An Empire Asunder (Scourwind Legacy #2)

^{This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot,, Booklikes & Librarything and linked at Goodreads & Mobileread by  Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission}
 Title: An Empire Asunder

 Series: Scourwind Legacy #2

 Author: Evan Currie

 Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

 Genre: SFF

 Pages: 334

 Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis:

The Scourwind Twins have saved the Empire from being taken over but it is civil war. Lydia is doing her best to rule and Brennan is growing into his new role as cadreman and warrior.

Corian, exhibiting signs of madness, begins Operation Godstrike, all the while vaguely hinting about some unknown threat that apparently nobody but him is aware of or prepared to do something about.

It is strike and counter-strike as the Imperial forces clash against the Alliance forces. Throw in Mira Delsol, former cadrewoman turned Pirate and you have some serious action.

My Thoughts:

For whatever reason, Currie is hitting all the right buttons with this series for me. I enjoyed my time reading this above and beyond the normal. That is not to say I think this is going to be a SF classic or that it will wow you. In fact, I suspect most people looking on would give it 3-3.5 stars.

For me though, it has this: a coming of age story without angst and whines. No crap about “romance” and “feelings” taking precedence over your duty and responsibility. You are a Scourwind and you run the Empire, you don't whine like a baby. A young lady becoming an Empress. Sure, she might write in her journal, but we the readers aren't subjected to that or every bloody thought in her head. The story gets told. A young man becoming an elite warrior in the shadow of his dead older brother. He's not some tortured, broken individual who just needs the love of the “right woman” to “fix” him. Neither of these Scourwinds are BROKEN and Currie doesn't fall into the trap of making the story about “fixing” them. Grrrrrr, you don't “fix” people. That pisses me off and I hate that in a story. And there is NONE of that, not even a hint, in these books and I really like that.

The other thing I really liked was the continuing glimpse of the world. With the new ship, Delsol is able to go atmospheric and realizes that humanity is in a box. It is obvious that Corian knows a lot more about the whole situation but in his arrogance thinks he's the only one capable of facing the situation, whatever it may be. We the readers aren't privy to it.

Currie's writing is improving with each book and while his earlier books were pretty rough around the edges, I am glad I started reading him. I was really enjoying his Odyssey One series and I have the next book of that on tap, but I really hope he sticks with this series for a bit and finishes things up before becoming too distracted with other series, old or new.

Finally, I like the covers. They are a huge step up from the first couple of books that had very obvious amateur covers desperately trying NOT to look like amateur covers. These books have the kind of covers that I want in hardcover on my shelves just because I like how they look. Sadly, that is not an option and I'm not going to change my “no paperback” rule for Currie. He hasn't reached that status, yet. Chris McGrath is the artist and here's a small list of some other covers he's done:

• Aeronauts Windlass
• Star Wars: Kenobi
• Alloy of Law
• Daughter of the Sword (I broke my “no paperback” rule for Steve Bein. Love his books that much)
• Dresden: Changes

I didn't do a Cover Love in my February Roundup, but for March's Roundup, this one is definitely going to be a contender.

1. Review of Book 1
   
   

Then Came the Showdown! (Eyeshield 21 #23) (Manga Monday)

^{This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot,, Booklikes & Librarything and links at Goodreads & Mobileread by  Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission}
Title: Then Came the Showdown!

 Series: Eyeshield 21 #23

 Author: Riichiro Inagaki 

Artist: Yusuke Murata 

Rating: 4.0 of 5 Stars

Genre: Sports Manga

Pages: 210

Format: Digital Scan

Synopsis:

The Devil Bats win against the Naga, at great physical cost to each player. Then we follow the other 3 games of the day and watch new teams and new techniques come to light.

The volume concludes with the Devil Bats taking a day off to rest,but they all end up at the clubhouse anyway, so obviously Hiruma uses that time to get some stuff in. The next battle is agains the White Knights and as things stand, the Devil Bats do not stand a chance against them.

My Thoughts:

After having drawn out the game against the Naga for 3 volumes, the last 4 seconds of the game, and the win, felt rather anti-climactic. It did come down to a battle between Hiruma and Agon and Hiruma's year of practice and 1/10^th of a second paid dividends. Agon ate dirt and I was pretty happy. He was a scumbag and I wished he'd been broken instead of just beaten in the game. I wanted his soul crushed, his spirit destroyed, his very will to live extinguished. As you can tell, I didn't like him.

