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Heroes of Dune #3
Princess of Dune
Set two years before Princess of Dune is the never-before-told story of two key women in the life of Paul Muad’Dib—Princess Irulan, his wife in name only, and Paul’s true love, the Fremen Chani. Both women become central to Paul’s galaxy-spanning Imperial reign.
Raised in the Imperial court and born to be a political bargaining chip, Irulan was sent at an early age to be trained as a Bene Gesserit Sister. As Princess Royal, she also learned important lessons from her father—the Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV. Now of marriageable age, Princess Irulan sees the machinations of the many factions vying for power—the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, the Spacing Guild, the Imperial throne, and a ruthless rebellion in the Imperial military. The young woman has a wise and independent streak and is determined to become much more than a pawn to be moved about on anyone’s gameboard.
Meanwhile, on Arrakis, Chani—the daughter of Liet-Kynes, the Imperial Planetologist who serves under the harsh rule of House Harkonnen—is trained in the Fremen mystical ways by an ancient Reverend Mother. Brought up to believe in her father’s ecological dream of a green Arrakis, she follows Liet around to Imperial testing stations, surviving the many hazards of desert life. Chani soon learns the harsh cost of Fremen dreams and obligations under the oppressive boot heel of the long Harkonnen occupation.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Raised in the Imperial court and born to be a political bargaining chip, Irulan was sent at an early age to be trained as a Bene Gesserit Sister. As Princess Royal, she also learned important lessons from her father—the Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV. Now of marriageable age, Princess Irulan sees the machinations of the many factions vying for power—the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, the Spacing Guild, the Imperial throne, and a ruthless rebellion in the Imperial military. The young woman has a wise and independent streak and is determined to become much more than a pawn to be moved about on anyone’s gameboard.
Meanwhile, on Arrakis, Chani—the daughter of Liet-Kynes, the Imperial Planetologist who serves under the harsh rule of House Harkonnen—is trained in the Fremen mystical ways by an ancient Reverend Mother. Brought up to believe in her father’s ecological dream of a green Arrakis, she follows Liet around to Imperial testing stations, surviving the many hazards of desert life. Chani soon learns the harsh cost of Fremen dreams and obligations under the oppressive boot heel of the long Harkonnen occupation.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
389 pages, Hardcover
Published October 3, 2023
About the author
Brian Herbert
227 books1,933 followersBrian Patrick Herbert is an American author who lives in Washington state. He is the elder son of science fiction author Frank Patrick Herbert.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
July 15, 2023
Princess of Dune is the 26th Dune book, with six from Frank Herbert and twenty built on his legacy but written by his son Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson. It is one of several prequels to the original Dune novel, tracing the lives of not one, but two, princesses of Dune, Princess Irulan, coming into her own as a formidable power in the royal Corrino family and Chani, the desert girl who old become wife in all but name to Paul Atriedes. It slots in chronologically between House Corrino and Duke of Caladan. Its publication this fall 2023 is timed to coincide with the release of the latest Dune movie.
For those in love with the Dune universe, it offers more background on two characters whose backgrounds we probably never were curious about. Thus, it doesn’t answer any grand questions or puzzles. For those purists who would have preferred the series left at the original six or even the primary trilogy and many things only hinted at for our fertile imaginations to play with, it’s too late to turn back the clock. All corners of the Dine universe have been painted in as tribute to Herbert’s original vision.
Spoilers may follow.
There are four main characters in this latest entry into the Duniverse. In addition to the two princesses, we also meet Guild Starguide Serello, a failed applicant to Navigator school who now occupied an important position in the Guild and whose great grandfather’s body (a navigator) was being brought to Arrakis for the honor of the spice and Shai-Hulud. The theft of that body for Bene Tleilax experiments is a major sub-plot here as is the revenge the Guild enacted against the Tleilax and the foreshadowing of the experiments with gholas such as Duncan Idaho’s.
The other major character storyline is that of Zenha, an Imperial officer known for his skill and prowess, who resents the appointment of incompetent nobles to captaincy, and dares to ask for the hand of the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV’s eldest daughter, Irulan. Punishment for his temerity is swift and calculated when he is ordered to crush a rebellion and realizes that he was sent to fail and that thousands of his crewmen were to die as payment. Before it’s too late, he mutinies, gathers a force and heads to the Imperial planet though it’s odd that the Guild allowed it.
Shaddam and Irulan flee assassins to the safety of Dune where Chani and her siblings plot the Emperor’s death via an ill-planned plot. Thus, all the threads with these four main characters come together. And, we get major plot lines with a fourteen year old Chani and a confident Bene Gesserit trained Irulan who proves her mettle so much earlier than her appearance in the original trilogy.
Everything in the Dune universe is endlessly fascinating to fans of the franchise. Yet, the involvement of desert girl Chani in plots in the Keep in Arakeen doesn’t necessarily ring authentic and neither does the risk it poses to Liet-Kynes and his two roles, one of the royal planetologist and one of Fremen dreamer.
Advance copy received for review purposes.
For those in love with the Dune universe, it offers more background on two characters whose backgrounds we probably never were curious about. Thus, it doesn’t answer any grand questions or puzzles. For those purists who would have preferred the series left at the original six or even the primary trilogy and many things only hinted at for our fertile imaginations to play with, it’s too late to turn back the clock. All corners of the Dine universe have been painted in as tribute to Herbert’s original vision.
Spoilers may follow.
There are four main characters in this latest entry into the Duniverse. In addition to the two princesses, we also meet Guild Starguide Serello, a failed applicant to Navigator school who now occupied an important position in the Guild and whose great grandfather’s body (a navigator) was being brought to Arrakis for the honor of the spice and Shai-Hulud. The theft of that body for Bene Tleilax experiments is a major sub-plot here as is the revenge the Guild enacted against the Tleilax and the foreshadowing of the experiments with gholas such as Duncan Idaho’s.
The other major character storyline is that of Zenha, an Imperial officer known for his skill and prowess, who resents the appointment of incompetent nobles to captaincy, and dares to ask for the hand of the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV’s eldest daughter, Irulan. Punishment for his temerity is swift and calculated when he is ordered to crush a rebellion and realizes that he was sent to fail and that thousands of his crewmen were to die as payment. Before it’s too late, he mutinies, gathers a force and heads to the Imperial planet though it’s odd that the Guild allowed it.
