Brian Herbert

Advantages: A nice read, more action than in the original series.
Disadvantages: Definately not the same style as the original.

...This book is the first in the trilogy "Prelude to Dune", a prequel series to the original Dune Series by Frank Herbert. Written by his son Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson. It takes the readers back to a generation before the events of the original series, when Leto was young and Arrakis was still ruled by Harkonnens. A lot of the origins of the characters in the original series are explained, such as Duncan Idaho (of course I won't actually tell you what happens). The storyline is action filled and the book is on the whole very easy to read. Herbert and Anderson are very talented writers and describe the different settings and characters very well. This is in fact a very good book by itself. Where it fails is trying to be just like the original series of Dune. The authors have even done the occasional quote just like in Dune... Read review

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Advantages: At least you know how it all began...
Disadvantages: A TERRIBLE book.

...For those new to the Dune series, the original Dune series was written by Frank Herbert, who sadly died without finishing the series. Brian Herbert, Frank Herbert's son, took it on himself to continue his father's vision, and co-wrote the Prelude to Dune series with Kevin J Anderson, a trilogy of prequels that takes place a generation before the events of the original Dune series. This book is the first of what is presumably another series of prequels, this time taking place thousands of years before the events of either of the existing series, during the times of the Butlerian Jihad, a war against thinking machines. Anyone who has read the existing Dune books will know that this event, even though it is thosands of years ago, still has significant impact on humanity. I'm sure a lot of Dune fans have been dying to know what actually... Read review

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Advantages: Answers many question arising from Dune
Disadvantages: Leaves many questions unanswered, but that is for the next novels

...For all those science fiction fans that thought Frank Herbert’s books had finished with his death, think again! Prelude to Dune could be said to be a book from the grave. It is one book in three parts, House Atreides, House Harkonnen and (soon to be published in the UK in 2001 [I hope] House Corrino, originally to be The Spice War. Written by sci-fi writer Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert (Frank’s son). The story lines were taken from notes and preliminary writings of Frank Herbert, which he made prior to his death. The work provides answers to many questions about the politics of the ‘Great Houses’ in the Dune series, prior to the events in original book Dune. House Atreides sets the scene for the prelude, primarily from the Atreides family’s perspective. Scenes of treachery, as in the deaths of Duke... Read review

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