Kroniki Diuny. Tom 6. Kapitularz Diuna

Dune #6

by Frank Herbert

Frank Herbert's Final Novel in the Magnificent Dune Chronicles--the Bestselling Science Fiction Adventure of All Time.

The desert planet Arrakis, called Dune, has been destroyed. The remnants of the Old Empire have been consumed by the violent matriarchal cult known as the Honored Matres. Only one faction remains a viable threat to their total conquest--the Bene Gesserit, heirs to Dune's power.

Under the leadership of Mother Superior Darwi Odrade, the Bene Gesserit have colonized a green world on the planet Chapterhouse and are turning it into a desert, mile by scorched mile. And once they've mastered breeding sandworms, the Sisterhood will control the production of the greatest commodity in the known galaxy--the spice melange. But their true weapon remains a man who has lived countless lifetimes--a man who served under the God Emperor Paul Muad'Dib....

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Classics, Science Fiction Fantasy, Audiobook, Space Opera

568 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1985

About the author

Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr. was an American science fiction author best known for the 1965 novel Dune and its five sequels. Though he became famous for his novels, he also wrote short stories and worked as a newspaper journalist, photographer, book reviewer, ecological consultant, and lecturer.

The Dune saga, set in the distant future, and taking place over millennia, explores complex themes, such as the long-term survival of the human species, human evolution, planetary science and ecology, and the intersection of religion, politics, economics and power in a future where humanity has long since developed interstellar travel and settled many thousands of worlds. Dune is the best-selling science fiction novel of all time, and the entire series is considered to be among the classics of the genre.

Reviews

[Carrie Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

i am finally free

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

[ Villeneuve film reviews at the bottom of this article ]

Introductory notes:
Some initial notes for building my impressions of Dune where book references are denoted by D1-D6 for the 6 volumes of the trilogy - warning - there are some spoilers below, but once again if you have read this far into the Dune series, they are hardly spoilers because you already know all of this, or most of it.

Royal Houses
Atreides
Harkonnen
Corinno

It is interesting to me that despite the massive scale of Dune, it remains a tale concerning really only three families (initially) competing for power.

Power Bases
Bene Geserit (female)
Bene Tleilaxu (male -females reduced to living axlotl tanks for breeding (D5)
Ix (unknown, only contact with male ambassadors)
Honored Matres (female - returning Bene Geserit from the Scattering hellbent on destruction)

There are also only three extra-royal organizations (and later a fourth) that operate within the walls of the first 6 books. Of course, each of these (yet not always described in a homogeneous amount of detail) are incredibly complex societies with interesting dynamics which made for great reading.

Religions
Zensunni (overall fusion of Islam and Zen Buddhism which is sort of the ambient religion across the Known Universe)
Sufi (closely related to Zensunni - very close to Bene Tleilaxu core beliefs)
Freemen Worship of Leto II / the God Emperor / the Tyrant (for Bene Geserit) / Guldur (for Honored Matres)
Orange Catholic (remnants of Roman Catholic faith)
Note: The Bene Geserit, while originally derived at least partially from Roman Catholic Monastical practices views religion as a tool for manipulating the masses and opportunistically plays religions off each other)

I liked the mashup of Zen Buddhism and Islam and found that it was a creative way of projecting out human development. One should note that - other than perhaps futars late in D5 and D6), no aliens are in the Known Universe so the humans are all descendants of a diaspore from Terra in the distant past. The idea being that the Zen Buddhists and those of the Muslim faith blended together whereas - apparently - the Roman Catholics split into Bene Geserit and then disappeared. I found no mention at all of polytheist beliefs such as Hinduism or Dualism beliefs such as Taoism.

Armies
Saudukar (males from Salusa Secundus in service of Harkonnens and Shaddam IV of the Corrino family)
Fish Speakers (females from Rakis in serivce of Leto II)
Honored Matres (females with mix of various Scattering populations with sexual skills honed to an extreme but also the physical prowess of the Bene Geserit but with extreme violence and no regret or pity)
Bene Geserit (females with extreme martial arts skills and body control)

Some of the most exciting writing in Dune is of course the battle scenes and it is interesting how the elite forces switch from all-male to all-female on the advent of Leto II. The Honored Matres are pretty badass (and very scary) and it was awesome how Miles Teg evolved into a godlike fighter before his doom on Dune.

Planets
Dune / Arrakis / Rakis (home to the Freemen, planet of the Sandworms, sole natural source of melange in Known Universe)
Caladan (home planet to Atreides clan)
Giedi Prime / Gammu (home to Harkonnens)
Salusa Secundus (prison planet - previous home to House Corrino)
Hidden Chapterhouse planet (home to Bene Geserit)
Tleilax (home to Tleilaxu)
Ix (home to Ixians)
Junction(s) (waystations for the Guild Navigators)

I was frustrated that we never visited Is or Tleilax and learned precious little about any planets besides Dune, Giedi Prime/Gammu and Chapterhouse. One would think that in a galaxy of billions and trillions that there would be more planets, but I suppose that Frank needed to simplify somewhere.

Bene Geserit hierarchy
Mother Superior
Reverend Mother
Breeding Mothers
Acolytes (1st Degree - 3rd Degree)

The BG became a sort of mashup of the military and a female monastic order that was interesting to read about. Unfortunately, there are many revelations for which the reader has to wait for D6 to learn about.

Famous Mentats
Thufir Hawat (D1)
Miles Teg (D5, D6)
Duncan Idaho's last ghola becomes both Mentat and Zensunni philosopher (D6)

Like for the BG, we learn only scattered things about mentats until late in the series. The idea of replacing "thinking machines" after the Butlerian Jihad with human computers is fascinating and one of my favorite innovations in the Dune Universe.

Immortality Strategies
Bene Geserit- selective breeding, Others Memories, all powered by mélange addiction
Tleilaxu - axlotl tanks (deformed females) with selective breeding

Major Historical Moments
Before Dune
Butlerian Jihad - end of “thinking” machines, calculations monopolized by Guildsmen, Mentats and Bene Geserit
Creation by BG of Miossionaria Protecta
Establishment of BG Archives (?)
Birth of preborn Paul and his sister Ayla (the Abomination) to Leto and Jessica due to spice addiction. Jessica had disobeyed the BG and had a son first rather than a daughter which is a massive rock in the BG genetic pond for which we see the ripples over 5000 years of Known Universe history over the 6 books.
Dune
Paul Atreides passes Bene Geserit “box” test by Mother Superior - first male ever to pass the test
Move of Atreides family from Caladan to Dune under Emperor Shaddam IV’s direction ostensibly to protect the spice trade
Betraval and Assassination of Leto I
Flight of Paul to Fremen and their acceptance of him as their messiah, the Muad’dib
Victory of Paul Atreides Muad’dib over Shaddam IV and Baron Harkonnen at Arakeen using worm-fremen army and the Voice and death of first Duncan Idaho, Lady Jessica, Gurney Halleck, etc
Dune Messiah
Birth of preborn twins Leto II and Ghamina to Paul Muad’dib and Fremen Chola
Assasination atttempts on Leto II and Ghamina
Death/disappearance of Paul Muad’dib
Children of Dune
Abomination / possession of Ayla by spirit of Baron Harkonnen
Appearance of Preacher
Destruction of Ayla
Leto II assumes a Golden Path to save humanity by fusing with the sand trout and becoming Shai-Hallud / Shaitan / God Emperor
God Emperor of Dune
Peaceful reign of 3000 years under Leto II
Creation of Fish Speakers
Allowance of Aix technology
Deliverance of Duncan Idaho gholas by Tleilaxu to Leto II
Leto II killed during festival
Heretics of Dune
2000+ years of Scattering
Writing and distribution of Zaire ideas Manifesto (ghost written by HR Odrade daughter of Teg and future Mothre Superior)
Tleilaxu murder each of the delivered Duncan Idahos until last one
Appearance of Sheeana with power over worms on Rakis near Sietch
Waking up of Duncan Idaho by Teg and failure of Lucille to bind him to Bene Geserit
Breeding of Duncan Idaho ghola and Honored Matre Murbella
Conquering of Gammu by HR
Destruction of Dune by HR and death of Teg
Chapterhouse: Dune
Hunting of Bene Geserit by Honored Matres
Transfer from Lucille to Rebecca
Secret Israel
Agony of Murbella
Battle of Junction
Escape of ghola Duncan Idaho and Sheeana

And now for my review of Chapterhouse: Dune
Wow, that was quite a tumultuous and somewhat anti-climactic end to the Dune saga. I will write a long post here with plenty of quotes summing up all my Dune impressions for those who wish to read them.

"When she thought of the largely passive non-Bene Desert populace 'out there', Odrade sometime envied them. They were permitted their illusions. What a comfort. You could pretend your life was forever, that tomorrow would be better, that the gods in heaven watched you with care." (p. 49)

Odrade is the daughter of Bandar Mentat (and overall badass mofo) Miles Teg who becomes Mother Superior of the Bene Geserit following the events at the end of Heretics of Dune. She has a deadly standoff with the Honored Matres which dominates Chapterhouse (the hidden BG headquarters planet). She is a great character - full of depth and insight such as the quote above. The Bene Geserit thanks to melange and some genetic engineering created a form of immortality which is threatened with extinction by the Matres flooding into the Old Empire from The Scattering (see God Emperor and Heretics) and Odrade's strategy is a fascinating one to see being put together and then executed.