Shaddam and Irulan flee assassins to the safety of Dune where Chani and her siblings plot the Emperor’s death via an ill-planned plot. Thus, all the threads with these four main characters come together. And, we get major plot lines with a fourteen year old Chani and a confident Bene Gesserit trained Irulan who proves her mettle so much earlier than her appearance in the original trilogy.
Everything in the Dune universe is endlessly fascinating to fans of the franchise. Yet, the involvement of desert girl Chani in plots in the Keep in Arakeen doesn’t necessarily ring authentic and neither does the risk it poses to Liet-Kynes and his two roles, one of the royal planetologist and one of Fremen dreamer.
Advance copy received for review purposes.
February 17, 2024
I’m obsessed with Dune! I have every Dune book written by Frank Herbert (in both numerous editions and at least 6 or 7 special editions) and all of the Dune books written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson.
I can’t get enough and will reread every single book I have every few years (I think we’re up to 26 Dune books with all of the prequels and sequels!)
Princess of Dune is set two years before the events of Dune takes place and alternates between Irulan’s and Chani’s POV. I thought this was a great prequel showing the backstory of the two most important women in Paul’s life.
We also get to see Irulan’s younger sisters, especially Wensica which gives insight as to how ambitious she was.
I especially loved seeing the fierce warrior in a younger Chani.
I hope that Brian and Kevin continue writing in the Dune world, because I can’t seem to get enough.
*Thank you so much to Tor Books and NetGalley for the gifted advance ecopy!*
I can’t get enough and will reread every single book I have every few years (I think we’re up to 26 Dune books with all of the prequels and sequels!)
Princess of Dune is set two years before the events of Dune takes place and alternates between Irulan’s and Chani’s POV. I thought this was a great prequel showing the backstory of the two most important women in Paul’s life.
We also get to see Irulan’s younger sisters, especially Wensica which gives insight as to how ambitious she was.
I especially loved seeing the fierce warrior in a younger Chani.
I hope that Brian and Kevin continue writing in the Dune world, because I can’t seem to get enough.
*Thank you so much to Tor Books and NetGalley for the gifted advance ecopy!*
September 9, 2024
I had this last published Dune novel for some time in my to read stack and what is a better moment to enjoy reading it on a rainy day while enjoying the quietness of vacation. Did play Hans Zimmers' soundtrack of movie 2 about Dune wjile reading making it a nice soundtrack. The two recent movies and the upcoming tv show make for exciting times for Dune fans. Of course when you are one of those annoying fanatic fans that only see Frank and feel they have to belittle Brians efforts on Dune than you have a difficult time.
Anyhow this novel centers on the two future wives of Paul Atreides two years before the young man arrives on the planet Arrakis aka Dune.
Chani struggles with her halfbrother who wants to defend Dune against everybody with violence and no real plans. She learns from her father what the people from the empire are about and the possible Teillaxu threat towards the Guild.
Irulan sees her father extract revenge against a soldier who dares to ask for her hand, and finaly in person experiences the consequences in person when that militairy man comes to haunt the choices made by the empire.
While Chani has already had a real character as written by Frank in his brilliant Dune, Irulan was never given this treatment. We find out that Irulan is Bene Gesserit trained and more than a historian.
Overal a satisfactory novel continuing the prequels towards the Dune story.
I look forward to the New Dune TV show and a possible 3rd movie even if the director has changed some of the books story lines, and the 3rd movie would veer further of course from Frank Herberts' vision.
I would hope that Brian and Kevin would dare to continue towards God Emperor and the more Bene Gesserit orientated second trilogy. After all the True hero's for me is the Sisterhood and their visions . Lets hope both writers dare to leave the comfort of the Atreides & Harkonnen and start filling in the later openings in storytelling about Dune and after.
I Will return to the second trilogy and then find out if I can finish the Brian and Kevin version of the 7th intended Frank Herbert novel.
Anyhow this novel centers on the two future wives of Paul Atreides two years before the young man arrives on the planet Arrakis aka Dune.
Chani struggles with her halfbrother who wants to defend Dune against everybody with violence and no real plans. She learns from her father what the people from the empire are about and the possible Teillaxu threat towards the Guild.
Irulan sees her father extract revenge against a soldier who dares to ask for her hand, and finaly in person experiences the consequences in person when that militairy man comes to haunt the choices made by the empire.
While Chani has already had a real character as written by Frank in his brilliant Dune, Irulan was never given this treatment. We find out that Irulan is Bene Gesserit trained and more than a historian.
Overal a satisfactory novel continuing the prequels towards the Dune story.
I look forward to the New Dune TV show and a possible 3rd movie even if the director has changed some of the books story lines, and the 3rd movie would veer further of course from Frank Herberts' vision.
I would hope that Brian and Kevin would dare to continue towards God Emperor and the more Bene Gesserit orientated second trilogy. After all the True hero's for me is the Sisterhood and their visions . Lets hope both writers dare to leave the comfort of the Atreides & Harkonnen and start filling in the later openings in storytelling about Dune and after.
I Will return to the second trilogy and then find out if I can finish the Brian and Kevin version of the 7th intended Frank Herbert novel.
November 2, 2023
Quite an interesting story about some of the less appreciated {female} characters, prior to their direct interactions in the main books, basically putting most of the other characters to shame. It was very intriguing to see the feat of walking the tight rope of crisscrossing their tales without having it acknowledged.
June 12, 2024
Man...i don't even know why i tried, and keep trying with the BH/KJA collaborations. Said it before, re Lady of Caladan, i thought all the prequels up through the Great Houses conclusion, chronologically, were decently written and entertaining, and the original 6 are some of my all time favorites.. but every other supplemental novel has just had this... fan fictiony, gas station discount shelf quality.
Poorly organized, with the trademark "just in case you forgot what happened 4 chapters ago, here's a summary" things that seem prevalent in their books, and again...fan fictiony, in a poor way. The dialogue is unlikely, for lack of better words..as in real people just wouldn't word things the way it is worded... and lots of silly suspense.
