The Mighty Dune Trilogy
Dune	Dune Messiah	Children of Dune

Both the movie and the books (at least the first three) are absolutely fantastic. But, the movie is a little hard to understand without having read the book beforehand. Ya know, kinda like "What the hell is the spice anyway?" I mean, the only herb I know of that will extend consciousness and fold space aint used as no spice and will get you arrested in 49 and 3 quarters states. By the way, just for those of you heathenous non-Dune loving people, the movie covered the first book of Dune which was itself composed of three mini-books. The picture to the right is of Kyle MacLachlan who played Paul Atredies/Usul/Mau'dib in the 1982 movie version of Dune. To be transferred to a page on Dune the movie in particular, click the movie poster found below. To be transferred to a page on Kyle, click on his image.

The Characters In the Movie

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Dune

Basically, Paul, a Prince of the Atredies House on Caladan has discovered that he may be the prophesized Quizat Haderach that the Bene Gesserit have been awaiting for centuries. Meanwhile, the Padishah Emporer Shaddam IV has given the Duke Atredies a new fife on the desert planet Arrakis or Dune. Inherent in this deal is that the Duke must sacrifice Caladan for his new possession. All involved sence a trap by the rival House Harkonnen, but feel confident they can avoid it since they know it is there.

Thrown into this is the matter of the spice, melange. Dune is the only planet that can produce the mystical spice: that which extends life, consousness, allows for the folding of space, and holds together their fragile civilization. The Spacing Guild, hopelessly addicted to the spice both physically and economically must ensure its flow. Also, the Combine Honnette of Actiona??????? Mercantile (C.H.O.A.M.) must ensure its flow as the most important substance to the galactic economy. Naturally, these powerful forces want to ensure stable spice flow, and any frays between the Houses (here Atredies and Harkonen) cannot endanger the flow.

Duke Atredies and his House have now aquired Dune from the Harkonnen's. And yet, there was a suprisingly little resistance. This it seems, until a traitor and a bargain and attack by the Harkonnen's destroys House Atredies and Paul and his Bene Gesserit (witch) Jessica flee into the desert.

There, they encounter the Fremen, Dunes rugged and warlike desert dwellers, and are ingrained into their society. Meanwhile, Barron Harkonnen is tightening his stranglehold over Dune and crushing further opposition. Paul/Mauhadib/Usul gains power within the Fremen community and fulfills his destiny as the Quizat Haderach and begins to lead a Fremen rebellion against the Harkonnens. Using the forbiddent family atomics and fighting Fremen atop collassal sandworms, Paul manages to capture the capital of Arrakeen, kill the Barron and the Barron's nephew, and conveniently capture the Emporer who was aiding the Barron. Paul then claims the imperial thrown and rules with his legions of Fremen and an iron hold on the spice of Dune. So begins the great jihad.

Dune Messiah

The second of the original trilogy is somewhat anticlimactic. It is set after the great Fremen jihad after Paul has been firmly set as ruler of the universe. The plot involves an intricate assassination plot, hatched by the Bene Tleilux, a member of the Spacing Guild, and some other members of the old order who resent there loss of power. After Paul is assassinated, they hope to grasp the reins of power in the insuing confusion. They reincarnate (genetically regenerate) one of Paul's former confidants (Duncan Idaho) to lure him off guard and at the proper spoken command, kill him. After much intrigue, thrust and parry, feint within a feint within a feint, the plot fails, the conspirators are murdered, and Paul who was blinded in the skirmishing wanders into the desert to meet a traditional Fremen death. Alia, his pre-born sister is now emporer.

Children of Dune

A third even more anticlimactic addition to the series. This is where I gave up on finishing all six novels of the Dune trilogy. In this one, Alia is seated firmly in power and like her brother before her; she is worshipped as a god. Meanwhile, as pre-born, she has become what the Bene Gesserit refer to as an Abomination, and Jessica (her mother and now loyal to the Sisterhood) has been sent to determine if this is true.

In another part of the imperium, the remaining strength of the old order residing on Salusa Secundus has hatched a plot to dispose of the House Atredies and restore the rightful heir to the thrown. They plan to use the Bene Gesserit to dispose of the Abomination Alia, and assassinate Mau1dib's frighteningly sentient progeny: the royal twins Leto and Ganymede????. The twins of course realize this long before it happens and hatch there own plan of sorts. In the attempted assassination, Leto flees after disposing of their feline attackers and begins an oddessy of sorts. In this, he meets a band of rogue Fremen, a revolution in the making, and a preacher/prophecizer who turns out to be none other than his father Paul.

The book kinda goes downhill from here, but still a good ride.

The Verdict:

Nothing against the latter books whatsoever, but after a masterpiece like the original Dune (A++) all the later works fell painfully short.

As a whole, I'd give it a solidB