The short little episodes showing the highlights of the games by other teams just didn't work for me either. After a 3 book game, it felt very rushed and like it was a scheme for getting info to the readers without telling a good story. I know that Sena/Eyeshield 21 and the Devil Bats are the main characters, but for goodness sake, a little balance wouldn't hurt things.

There was nothing wrong with this volume at all beyond the imbalance, but it was noticable enough for me to ding a star off.

1. Review of Volume 11
2. Review of Volume 12
3. Review of Volume 13
4. Review of Volume 14
5. Review of Volume 15

Night of Knives (Malazan Empire #1)

^{This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot,, Booklikes & Librarything and linked at Goodreads by  Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission}
 Title: Night of Knives

 Series: Malazan Empire #1

 Author: Ian Esslemont

 Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

 Genre: SFF

 Pages: 308

 Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis: Spoilers

On the night of a Shadow Moon, when the division between our world and the world of the Warrens thins, Kriska and Temper have an adventure.

Kriska is a young thief who wants to join the Claws and get off of Malaz Isle. But nobody takes her seriously and even her aunt wants her to stay inside this night. Getting caught up in the battle between Kelenved & Dancer and Surly. Also involved in the mix is Tayschren, master mage, Surly's cadre of Claws and a group of cultists dedicated to Kelenved as a god. Kriska has to survive the night and all the terrors it holds.

Then we have Temper, a former soldier of the Malazan Army who has deserted. The desertion saved his life, as he was one of the Shields of the Swords, a might warrior protecting Dassem Ultor, the First Sword of the Malazan Empire, the mightiest warrior alive. The problem was, Surly doesn't want heros in her army and she has begun to purge them. Temper runs to Malaz Isle to become a lowly guardsman to survive. But others know his secret and on this night of Shadow Moon, Temper will be used once again, just as he was before.

My Thoughts:

Man, I had forgotten, or never realized, just how much foundational information Esslemont packs into this book. There is a lot about Dassem that I didn't realize was important but will definitely impact my read of future Malazan Book of the Fallen books. Chronologically this comes before Gardens of the Moon but I wouldn't recommend reading it before unless you're doing a re-read of everything Malaz.

There are some great battles here. Hounds of Shadows everywhere, monsters springing out of various Warrens, magical assassins fighting magical cultists, a hidden group of people trying to protect the whole Isle from some underwater threat, it all weaves together into one night of blood the likes of which the Isle has not seen in ages.

This was a short book, clocking in just over 300 pages. For a Malaz book, that is practically a short story. But as I was reading, it was dense. It had so much packed in that I felt like I had read a 500 page book by the end. I didn't mind that feeling at all, but others might and it is something to keep in mind if you decide to delve into this universe.

One downside, which is typical of the Malaz books, is that there are no real answers to any of your questions. Inferences, asides, round about explanations of Subject X which reveals bits about Subject Y. Nothing direct, nothing concrete. It is building a bridge in your mind. Esslemont gives us the materials and a rough architectural plan but it is up to us, the readers, to actually build the bridge and succeed or fail on our own. Some will see that as a weakness and others as a strength of the writing. I'm ok with it but have to admit, I'd prefer a bit more concrete facts baldly stated. Oh well, I'm not going to get it and neither will anyone who reads these books.

1. Previous Review from 2010
   
   

Out of the Silent Planet (Space Trilogy #1)

 ^{This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, & Librarything and links at Booklikes, & Goodreads by  Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission}
Title: Out of the Silent Planet

Series: Space Trilogy #1

Author: C.S. Lewis

Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars

Genre: SFF

Pages: 241

Format: Digital Edition 

 

Synopsis: Spoilers

Professor Ransom, taking a long sabbatical from work, is walking about England for the sheer heck of it. He gets involved in a situation with a former classmate and ends up being kidnapped and taken to another planet as a human sacrifice. He escapes and begins to learn a little bit about this new [to him] world, Malacandra and eventually comes before the ruler of the world to face his kidnappers and learn what fate awaits him.

The postscript, or Epilogue, takes a slightly different tone and is from the viewpoint of Lewis, who has been hired by Ransom to tell his story. Lewis learns that Ransom is not a balmy old bat but a man with some seriously influential spiritual friends. Ends with Ransom being prepared for some sort of mission.