"The presence of Others Within who subtracted none of her attention from what went on around her had filled her with awe. We call it. Simuflow. Speaker had said. Simuflow multiplies your awareness." (p. 60)

Chapterhouse opened a whole new line of inquiry into the fate of Israel with the characters of the Rabbi and Rebecca - the few last remnants of the diaspora now on a galactic scale. Rebecca is pulled into the Bene Geserit in order to save the Others Within that were massacred on Lampadas by the Honored Matres. While this is an interesting interlude, it is a little frustrating that Herbert throws this in in only the last book of the series and dies before developing this idea any further. The primary interest of this interlude was in fact a bit more information on how the Bene Geserit functioned with the Others Within which was helpful in better understanding them.

"God formed me to deceive the powindah! His slight, childlike appearance was formed in a grey skin whose metallic pigments blocked scanning probes. His diminutive shape distracted those who saw him and hid the powers he had accumulated in serial ghola incarnations." (p. 84)

The last Tleilaxu, Scytale, was an interesting character. Tleilaxu having been destroyed by the Honored Matres, Scytale is a prisoner on the no-ship on Chapterhouse. Perhaps Herbert sensed the end coming because the potential he built into this character (especially the whispering which was supposed to serve as a trigger for the ghola of Duncan Idaho) was never exploited in this book. That being said, he is fairly one-dimensional and serves as almost an albeit morbid comic relief.

"Honored Matre assumptions about control fascinated Lucilla. You controlled your universe; you did not balance with it. You did not train yourself to sense your own subtle responses, you produced muscles (forces, powers) to overcome everything you defined as an obstacle. Were these women blind?" (p. 100)

Lucilla was one of the most enigmatic and powerful characters in the later Dune trilogy I found. Here she is prisoner to the HM and studying them hoping to get a message to Odrade in time for the BG to prepare a defense. It was interesting to compare the BG before Paul/Leto II/The Scattering (all powerful, mystical, and mega fighters who subjugated emotion completely and sex as a precise weapon and the BG who viewed sex only as reproductive function.

The key issue in Dune is the disruptive impact of LOVE which ignites the first crisis in D1 when Lady Jessica falls in love with Leto I and rather than giving birth to a girl as her Bene Geserit masters would expect her to do, gives birth to Paul who then exhibits characteristics of the Kwisatz Haderach and becomes Maud'dib to the Freemen when he survives the BG test and achieves prescience. Paul’s love for Chani of the Fremen dooms his political mariage to Princess Irulan and it is Chani that bears his two children, the preborn twins Ghamina and Leto II, soon to be God Emperor and to set humanity on the Golden Path. The next crisis occurs because Leto II loves humanity and wants them to survive. The last crisis is when Duncan Idaho and Murbella fall in love and do not fulfill (once again) BG plans. Unfortunately, we never really get to the end to know whether "love conquers all" or just fucks everything up.

Fantastic and legendary read. Please comment!

[UPDATE] I am looking forward to Denis Villeneuve's Dune in October 2021. The previews I have seen so far seem to be quite coherent with respect to the book. I was a fan of Lynch's Dune and am curious to see what Villeneuve does with this one. Feel free to comment below.

[UPDATE 2] It has been a few months, but personally I felt that Villeneuve’s Dune was respectful both of the spirit of the original books and of Lynch’s cult classic movie.

[UPDATE 3] Villeneuve made one of sci-fi’s greatest sophomore movies with Dune 2. Just absolutely perfect for casting, cinematography, action scenes, color, sound…and best of all, the door is open to film Dune Messiah!

Fino's Dune Reviews
Dune
Dune Messiah
Children of Dune
God Emperor of Dune
Heretics of Dune
Chapterhouse: Dune

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 2022 reread –

Love this series and the Denis Villeneuve film has only intensified my admiration for Frank Herbert’s vision and literary accomplishment.

I published the below review seven years ago when I finished this the last of Frank Herbert’s “original six” and the last published before his death in 1986. I’ve amended some of my earlier critical language as I now LOVE! all of the series an YES! I will read them on a train, and in a plane, and with a fox and in a box, I LOVE Dune Sam I Am!

Chapterhouse: Dune was the last Dune novel that Frank Herbert completed and published before his death in 1986. Though he had written notes and the series would continue with his son Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, most Dune fans regard the six Frank Herbert publications as the “Original Series”. After many books written since his death, pundits have stated that the only notes left is a post it note that says, "write more books."

In this installment the direction taken in Heretics of Dune, the fifth book in the series, published in 1984, continues with the Bene Gesserit front and center. Heretics had followed a thousand five hundred year hiatus following the events in the fourth novel, God Emperor of Dune(published in 1981) and had taken a new direction, resurrecting much of the intensity and charisma of the original. The reign of the God Emperor, Leto II, son of Paul Muab ‘Dib Atreides, has ended and the story has been taken up with political and economic intrigue between the Bene Gesserit and the Bene Tleilax and a new power, the Honored Matres. Chapterhouse involves action between the Bene Gesserit and the rising power of the Honored Matres.

Some of the writing in Chapterhouse: Dune demonstrates Herbert’s best writing. “Power attracts those who are corruptible” muses Herbert and his Dune work represents an accomplished skill that highlights his remarkable powers of observation, detail and complex characterization. “Truth is an empty cup” is another line that I enjoyed and which provoked much thought.

If I was asked for a recommendation, I cannot endorse the original 1965 publication higher, it is in a rare atmosphere, populated by such classics as Fahrenheit 451, Childhood's End and 1984. If you loved Dune, by all means read the original series and even the other books by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson.

So … what to read now?

A discussion of what to read next by personalities of Lyn’s READER MIND.

Frank Herbert purist: That’s it, stick with what Frank wrote, go back and reread the original Dune. Then read the original six over and over again until you die.

All things Dune fan: I agree with rereading over and over, always keep a Dune book on your currently reading stack, but you need to reread Hunters now, that cliffhanger at the end of Chapterhouse needs to be sorted out!

Goodreads Reviewer: Over and over? Guys, we’ve got a lot of other books to read besides Dune and we’re trying to read books from more diverse writers and genres. Right? Isn’t that our goal?

Lawyer: We’re really busy at work right now, we need easy to read, simple stuff. Stick with the graphic novels and comic strips, Herbert is great but too heavy and too provocative, we need easy reading in our very sparse leisure reading time.

All things Dune fan: You’ve still got some other Herbert-Anderson books to read, Frank’s vision has been expanded and you want to read them all!

Frank Herbert purist: Abomination! Frank wrote six Dune books. Period. That’s the Dune universe.

Self Help reader: You also need to reread Covey’s Seven Habits –

Everyone else: SHUT UP!!!

Goodreads reviewer: OK, let’s get back to our international reading and then we’ll come back to which Dune book to take on next. Also, we need to read –

All things Dune fan: LET’S DO THIS!!! HUNTERS! LYYYYYYYYYYYYYNNNNNNNNYYYYYYY JENKINS!!!

All things Dune fan crashes through the door and slams into Hunter of Dune, the seventh in the expanded series and sequel to Chapterhouse for a reread.

Goodreads Reviewer: All things Dune went in! OK, let’s follow him.

Frank Herbert purist: Abomination!

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read 8/5/21:

Just to be very clear here: Frank Herbert's originals are absolute classics of SF. It's not just Dune -- although that one is superior to the rest -- but all six of these books that should be put on a pedestal.

That being said, the density of ideas, the wonderful interlocked wisdom wafting from the pages, the stunning panorama of future history make an absolutely thrilling ride. This one has a lot less action than, say, Heretics, but the reveals and the implications are enough to utterly transform our understanding of the entire Dune universe that came before.


Unfortunately, I'm caught between a rock and a hard place. Frank was taken from us too soon. All the various ideas and directions did not finalize in this book. We have a very open-ended conclusion that annoys me as much now as when I was 14-years-old. We need the amazing combination of the BG and the HM, the exodus, and the eventual blow-out that would have come with the inclusion of the thinking machines that drove the HM to near-extinction.

That's why we needed those two extra books by FH's son and KJA.
And what we got was nothing near what we needed.

It doesn't change the brilliance of this book or the ones before. It just makes me wish that someone like Brandon Sanderson had swooped in to finish this series in the same way that he brilliantly finished the WoT series.

*sigh*


Original Review:

As with much of Frank Herbert's other writing, Dune excluded, this one is a novel notable and worthy on the realm of ideas. He never stints on ideas. He might get slightly sluggish and lose the thread of the plot while we plod around in the ideas, but there are always great scenes and always great blow-out reveals. The original classic of Dune has none of these faults. It is a classic and imminently readable from page one and is still my favorite book of all time.

So what about this one? Is it worth reading for everyone else? It's book 6 in the very impressive and automatically Epic series that encapsulates over five thousand years from the events of Dune, ending with the centric viewpoint of the Bene Gesserit after the tyranny of Paul's son and the great diaspora that scattered all the peoples of the galaxy after his death.

The planet Dune is effectively destroyed at the end of Heretics of Dune and only a single sandworm and some sandtrout were lifted from the planet to be the seed of a new place where the Spice can be produced. This is especially important after the Bene Tleilaxu were also destroyed or partially submerged under the auspices of the Gesserit after the Honored Matres rampaged through the known universe.

This book takes up the new clones of Teg and Duncan, but mostly revolves around the conflicts between the Bene Gesserit and the Honored Matres. Each side has taken prisoners and tries to subvert the captives. The Bene Gesserit are more than slightly more successful at the task than the "knock-off Bene Gesserit" Honored Matres, despite the others being wildly more dominant and deadly in combat.

What we have is a novel that reminds me a great deal of the later Wheel of Time books with Egwaine in the White Tower, only, I have to point out that Chapterhouse Dune came out first. :) We know that Jordan was a big fan of Dune and stole a tone of great ideas from Herbert, so this shouldn't be too surprising, but rather than a 5-6 enormous spread of books, Herbert accomplishes a success-from-below story in a single novel. :)

The teaching and the subversion is the real main story in Chapterhouse. Don't let the cool space battles and space-opera fool you. This is a story of fantastic women doing fantastic things, the undisputed masters of the galaxy, and a massive conflict between the returning diaspora offshoot of the Bene Gesserit and the mainline that stayed behind.

