series when I was still a teenager. I've read the book several times each and love the rich detail and story that spans so many generations. Its a great story. So it was with some excitement that I leaned of his son and Kevin Anderson were writing prequel books. Their books on the events leading right up to the starting pages of Dune were very fun and it was nice to see some more of the background for the story.

The Butlerian Jihad starts a new series of stories in the Dune universe. Only this time, we are taken ten thousand years into the past, when mankind is still enslaved by thinking machines. There were questions raised in the original series, such as why no one used computers even though everything else was so advanced. Mentats and Gene Gesserits developed the human body to peak levels of performance and shunned what are daily companions in our own world. Why? Humanity seemed to be ruled by a type of monarchy with Emperors, Dukes, etc. Why?

This new series aims to answer these questions by taking us back into the dim past where events unfolded that shaped the original Dune universe. We see the beginnings of the Noble Houses. Two characters we meet are husband and wife, and each seems to be the seed of great powers in the original books. Here we see the beginnings of the Bene Gesserit and the first fortunes made that will become CHAOM.

We meet the exiled Zensunni who discovers how to ride the great sandworms. We see the first interest in the spice Melange. We see the invention of devices like the personal shield belt, floating glow lamps and visions of instantaneous travel between stars.

Its a book that seeks to set the foundation of things to come. Sometimes it feels a bit odd that so many of the things that form the background of the Dune series are founded, invented or discovered almost at the same time. Ten thousand years of history and the most important things occur in the span of days.

But overlooking that, its a nice story that fills in a lot of the history of Dune. Recommended for Dune fanatics who want to learn more about that universe of Frank Herbert. Others might enjoy the story, but its not as good as the original stories.

Internet's Top 100 Sci-fi/Fantasy

I've found a neat list of the Internet's top 100 sci-fi and fantasy books. I am currently working my way down the list and reading those books I have not yet read. Lots of great reading for the summer =) I'll update my book list as I get them.