I beg the authors, specifically Brian Herbert... either open up the franchise to other authors, or stop cheapening your fathers' dream.
Poorly organized, with the trademark "just in case you forgot what happened 4 chapters ago, here's a summary" things that seem prevalent in their books, and again...fan fictiony, in a poor way. The dialogue is unlikely, for lack of better words..as in real people just wouldn't word things the way it is worded... and lots of silly suspense.
I beg the authors, specifically Brian Herbert... either open up the franchise to other authors, or stop cheapening your fathers' dream.
July 24, 2023
I admit that I haven't read any of the multitude of titles set in the world of Dune released between the first Dune and this title, Princess of Dune. After viewing the latest movie, Dune part 1, I reread the original story. Now that I am anxiously awaiting part 2, I was excited to see this title focusing on the back stories of both Chani and Irulan. This book was great. I really enjoyed reading the back stories and learning how the women became who they are during the story of Dune. Rather than being secondary characters, they become the focal point.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of the book.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of the book.
November 29, 2023
The writing is good, but this is definitely a filler book that doesn’t add much of anything to the main story. Just more backstory on side characters, it just seems a little unnecessary.
April 14, 2024
I have not been impressed with Brian Herbert's books in the overall series until now. Having just finished the philosophical rant Children of Dune, which was way too long, I found this refreshing due to almost total lack of those rants. Also, I had just commented that I wanted more about Irulan.
The story was fine. Again, perhaps a relief from all the plots within plots of the early Frank Herbert books. They certainly make the stories interesting, but it was nice to get simple as a change.
I am tempted to say there are huge plot holes, but upon further reflection, maybe or maybe not. I wanted to say that Irulan's two major Imperial decisions in the last half were character inconsistencies, but then decide that no, they reflect a complex character. Far more complex than Irulan of Frank's books. Regardless of character consistency, Irulan and Liet's agreement was extremely unlikely. It felt like a cheap convenience for the author.
I still think that the location of the secret lab on Arrakis is another ridiculous convenience for the author, but perhaps some fear of discovery by the conspirators might be explanation enough.
I knew what the finish would be (perhaps in part from knowing Irulan's later history), but it was still a good finish.
I was much less impressed with Chani's story than Irulan's. Also she is way too mature for even a Fremen teenager her age.
My comments are harsh compared to my overall enjoyment of the book, but I think they are accurate.
The story was fine. Again, perhaps a relief from all the plots within plots of the early Frank Herbert books. They certainly make the stories interesting, but it was nice to get simple as a change.
I am tempted to say there are huge plot holes, but upon further reflection, maybe or maybe not. I wanted to say that Irulan's two major Imperial decisions in the last half were character inconsistencies, but then decide that no, they reflect a complex character. Far more complex than Irulan of Frank's books. Regardless of character consistency, Irulan and Liet's agreement was extremely unlikely. It felt like a cheap convenience for the author.
I still think that the location of the secret lab on Arrakis is another ridiculous convenience for the author, but perhaps some fear of discovery by the conspirators might be explanation enough.
I knew what the finish would be (perhaps in part from knowing Irulan's later history), but it was still a good finish.
I was much less impressed with Chani's story than Irulan's. Also she is way too mature for even a Fremen teenager her age.
My comments are harsh compared to my overall enjoyment of the book, but I think they are accurate.
Read
January 11, 2024The newest Dune book! The 26th in the series, I believe, set two years before the events of the first Dune book. I am obsessed with all things Dune and will continue to read every Dune novel Brian Herbert publishes, but his books don’t compare to the original novels by his dad (nothing personal; few authors will ever hold a candle to Frank Herbert and his creativity and brilliance IMO). Also, I have many issues with the prequels that I’m sure nobody wants to hear about. That said, I liked learning more about the other Corrino sisters in this book (aside from the eldest, Princess Irulan). If you’ve already read 25 other Dune novels, I assume you know what you’re getting yourself into :P (but also, you don’t have to have read all of the others to read this one, though having read *at least* the first Dune book and knowing the characters and how the Dune universe operates would help).
October 21, 2023
I have to admit that I preferred the Imperial side of the story to that of the Fremen, but in the end this was a great look at a pre-"Dune" role for both major female characters of the original saga, particularly Irulan. The role of the Emperor and his court tends to be subsumed by the Atreides/Harkonnen feud, so it offers a fascinating new perspective on the cog-wheels of the Herbert universe.
October 29, 2023
Chani and Irulan are two women bound by a men but very strong characters. I was glad to learn more about their life and how the became the heroines they are.
The narrator did an excellent job.
Recommended if you love Dune and want to know more about these characters
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
The narrator did an excellent job.
Recommended if you love Dune and want to know more about these characters
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
December 20, 2023
This was good but kind of short. I wish the story was more fleshed out and not just important point after important point for the entire thing.
September 2, 2024
Lot to enjoy hear but also not a lot happens to make it a story worth telling in the Dune universe. Chani and Irulan get more insight into how they came to be which gives some better information about their families. Both storylines are good but nothing amazing that makes it an incredible story.
September 30, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
October 5, 2023
All right first things first - the cover artists here did a huge disservice to the characters. This is set two years before Dune. Irulan is of age with Paul, who we all know is 15 in Dune...meaning she's 15 as well. Chani is a year younger then them both.
That means that the Irulan and Chani in this book is 13 and 12 respectfully. This cover? Does not depict a 13 and 12 year old and we're given no indication this is meant to be either character "looking back" and sharing memories. That said, we all know covers can be ignored because they often don't match the contents (I do like the cover though, I just wish it wasn't meant to be the two chars).
For background I've read the original Dune books by Frank Herbert several times over the years. Irulan remains a favorite character that I wish was given more page time. So I was excited for this book as, while I haven't read the other "prequels" from Herbert & Anderson, I had hopes for a book centered around Chani and Irulan's lives before Paul was part of it. In some ways this fulfilled that hope.
