Product Description

The science fiction masterpiece continues in the “major event,”( Los Angeles Times) Children of Dune.

With millions of copies sold worldwide, Frank Herbert’s Dune novels stand among the major achievements of the human imagination and one of the most significant sagas in the history of literary science fiction.

The Children of Dune are twin siblings Leto and Ghanima Atreides, whose father, the Emperor Paul Muad’Dib, disappeared in the deserts of Arrakis. Like their father, they possess supernormal abilities—making them valuable to their aunt Alia, who rules the Empire. If Alia can obtain the secrets of the twins’ prophetic visions, her rule will be absolute. But the twins have their own plans for their destiny.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #171065 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03-13
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

From AudioFile
Book Three in the original Dune series relies heavily upon the events and the background of the first two books. Leto and Ghanima, twin children of Paul Atreides, are old beyond their years, as they hold the genetic memories of their ancestors. Climate change on the planet Arrakis threatens the desert life of the Fremen, the sandworms, and the production of spice. Simon Vance anchors this full-cast production. He is engaged with the characters and the complex plot. His presentation of the many characters is skillful, and the narrative passages never lag. Vance has a serious but light touch and deals adeptly with suspense, dissension, philosophical musings, and fanatical ravings. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Review
“Ranging from palace intrigue and desert chases to religious speculation and confrontations with the supreme intelligence of the universe, there is something here for all science fiction fans.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Herbert adds enough new twists and turns to the ongoing saga that familiarity with the recurring elements brings pleasure.”
—Challenging Destiny

About the Author
Frank Herbert was born in Tacoma, Washington, and educated at the University of Washington, Seattle. He worked a wide variety of jobs—including TV cameraman, radio commentator, oyster diver, jungle survival instructor, lay analyst, creative writing teacher, reporter, and editor of several West Coast newspapers—before becoming a full-time writer.

Customer Reviews

Wonderful
Who doesn't love this series that is a Sci-Fi Geek. OMG I saw one stars on this- What? Ummm Frank Herbert Rocks.

Hero of Classic Sci-fi
Rarely has a book been as beautifully and poniontly written as Children of Dune, Frank Herbert's third book in the Dune Chronicles. Filled with all of the original cast and several new charecters, Children of Dune explores like its predecessors the creation of Gods and Messiahs from men, albeit prodigal men, but men nonetheless; the creations of empires and the development of societies; and the relationships that bind people together throughout the ages.

In short, a wonderful book that I highly recommend.

Even better than Dune Messiah!
After writing a sci-fi novel on the order of Dune, it was understandably tough to follow it up with anything that would come close in Dune Messiah. While it wasn't a bad book at all, Dune Messiah? Even better. Continuing from Dune Messiah, the theme is a dark one as the Atreides twins are essentially orphans after Paul's final descent into the Arrakeen Desert and Chani's death in childbirth.

The twins hold the key to the Atreides Empire and throughout the book are plotted against, subject to manipulation, and trying to figure out how to stay a step ahead of their foes. House Corrino, the former displaced Emperor Shaddam's Great House, is looking for a return to power on Arrakis and intends to do away with the twins to get this measure accomplished by putting the Emperors grandson Farad'n on the throne.

Readers of the Dune Series up to this point will thoroughly enjoy this book as more than a few familiar faces from the Atreides household come back, including an awesome surprise from a mysterious character that preaches against Paul's empire. Who is this strange character known as The Preacher and why is he doing this?

Overall, Children of Dune takes many twists and turns as the unstable Aunt Alia of the twins becomes more and more like the Abomination that the Bene Gesserit sisterhood predicted as she succumbs to being taken over by the spirit of a past family member and becomes more and more tyrannical over the Dune Empire that Paul worked so hard to build.

The Empire is unstable on Dune, as the religious government that Paul setup is being constantly abused and tightened by Alia. The twins know that a change is in order, the question is what sacrifices will they both have to make to ensure humanities survival not only on Dune, but throughout the galaxy?