@RUTGERS.ARPA,@MIT-MC:hmiller%mit-speaker@mit-athena.ARPA (04/17/85)
From: hmiller%mit-speaker@mit-athena.ARPA (Herbert A Miller) ** FLAME WARNING ** ** SPOILER WARNING ** I have read all of the book's in Herbert's Dune series and liked them very much (excepting #4 - "God Awful of Dune") I awaited the arrival of Chapterhouse with great anticipation. Having just finished it, I can recommend it with a "Yes, but..". The plot: We start several years after the end of "Heretics". Duncan Idaho and Murbella are still captive in the no-ship. She is in training to become a Reverend Mother and is very seriously committed to the Sisterhood. This worries Duncan, he fears they will make her stop loving him. Meanwhile, Chapterhouse (the planet) is being turned into another Dune and the Sisterhood has created a Miles Teg ghola, thanks to their new use of axlotl tanks. (You guessed it, it's time for another ride on the "How-should-we-give-him-back-his-memories" carousel) Everyone is terrified that the Honored Matres will find Chapterhouse and destroy the Sisterhood. Finally, Murbella rides in on her white horse, unifying the Honored Matres and the Bene Gesserit. The strong points: The plot moved along fairly well, without taking excessive time in dealing with the character's deeper speculations about the "cosmicness of it all", something that dragged "God Emperor" to a standstill at times. I particularly enjoyed the characterization of Darwi Odrade as Mother Superior, and the tightrope she walked to preserve the Sisterhood. It was also nice to see Duncan seeking freedom from those "damnable Atreides". Things I did not like: I found the the relationship between Duncan and Murbella to be shallow, and their upset at being driven apart an excuse (and a poor one, at that) for the eventual plot development. The section on the Secret Israel and Lucilla's death I found to be an interesting idea that went nowhere; as is, it in no way furthers the story or any aspect of it. Although I found the eventual settlement reached between the Bene Gesserit and the Honored Matres plausible, it is thrown at the reader without introduction or explanation. (I almost get the feeling that Herbert was forced to edit the book a bit more than he'd planned and said, "Let's throw this away, they'll never miss it.!") As for the very end (the last two or three pages), if Herbert was trying to totally confuse the reader, he succeeded with me. I get the feeling that he is about to push off in some totally new and previously unmentioned direction. Beyond that, the conversation between Daniel and Marty, two total unknowns who are introduced in the last two pages (pruning roses, of all things!), has a lot of the flavor of: "and then the little boy woke up." So, as I said, I recommend the book with a "Yes, but..". I freely admit that I approached this book as the Duneaddict that I am (I have the feeling that I just opened myself to a lot of flaming) and that these are just my immediate impressions after a first reading, perhaps all will come clear with time. - Herb ...decvax!mit-athena!mit-speaker!hmiller
mjn@teddy.UUCP (Mark J. Norton) (04/18/85)
*************************** Spoiler Warning **************************** **************** Don't read unless you've read the book **************** > As for the very end (the last two or three pages), if Herbert was trying > to totally confuse the reader, he succeeded with me. I get the feeling > that he is about to push off in some totally new and previously > unmentioned direction. Beyond that, the conversation between Daniel > and Marty, two total unknowns who are introduced in the last two pages > (pruning roses, of all things!), has a lot of the flavor of: "and then > the little boy woke up." > > - Herb You weren't paying attention to the sub-plots! Three or four times during the book Duncan Idaho mentioned that he had visions of two people on the other side of some network of light. This couple spoke to him once or twice, and were seen in a garden of some sort. Heretics of and Chapterhouse: are both concerned with various peoples returning from the Scattering caused by the Tyrant (Leto II). Two of these are the Honored Matres and the Futars. The couple in the garden are another Scattered race: remants of the super-Face Dancers which fled their Tlielax masters. Now, put this together with the fact that Idaho and Sheeana fled to an unknown destination in a no-ship at the end of C: Dune and you get a sneak peek of Dune-7 (Beneath the Planet of the Lorna Dunes). Mark J. Norton decvax!genrad!panda!mjn mjn@sunspot