The power of creating prequels of pre-established works is that you can foreshadow, set-up details, offer a glimpse as to why canon moments and traits are. Disney did it (with little finesse) with Solo and some of Han's more famous character traits. Marvel did it with Black Widow to...some success depending on if you were watching it for Natasha or Yelena. And we all know what a disaster The Hobbit trilogy became.
PRINCESS OF DUNE is a solid "okay" in that department. Far from giving us a real glimpse into Irulan, she was almost a set piece to Shaddam's petty grievances and machinations against a few different enemies. In a way this does give us a glimpse into why Irulan was willing to take the lesser place as Paul's "Wife in Name Only"; Paul, even if he couldn't offer her emotional connection and respect, did offer her respect for her intelligence and abilities, something her father allowed to be overlooked and sidelined by his advisors for a variety of reasons.
Part of this is that Herbert & Anderson shortcut things a bit - her "go to" move is to marry the problem and deal with it later (so to speak), or so they would have you believe as that's basically what happens here. Only she would have been worse for the arrangement this time then eventually in Dune. Part of this is also because she has some very naive ideas here, born of someone who means well (mostly), but who doesn't understand the game they're playing. She makes some lucky gambles, the kind of help things for the moment and act as a bandaid to larger problems, but overall she is not very adept at the game. Not like her sister. Not like her father (for all that he is also a paranoid, petty person). By the end she learns and that learning is what we see in Dune, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune later.
Chani fares better, and with Chani much of Sietch Tabr's inhabitants, in getting some necessary foundation work. This Chani is very...hopeful isn't quite the right word, but she believes in the vision her father has and believes in the freedom of the Fremen even if she won't see it in her lifetime. She's a curious mix of practical and faithful, that works well.
Was my favorite part watching the Baron flounder around, sputtering and trying to figure out what miscreant sold him out to the Emperor for his embezzling efforts? Yes, yes it was. It was amusing since Shaddam was there for entirely unrelated reasons, to catch out a different political opponent and merely used his visit to the planet as a cover for his own cowardly actions (or rather his Propaganda Minister did). The fact that it also allowed him to make the Baron sweat for crimes they both knew he was committing, but was too cunning to leave a trail leading back to him about, was just a little bit of dessert for an otherwise awful time.
This was a quick read. Clocks in at just over 380 pages and is keeps the pace well as it switches between Irulan and Chani's adventures until they converge in an interesting way, that also speaks to their future...actions with each other in later books. But it was not exactly what I was hoping for.
That means that the Irulan and Chani in this book is 13 and 12 respectfully. This cover? Does not depict a 13 and 12 year old and we're given no indication this is meant to be either character "looking back" and sharing memories. That said, we all know covers can be ignored because they often don't match the contents (I do like the cover though, I just wish it wasn't meant to be the two chars).
For background I've read the original Dune books by Frank Herbert several times over the years. Irulan remains a favorite character that I wish was given more page time. So I was excited for this book as, while I haven't read the other "prequels" from Herbert & Anderson, I had hopes for a book centered around Chani and Irulan's lives before Paul was part of it. In some ways this fulfilled that hope.
The power of creating prequels of pre-established works is that you can foreshadow, set-up details, offer a glimpse as to why canon moments and traits are. Disney did it (with little finesse) with Solo and some of Han's more famous character traits. Marvel did it with Black Widow to...some success depending on if you were watching it for Natasha or Yelena. And we all know what a disaster The Hobbit trilogy became.
PRINCESS OF DUNE is a solid "okay" in that department. Far from giving us a real glimpse into Irulan, she was almost a set piece to Shaddam's petty grievances and machinations against a few different enemies. In a way this does give us a glimpse into why Irulan was willing to take the lesser place as Paul's "Wife in Name Only"; Paul, even if he couldn't offer her emotional connection and respect, did offer her respect for her intelligence and abilities, something her father allowed to be overlooked and sidelined by his advisors for a variety of reasons.
Part of this is that Herbert & Anderson shortcut things a bit - her "go to" move is to marry the problem and deal with it later (so to speak), or so they would have you believe as that's basically what happens here. Only she would have been worse for the arrangement this time then eventually in Dune. Part of this is also because she has some very naive ideas here, born of someone who means well (mostly), but who doesn't understand the game they're playing. She makes some lucky gambles, the kind of help things for the moment and act as a bandaid to larger problems, but overall she is not very adept at the game. Not like her sister. Not like her father (for all that he is also a paranoid, petty person). By the end she learns and that learning is what we see in Dune, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune later.
Chani fares better, and with Chani much of Sietch Tabr's inhabitants, in getting some necessary foundation work. This Chani is very...hopeful isn't quite the right word, but she believes in the vision her father has and believes in the freedom of the Fremen even if she won't see it in her lifetime. She's a curious mix of practical and faithful, that works well.
Was my favorite part watching the Baron flounder around, sputtering and trying to figure out what miscreant sold him out to the Emperor for his embezzling efforts? Yes, yes it was. It was amusing since Shaddam was there for entirely unrelated reasons, to catch out a different political opponent and merely used his visit to the planet as a cover for his own cowardly actions (or rather his Propaganda Minister did). The fact that it also allowed him to make the Baron sweat for crimes they both knew he was committing, but was too cunning to leave a trail leading back to him about, was just a little bit of dessert for an otherwise awful time.
This was a quick read. Clocks in at just over 380 pages and is keeps the pace well as it switches between Irulan and Chani's adventures until they converge in an interesting way, that also speaks to their future...actions with each other in later books. But it was not exactly what I was hoping for.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2024
If you really are a Dune fan, then what you really need to do is find a copy of DUNE, by Frank Herbert. It is one of the very best (if not the very very best of all-time) science fiction novels. It is not a new movie, it is not an old movie, and it is certainly not one of a dozen or so more recent novels. Accept no substitutes!
If you enjoy Dune, and I personally guarantee that you will, then you will probably want to check out the two very good sequels - "Dune Messiah" and "Children of Dune". Both by Frank Herbert. As in FRANK Herbert. You may have noticed that the name Brian does not feature in these comments. That is because the original honest-to-god novel Dune has nothing to do with Brian (the son) - it is by Frank (the father). Brian was not even born yet.