On that level, it's still a great tale despite my other issues with it.

Anything this complex and full of great observations about human nature, politics, and even love should not be discounted lightly. It's super dense with fantastic ideas on every page and even though it will never be considered a standalone classic, it's a very, very worthy novel to read. Especially in conjunction with Heretics of Dune.

And, I assume, Hunters of Dune and Sandworms of Dune carry on the tradition well since I'm going to plow through them and continue the storyline set up here. :) The cliffhanger at the end of Chapterhouse was a doozy. :)

Let's see if Herbert's son and Anderson make the ideas into something more traditional, eh? I can hope. They've had a lot of practice in the universe before attempting the big one. Herbert's death put a stop to the story and most of us fans were extremely upset. Hell, I remember reading this book the first time in '89 and wishing I could have written the sequel to it. I can't be alone in this. :) I can only hope that expectations live up, etc., etc.

[Ramón S. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Finally I ended this unbearable book. Had been a real penance, a hardship. I recognize that Dune is a classic in the genre but just the first book. The rest of the saga is incredibly boring and full of emptiness, the worst of the philosophical reasoning fills the book, a pomposity and a senseless discourse. One of the worst books I have ever read. Such a pity

[Books with Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️
I’m devastated we will never get Frank’s true sequel. I’m dying to know exactly where he’s take the story

[Brian Turner · Rating 1 out of 5]

The most exciting part of this book was the cigarette burn toward the end of the paperback, from when my dad read it. I used to buy him the latest in the Dune series for his birthday - now I know I was punishing him.

To summarize Chapter House:

People talk with each other, then remember earlier conversations, go back to the current one, recall another earlier conversation - all the time talking about absolutely nothing of consequence.

There is no plot, other than people talking about whores vs witches, including witches talking about whores and whores talking about witches.

That is the sum of it, the end.

A terrible book, but at least I know get the wear the badge of (dis?)honour for having read the complete Dune series.

The first book is a masterpiece, the rest are weak echoes that offer ever decreasing returns.

[Gerhard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The love the Bene Gesserit tried to deny was everywhere, Odrade thought. In small things and big. How many ways there were to prepare delectable, life-sustaining foods, recipes that really were embodiments of loves old and new. This bouillabaisse so smoothly restorative on her tongue; its origins were planted deeply in love: the wife at home using that part of the day’s catch her husband could not sell.
The very essence of the Bene Gesserit was concealed in loves. Why else minister to those unspoken needs humanity always carried? Why else work for the perfectibility of humankind?

This is the end of my Great Dune Reread, which I began just before Denis Villeneuve’s Part One adaptation came out. I last read the entire sequence as a teenager. It is interesting how my perceptions, and appreciation, of the six books have changed over time.

Chapterhouse, which I disliked initially due to that (in)famous cliffhanger ending, now emerges as my favourite of the series. Indeed, the second trilogy is, in my opinion, the best of the bunch.

What is also clear is how uniquely different each Dune book is, and yet how they all form part of a greater whole. Here we pretty much pick up where Heretics left off, but Chapterhouse is a far more contemplative novel – and all the richer for it.

Our main viewpoint character is Mother Superior Odrade, whose favourite pastime is to walk through the orchards of her beloved home planet. Here she notices the telltale signs of the inexorable changes gathering momentum as the last wild sand trout begin the transformation of Chapterhouse into another Arrakis – the second Dune.

Odrade enjoys her favourite meals, spars with her closest aides, and engages in much ruminative reflection on the nature and mission of the Bene Gesserit, the meaning and consequences of Leto II’s Golden Path, and how everything is now up in the air thanks to the determined onslaught of the Honored Matres.

And that is pretty much it for plot. Odrade does eventually hatch a plan to save the Sisterhood, culminating in a rousing final battle between the two great rivals that Herbert paces expertly. (We will ignore the final chapter.)

Herbert’s dubious sexual politics are still firmly on display here – awakening the ghola Teg Miles’s memories of his previous life involves a scene that is pretty much male rape of a minor. Plus, there is some kind of racial profiling going on with Scytale and the Bene Tleilax that I can’t really figure out.

And we have representation of the Jewish faith in the form of the Rabbi and Rebecca, a wild Reverend Mother. If you think that is odd at this distant point in the future, just recall the Orange Catholic Bible from Dune. And it does go to show how the Bene Gesserit respects other cultures and seeks to preserve them, as much as it enjoys meddling in their affairs. All for the betterment of the species, of course.

Herbert’s discourse on government and politics continues to develop and is far more nuanced here. Even his dictum that ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely’ now morphs into ‘power attracts the corruptible’. So is the Bene Gesserit a benevolent, yet ultimately autocratic, bureaucratic institution?

It is a debate that vexes the Mother Superior greatly, who at the same time has to contend with the cold hard fact that the Honored Matres are hellbent on exterminating the Sisterhood. Does this show up the innate weakness and softness of the Bene Gesserit? Or is it an opportunity for them to embrace change, just as Chapterhouse is being changed by the sand trout?

If you have reached this point in the series, you are long used to the general weirdness and eccentricity of the Duniverse, which combines the baroque and the gothic in the most fantastic ways possible. What makes Odrade such an appealing character is that she is fully rounded and present in the moment, balancing the forces of history against the survival of Chapterhouse and her Sisterhood.

Herbert’s wonderful nature writing lingers long on the blessings of the Bene Gesserit home world and how the desert encroaches upon it. A major theme of the Dune series has always been transformation and evolution, and this really comes full circle in Chapterhouse.

As for that cliffhanger, which Herbert obviously added as an opener for a potential third trilogy, enough clues are scattered throughout the book for the reader to work out who the mysterious Daniel and Marty really are, not to mention the unknown and terrible threat that sent the Honored Matres scurrying back into the Known Universe in the first place.

I have no intention of reading the two ‘sequels’ that Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson wrote, apparently based on an outline from Herbert’s papers for ‘Book 7’. Enough reviewers have pointed out how dire these are, but I suppose they do ultimately have a place in the Duniverse (just think how many crap Star Wars and Star Trek novels are out there as well.)

My only wish is that you have seen Villeneuve’s fine Part One and are curious to read the books, or if you have only read Dune itself, that you go on to read all the rest. From the outset it is impossible to predict the strange and wonderful directions that Herbert takes his story. That it culminates in the autumn of a planet and a Sisterhood, as an old woman reflects on her life and the choices, sacrifices, and mistakes that the Bene Gesserit have made along the way, is an incredible parting gift to Dune readers.

[Велислав Върбанов · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Ако не мога да се надсмивам над себе си, наистина съм загубен.“


„Дюн“ е великолепна и изключително стойностна научнофантастична поредица, която напълно ме заплени със своите огромни достойнства! Мисля че всички части от нея са еднакво качествени и предизвикващи мисленето на читателите... Франк Хърбърт е успял да съчетае изграждането на силни персонажи, заплитането на сложни политически интриги и разсъждаването върху значими житейски теми, разгръщайки своя огромен епос... Дълбоката мъдрост на автора се допълва от чудесна ирония, което придава същинския чар на поредицата, въпреки че и приключенията в нея са страшно любопитни и вълнуващи!

„Дюн: Домът на ордена“ е продължение на „Еретиците на Дюн“ и действието започва след края на събитията в предната част. Вече се очертава съвсем скоро последният епичен сблъсък между Бин Джезърит и Почитаемите мами, като мамите вече са далеч по-могъщи и имат почти всички предимства в битката. Одрейди обаче замисля сложни планове и поема сериозни рискове, за да оцелее сестринството... Важна роля в сюжета има и забележителният Дънкан Айдахо, който вече се е превърнал в силен ментат и не желае просто да изпълнява нареждания...






„Почувства как думите ѝ се стичат и потъват в него, запълвайки празнините.“


„Впрочем, властта сама по себе си не корумпира, а просто всмуква като магнит онези, които са склонни към подкупничество. При подобни хора се наблюдава склонност за опиване от насилие — състояние, към което те бързо се пристрастяват.“


„Религията капсулира отмрели митологии — догадки, скрити предположения за доверие по отношение на вселената, взети решения в стремеж към лична власт; всичко примесено с късчета просветеност. И винаги една неизречена заповед: Не ти е дадено да питаш! Всеки ден ние нарушаваме тази заповед, впрягайки човешкото въображение за възможно най-широко разгръщане на съзидателната сила.“


„— Опитът да се избегнат усложненията нерядко ги създава. — Одрейди се отпусна в стол до леглото и хвана послушницата за едната ръка, долавяйки веднага подскачането на мускулите под кожата. — Ние имаме поговорка: „Думите са бавни, усещанията — бързи.“ — Отдръпна ръката си. — Какви решения вземаше?
— Нима ме оставяте да вземам решения?
— Не се подхилвай! — Старшата направи знак да не бъде прекъсвана и продължи: — Подцених значението на предишната ти подготовка. На практика почитаемите мами са те привели в състояние на неспособност да вземаш решения. Типично за обществата, жадни за власт. Научи техните народи да се мотаят насам-натам, пилеейки времето си, докато го имат: „Вземането на решения не води до нищо добро!“ Свикни ги да стоят настрана и да отбягват поемането на отговорност.“


„Покажи ми звено с безупречно гладък оперативен режим, за да ти посоча някого, който прикрива грешките си. Истинските кораби се люшкат.“


