Rating: 3/5 convoluted trappings of idol worship
Author:
Frank Herbert
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Frank Herbert’s second entry in the Dune series takes a fundamentally different view of the central protagonist of the first book and provides much needed depth to the characters and world of the Dune universe. Herbert's talent for creating technical fiction are apparent in Dune Messiah, but in attempting to strike a different path with the overall tone of the narrative, Herbert does not produce the kind of intriguing character development that set his first Dune book apart from other contemporary science fiction. Where Dune is a flawed masterpiece, Dune Messiah is the necessary foundation for further extrapolation (or exploitation?) of the Dune narrative, and thus presents less intrinsic value when independently appraised.
That isn’t to say that the novel is devoid of intrigue or joy. There are many facets here to gaze into and get lost in Herbert’s expertly crafted world. The political overtones, dense character motivations, and less-vague-than-previous religious commentary provides a variety of full bodied routes through the narrative. Herbert does tend to get lost in his own story weaving, at times almost actively avoiding the action-adventure elements that so well suited the first entry in the series. He does seem to improve his empty gender roles from the last book, actually creating some agency in his female characters this time around.
I was initially worried that pushing past the masterpiece that is Dune, into the belly of a series that has a reputation for being an entirely downhill endeavor, would only serve to spoil the collective ordeal. By probing the scenery surrounding the main stage of this production, I’ve found the illusion to be thin and now inescapably apparent. I would not recommend Dune Messiah for anyone who still has the intact illusion of Dune’s complex and massive universe. The sequel is decent, but the cost to something better left to stand alone is just too high.