Unless, of course, all you are really looking for is a book with the same title as a recent movie. In that case - no guarantees - you're on your own.
Frank Herbert also wrote 3 more sequels to Dune - "Heretics of Dune" and "Chapterhouse Dune" are quite good, and you will likely enjoy them. "God-Emperor of Dune" - not so much. In fact, it is widely regarded as one of the very worst SF novels. Likewise, you wan to skip ”Destination Void”. Instead, you are encouraged to move on to one of the 15 or so other novels by Frank Herbert, including some very good books. “The White Plague”, in particular is unforgettable. On the other hand, unforgettable can be a mixed blessing, when an author inserts a memorable work into your consciousness.
So – it is probably time for this review to move on to the son – Brian Herbert. And to the co-author Kevin J. Anderson. Actually, let me rephrase that. I am firmly convinced that it is actually Kevin J. Anderson, the author, and his co-author Brian Herbert. Anderson has had his own novels nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards. Why would he need a co-author? Perhaps it has something to do with who owns the rights.
After Frank Herbert passed away, some of us made the choice to keep going, with the books by Kevin Anderson and Brian Herbert. I am reminded of the final sequence from the well-known movie, when Thelma says to Louise: “Let’s keep Going”. Louise realizes it’s impossible to keep going. And so it is.
If you recall what I said about substitutes, then that is what we have here. To paraphrase a reviewer “Frank Herbert is no better at posthumous collaborations than any other authors”. Frank Herbert fans, and I proudly count myself among them, lament the fact that there are only ~22 of his novels, plus one collection of short stories.
If you, dear reader, wish to read the “sequels-by-another-hand”, and explore the kinda-sorta “dune books" by Kevin Anderson and Brian Herbert, then by all means, go ahead. BUT please please please – DO NOT read these pale substitutes INSTEAD of the original DUNE by Frank Herbert.
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Since I rated this novel ~C, that translates to 2 stars.
My rating system: Since Goodreads only allows 1 to 5 stars (no half-stars), you have no option but to be ruthless. I reserve one star for a book that is a BOMB - or poor (equivalent to a letter grade of F, E, or at most D). Progressing upwards, 2 stars is equivalent to C (equals C -, C or C+), 3 stars (equals to B - or B), 4 stars (equals B+ or A -), and 5 stars (equals A or A+). As a result, I maximize my rating space for good books, and don't waste half or more of that rating space on books that are of marginal quality.
If you enjoy Dune, and I personally guarantee that you will, then you will probably want to check out the two very good sequels - "Dune Messiah" and "Children of Dune". Both by Frank Herbert. As in FRANK Herbert. You may have noticed that the name Brian does not feature in these comments. That is because the original honest-to-god novel Dune has nothing to do with Brian (the son) - it is by Frank (the father). Brian was not even born yet.
Unless, of course, all you are really looking for is a book with the same title as a recent movie. In that case - no guarantees - you're on your own.
Frank Herbert also wrote 3 more sequels to Dune - "Heretics of Dune" and "Chapterhouse Dune" are quite good, and you will likely enjoy them. "God-Emperor of Dune" - not so much. In fact, it is widely regarded as one of the very worst SF novels. Likewise, you wan to skip ”Destination Void”. Instead, you are encouraged to move on to one of the 15 or so other novels by Frank Herbert, including some very good books. “The White Plague”, in particular is unforgettable. On the other hand, unforgettable can be a mixed blessing, when an author inserts a memorable work into your consciousness.
So – it is probably time for this review to move on to the son – Brian Herbert. And to the co-author Kevin J. Anderson. Actually, let me rephrase that. I am firmly convinced that it is actually Kevin J. Anderson, the author, and his co-author Brian Herbert. Anderson has had his own novels nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards. Why would he need a co-author? Perhaps it has something to do with who owns the rights.
After Frank Herbert passed away, some of us made the choice to keep going, with the books by Kevin Anderson and Brian Herbert. I am reminded of the final sequence from the well-known movie, when Thelma says to Louise: “Let’s keep Going”. Louise realizes it’s impossible to keep going. And so it is.
If you recall what I said about substitutes, then that is what we have here. To paraphrase a reviewer “Frank Herbert is no better at posthumous collaborations than any other authors”. Frank Herbert fans, and I proudly count myself among them, lament the fact that there are only ~22 of his novels, plus one collection of short stories.
If you, dear reader, wish to read the “sequels-by-another-hand”, and explore the kinda-sorta “dune books" by Kevin Anderson and Brian Herbert, then by all means, go ahead. BUT please please please – DO NOT read these pale substitutes INSTEAD of the original DUNE by Frank Herbert.
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Since I rated this novel ~C, that translates to 2 stars.
My rating system: Since Goodreads only allows 1 to 5 stars (no half-stars), you have no option but to be ruthless. I reserve one star for a book that is a BOMB - or poor (equivalent to a letter grade of F, E, or at most D). Progressing upwards, 2 stars is equivalent to C (equals C -, C or C+), 3 stars (equals to B - or B), 4 stars (equals B+ or A -), and 5 stars (equals A or A+). As a result, I maximize my rating space for good books, and don't waste half or more of that rating space on books that are of marginal quality.
December 8, 2023
My thanks to WF Howes for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook edition of ‘Princess of Dune’ by Brian Herbert and Frank J. Anderson.
This is Book 3 in their Heroes of Dune series in which they tell the story of two key women in the life of Paul Muad'Dib - the Princess Irulan, his wife in name only, and Paul's true love, the Fremen Chani. It is set two years before the events of ‘Dune’.
Irulan was raised in the Imperial court and born to be a political bargaining chip. She was sent at an early age to be trained as a Bene Gesserit Sister. As Princess Royal, she also learned important lessons from her father--the Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV. She has an independent streak and wants to be more than a pawn in her father’s political machinations.
On Arrakis, Chani, the daughter of Liet-Kynes, the Imperial Planetologist, has been trained in the Fremen mystical ways by an ancient Reverend Mother. She believes in her father's ecological dream of a green Arrakis.
In this novel, Chani and Irulan are both caught up in deadly conspiracies associated with their fathers’ plans and ambitions. No further details to avoid spoilers.
