Books

[Kugelfisch]

I almost made the mistake to go after the Hyperion Centos books. Turns out the story ends up, according to Wikipedia, with a guy cucking himself through a time loop with a sixteen-conveniently-turned-twenty-one-through-time-travel-nonsebar half-human half-cyborg cunt. Dodged a fucking bullet.

I've read the first book. Didn't impress me with the cliffhanger ending.
The story of the guy getting stranded with the cultists was pretty good, though.

[ebin namefag]

Every sci-fi series devolves into the sexpest author's sex delusions.

[rabidtictac]

Every sci-fi series devolves into the sexpest author's sex delusions.

You're not even wrong. Especially shit written in the '60s and '70s has that problem.

Much as I'm enjoying Jack Vance's Tales of the Dying Earth right now, 80% of the stories involve rape or sexual coercion in some manner.

[VoiceOfReasonPast]

And yet people only ever bitch about Gor.

[Kugelfisch]

Every sci-fi series devolves into the sexpest author's sex delusions.

Dune being the perfect example where sex witches from outer space enslave humanity with fuck magic. Herbert wrote the later books one-handed.

[Rushy]

Every sci-fi series devolves into the sexpest author's sex delusions.

Dune being the perfect example where sex witches from outer space enslave humanity with fuck magic. Herbert wrote the later books one-handed.

It's a very unpopular take amongst Dune fans, but Brian is a much more entertaining writer most of the time. He had the wits to expand on the part of the franchise that most fans were attached to - the political conflict within the Landsraad and the emotional drama surrounding Paul's rise to power. None of that witches/evil dominatrixes nonsense (save for the obligatory sequels).

[rabidtictac]

I'm actually rereading original Dune now. But I have no intention of reading anything past the first book. I tried in the past. No more. Those later books are pure authorial excess.

I think the most interesting part of Dune is Arrakis itself, and the culture of the Fremen. The political trickery is fine and all, but I can read other novels for that. Few works of quality fiction stand on the lifestyles of science fiction desert nomads. Herbert's theft from Judaism and Islam are quite adept. The story has some of the same exotic element found in the 1,001 Arabian Nights. Only without so many men getting cucked by their black slaves.

[Kugelfisch]

I find >muh political intrigues to be an absolute meme.
It's true for only a very small part of the story and it's at no point even remotely complicated.

The series should instead be known for wasted potential and not exploring the interesting things.

[rabidtictac]

I find >muh political intrigues to be an absolute meme.
It's true for only a very small part of the story and it's at no point even remotely complicated.

The series should instead be known for wasted potential and not exploring the interesting things.

The political intrigues shit really pales compared to what can be read elsewhere. Count of Monte Cristo is a good example of what I mean. Or Three Musketeers. Or Three Kingdoms, for that matter.

A unique blend of cultures is what Frank Herbert brought, and then pissed away on his wank fantasies. But I think the first Dune novel holds up. Actually, the Spicediver cut of the Dune movie is remarkably faithful to the book, while retaining all that weird auteur shit David Lynch came up with. Considering the rich set dressing and lavish costuming of the film, it may be the superior way, as of now, to experience the first Dune.

There's still some shit in the movie that doesn't quite work (weirding modules and blocky shields,) but that Spicediver cut fixes most of the rest.

[Kugelfisch]

Dune does hold up. I'll even say that Dune Messiah is a well-done sequel that avoids being predictable and Children of Dune, clearly written along Messiah, continues that and has an awesome conclusion.

The series was not perfect up until then. But if it had gone on like that, Dune would be known better as an epic series.
Instead, most people read the first book and that's it. Even people that absolutely love Dune and rate it in their top ten often never bothered with Messiah.

God Emperor of Dune is a massive slap to the face. Not just that, it gets worse from there, because the retarded fuck witch nonsense doesn't even properly start until the next book.
That plus the weird infatuation Frank has with absolute non-character Duncan Idaho turns the series into an infuriating slog.


I've previously ranted about the abysmal continuation of the Inhibitor series. Fittingly, its also the fourth book, which is disconnected and shit.
Dune, as a series, is even worse. I doubt I'll ever not be at least slightly mad about that.

The Count of Monte Christo shits all over Dune in terms of political intrigues by chapter two and is an absolutely delightful read from start to finish.
Average reading time for it is 21 hours, according to my Kindle, and I'd gladly have read it for 60 more hours.
There's a reason I'm currently reading it for a second time. The stiff and pompous behaviour of the nobility of post Napoleon France gives off massive Columbo vibes and makes for the most enjoyable character conversations I have ever seen in any media.
You just can't wait for them to get their shit fucked up and it's done with a cruel, sadistic glee that knows no equal.