„По дяволите! — помисли Одрейди. — Тя е оня тип съветнички, каквито искам да имам до себе си. Питам се колко ли съкровища като нея са погребани някъде отвъд, след като са ги низвергнали за дребни нарушения? Защо толкова често изхвърляме от веригата способни и талантливи хора?“


„Законите привнасят мита за наложената промяна. Ново и светло бъдеще ще настъпи благодарение на този или онзи закон. Сиреч, подсилват бъдещето… Докато за правилниците се вярва, че действат в полза на миналото.“


„Все пак демагозите лесно се разпознават. Те жестикулират прекомерно, говорят с темпо на проповедник и си служат с думи, кънтящи от почти религиозен трепет и едва ли не боязън от Бога, които настояват да бъдат приети искрено.“


„А най-опасни са несъзнателните симпатии, които те подтикват да запазиш врага си, защото той оправдава собственото ти съществуване.“


„Момчето погледна към видеоочите с изражение, което говореше, че е запознато с предназначението им:
— Не са ли любопитни какво мислиш за тях?
— Чувствата им не засягат ментата, освен като данни.
— Това означава ли факт?
— Фактите са нещо крехко. Един ментат може да се оплете в тях. Твърде много сигурни сведения. Също като в дипломацията. Потребни са ти няколко добри лъжи, за да се добереш до необходимите преценки.“


„Без да е в състояние да си го обясни, Айдахо си спомни за други думи, изречени от Одрейди:
„Нямаме тавански хранилища. Рециклираме всичко.“
Рециклираме. Цикъл. Етапи от цикъла. Парченца от мозайката.
Рядко се впускаше в безразборно преследване, защото познаваше по-добри способи. И не само като ментат. Но рециклиране… Следователно Другите Памети не бяха таванско помещение, ползвано за склад, а нещо, което светите майки подлагаха на непрестанна последваща преработка. Тоест те ползваха миналото, но само за да го променят и обновяват.“


„Тег се обърна към Одрейди:
— Избягването на военните действия е въпрос на проява на интелигентност от събрано многообразие и интелектуална мощ.
Хвърля обратно в лицето ни нашето двуличие! Веднага разпозна ментата в гласа му. Очевидно и Белонда го бе чула. Интелигентност и разузнаване в двоякото им значение. Без него воденето на война нерядко се възприема като нещастен случай.
Башарът седеше смълчан, оставяйки присъстващите да се пържат в соса на собствените си исторически наблюдения. Подтикът към конфликт стига далеч по-дълбоко от съзнанието. Тиранът е бил прав. Човешкият род постъпва като „единого звяра“. Силите, привеждащи в действие огромното животно-колектив, водят обратно до племенните дни и дори отвъд тях.“


„Те продължиха да я гледат безмълвно, въпреки че бяха чули думите й. Станеш ли прекалено консервативен, оставаш неподготвен за изненади. Ето на какво ги бе учил Муад’Диб, а неговият син Тиранът бе направил Урока незабравим.“


„Тиранията на малцинството, надянала маската на мнозинство — както казваше Одрейди със силно вълнение в гласа си. — Сриване на демокрацията. Детронирана от собствените си ексцесии или изядена от бюрокрацията.“


„Изборът на действащи решения се прави в топилната пещ на информационните грешки. По този начин разумът възприема идеята за погрешимост. И тъй като абсолютен (безпогрешен) избор не е познат, интелигентността поема риска да си служи с ограничени данни на една сцена на действие, където грешките са не само възможни, но и необходими.“


„Високомерие, иззидано нависоко и видно отвсякъде. Претъпкана с вкоравени предразсъдъци личност. Тя знаеше толкова много неща, че бе същинска крачеща витрина на невежество и страхове.“


„Днешният конфликт можеше да бъде настанен на полагаемото му се в паметта място единствено след възможно най-пълна преценка и споделяне на мнението на всички онези, които лежаха като отговорност на неговите плещи. Точно такъв бе неизменният модел на поведението му и той никак не държеше на онова, което разкрива от себе си по този начин. Прекъсне ли линията на взаимно обвързване на интересите, човек сам подготвя собственото си поражение.
Трябва ми спокойно място, за да мога да събера всички нишки и следи на днешния бой и да подготвя предварително резюме на отминалите събития.
Според него най-трудният проблем на едно сражение бе то да протече без освобождаване на дивашкото у човека.“




„Дюн“:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

„Месията на Дюн“:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

„Децата на Дюн“:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

„Бог-император на Дюн“:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

„Еретиците на Дюн“:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[☆ piupiu ☆]

IM FREEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY FUCKING LIFE

[Markus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buddy read with Athena!

“Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.”

The Honoured Matres have returned with their full strength from the Scattering, and their fleets are assaulting all the worlds that once made up the old Empire at the core of the universe. The nobility and the Ixians have fallen, and the one force resisting the relentless invasion is the now legendary sisterhood of the Bene Gesserit.

Heretics of Dune ended with one of the most dramatic and unexpected plot twists in science fiction, and this sequel takes up where the last book left off. Unfortunately, the first eighty percent of this book were a total chore to get through. Little or nothing happened, the setting and the characters were unremarkable and dull, and not even the writing was particularly good. After having read those eighty percent, I was more or less ready to give this book a one-star rating.

Even so, I'm raising the whole book to three stars based solely on the short part in the end. Frank Herbert has once again demonstrated his ability to write a boring book where nothing happens and then turn everything on its head in the end. In an impressively fascinating way, I might add. I was almost tempted to give up on the series on occasion while reading this, but after reading the ending there's absolutely no way I could do that.

[Hotspur · Rating 1 out of 5]

What did women, or a woman do to Frank Herbert? I mean, really, what did one do to him, to inspire the creation of a novel centered on an anti-intellectual group of women thousands of years into the future (and after a worm-god) who destroy planets and keeps men as sex slaves. And now Jews are added? Good Lord.

This reaches the supreme depths of awful. Why does this have a 3.89 rating? The only non-completely objectionable thing, is his occasional pithy statements on religion/philosophy, etc., and the epigrams before each chapter. And even those reek of arrogance and pretension.

Truly one of the worst books I've ever read.

[johnny ♡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

frank herbert said i can excuse antisemitism and child rape, but i draw the line at gay people.

[Książkowe Bajdurzenie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pewnie oceniłbym tę książkę wyżej, gdybym zobaczył, jak Frank Herbert domyka cykl. Tylko że nie widzę.
Wciąż uwielbiam cały cykl, ale ta książka wydaje się punktem przejściowym między wprowadzającymi do nowej historii "Heretykami Diuny", a czymś, co nigdy nie powstało i nie powstanie.
Ciągle jednak warto przeczytać. Te książki mogą się nie podobać, ale ich oryginalność sprawia, że w mojej perspektywie warto je poznać.

Filmik nieco krótszy, niż czerwie na Arrakis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0sPw...

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

The epic conclusion to the original series - and it kinda ends on a cliffhanger! *rips out hair*
 
I'm very much looking forward to Villeneuve's interpretation of Dune that will be shown in theaters this year so I decided to not only read the original book but also the rest of the series.
 
Ten years have passed since Arrakis has been virtually destroyed in the previous book. Yep, it's gone. Well, not GONE, but it is dead, the surface uninhabitable thanks to the honored Matres and the tech they brought with them.
Sheeana, Duncan and Teg's daughter Odrade (now Mother Superior to the Bene Gesserit) have managed to flee with a sandworm and a handful of sandtrouts. So the plan, now, is to turn the planet Chapterhouse into a desert where they'll breed more sandworms so the spice will flow once more and there will never be such a threat to prescience and space travel ever again.

This plan is somewhat complicated by the fact that the Honoured Matres are zipping through what has remained of the Empire, eliminating any and all Bene Gesserit planets, killing the nobles as well as the Ixians. Oh, by the way, there is only ONE Tleilaxu left, Scytale (saved from Arrakis when the others fled), their technology and knowledge therefore all but gone, too. So everyone is hiding, basically, while trying to bring together everything they have for one last attack.

Meanwhile, on Chapterhouse, a ghola of Miles Teg is bred and raised (weirdly, he's calling his own biological daughter "mother") and while I was glad to have him back, I'm not sure I'm a big fan of everyone just being brought back from the dead willy-nilly (fresh blood, in my opinion, would be better).
Sheeana, for the most part, is overseeing the afore-mentioned project to create more sandtrouts and more sandworms but she doesn't really agree with Odrade's overall approach which leads to her and Duncan forming plans of their own.

I must say that after the big bang at the end of the last book, I was somewhat disappointed at the lack of equal action for about the first 3/4 of this final volume. Sure, the conversations, meetings and planning were important but it also felt anti-climactic. I wanted the last remaining forces to strike back immediately and teach those invaders what is what. *lol*

What was a nice surprise was the introduction and/or explanation of certain tech, both encountered before and new. It was also a dead-giveaway. *shudders*
Moreover, we finally got further details about the motivations of certain characters (much needed since we didn't get many answers in the previous book).
And apart from the lessons about trauma we had to witness time and time again, it begged the question of what threat was coming towards the Empire.
I had a theory (and had it confirmed by Brad for whom this is the umpteenth re-read) and must say that it is THE proof of the author's mastery. He didn’t just keep going to make money, he had a plan from the beginning or this wouldn't have worked, we had all the hints strewn across all volumes (it's what I picked up on here and there) and now, the demons come home to roost! We did get a glimpse at the very end of the book with world-shattering implications but no confirmation / actual confrontation yet (it's maddening).

The question throughout the book was: are the Bene Gesserit depraved and evil (though at least not as badly as the Honoured Matres) so Sheeana and Duncan were correct in loading up the Jews, a worm, some futars - and yes, I'm wondering about how that will go - as well as Teg and Scytale and escaping to a universe without boundaries or are they the only possible bastion against whatever is coming (especially now that the Bene Gesserit and the Honoured Matres have become one Sisterhood)?
This on top of the ever-present question of: Is this all still the Golden Path?