I have always had sympathy for Princess Irulan, who I felt got a raw deal over this arranged marriage with Paul. As a result, I found myself more engaged with her story than Chani’s.
I have only read a couple of the novels penned by Brian Herbert and Frank J. Anderson and while I find them readable, I don’t consider them in the same category as Frank Herbert’s originals.
With respect to the audiobook’s narration, while I have listened to many titles read by Scott Brick and appreciate his professionalism, I did find it a little strange that a novel that focused on Chani and Irulan was assigned a male narrator. It made it a little harder to immerse myself in the story.
Overall, I found ‘Princess of Dune’ an interesting addition to the Dune prequel series.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
This is Book 3 in their Heroes of Dune series in which they tell the story of two key women in the life of Paul Muad'Dib - the Princess Irulan, his wife in name only, and Paul's true love, the Fremen Chani. It is set two years before the events of ‘Dune’.
Irulan was raised in the Imperial court and born to be a political bargaining chip. She was sent at an early age to be trained as a Bene Gesserit Sister. As Princess Royal, she also learned important lessons from her father--the Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV. She has an independent streak and wants to be more than a pawn in her father’s political machinations.
On Arrakis, Chani, the daughter of Liet-Kynes, the Imperial Planetologist, has been trained in the Fremen mystical ways by an ancient Reverend Mother. She believes in her father's ecological dream of a green Arrakis.
In this novel, Chani and Irulan are both caught up in deadly conspiracies associated with their fathers’ plans and ambitions. No further details to avoid spoilers.
I have always had sympathy for Princess Irulan, who I felt got a raw deal over this arranged marriage with Paul. As a result, I found myself more engaged with her story than Chani’s.
I have only read a couple of the novels penned by Brian Herbert and Frank J. Anderson and while I find them readable, I don’t consider them in the same category as Frank Herbert’s originals.
With respect to the audiobook’s narration, while I have listened to many titles read by Scott Brick and appreciate his professionalism, I did find it a little strange that a novel that focused on Chani and Irulan was assigned a male narrator. It made it a little harder to immerse myself in the story.
Overall, I found ‘Princess of Dune’ an interesting addition to the Dune prequel series.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
January 2, 2024
Princess of Dune is the latest installment written by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson, and it takes place before the events of Dune by Frank Herbert, and shortly before the newest Heir of Caladan trilogy. The premise of the book centers around dual plot-lines, one focused on Chani, a “princess” of the Fremen people, and the other centered on Irulan, Princess Royal of the House Corrino.
Before discussing the merits of the book, which I did enjoy, I have to say…I’m constantly amazed at how contrived the Herbert/Anderson books are. They come across (as it was recently and aptly described to me) as poorly written fan fiction. Princess of Dune suffers from a similar affliction. The prose is shallow (though somewhat better than prior works), and the plot is riddled with major holes, which I won’t elaborate on to avoid spoilers. A major character death was predictable from the outset. When it finally arrived, I felt unattached because they made them insufferable the entire way. It’s a shame, because the book really had potential. I even discovered a few typos where the princesses were written as “he”, more than once. Poor editing did this book no favors.
But- and this is where I’ll allow it to redeem itself, I had a helluva time anyways. The story was fun! Though the premise doesn’t get much deeper than a foiled mutiny plot and a game of desert hide-and-seek with a minor “villain”, it was still dynamic to be entertaining. I feel like it could have been called Princesses of Dune, with the amount of focus that was placed on a third character, the one who in my opinion, stole the show: Wensicia. Her character was written the best of the three.
All in all, though plagued with familiar problems…I had a good time with this one. I can’t give it more than 3.5 stars, but every bit of what I do give it is thanks to one thing alone: it was fun! The Princesses of Dune sure know how to get shit handled.
Before discussing the merits of the book, which I did enjoy, I have to say…I’m constantly amazed at how contrived the Herbert/Anderson books are. They come across (as it was recently and aptly described to me) as poorly written fan fiction. Princess of Dune suffers from a similar affliction. The prose is shallow (though somewhat better than prior works), and the plot is riddled with major holes, which I won’t elaborate on to avoid spoilers. A major character death was predictable from the outset. When it finally arrived, I felt unattached because they made them insufferable the entire way. It’s a shame, because the book really had potential. I even discovered a few typos where the princesses were written as “he”, more than once. Poor editing did this book no favors.
But- and this is where I’ll allow it to redeem itself, I had a helluva time anyways. The story was fun! Though the premise doesn’t get much deeper than a foiled mutiny plot and a game of desert hide-and-seek with a minor “villain”, it was still dynamic to be entertaining. I feel like it could have been called Princesses of Dune, with the amount of focus that was placed on a third character, the one who in my opinion, stole the show: Wensicia. Her character was written the best of the three.
All in all, though plagued with familiar problems…I had a good time with this one. I can’t give it more than 3.5 stars, but every bit of what I do give it is thanks to one thing alone: it was fun! The Princesses of Dune sure know how to get shit handled.
January 4, 2024
I really enjoyed this book up until the third act. In order for plot points to fire off correctly, the story required many characters to stop being as competent and nuanced as they were built up to be.
Emperor Shaddam: Complete buffoon, full of himself and shown to value ostentatious shows of "putting people in their place" over ruling his subjects well and maintaining true power. He throws a tantrum when being forced to leave Kaitan for his own safety and is constantly being made a fool by people with less experience than him.
Irulan: Described as a 4-d chess player Bene Gesserit, more competent than her father and half his army. The best plan she can come up with is to steal her sister Wensicia's plan... and put some sneaky poison on her hands.
Zenha: Described as a most competent, ambitious, and intelligent soldier. Impressive enough to inspire half of the Imperial army to mutiny against the ironclad Corrino reign. But somehow blindly trusts not one but two Corrino sisters offering a marriage truce, and died to an unsubtle administering of poison.
Giblii, Tleilaxu ambassador: The head of the Tleilaxu, who are running terrible covert genetic experiments in the Fremen desert to create their own Navigators. When confronted by Serello, he doesn't seem to have a contingency plan at all. He just bends over and says "Yes, you caught us, and the Tleilaxu will agree to the Guild's demands now." ????
