Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune hardly needs another review but hey, here we are. I am done with another Dune installment and itching to talk about it.
Compared to its two prodecessors, this one’s a slow burn and heavy on political intrigue and I’m here for it. Herbert’s knowledge, insights and predictions (or more like well-educated guesses) about the Middle East are jaw dropping. Living in Turkey, where the politicle ties and religious perspectives uncomfortably lean toward the Middle east, reading Children of Dune was a captivating yet hair-pulling experience. It is disheartening to find echoes of practices from a nearly 50 year old book still resonating in the present. There were moments I wanted to slam the book shut and send it airborne, but my love for my physical books prevailed so I settled for a few Twitter rants.
At this point in the story, I don’t like or support anybody. (Well I still have a soft spot for Stilgar, and Duncan is always a favorite. Can we take a moment to appreciate the spot on casting choices in the Dune movie? It is difficult to imagine anyone else in all these roles) Dune is Succession to me now. I just like to enjoy the chaos unfold. They are gonna burn everything down and go down with it and I am here for the spectacle.
My main issue with the book is the twins. They feel hollow. They don’t have distinct personalities. There is no organic character development but I don’t think Herbert intended to do that. The twins continuously say they are not children, nor regular people, so where will they go from here? They went to places, yes, but I wouldn’t call it character development. They are what they are. Also the idea of them being 9 years old didn’t sit right with me. I get the point of turning them into creepy adults in kid’s bodies but I couldn’t just embrace it. It wouldn’t hurt to make them teenagers or 12 or 13 or whatever.
Let’s adress the genre. I think regarding the genre classification, Children of Dune challenges the conventional label of Sci-fi. The first book, Dune, may fit the bill, sure. But in this installment, I really struggled to discern any science fiction element. I think Children of Dune is strictly a political fantasy with occasional science elements here and there. It doesn’t diminish the impact of the book, but it is a perspective worth considering.
I’m torn between giving a 3-star or a 5-star rating to Children of Dune. The story is dense and a bit of a brain work out, however, I sense this book will continue to simmer in my mind and possibly evolve into one of my favorite entries in the series. For now, a four star rating seems fitting. There is a lot to enjoy in Children of Dune and there is a lot that’s hard to get through too. Despite it’s identitiy crisis, dense narrative, pacing issues and twins’ lack of personality, it still left me with awe and desire to continue.
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