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Twists and turns that shift the entire Dune universe. So good! Gholas are not made in axolotl tanks but instead are birthed from enslaved surrogate mothers. The Bene Gesserit makes this discovery and are enraged.

The powers of the universe: the Bene Tleilax (genetic monsters), the Bene Gesserit (aristocratic witches), the Ix (the tech innovators). The heresy and shadowy plots to kill people in power are numerous. There are almost too many to keep track of when reading.

I am amazed every time I pick up a book in the Dune series how the plotlines span around 7000 years in total. I am reading how a Bene Gesserit finds a message inscribed in an ancient cave when I read less than a year ago that same message being written. It's cool to have this memory of what things used to be like in the first and second books, as the current characters discover relics and artifacts from that age.

Wow! This book is so entralling, it got started slowly and I put it down for a few months, but now I'm in the thick of the action and I can't seem to put it down. It is hard to remember the complex and layered universe at times. But, concepts discussed and acted on by the characters always circle back to 19th and 20th century political and religious commentary. The plot and heresy around it surround history on Earth

So good! Completly new characters but they are all just as sophisticated, layered, and developed.

I am returning back to this book after a little pause. I was tired of Sci-Fi, but after coming back, I am inspired to finish the series. It is beautiful how elaborate the universe is, even around 4000 years after the first book. It's cool how Herbert followed the historically proven pattern of languages' words shortening over time. In this book, Caladan is now Dan, and Arrakis is Rakis, following speech over time.

It's crazy how there are villages all the way up to Mount Everest's Base Camp. People actually live at over 13,000 feet, there is very little vegetation and not enough forests to burn wood. The locals burn dried yak dung to create their fires. The concept of Sherpas is really interesting to me. Local Nepalese climbers carry loads of gear and food and have a much harder task than the British climbers like Bear.

Bear talks a lot about determination & perseverance in preparation for his climb of Everest. These terms are not just words but ways of life, getting what you want out of life through self-determination. It was cool that he found the correct words to convey and express this grit. You can tell, by how he writes & reflects that he wants to complete this lifelong dream so much that he can't focus on anything else.

This is an interesting book to read after watching Bear Grylls' hit shows on Netflix, such as You v. Wild. This autobiography really gives insight and background into his life and what led him to his goal of climbing Everest. He was in the British Special Air Service (paratroopers) and suffered a catastrophic injury

This book is the best I've read in a while and the genre of non-fiction is growing on me. The book begins with evolution and anthropology but has moved into dilemmas like what makes human art unique? Why do humans abuse drugs even though we know it hurts us? Diamond answers all these questions are rooted in genes and animal behavior. He proposes that our drug abuse comes from our DNA, the need to prove superiority.

A big topic discussed is the evolution of language, and how we got from grunts to Shakespeare's sonnets. The first step is calls with a specific meaning, such as the grunts of many apes. The next step is words assembled with sets of vowels and consonants. The most crucial step is that of two-year-old humans, going from single words to phrases that communicate full ideas. Finally, grammar and syntax are added.

Diamond is skillful in interjecting his thoughts between facts. He is careful not to present his views and beliefs as facts and starts with "I think" every time he shares his opinion. He proposes the idea of the "Great Leap Forward" when proto-humans suddenly gained the knowledge and intelligence to create tools. He hypothesized that the reason for this is spoken language. With language, humans can communicate.

This book is really interesting in its ideas and correlations. It provides evidence that humans are the "Third Chimpanzee" Humans should be grouped in the same Genus as Chimps and Bonobos. We only split from them on the genetic family tree about 2 million years ago. Our DNA is 98.4% the same as those species

I wanted to read the Silmarillion after watching the new show on Prime Video named 'Rings Of Power'. I loved reading 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of The Rings' series and this novel is a prequel to both. To be honest, I am so confused! The book starts at the very beginning of Middle Earth and explains how God-like beings called The Valor created the assorted creatures. Everything has a complicated name.

This fifth institution of the Dune Series takes place 1500 years after the death of God Emperor Leto Atreides. After all this time since the first book the Bene Gesserit Missionaria Protectiva is still around and working to manipulate the universe.

I forgot my other book at home but I reread the prologue from The Fellowship Of The Ring and I am repeatedly amazed at how complicated and thick the backstories and fictitious world is. How did Tolkien come up with such a thing? Tales upon tales all telling the story of Middle Earth and all its creatures

The God Emperor has a profound humanity in his mind but his body is anything but human. He still longs for love and connection but his worm body holds him back. He delves into his all-knowing generational mind to numb the pain. I find this very interesting and I find myself pitying him, to live for thousands of years slowly losing your humanity until you become all animal

Herbert creates an interesting dilemma of religion merged with government. Under the rule of the Leto Atreides, a criminal act is also a sin. This is an extreme version of what we have in the US. Our constitution states, "One nation under God" linking catholicism and our democracy. This creates major problems with respecting others and their religions and cultures that are different from the norm in the nation.

This is an extreme version of what we have in the US. Our constitution states, "One nation under God" linking catholicism and our democracy. This creates major problems with respecting others and their religions and cultures that are different from the norm in the nation.

This is an extreme version of what we have in the US. Our constitution states, "One nation under God" linking catholicism and our democracy. This creates major problems with respecting others and their religions and cultures that are different from the norm in the nation.

Herbert creates an interesting dilemma of religion merged with government. The God Emperor Leto Atreides has worked hard for thousands of years to create this monolithic culture where a criminal act is also a sin. Choosing not to worship "God" (Leto) is punishable by law.

The idea of a "god emperor" is fascinating and the power dynamic is unique. Leto Atreideies is simultaneously the noble god and the merciless emperor. He has lived for 3500 years and has the larger vision. A universal genocide is just a small ordeal for him.