I'm still not 100% sold on what is coming (yes, I know it after I asked due to the implications in this "final" volume). I mean, cloning everyone - Paul, Leto etc - seems a bit too simplistic. Yes, throughout all books we were following genetic engineering, perfecting humans, but shouldn't we aim for the perfection of our species instead of "only" some individuals? Is this really the future?! What will that lead to? Will there be a second Dune, a second galaxy with new Reverend Mothers like Rebecca, founded by the original characters we met in the very first book while the old powers battle it out with the intelligent machines, destroying them and themselves in the process?! Oh, but how much I would have loved to see the final conflict as written by Frank Herbert! Alas.

LOTS to think about while reading and after concluding the series. I don't think I'll read the books that haven't been written by Frank Herbert himself. I know Brian Herbert and his co-writer followed original notes and cornerstones at least with the next 2 books, but it still doesn't feel right. And despite there being a cliffhanger here, I'll just fill in the gaps myself.

Last but not least, let me thank my buddy-reader, Brad, for this epic quest through time and space. I had a blast!

[Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a reader who sometimes enjoys books that make me work hard. This book (this series) is one of those. I loved it, but I fully understand that not everyone will.

In addition to being one of the greatest science fiction sagas ever, the Dune Chronicles were a massive sociological "thought experiment" on Herberts part, and I for one am thankful he had the time to share his thoughts with us. These books (especially the later ones) are the kind you have to put down from time to time to just think about... and then re-read the last few pages. You will have to refer to the appendix for definitions and clarifications. If you manage to finish all six books, you will find that parts of them come back to you unbidden years later, and you will pleasantly sit and wonder at the meaning of some passage and the vastness of Herberts imagination. It's hard work, but as with most strenuous climbs up high mountains, the view from the top makes it all worth it.

[Ivana Books Are Magic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chapterhouse: Dune opens with Mother Superior Darwi Odrade's excitement over the birth of her father, the legendary Miles Teg or rather- a Teg ghola. With Dar's top advisers by her side: the withdrawn Tam and the violent Bell, the novel doesn't waste any time in setting the scene or showing us the principal characters within the Bene Gesserit. After being suppressed by the Divine Emperor/Tyrant, the Bene Gesserit are ready to take on more responsibility and become the key players in Dune's universe again. The Reverend Mothers and Mother Superior are first to 'take the stage' and this is no accident. The sisterhood is in grave danger, threatened to extinction by blood-thirsty Honored Matres. Upon returning from the Scattering, possibly fleeing from something, the Honored Matres have been casually conducting genocide and war in the Old Empire, sometimes destroying billions without much thought. Can one of the unusual Mother Superiors, the romantic Dar, be a match for such a thread?

Besides the above mentioned characters (Teg, Dar, Tam and Bell), there are other important characters finding themselves on Chapterhouse: Dune, such as the youngest ever Mother Superior Sheena and an unusual couple: an imprisoned Honored Matre Murbella, now in training to become a Mother Superior and a Duncan Idaho ghola hiding many talents (that sisterhood is suspicious of). There is also the last Tleilaxu Master Scytale, apparently the only one of his kind left alive after the Honored Matres destroyed his native planet and all of the know Tleixahu civilization. He is now imprisoned by the Bene Gesserit and forced to give up his secrets slowly.

Like in some other Herbert's novels, the planet itself is almost a character. The sisterhood is terraforming the planet Chapterhouse to Dune because they need sandworms (as always the spice must flow). With Dune being destroyed, Chapterhouse must become a new home to sandworms. Sheeana leads this project because of her unique connection with the worms, but she also presents a thread to her sisterhood because of her religious potential.

There are many other interesting and powerful characters that emerge as the story evolves. For example, when the sisterhood's Lampadas planet is destroyed by the Honored Matres, we are introduced to a fascinating character of Reverend Mother Lucilla, carrying with herself the minds of millions of Reverend Mothers. Lucilla seeks refuge with the Jews on planet Gamu. The introduction of Jews in Chapterhouse: Dune is an interesting concept as is their connection with the sisterhood. There seems to be mutual respect between the two. Lucilla meets a wild Reverend mother among the Jews- Rebecca. This is another female character that has fascinated me. Is Rebecca Bene Gesserit or not? To what extent does her memory influence Rebecca? Many fascinating questions there, not all of them answered, but that doesn't matter. I feel like this is a novel that calls us to be active readers and ask questions ourselves, not just to observe events. In words of Darwi Odrade:
...“Confine yourself to observing and you always miss the point of your life. The object can be stated this way: Live the best life you can. Life is a game whose rules you learn if you leap into it and play it to the hilt. Otherwise, you are caught off balance, continually surprised by the shifting play. Non-players often whine and complain that luck always passes them by. They refuse to see that they can create some of their own luck.

When I reread Chapterhouse: Dune in January, I realized how little I actually cared about the plot of the novel. Not that the plot isn't good, the 'action' that takes place is well orchestrated but I principally cared about the characters, their monologues and dialogues- and the topics they discussed. Indeed, I didn't even recall some small details despite the fact that Chapterhouse: Dune is a novel I reread many times, more than any other book in the Dune series. What impresses me the most about this book are the philosophical parts of it, often discussed in monologues and dialogues. The careful examination of power and politics, in particular, is one of the strengths of this novel. As Honored Matres and Bene Gesserit try to learn more one about another, there is much talk of democracy, power and governments. The Spider Queen leading the Honored Matres is another strong female character and it is hard not to be fascinated by her, despite her obvious cruelty. As Bene Gesserit sisters try to communicate one with another, with themselves or with outsiders, there is much talk of power. ...“Power attracts the corruptible. Suspect any who seek it.” Sometimes they repeat and echo lessons learned in the previous Dune novels, but often they get more specific and speak of governments and traps of power in more detail. How fascinating are those moments when power and laws are so discussed. Not many writers are capable of such subtle analysis, of creating a detailed future society we can teach us so much about our own society and its flaws: ... “All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible.”
“Clinging to any form of conservatism can be dangerous. Become too conservative and you are unprepared for surprises. You cannot depend on luck. Logic is blind and often knows only its own past. Logic is good for playing chess but is often too slow for the needs of survival.
“Give me the judgment of balanced minds in preference to laws every time. Codes and manuals create patterned behavior. All patterned behavior tends to go unquestioned, gathering destructive momentum.

For most part, Chapterhouse: Dune revolves around female characters. Two societies of women are at war. However, there are two important men in this novel: Duncan Idaho and Miles Teg. The Mentat specialization is also examined in more detail than I remember encountering in any novel. There is much talk of Mentats in this one. I was always fascinated by them so it was interesting to learn more about them. I sometimes wonder whether this whole novel is not a Mentat projection- and you can recognize it is true by the questions it delivers.

Moreover, love is another important topic in this one. What is love? What is duty? Where one ends and the other begins? The cold sisterhood distrusts love, but can it be avoided all together? They must realize that love is one of the things that makes us human. The sisterhood has a cold view of parenting, often taking away the children from their parents. However, look at the love of Teg's mother for him that survives in his ghola, the love of Dar's substitute parents at the sea planet- it's that kind of love that gives Dar her personal sense of sanity. Similarly, the sisterhood distrusts romantic love. However, they tolerate Murbella and Duncan Idaho's love- as long as it serves them. Can such romantic love ever last? There is love in this book, despite the odds. The sisterhood has a strange relationship with love, but there is love within it, even if the sisters deny it. T Perhaps the most important lessons that this novel has to teach us is hidden in this quote: “Revenge is for children and the emotionally retarded.” That's definitely a line that often makes me think as I can sometimes be quite revengeful in a passive sort of way. Revenge (passive or not) is definitely something to be avoided if you possess any maturity. To conclude, I took my time rereading this novel and found much to admire in it. Highly recommended!

P.S. The dedication that Herbert wrote to his late wife at the end of the novel is one of the most touching things I have ever read. It always brings a tear to my eye.

[Andrei(Drusca) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing, very much wasted potential

[Krell75 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Se avete letto i primi cinque libri, questo non potete saltarlo. È la conclusione del ciclo di Herbert, anche se, purtroppo, lo si sente che un settimo libro ci sarebbe dovuto essere.

Questa volta Herbert esplora in profondità le Bene Gesserit, i loro segreti più profondi, la loro filosofia e la loro strategia per sopravvivere. Mi è piaciuto molto il modo in cui Herbert esplora il loro ruolo di "custodi" del futuro dell'umanità.

I personaggi che mi sono rimasti più impressi sono la Reverenda Madre Darwi Odrade, un'eroina stoica e intelligente, e il ghola di Duncan Idaho, che continua a essere un punto fermo in questo universo in continua evoluzione. Il loro rapporto è un'altra dimostrazione della straordinaria profondità psicologica che Herbert riesce a dare ai suoi personaggi.

La figura di Duncan attraversa quasi tutto il ciclo di Dune, offrendo un punto di vista unico sull'evoluzione dell'universo di Herbert e fungendo da legame tra le diverse epoche e personaggi.

"La Rifondazione di Dune" è un libro dove l'ombra e l'eredità dell'Imperatore-Dio Leto II sono onnipresenti, sebbene lui sia morto da secoli. Nel quarto volume, "L'imperatore-dio di Dune", spiega in dettaglio il suo regno di 3500 anni, la sua trasformazione e il suo "Sentiero Dorato". Ma in "La Rifondazione di Dune" si vedono le dirette conseguenze delle sue azioni e si continua a riflettere sul significato del suo operato.