My Thoughts:

This Space Trilogy has a story associated with it for me, so please bear with me as I meanderingly make my way to the actual review. When I was in 3^rd grade, our school had a book fair and in one of the “big kids” booths was this paperback trilogy in a nice slipcase:

Not the best picture, but shows the colors and the picture that just drew me in. The books themselves are light blue, orangey'-red and then a darker blue. For whatever reason, when I saw this set, for $8, my 3^rd grade self knew that I would DIE if I couldn't own these. My father lent me the money [where he got it, I have no idea, as we were literally dirt poor] and thus I became the proud owner. I manfully struggled through the first book, understanding it was about a man going to another planet. I simply read, without comprehending a thing, the second book and the size of the 3^rd one kept me from even trying it. It wasn't until years later in highschool that I revisited these and “understood” what I was reading. But I will always associate these books with that feeling of OWNING my first Grown Up books.

Onward!

I really enjoyed this read. The main reason for it being a 3.5star read has more to do with comparison than a lack in the book itself. I read this primarily as a Science Fiction book and not as a theological one wrapped in an SFF wrapper. In that regards, there are a lot of better written, more enjoyable, more fleshed out books out there.

The other thing that dragged it down a bit for me was the epilogue with Lewis and from Lewis's point of view. It was supposed to be fearful, unsure and unconvinced, but I didn't like that change of tone from Ransom's earlier in the book. Maybe I'm just so mired in the mundane that I have lost any fear, in the right sense of the word, of the spiritual world and Lewis's account just made me uncomfortable with the reality?

I did find it interesting to see how Lewis dealt with the very idea of “aliens”. I also realized just how deeply formed my views on life and how humans interact with the universe have been shaped by this book. As a Christian I'm not convinced God has created other lifeforms beyond angels and humans but if He has, I can totally buy into Lewis's idea of a Quarantine around Earth because of the Fall of Man starting with Adam and Eve. I suspect that a lot of the conclusions that I've come to on my own about alien life are, in fact, the workings out of my initial reading of this book back in 3^rd grade.

The next book, Perelandra, is a very different beast, so we'll see how my read of that goes. I suspect I'll be looking at much more from the theological and philosophical than just the SF angle.

 

1. Review of the Space Trilogy from 2006

The Wrath of the Great Guilds (Pillars of Reality #6)

 ^{This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, & Librarything and links at Booklikes, & Goodreads by  Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission}
Title: Wrath of the Great Guilds
Series: Pillars of Reality #6
Author: Jack Campbell

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 280
Format: Digital edition

Synopsis: Spoilers!!

Mari and Alain must face the combined might of both Great Guilds and the Empire in an attempt to stave off the Storm of Destruction prophecied.

Dividing her army in parts, Mari sends the majority of it to another city and only takes a small force, but many great arms, with her to Dorcastle. There, she and Alain inspire the troops, unite the factions and fight off dragons and gatebuster bombs.

Dorcastle has 7 walls. Mari's forces are pushed back to the final wall and are about to lose even that when the other army she had separated out arrives to rescue them, turn the tide and allow the Daughter of Jules a complete and utter victory.

Now Mari can allow her world to develop technologically and the first thing they do is use the world far speaker they found in an earlier book. And someone answers back.

My Thoughts:

Almost all of this book was the battle scene at Dorcastle. Close to 60% is my guess. It was great. Much like Minas Tirath's 7 walls, Dorcastle provides plenty of room for lots of action. Mages and their dragons, Mechanics and their bombs, the Empire and their numberless cohorts, all fodder for the advanced weaponry Mari brings with her. It also showcases how she utilizes Mechanics, Mages and Commons, with all their various strengths and weaknesses. Alain's vision of Mari is constantly at the forefront of his mind and Campbell never lets the reader forget it.

This is definitely young adult but I did appreciate the fact that Alain and Mari were married a book or two ago. The romance was there, but it wasn't angsty, unsure love. It was growing, committed love that wasn't based just on their feelings.

There were only 2 things I didn't care for and I knocked off a 1/2star for each.

First, Campbell loves big, powerful, DUMB villains. Much like in his Lost Fleet series, where the 2 “official” sides do the same thing over and over and the main character Jack “Black” Geary, takes advantage, here we have the Heads of both the Mage's Guild and the Mechanic's Guild doing the same thing in the big battle that has NOT worked before against Mari and Alain. It just made the Guild leaders seem incredibly inept and stupid and you wonder how someone so dense got to the place of authority that they are in. Of course, it might have something to do with Campbell being a retired navy officer and perhaps reflects his actual experience with higher echelon officers. Pure speculation on my part though.