Chani and Khouro seem to share one braincell for most of this book, so they're not on this list of characters who I felt got dumbed down for plot expediency.
Emperor Shaddam: Complete buffoon, full of himself and shown to value ostentatious shows of "putting people in their place" over ruling his subjects well and maintaining true power. He throws a tantrum when being forced to leave Kaitan for his own safety and is constantly being made a fool by people with less experience than him.
Irulan: Described as a 4-d chess player Bene Gesserit, more competent than her father and half his army. The best plan she can come up with is to steal her sister Wensicia's plan... and put some sneaky poison on her hands.
Zenha: Described as a most competent, ambitious, and intelligent soldier. Impressive enough to inspire half of the Imperial army to mutiny against the ironclad Corrino reign. But somehow blindly trusts not one but two Corrino sisters offering a marriage truce, and died to an unsubtle administering of poison.
Giblii, Tleilaxu ambassador: The head of the Tleilaxu, who are running terrible covert genetic experiments in the Fremen desert to create their own Navigators. When confronted by Serello, he doesn't seem to have a contingency plan at all. He just bends over and says "Yes, you caught us, and the Tleilaxu will agree to the Guild's demands now." ????
Chani and Khouro seem to share one braincell for most of this book, so they're not on this list of characters who I felt got dumbed down for plot expediency.
March 27, 2024
Princess of Dune, published in late 2023, is, as of this writing, the newest book in the Dune Saga and the 10th book when read chronologically. It is set 2 years before the events of the original 1965 novel and was again written by the duo of Brian Herbert (the original author's son) and Kevin J. Anderson (who have written all of the prequel novels). As the title (and cover image) of the book suggests, the storylines in this book are focused on Princess Irulan (and her sisters) and Chani. Irulan and Chani have mostly separate story arcs in the book, but their stories do intersect briefly about 2/3 of the way through the book. Irulan's story involves a potential marriage to a military suitor, and Chani's storyline involves trying to free Dune from the grip of the Harkonnens and Emperor Shaddam.
The hardcover version of the book is just under 400 pages, which is a little shorter than many of the other prequel novels. The pacing is good (even with jumping back and forth between the two main storylines), and unlike some of the other prequel novels, it does not have a ton of characters to keep track of. None of the Atreides characters appear in the book, and only a handful of Harkonnen characters appear very briefly. If you are a fan of the Dune saga, this is well worth the time to read.
The hardcover version of the book is just under 400 pages, which is a little shorter than many of the other prequel novels. The pacing is good (even with jumping back and forth between the two main storylines), and unlike some of the other prequel novels, it does not have a ton of characters to keep track of. None of the Atreides characters appear in the book, and only a handful of Harkonnen characters appear very briefly. If you are a fan of the Dune saga, this is well worth the time to read.
March 25, 2024
2 stars
This review is based on an ARC e-audiobook received for free from Libro.fm. I am not being paid to review this book and what I write here is my own opinion. My rating scale is below.
As an audiobook this is...fine. Scott Brick manages a number of different timbres and accents in dialogue throughout the book, and fades into being unnoticeable during the narrative portions, which is generally what I prefer an audiobook narrator do. I have always hated the Herberts' insistence that Chani's name is pronounced "chay-nee," but that's not the fault of the audiobook narrator.
As a book and an addition to the Dune series, I can't say Princess of Dune adds much. It changes nothing about my perceptions of the main characters, and contributes little to my appreciation or comprehension of the core books. It's not bad, but it's not good. Ultimately, it's just a book, and for something that is "just a book," it's much too long. Particularly in audiobook form.
rating scale
1 star - I was barely able to finish it. I didn't like it.
2 stars - It was okay. I didn't dislike it.
3 stars - It was interesting. I liked it.
4 stars - It was excellent. I really liked it.
5 stars - It was extraordinary. I really hope the author wrote more things.
This review is based on an ARC e-audiobook received for free from Libro.fm. I am not being paid to review this book and what I write here is my own opinion. My rating scale is below.
As an audiobook this is...fine. Scott Brick manages a number of different timbres and accents in dialogue throughout the book, and fades into being unnoticeable during the narrative portions, which is generally what I prefer an audiobook narrator do. I have always hated the Herberts' insistence that Chani's name is pronounced "chay-nee," but that's not the fault of the audiobook narrator.
As a book and an addition to the Dune series, I can't say Princess of Dune adds much. It changes nothing about my perceptions of the main characters, and contributes little to my appreciation or comprehension of the core books. It's not bad, but it's not good. Ultimately, it's just a book, and for something that is "just a book," it's much too long. Particularly in audiobook form.
rating scale
1 star - I was barely able to finish it. I didn't like it.
2 stars - It was okay. I didn't dislike it.
3 stars - It was interesting. I liked it.
4 stars - It was excellent. I really liked it.
5 stars - It was extraordinary. I really hope the author wrote more things.
December 5, 2023
After being extremely disappointed in the previous trilogy by these two authors (Duke, Lady and Heir of Caladan) I went into this book not expecting too much. To be clear, I LOVE the Dune universe, and have enjoyed the majority of the books the Brian and Kevin have contributed to the lore.
Princess of Dune is, overall, a fun read with some excellent additional lore surrounding two of the characters that we didn't get enough time with in the original Frank Herbert series, namely Princess Irulan Corrino and Chani, daughter of Liet-Kynes. Seeing these characters fleshed out more with some richer backstory was rewarding, and I didn't feel like any of the events in Princess of Dune harmed the overall character arcs of characters in the original Dune (unlike the Caladan series I mentioned above).
I recommend this to anyone who loves the universe of Dune and wants to feel more connected to either Princess Irulan or Chani, perhaps especially right before a re-read of the masterpiece that is the original Dune.
Princess of Dune is, overall, a fun read with some excellent additional lore surrounding two of the characters that we didn't get enough time with in the original Frank Herbert series, namely Princess Irulan Corrino and Chani, daughter of Liet-Kynes. Seeing these characters fleshed out more with some richer backstory was rewarding, and I didn't feel like any of the events in Princess of Dune harmed the overall character arcs of characters in the original Dune (unlike the Caladan series I mentioned above).