Il ritmo è molto lento. La trama si concentra di più sui dialoghi, sulle riflessioni filosofiche e sulle macchinazioni politiche. E poi, il finale... è un po' frustrante. Termina con un cliffhanger, lasciandoti con tantissime domande senza risposta. Senti che la storia non è finita, e infatti non lo era. Herbert è morto prima di poter scrivere il capitolo successivo.

Insomma, è un libro che ho amato per la sua profondità e per come chiude il cerchio su molte delle idee di Herbert. Ma bisogna essere preparati a un'esperienza di lettura diversa, più riflessiva e meno avventurosa. E a rimanere con l'amaro in bocca per quel finale aperto, ma non troppo. Per me una lettura obbligata per gli appassionati di fantasy e sci-fi, e un' esperienza da provare per tutti gli altri.

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If you've read the first five books, this one is a must-read. It concludes Herbert's series, though, sadly, it feels like a seventh book was needed.

This time, Herbert delves deeply into the Bene Gesserit, their deepest secrets, their philosophy, and their survival strategy. I loved how Herbert explored their role as "guardians" of humanity's future.

The characters who most impressed me were Reverend Mother Darwi Odrade, a stoic and intelligent heroine, and the Duncan Idaho ghola, who continues to be a constant in this ever-evolving universe. Their relationship is another demonstration of the extraordinary psychological depth Herbert is able to imbue his characters with.

Duncan's figure runs through almost the entire Dune series, offering a unique perspective on the evolution of Herbert's universe and serving as a link between the different eras and characters.

"Chapterhouse: Dune" is a book where the shadow and legacy of the God Emperor Leto II are omnipresent, even though he has been dead for centuries. The fourth volume, "God Emperor of Dune," details his 3,500-year reign, his transformation, and his "Golden Path." But in "Chapterhouse: Dune," we see the direct consequences of his actions and continue to ponder the meaning of his actions.

The pace is very slow. The plot focuses more on dialogue, philosophical reflections, and political machinations. And then, the ending... it's a bit frustrating. It ends on a cliffhanger, leaving you with so many unanswered questions. You feel like the story isn't over, and in fact it wasn't. Herbert died before he could write the next chapter.

In short, it's a book I loved for its depth and the way it brings many of Herbert's ideas full circle. But you have to be prepared for a different reading experience, more thoughtful and less adventurous. And to be left with a bitter taste in your mouth for that open-ended, but not overly so, ending. For me, it's a must-read for fantasy and sci-fi fans, and a must-try for everyone else.

[Ric · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was honestly just not very good. To be honest, I haven’t enjoyed a Dune book since Children of Dune, and even then it didn’t reach the highs of the first book. I’m really glad that this series is over (unless you count the ones that Frank Herbert didn’t write, which I won’t because I’d rather not continue from here) because Dune has really lost me during this trilogy. Like honestly, I can’t think of one thing I actually enjoyed in this one, which is a shame. Dune is one of the best books I’ve ever read, but it’s almost not worth getting so sucked into it knowing that this is where the world expands to. I’m sure I’ll be revisiting that entry sometime in the future, but I highly doubt my rereads will get as far as this one.

[Scot Parker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dune should have been a trilogy.

[۶ৎ˚ anas . ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

*⠀⠀SP. &. EN. review . scroll down for the english version .
⠀◟⠀4,5 estrellas 🪐 .⠀⠀╱⠀⠀review positiva y sin spoilers !⠀más comprensión, menos crítica .

⠀⠀♡⠀⠀؛⠀⠀ Libros de la saga ( books in the saga ):⠀
* Hay más, pero Frank Herbert escribió hasta el sexto de aquí ( there's more of them, but Frank Herbert only wrote till the sixth one )
⠀⠀ ↳⠀1.⠀Dune⠀◟ ★★★★★⠀◟ review .
⠀⠀ ↳⠀2.⠀El mesías de Dune⠀◟ ★★★★★⠀◟ review .
⠀⠀ ↳⠀3.⠀Hijos de Dune⠀◟ ★★★★★⠀◟ review .
⠀⠀ ↳⠀4.⠀Dios emperador de Dune⠀◟ ★★★★½⠀◟ review .
⠀⠀ ↳⠀5.⠀Herejes de Dune⠀◟ ★★★★★⠀◟ review .
⠀⠀ ↳⠀6.⠀Casa capitular Dune⠀◟ ★★★★½⠀◟ review .

⠀⠀♡⠀⠀؛⠀⠀ Main tropes:
⠀—⠀ciencia ficción
⠀—⠀intrigas políticas
⠀—⠀world-building denso y elaboradísimo
⠀—⠀toques filosóficos y espirituales
⠀—⠀múltiples facciones en conflicto
⠀—⠀la bene gesserit en profundidad
⠀—⠀multiple pov
⠀—⠀final abierto

⠀⠀♡⠀⠀؛⠀⠀ Resumencito:⠀En esta última entrega seguimos a muchos de los personajes de Herejes de Dune: Odrade, la Madre Superiora que amé; Sheeana, todavía salvaje y libre a pesar de todo; y Duncan Idaho, ahora enamorado de Murbella, una Honrada Matre capturada que acabó siendo "imprimida" por él —es decir, las técnicas con las que las Honradas Matres dominaban a los hombres se volvieron contra ellas—.

Tras la muerte inesperada de Taraza, Odrade asume el liderazgo de la Hermandad en uno de sus momentos más críticos: las Honradas Matres están arrasando planetas enteros. Casa Capitular —el planeta que alberga a la Bene Gesserit— comienza a transformarse en desierto, y ese cambio ecológico refleja el suyo propio: una Hermandad obligada a morir en parte para poder seguir viva.

El final no busca cerrar nada. Dune nunca trató de finales, sino de movimiento. Quizás esa era, al fin, la Senda Dorada de Leto II.

⠀❛⠀Dadme el juicio de mentes equilibradas antes que leyes. Códigos y manuales crean un comportamiento esquematizado. Todo comportamiento esquematizado tiende a seguir adelante de forma incuestionada, acumulando impulso destructivo.⠀❜

⠀⠀♡⠀⠀؛⠀⠀ Pensamientos:⠀La dedicatoria del final de la saga era para su difunta esposa. Por cómo la describió, está clarísimo que fue la inspiración detrás de muchos personajes y de un montón de cosas en general. Me puse a mirar las dedicatorias de otros tomos y muchos también se los había dedicado a ella. Qué ternura, me hizo llorar 😭.

Es algo más lento que el anterior, sobre todo por la mitad, pero sigue sintiéndose fluido. El tono, tan filosófico y denso como siempre, mantiene la esencia de Dune. Como siempre, se siente como volver a casa. Y creo que esa lentitud no es casual: refleja la espera de las Bene Gesserit mientras se ocultan de las Honradas Matres, esa tensión e impotencia ante un destino que se acerca. Herbert siempre hace las cosas con intención.

⠀⠀୨୧⠀┇⠀Odrade es, con diferencia, mi personaje favorito de este tomo. Perspicaz, compasiva, y con una humanidad que la hace destacar del resto de la Hermandad. Cargar con el peso de guiar a la Bene Gesserit en su momento más oscuro y hacerlo con tanta gracia... la amé.

Cuando se entera de que Tamalane y las demás han muerto, solo siente pena por Streggi. Al principio me confundió, pero es deliberado: las Reverendas Madres nunca mueren del todo, sus memorias viven en las demás. Streggi, que no comparte esa memoria colectiva, desaparece para siempre, y Odrade lo sabe.

⠀⠀୨୧⠀┇⠀Me enamoré de la Bene Gesserit en este libro. Más allá del poder o la manipulación, hay una sabiduría profunda en su forma de entender la mente y el cuerpo que me fascina. La letanía contra el miedo no es solo una frase: es una práctica espiritual completa.

Y Casa Capitular, ese planeta lleno de cultivos y vida, simboliza exactamente lo que ellas hacen con las sociedades: plantan ideas y las dejan crecer. Son las jardineras del destino humano.

⠀❛⠀Todos los gobiernos sufren un problema recurrente: El poder atrae a personalidades patológicas. No es que el poder corrompa, sino que resulta magnético para los corruptibles.⠀❜

⠀⠀♡⠀⠀؛⠀⠀ Reflexiones espirituales:⠀Este libro tiene mucho donde rascar, como todos en esta saga.

⠀⠀1.⠀⠀La Bene Gesserit y la presencia consciente:⠀Su forma de observar no depende de pensar más, sino de pensar menos: vaciar la mente de juicios, silenciar la voz interna y dejar que todo entre. Cuando suspenden el juicio, perciben más. Lo he experimentado en mis propias prácticas, y verlo en la Bene Gesserit me hizo sentir que Herbert entendía algo profundamente espiritual, aunque lo envolviera en ciencia ficción. Al final, cada "raza" en Dune no deja de ser humana, solo que evolucionada.

⠀⠀2.⠀⠀Los Mentats y el conocimiento:⠀Su camino hacia el conocimiento no pasa por acumular respuestas, sino por hacer preguntas. Mantienen la mente en un estado de ingenuidad consciente: cuestionar sin miedo, observar sin concluir. Es exactamente lo que enseñan ciertas corrientes espirituales: que las respuestas no se buscan, sino que llegan cuando dejas de dar por hecho que ya sabes.

⠀⠀3.⠀⠀La memoria como forma de gobierno:⠀Herbert lanza muchas críticas políticas a lo largo de Dune, pero la Bene Gesserit siempre parece su creación más admirada. Lo que sugiere es que el mejor tipo de gobierno sería aquel en el que quienes gobiernan recuerdan de verdad el pasado —no como lección aprendida, sino como experiencia vivida—. Las Reverendas Madres llevan dentro de sí las memorias de generaciones enteras. Y eso cambia todo: no pueden olvidar las atrocidades ni repetirlas con la misma inconsciencia. El mayor problema del poder humano, dice Herbert, es el olvido.