Second, no character development. It has taken me over 25 books of Campbell/Hemry to realize this (Lost Fleet, Lost Fleet:Beyond the Frontier, Lost Stars, JAG in Space, Stark's War) so it kind of came as a shock to really realize that he can't write growing characters beyond a certain point. It is the kind of writer he is and he needs to write accordingly. And now that I know this, I will also adjust my expectations accordingly.

Now I know I've highlighted the negatives mostly. But obviously, I've stuck with this 6 book series until the end and given the final book 4 stars. That does say a lot without me having to write a lot. Nothing in this book is going to make you feel that you wasted your time or overturn all the good in the previous books. This is a good solid book to end a good solid YA series.

1. Review of Book 1
2. Review of Book 2
3. Review of Book 3
4. Review of Book 4
5. Review of Book 5

Time-Out 0 (Eyeshield 21 #22) (Manga Monday)

 ^{This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, & Librarything and links at Booklikes, & Goodreads by  Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission}
Title: Time-Out 0
Series: Eyeshield 21 #22
Author: Riichiro Inagaki

Artist: Yusuke Murata

Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Sports Manga
Pages: 210
Format: Digital Scan

Synopsis:

The battle for the game continues between the Devil Bats and the Naga.

Monta wins the catching game against both Ikkyu AND Agon, thus allowing a crucial 4 seconds to remain on the clock. Sena's legs are done. He has one play left in him and that is it. Hiruma is pulling out every single trick he can think of to keep the dream of going to the Christmas Bowl alive.

The rest of the Naga watch as their top players are countered and it shakes them. Agon isn't shaken, but neither does he learn. He knows that his talent has been enough before and he's going to stick with that.

The volume ends with 4 seconds on the clock and 8 yards to go for the Devil Bats to tie the game up. Not Fair!

My Thoughts:

Holy smokes, another nail biting, adrenalin pumping volume of Eyeshield 21! It was awesome to see the various members of the Devil Bats match the Naga in ability and come back from an impossible point deficit.

Honestly, since this is still the same game started 2 books ago, (or was it three?), I don't have much to say. There is no resolution and I'm not one to talk about specific plays within a game since it doesn't mean that much to me. Monta catches the ball, Sena runs the ball, Hiruma throws the ball, The End.

It is kind of a double edged sword, being a social football fan. Since I'm not that into it, I don't care about the details as much, but if I were into the details, I'd probably give up in disgust as it wouldn't match real life; this is a manga after all. It would be like me reading a Land Surveying Manga, hahahhaa. Goodness, the very idea makes me cringe, as I could see something like cutting down whole forests with one “power” swing of a machete or bouncing the laser off of multiple objects and getting the info from each bounce, just silly things like that. That wouldn't be real, but to someone who doesn't know surveying, it would just be cool.

I actually groaned at the end of this volume, as the manga-ka lets the reader believe the game is lost for the Devil Bats for at least 3 pages. Then I groaned again, and louder, when the volume ended and there were 4 SECONDS left on the clock. All I can say is that they had better finish this game next volume and give me some “slice of life” segments to break up all the “football”. It's getting pretty danged serious and needs some lightening up again.

1. Review of Volume 6
2. Review of Volume 7
3. Review of Volume 8
4. Review of Volume 9
5. Review of Volume 10

Autumn Princess, Dragon Child (The Tale of Shikanoko #2)

 ^{This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, & Librarything and links at Booklikes, & Goodreads by  Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission}
Title: Autumn Princess, Dragon Child
Series: The Tale of Shikanoko #2
Author: Lian Hearn
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 289
Format: Kindle digital edition

Synopsis: Spoilers

Shikanoko raises his 5 “sons” and slowly regains his powers so that he can confront the Abbot again. The boy emperor hooks up with some entertainers and becomes a monkey trainer. The boy emperor's protector and Shikanok's love interest, is out on her own, pregnant with Shikanoko's child.

Shikanoko finally confronts, and defeats, the Abbot but in the process loses control of his 5 spider children, who are only getting stronger and stronger in magic. Shikanoko's lover dies at the Abbot's hand and the boy emperor's child companion, who was taking care of Shikanoko's child, drowns along with his kid.

And in defeating the Abbot, Shikanoko gives himself fully to the forest magic which controlled his mask. He is no longer in control of his destiny. Happy Endings all round!