I recommend this to anyone who loves the universe of Dune and wants to feel more connected to either Princess Irulan or Chani, perhaps especially right before a re-read of the masterpiece that is the original Dune.
October 19, 2023
This is one of the best Dune books that Herbert and Anderson have written.
I've read every single one of them, and was recently pretty disappointed by the Caladan trilogy.
Princess struck me as a story that got much more love and attention from the authors than any of their recent forays into the Duneiverse. The story flowed well, with a nice, tight plot, though the ending floundered just a bit with some odd back and forth between Irulan and Wensicia. The Chani bits were also well conceived.
Having knowledge of the future of the timeline, however, does give the reader a pretty clear picture of the fates of many of the characters in the book. So no big twists or surprises there.
My main gripe was one character that should've been cut out during the editing process, since he contributes absolutely nothing to the plot: Irulan's consort given to her by the Bene Gesserit. Seriously, he could've been deleted entirely with no consequence to the story.
I've read every single one of them, and was recently pretty disappointed by the Caladan trilogy.
Princess struck me as a story that got much more love and attention from the authors than any of their recent forays into the Duneiverse. The story flowed well, with a nice, tight plot, though the ending floundered just a bit with some odd back and forth between Irulan and Wensicia. The Chani bits were also well conceived.
Having knowledge of the future of the timeline, however, does give the reader a pretty clear picture of the fates of many of the characters in the book. So no big twists or surprises there.
My main gripe was one character that should've been cut out during the editing process, since he contributes absolutely nothing to the plot: Irulan's consort given to her by the Bene Gesserit. Seriously, he could've been deleted entirely with no consequence to the story.
January 5, 2024
Reading about Dune feels like greeting an old friend, considering how many times I've fondly read Dune. This one takes place 2 years before the original and focuses on two of the smaller female characters, cheni and irulan. Considering these are portrayed as bigger roles in the new movie (Dune part 2) coming out, I thought it would be fun to catch up with them in the years preceding that, even if the narrative is probably fully independent of the movie.
It didn't answer all the questions I had hoped would be answered, but it was still fun getting some insights into the more minor characters and filling out the world. I have no read all the additional filler/contextual books by Brian or Kevin based on Frank's notes, but always assumed I'd eventually make my way through them. This was a fun start to get to know their lives and motivations and how that feeds into the larger story and landscape.
It didn't answer all the questions I had hoped would be answered, but it was still fun getting some insights into the more minor characters and filling out the world. I have no read all the additional filler/contextual books by Brian or Kevin based on Frank's notes, but always assumed I'd eventually make my way through them. This was a fun start to get to know their lives and motivations and how that feeds into the larger story and landscape.
January 19, 2024
This was a strong improvement on the last two books that I felt like I could get through this with ease and honestly didn’t want to put this down at times.
It’s like the authors reflected on the villain of the book trope they had played around with earlier and put more thought and care into it this time around.
I was hesitant coming into this book as it was so close to the key events of Dune, and other books in the series are also occurring within the time, that this may step on toes or leave room for issues with continuity but it seemed to work. I don’t find myself questioning the flow and the characterization of key figures, although there was one part which still sticks out in my mind - but I won’t spoil it. I’m sure the authors will use that little gap to create another series of short stories or another book to explain it all away.
It’s like the authors reflected on the villain of the book trope they had played around with earlier and put more thought and care into it this time around.
I was hesitant coming into this book as it was so close to the key events of Dune, and other books in the series are also occurring within the time, that this may step on toes or leave room for issues with continuity but it seemed to work. I don’t find myself questioning the flow and the characterization of key figures, although there was one part which still sticks out in my mind - but I won’t spoil it. I’m sure the authors will use that little gap to create another series of short stories or another book to explain it all away.
November 18, 2023
I was tempted to bump this point higher but couldn’t. This is set a couple of years before Dune. We learn more about Chani and a whole lot more about Irulan and the rest of the family Corrino. Chani is only 14 and both she and her half brother act like whiny, impetuous teenagers. I could happily have skipped their part of the book. Irulan was way more interesting and so were her sisters. One of the Imperial soldiers asks for her hand in marriage. Dad isn’t happy. He decides to teach the lad a lesson and starts a whole mess of trouble. I found myself reading impatiently through Chani’s chapters in order to get back to the good stuff. So, great chunks of the book were boring. It wasn’t until the end that things picked up for everyone.
December 9, 2023
Every time a Dune prequel/sequel novel shows up on my stacks at my local library, it is a mini-Christmas in literary form. The backstories to Dune is truly a delight and for the most Princess Irulan has been somewhat relevant but a wee bit subdued, though I do I had my feelings that there was a lot to this woman. Lo and behold, Princess of Dune. And what it has to say about Irulan is more than I thought. Sure there are the usual interplanetary drama and Machiavellian politics at play (always the dog's bollocks, Mr. Herbert, jolly good show), but Princess Irulan gets to shine in this one. We're talking supernova here. Don't mess with the Bene Gesseritt ladies. Looking forward to my next Dune fix, Mr. Herbert.
January 6, 2024
I throughly enjoyed this latest Dune novel. After finishing “God Emperor,” I wanted to take a break from House Atreides and learn more about the other Major Houses of the Landsraad. (I attended Kevin J Anderson’s panel at Origins Game Fair, and after his preview of the book, decided to start with this Prequel.)
Irulan is my favorite character and I liked discovering more about of her life prior to her interactions with Paul and the events in Dune. Same for Chani and the other “minor” Dune characters we read about here. Aside from the Princess Royal’s story, it was also interesting to read more about Wensicia and her ambitious nature. (But not too surprising, given her storyline in Children of Dune).
Irulan is my favorite character and I liked discovering more about of her life prior to her interactions with Paul and the events in Dune. Same for Chani and the other “minor” Dune characters we read about here. Aside from the Princess Royal’s story, it was also interesting to read more about Wensicia and her ambitious nature. (But not too surprising, given her storyline in Children of Dune).
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