⠀❛⠀Enfrenta tus miedos o se treparán a tu espalda.⠀❜

⠀⠀♡⠀⠀؛⠀⠀ ¿A quién se lo recomendaría?⠀A quien haya llegado hasta aquí. Si llevas cinco libros, que es uno más. Dune me ha enseñado tanto que su lectura vale más de lo que cualquier reseña pueda expresar. No me extraña que haya un culto tan extenso, porque lo que creó Frank Herbert es una obra de arte.


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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀‧˚₊•┈┈┈┈୨୧┈┈┈┈•‧₊˚⊹
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀eng. version.
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⠀◟⠀4,5 stars 🪐 .⠀⠀╱⠀⠀positive review and spoiler-free !⠀more understanding, less criticism .

⠀⠀♡⠀⠀؛⠀⠀ Main tropes:
⠀—⠀science fiction
⠀—⠀political intrigue
⠀—⠀dense, elaborate world-building
⠀—⠀philosophical and spiritual undertones
⠀—⠀multiple factions in conflict
⠀—⠀the bene gesserit in depth
⠀—⠀multiple pov
⠀—⠀open ending

⠀⠀♡⠀⠀؛⠀⠀ Short summary:⠀In this closing chapter, we return to many of the main characters from Heretics of Dune: Odrade, the Mother Superior I absolutely loved; Sheeana, still wild and free-spirited despite everything; and Duncan Idaho, now in love with Murbella, an Honored Matre captured and ultimately imprinted by him — meaning, the same techniques the Honored Matres used to control men were turned against them.

After Taraza's unexpected death, Odrade assumes leadership of the Sisterhood at one of its most critical moments: the Honored Matres are annihilating entire planets. Chapterhouse — the planet that shelters the Bene Gesserit — slowly begins to turn into desert, and that ecological shift mirrors their own transformation: a Sisterhood forced to let part of itself die in order to survive.

The ending doesn't aim to close anything. Dune was never about endings, but about movement. Maybe that was Leto II's Golden Path all along.

⠀❛⠀Give me the judgment of balanced minds in preference to laws every time. Codes and manuals create patterned behavior. All patterned behavior tends to go unquestioned, gathering destructive momentum.⠀❜

⠀⠀♡⠀⠀؛⠀⠀ Thoughts:⠀The final dedication of the saga was for his late wife. From how he described her, it's clear she was the inspiration behind many of his characters — and probably much more. I checked the other books and he dedicated most of them to her too. That melted me. I cried sm😭.

It's a bit slower than the previous entry, especially around the middle, but it still flows. The tone — philosophical and dense as always — preserves the essence of Dune. Reading it feels like coming home. And I think that slower pace is intentional: it mirrors the Bene Gesserit's period of waiting as they hide from the Honored Matres, that tension and helplessness in the face of an approaching fate. Herbert always does things with purpose.

⠀⠀୨୧⠀┇⠀Odrade is by far my favorite character in this entry. Sharp, compassionate, and with a humanity that makes her stand out from the rest of the Sisterhood. Carrying the weight of leading the Bene Gesserit through their darkest moment — and doing it with such grace. I loved her.
When she learns that Tamalane and the others have died, she only feels sorrow for Streggi. At first I was confused — but it's deliberate: Reverend Mothers never truly die, their memories live on in the others. Streggi, who didn't share that collective memory, is gone forever — and Odrade knows it.

⠀⠀୨୧⠀┇⠀I fell in love with the Bene Gesserit in this book. Beyond their power or their manipulation, there's a profound wisdom in how they understand mind and body that fascinates me. The litany against fear isn't just an iconic quote — it's a complete spiritual practice.
And Chapterhouse, that planet full of crops and life, symbolizes exactly what they do with societies: they plant ideas and let them grow. They are the gardeners of human destiny.

⠀❛⠀All governments suffer a recurring problem: power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts — it is that power is magnetic to the corruptible.⠀❜

⠀⠀♡⠀⠀؛⠀⠀ Spiritual reflections:⠀This book has a lot to dig into, like everything in this saga.

⠀⠀1.⠀⠀The Bene Gesserit and conscious presence:⠀Their way of perceiving things isn't by thinking more, but by thinking less: emptying the mind of judgment, quieting the inner voice, and simply letting everything in. When judgment stops, perception expands. I've experienced this in my own practice, and seeing it reflected in the Bene Gesserit made me feel that Herbert understood something deeply spiritual — even if he wrapped it in science fiction. At the end of the day, every "race" in Dune is, at its core, human — just evolved.

⠀⠀2.⠀⠀The Mentats and the path to knowledge:⠀Their way of reaching understanding isn't through gathering answers, but through asking questions. Their method relies on keeping the mind in a state of conscious innocence: questioning without fear, observing without conclusions. It's exactly what certain spiritual teachings suggest: that answers don't need to be hunted down — they arrive when you stop assuming you already know.

⠀⠀3.⠀⠀Memory as a form of government:⠀Herbert makes countless political critiques throughout Dune, but the Bene Gesserit always seem to be his most admired creation. What he seems to suggest is that the best kind of government is one led by those who truly remember the past — not as a memorized lesson, but as a lived experience. The Reverend Mothers carry within them the memories of entire generations. And that changes everything: they can't forget atrocities or repeat them unconsciously. The greatest flaw in human power, Herbert implies, is forgetfulness.

⠀❛⠀Face your fears or they will climb your back.⠀❜

⠀⠀♡⠀⠀؛⠀⠀ Who would I recommend it to?⠀Anyone who has made it this far — if you're five books in, this is just one more. Dune has taught me so much that reading it is worth more than any review could ever express. It's no wonder there's such an extensive cult around it — what Frank Herbert created is a work of art.

[Jon Von · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a little disappointing. Honestly, I’d recommend stopping at God Emperor, the threads are tied up nicely and I’ve no problem saying the first four books form a single masterpiece. And then you get the last two and they’re kind of weird and janky and unfocused. Herbert is clearly an incredibly intelligent writer, and you never get the sense that this is really substandard writing. In fact, there are some fine moments of political theory and the usual bon mots, but they’re infrequent at this point; it seems dragged out, very little really happens.

Heretics of Dune I think is a stronger book for sure. If you’re really curious about the Bene Gesserit, they become the focus of the last two books. The books focus on political systems, how corruption and the road to fascism being inevitable. And it focuses on Duncan and Sheeana, potential messianic figures who struggle between the self and their society. As the new governments take over, the systems grow more and more corrupted and empty as they become figureheads of ego. And to a degree this, the final Frank Herbert Dune book, is satisfying in that it seems to conclude the journey of these characters (among others) in a way which feels thematically appropriate. But I just thought it was boring. Not a lot happens, so your really just listening to conversations that are not as interesting as they were in previous books. I don’t know what happened or why the quality would dip like this at the end. I could also completely see why this could be a 4 star book for some as it’s definitely still Herbert, but I expected some big resolution that capped the series to this point and this is more like a meandering to-be-continued space opera.

I’m glad that I stuck it out, but it’s a little odd given the quality of the earlier books that the author didn’t really get to stick the landing. And look, the last two books are sexist. It’s clear that it’s the far-future and this is a fantasy, but the extent of the Honored Matres is ridiculous. I get that this is coming out of the seventies, it’s talking about women’s society and the sexual revolution and I can take it with a grain of salt. It’s intellectually interesting but overdone. The actual way the Bene Gesserit and Matres led government functions wasn’t as clear to me either as it was with Leto. It just didn’t seem as thought out beyond, what would a corrupt, godlike government of women look like? File under: curious but inessential.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Revenge is for children and the emotionally retarded"---Darwi Odrade

There is so much philosophizing in Frank Herbert's sixth (and, at least in his lifetime, final) book of his Dune series, "Chapterhouse: Dune", that it occasionally devolves into a hot mess of confusion and---I daresay---gibberish.

That said, it is Herbert, so it is at least fascinating and wonderful gibberish.

There's no point in giving a plot summary. If you haven't read the previous novels in the series, nothing I say will make any sense. And, as anyone who has read the previous books will attest, nothing I say will make any sense.

The one notable fact is that the book is almost entirely populated with strong female characters. There are only two or three significant male characters in the book, but they are all subservient to, and only significant in relationship to, the women in the book.

The edition I read also had a beautiful afterword by Herbert about his wife, Bev, who died the year this book was published. She apparently died a peaceful death, and Herbert was able to sit by her bedside and hold her hands in the last seconds of her life. It was impossible to read this without having a box of tissues nearby. Just sayin'...

[Adam Fowler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely interminable. The first 80% is just endless prattling. Characters spend entire chapters just sat around thinking, apparently thrilled at their own musings. I imagine Frank Herbert sat in a writer’s shed somewhere tittering away at how smart he is, plot be damned! Odrade spends an entire chapter ruminating in the canteen. Duncan and Scytale are pretty much wandering around a no-ship for the entire story. Oh Duncan, by the way, remember, the Weapons Master from Dune? Yeah, we’ll he’s a mentat now. Just is.

The style is cold, ponderous and self-satisfied. Dune is a stone cold classic and it’s out of my love for that book, the universe and curiosity that I made it all the way to the end of the original hexalogy, but it was a tremendous effort of will.

I read it on a kindle so I can tell you that barely anything happens for the first 80% and then in the last 20% Herbert remembers he should probably put a plot in there and things actually start to happen. There is a bit of a story then, which is alright.

I feel like I’m committing blasphemy criticising it as I know there are fans out there who will love this and be angry at this review. Fair play to you and all the best, but this is not for me and I am so, so glad it is over. Other than that, I enjoyed it.