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this more than the first book, Emperor of the Eight Islands. Partially because it wasn't as depressing. Which, given my synopsis, is kind of hard to believe, but it's true.

Given that this is a japanese fairy tale, I am not expecting a happy ending to the series as a whole. Even in this book, Shikanoko loses his love, his child, his chance at determining his own destiny and quite possibly ANY happiness for the rest of his life.

Makes me thankful my life is as boring as it is.

If you like slightly depressing stories filled with magic, heroes, swords and warriors and like eastern existentialism, this series should make you miserably ecstatic.

1. Review of Book 1

Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles #1)

   

^{This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, & Librarything and links at Booklikes, & Goodreads by  Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission}
Title: Dealing with Dragons
Series: The Enchanted Forest Chronicles #1
Author: Patricia Wrede
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 244
Format: Kindle digital edition

Synopsis: Spoilers

Cimorene is an unusual Princess in the Kingdom that sets the Standard for Normal. It doesn't help that she has several older sisters who all Normal Princesses. After trying to learn magic, cooking, horseback riding, fencing and other various unsuitable activities for a Princess, Cimorene finds out that her parents are going to marry her off to get her of their hands. Not being particularly enamoured of the idea, Cimorene takes the advice of a magic frog she meets in the garden and sets off to find herself a dragon. A dragon that will keep everyone away from her.


Cimorene is taken under wing [ha!] by Kazul, who happens to like cherry jubilee, one of the few desserts that Cimorene knows how to make. As knights and princes come and go, Cimorene stumbles upon a plot by wizards to cause problems at the next choosing of the Dragon King. With the the help of another Princess, a Stone Prince and a local witch from the Enchanted Forest, Cimorene exposes the plot, foils the wizards and allows Kazul to become the next King of the Dragons.

My Thoughts: Spoilers

This was humorous, delightful and cute. There wasn't a single thing I didn't like with this story. It was fun. Sometimes in the midst of epic fantasy tomes or the weighty thoughts of science fiction classics, you need a break. I didn't know I needed a break, but when I started reading this, I realized I needed to be charmed and this book charmed me from beginning to end.

This was written in such a way that an adult like me could enjoy it fully and yet it seemed accessible all the way down to middle grade readers, perhaps even precocious elementary ones. To be able to reach that full spectrum is the mark of an author who knows her craft.

Don't have much else to say beyond the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed this read and I was tempted to just read all 4 of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles right in a row. But much like cherry jubilee, you cannot gorge yourself without some consequences. So I'm pacing myself and now I am REALLY looking forward to the next books.

1. Enchanted Forest Chronicles from 2006

Children of Time

 ^{This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, & Librarything and links at Booklikes, & Goodreads by  Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission}
Title: Children of Time
Series: -----
Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 609
Format: Kindle digital edition

Synopsis: Spoilers

In the future humanity has spread far and wide. As have their divisions. One group of scientists is beginning the process of uplifting monkeys on a terraformed world when war breaks out and a saboteur does irreparable damage to the spaceship said scientists are in. The head scientist initiates the uplift program and seals herself in a coffin sized tank to sleep until rescue comes. Unfortunately, the barrel of monkeys gets destroyed and the nanovirus has to find other hosts.

We watch as an insect [Tchaikovsky really has a thing for bugs and he doesn't hold back here] civilization arises due to the effects of the nanovirus.

Fast forward 2000 years. Humanity wiped itself from the stars and sent itself back to barbarianism on Earth. While the last dregs have recreated some of the technology and kluged together several spaceships, Earth is done. Poison from the first war is killing everything. Humanity's last hope is to get to the terraformed planet and start anew.

Two civilizations are on a collision course. Humanity, worn out, still fighting itself and desperate to survive and the Spiders, young, cooperative and desperate to survive.

My Thoughts: Spoilers!!

First, if there was ever a book championing Intelligent Design, by accident, this is it. I'm an Ex Nihilo Creationist myself, so I had a bit of a chuckle when Tchaikovsky starts talking “Evolution” about a man made nano-virus. You can't have it both ways, unless you're a Theistic Evolutionist and the less said about them the better, lol. Ok, onto the serious stuff.

