God Emperor of Dune

God Emperor of Dune • Frank Herbert

⭑ 8.4 Stars

There’s no one more surprised by this rating than me. To say I was skeptical of a fourth novel in the Dune series would be an understatement, especially one where so few characters that first shaped my image of Dune had been relegated to the background, given the 3,500+ year advance in time between stories.

The reason for this rating is grounded purely in Herbert’s distinct ability to so beautifully craft a narrative that captures the reader immediately, and progresses a variety of interesting plots eloquently throughout the entire novel. As a fan of the anthology, it was a pleasure to be reunited with old characters throughout the story, but it was the thought provoking dialogue that I found most refreshing. I had taken a break from the series, but am re-energized to complete the second trilogy in advance of the upcoming release of the first big-budget Dune movie later this year!