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.”

“All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible.”

“Confine yourself to observing and you always miss the point of your life. The object can be stated this way: Live the best life you can. Life is a game whose rules you learn if you leap into it and play it to the hilt. Otherwise, you are caught off balance, continually surprised by the shifting play. Non-players often whine and complain that luck always passes them by. They refuse to see that they can create some of their own luck.

How do I review this final novel in the Dune Saga? This is a very conflicting novel because of the wide spectrum of emotions I felt reading the final chapter.  I was in the last 10–20 pages of this novel, thinking damn, there is no more Dune after these pages, this is it. You’re probably wondering what I felt upon the ending. Well,  I am certain the consensus online was that this was a very cliffhanger ending. I am not very adamant about that stance because the ending itself is very clear in what it seeks out to achieve. It's honestly such a beautiful end upon this 6-book saga, even if this was an unintentional ending to the Dune Saga. But to me, it's a fitting one. Reading the final chapter and then reading the eulogy of Frank Herbert Wife straight afterwards was just beautiful and honestly hit you with the strings. There is a lot of controversy in the final two novels of the Dune Saga. It's honestly not for baseless reasons, it's understandable because of Herbert's focus. He writes about these antagonists, who are somewhat the antithesis of Bene Gesserit, the ideas of the Honored Matres are honestly fantastic on paper. The execution is much to be desired. It’s very confusing why the antagonists come across as caricatures because Dune has some of the best antagonists in fiction. You can easily list them in your hands some of them are so iconic. They have a character called Spider Queen, she is not scary at all or intimidating, but she does feature in some of the best back forth minds games in the series.    Lucilla last conversation with the spiderman queen was just fantastic. It's pure Dune at its finest, it's one of the best balances of holding back and striking whenever you can, honestly, Lucilla was winning that game. She pulled the strings a bit too tight near the end and unfortunately, she died, and honestly, I was liking her a lot.  

The biggest strength of Dune 5–6 is, weirdly, the epigrams. These were just esqusites—the amount of lore, knowledge, characterisation thinking upon this Saga as a whole. I mean, this is world-building at its finest. It's such a minor thing in the novel, but the amount of depth it provides, unveiling Bene Gesserit sisterhood and so much more—I mean, that is beautiful. Speaking of the sisterhood, god, I love exploring Bene Gesserit, from the big activities to the small activities in the Chapterhouse. The area is just somewhat disturbing it feels artificial, it doesn’t feel right, and Herbert conveys it so well, like a perfect area but sometimes too polished, it’s not authentic enough. I won’t talk about that aspect, but I have to admit that I really like Orade. If you do not like Orade, then this novel won’t click. She is the main character for most of the novel. Her nuances are fascinating to explore, as are her vulnerabilities. Bene Gesserit at the height of their power, seeing the cracks in her armour and her flaws, is something I enjoy reading. I will honestly defend Herbert's characterisation a lot of times, he uses indirect characterisation I think with Orade, it does show in her relationship with  ghoula teg  . It's such an interesting concept, and I wish Herbert showed it more. He always does this, like when an idea is literally tangling right in front of him, it wouldn’t take too much effort as the pieces of are right there, but he won’t do it.  So the positives so far are Bene Gesserit lore/worldbuilding, Orade, great mind games,   Duncan , the ending and atmosphere.

I’ve already discussed my dislike of the Honored Matres and them feeling like papercut antagonists. The other criticism I do agree with is that Herbert's writing is at its weakest in the Dune Saga. The dude who was dying was writing this novel, and medically, he wasn’t very fit. He passed away a year later, after this was published. Unfortunately, it does show in the actual writing. I generally like Herbert's prose a lot, and here it’s still the same (me enjoying it), but it's a step down in quality. A friend of mine binge-read all 6 novels and for him, it felt like a different author. I read pretty spread apart. I cannot deny or agree with the claim, but it's worth pointing out. It’s very unpolished in that aspect, though I argue the epigrams, eulogy and other writings are some of Herbert's best. Now the pacing isn’t great. This might be the most poorly paced Dune book in the series. I do not know how to articulate the pacing, but it’s a weakness of this novel. Even as a person who didn’t have as much of an issue with pacing, I can visibly see it being the worst. What makes this more evident to me is that the novel lacks those massive moments. What I mean is every Dune novel you can point out, this is a HUGE moment. When thinking about the past books, there are a lot of big highlights, even Heretics have those big moments. Chapterhouse doesn’t have that, or, should I state, very few standout moments. When they appear, it's great, but it's not that much. Murbella is an okay character, I understood the intention, but I ain’t sure if Herbert executed her that well   though the depiction of the agony was awesome . But I did enjoy a lot of her chapters weirdly, though I was rarely invested in her (or as much as I hoped). Sheeana, I like her, especially her last chapter by herself, which was brilliant. The oddity of the novel is the weirdly handled sexual aspects. I am not against this in fiction, I feel like people are honestly too sensitive to the sexual aspects of fiction. But Herbert does not write it well enough to say it kindly.

In Conclusion, I really liked this novel a lot, way more than I suspected, and I would say this Dune Saga has been such an experience for me. I'm not sure how to rate this or if there's a point rating it. All I can say is thank you, Frank Herbert, for these 6 novels, some of my favourite novels of all time and which have impacted me so deeply that it’s kind of insane. This isn’t a normal series I can read, have fun with, and go on to the next. It’s something that just ponders in my mind consistently. There are a lot of life lessons, cautionary tales, and so forth. Now that it's time to say goodbye, I don’t regret this journey. Though one last thing, I will say I never met Herbert, but I feel like I would love to have a drink with the man hearing about his philosophy in life and perspectives on given situations. Though this is the end of the journey, I will reread these 6 novels one day.


7/10

[Sud666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chapterhouse:Dune is the sixth and final book of the original hexology written by Frank Herbert. It has been a truly epic ride. The sheer time span of this series has only been matched, in my reading, by Asimov's Foundation series and the Warhammer 40K universe. Dune's story also evolves over thousands of years.

The Scattering has returned a terrible enemy. The Honored Matres come to invade the Old Empire and to destroy the Bene Gesserit. Using the Duncan Idaho ghola and, now, a ghola of Bashar Miles Teg, the Bene Gesserit must fight against a force seeking their extinction. At the same time they are terraforming Chapterhouse into another Dune, so that the sandworms can breed again.

I shall not spoil this amazing story. If you've never read Dune in its entirety, then I suggest you take the time to do so. One of the great, foundational works of sci-fi. As I am rereading this series, I shall attempt to go in order. Thus, the next book will be "Hunters of Dune" by Brian Herbert, which finishes out the story after the events of Chapterhouse.

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the best book so far in my opinion. Excellent storyline and well written, and gripping to the end

[Terence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book: 3 stars
Audio CD: 3 stars

In Dune, Frank Herbert achieved a near perfect balance of story, character and exposition. In fact, the story and characters expressed the themes of the book, and Herbert avoided long, philosophical discursions. Dune is a self-contained novel needing no prequels or sequels. However, Herbert had more to say and produced five further novels set in the Atreides Imperium that were interesting to the compulsively completist amongst us (and I number myself one in this case) but came no where near the power and passion of the original. IMO, the series hit its nadir with God Emperor. The two subsequent novels - Heretics of Dune and the one under discussion - recaptured a bit of that original power though they, too, suffered from far too much plodding, philosophical distractions.

For the most part, I like what Herbert has to say about politics, emotions, the role of history and other themes but they destroy the books' pacing, threatening to turn them into Platonic dialogs rather than novels.

The plot: It's several thousand years after the Tyrant's death. The Old Empire fell, and humanity was Scattered, breaking the iron bonds of Leto's prescience and presumably ensuring Man's survival. Now, elements of the Scattering are returning. In particular, a group known as Honored Matres - women who exhibit inhumanly fast & deadly combat skills and enslave males through sexual domination. Herbert never reveals their exact origins but they display Fish Speaker and Bene Gesserit origins, with perhaps a dash of Tleilaxu. Whatever the case, they rampage through the Old Empire, destroying any opposition with insane orgies of violence that leave entire planets (including Dune) "sterilized." And the Bene Gesserit are the particular targets of their wrath.

The best aspect of these latter works is that we deal with an almost entirely new cast of characters, with the exception of the ubiquitous Duncan ghola. Duncan Idaho was never a favorite character from earlier novels but I've grown resigned to his presence in every book. Far more interesting were the new characters, in particular two. There's Miles Teg, a military genius and the BG's military leader. He represents a further advance in the Atreides' gene line, having the ability to "see" no-ships and is able to function at superhuman speeds for brief periods of time (faster even than Honored Matres). Then there's Darwi Odrade (another Atreides descendant), who eventually becomes Mother Superior and the architect of the plan that saves the BG from destruction at the hands of the Honored Matres.

I enjoyed the novel well enough in both is print and audio forms but I would recommend it only to those I mentioned above who need to know how things turn out.

I'll take this opportunity to close with a few comments on the abominations that Herbert's son, Brian, and his collaborator, Kevin Anderson, have produced. I tried reading Dune: House Atreides but the writing was so atrocious, I gave up in disgust. From what I gather, I am not alone in my reaction. For my money, the best post-Dune, non-Frank Herbert resource, if uncanonical, is Willis McNelly's The Dune Encyclopedia. It's only failing is that it was published before Heretics or Chapterhouse so there are only a few, tantalizing entries discussing the post-Leto universe, and we're forced to rely on the amateurish scribblings of Herbert fils and Anderson to complete the saga.

[Alex McArthur · Rating 1 out of 5]

the anti-semitism went nicely with the terrible writing and idiotic plot