This was a weighty book. We get alternating chapters from humanity and the spiders. It was beautifully orchestrated, with the downward spiral of humans and the upward mobility of the insects. Spiders were the main characters and Tchaikovsky uses several names over generations again and again so we aren't introduced to a bewildering number of Spider characters. So we are always reading about “A” Fabian, or “A” Bianca or “A” Portia, just generations removed. I thought it provided a great thread of continuity for 2000 years of Spider time. Humanity on the other hand, we stick with the same crew from the last Arc ship and time passes for them in cold sleep. We see things through the eyes of one particular man who has been trained to interpret Old Empire records, etc and that is his only skill. So he only gets unthawed when things are going bad and the ship needs his expertise.

The humans are fighting each other right from the get go and don't stop. Tchaikovsky really hammers down on individualism and our propensity for conflict even in the face of extinction. It felt a little heavy handed at times but it was just so true to form that I shook my head and was like “Yep, that's us”. The spiders on the other hand, while having conflict within their society and from other “less uplifted” insect civilizations, are all about working together and overcoming differences. It didn't come across as preachy though but as a natural outflow of how spiders work.

And that leads into the ending.

SPOILERS!
There are no other planets for the colonist ship to go to. The Spiders don't have interstellar travel so they are stuck on their planet. It is an apparent lose-lose situation for everyone as the humans are just going to wipe out the spiders and the spiders will wipe out the humans, all in the name of survival. Then Tchaikovsky pulls a magical nanovirus stick out of his bum and suddenly the humans just love and adore the spiders and everyone gets along famously. Fast forward to the very end of the book and Spiders and Humans are living in peace and ready to explore the stars with their new love and appreciation for each other.
END SPOILERS



My only real complaint of the book is this: Nothing the old Empire does goes right or survives. Colonies die, terraformed planets go haywire, ships crash and burn and YET the nanovirus miraculously does exactly what it is supposed to and doesn't go astray. It was just a smidge more than I could accept.

Other than that, this was an exciting read with a lot of tension right up until the end and solidifies in my mind that Tchaikosky is a Real Author.

Dune (Dune Chronicles #1)

 ^{This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, & Librarything and links at Booklikes, & Goodreads by  Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission}
Title: Dune
Series: Dune Chronicles #1
Author: Frank Herbert
Rating: 5 Stars
Genre: SFF
Pages: 611
Format: Kindle digital edition

Synopsis: Spoilers

Mortal enemies, House Atreides and House Harkonnen, through political machinations, end up trading control of Arrakis, Dune. The one planet that produces the Spice; an addictive substance that prolongs life, allows the gifted to see glimpses of the future and cannot be artificially reproduced.

Baron Harkonnen has secretly allied himself with the Emperor though and through trickery, deceit and the use of the Emperor's Elite Forces, destroys the Atreides line on Dune. Unknown to him, however, the scion, Paul and his Bene Gesserit trained mother Jessica, have escaped to the desert where they fulfill prophecy for a group of desert dwellers known as the Fremen. Unrivaled warriors, the Fremen believe Paul is the long prophesied savior who will turn Dune into a paradise world. Paul, a product of millenia of Bene Gesserit breeding plans and living in conditions where he is infused with Spice at every turn, takes the next step in human development. He can see the Future, like it was the Past.

With his ability to now destroy the Spice, and hence destroy the Imperium, Paul ascends the Imperial Throne. The Future is firmly set and Paul Muad-dib is at the reins.

However, The Saga of Dune is Far from Over.

My Thoughts:

 
Phracking Fantastic, what a good book. I read it in '11 and then again in '16 and I found that 5 years seems to be a good amount of time between re-reads. While I enjoyed it this time around, the frission I experienced in '16 was not there. Some things do need a bit of time between tastings.

Since I do plan on re-reading the whole Dune Chronicles, I was keeping an eye out for little glimpses of the future. Not a lot to see, really. Which just cements my thoughts that while Herbert wrote this as a series, Dune itself was really meant as a standalone novel.

The ONLY thing that stuck out to me as a negative was the little dialogue about ecology that the dying character Kynes has with his dead father. While he knows it is a hallucination, it just comes across as Herbert allowing himself to talk about a subject that he's interested in but not strictly related to the immediate plot. It is much more detail oriented than is needed for an understanding of the “Turn Dune into a Fremen Paradise”, ie, a world with Earth normal weather.

I also read this with an eye towards how the Prequels books by his son had influenced me or my perception of events within the book. Honestly, it was very hard to tell. It did feel like I was more influenced by the rest of the Chronicles and the future they hold then anything that came before. But just the fact that I have read the prequels fills in little gaps in my mind that I might not even notice. 

 

1. Dune Review from 2011
2. Dune Review from 2016