Dune

[Beleg]

Paul Atreides: A hero?

A hero for whom? A hero of what?










Dune has to be one of the most depressing books ever written.

[sledger]

depends which way you interpret it really, many would say that it is a cult classic and an all time great,

[roseboy64]

Never heard of it.

[FaaipDeOiad]

Paul Atreides: A hero?

A hero for whom? A hero of what?










Dune has to be one of the most depressing books ever written.

Paul is certainly a hero insofar as he is the saviour of his people and protects them from a horrible fate they don't deserve. However, his heroic status is eventually tainted by what the pedestal he is placed on does to him, and the awful things that are done in his name.

Dune is the greatest piece of science fiction ever written in my mind. I think it's absolutely brilliant.

[Sir Redman]

Ahhh, I haven't read any of the Dune books for ages.

I read the first few but never got through God Emperor of Dune, and have read 2 of the prequels (House Atreides and House Harkonnen). I remember Dune being a good book, but I can't remember the sequels too well (Dune Messiah, Children of Dune and probably some others I've forgotten).

As for whether Paul Atreides is a hero...yes and no. I pretty much agree with what Faaip said.

[David]

Well said Faaip, although I think Larry Niven is the greatest Sci-Fi author of all time, although I can't pick a particular book to be the greatest.

Regardless, Dune is the best selling sci-fi book ever.

[Behlol]

wats the book about?never heard of.

[Sudeep]

I got the copy on Faaip's recommendation. Just need to find time to read it.

[Beleg]

Fiaap,

Are we ever told how many Freeman there are on Dune? Were there lives worth the lives of Sixty Billion people? (the number of people killed by the Jihad during the first ten odd years Maud'Dib's ascension)

I wonder if Paul's prescience revealed to him the complete magnitude of his choice...

Paul speaks of bringing ' flowing water open to the sky and green oases rich with good things' to Dune, yet was he completely unaware of the effect it would have on the eco-system of Dune?

I have read 'Dune' but I will not be reading any further. Not because the story isn't interesting or the writing faulty but because of the complete and utter lack of a character I can symthize with or relate to. Frank Herbert takes the 'fallen' nature of humanity to a whole new level.

[Beleg]

David,

Among other sci-fi authors, whose works do you think best resemble Niven's style?

[sledger]

who is niven ?

michael crichton is a good sci-fi writer, and my fave author of all time.

[David]

David,

Among other sci-fi authors, whose works do you think best resemble Niven's style?

Hard Sci-Fi writers, mostly from the 60's and 70's. the closest I've come to reading someone similar to Niven is Jerry Pournelle, who has co-written a fair few books with Niven.

who is niven ?

Multiple Hugo and Nebula award winning author of Ringworld

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/au...arry_Niven.htm

[FaaipDeOiad]

Fiaap,

Are we ever told how many Freeman there are on Dune? Were there lives worth the lives of Sixty Billion people? (the number of people killed by the Jihad during the first ten odd years Maud'Dib's ascension)

I wonder if Paul's prescience revealed to him the complete magnitude of his choice...

I think the point is, though, that Paul is forced into making a choice where he only has one real option. He has to protect his family and his people from a horrible fate that they don't deserve, despite the fact that he recognises the huge cost of the decision on others. To choose otherwise is impossible when you take into account his loyalty to his family and the number of things that happen to him which are beyond his control and lead him to becoming Maud'Dib.

Given that he doesn't set out to cause the destruction that is eventually done in his name, nor does he actively encourage it, how can you really blame him directly for it? I think Paul is quite easy to identify with, because his choice is really no choice at all, he is in effect caught up in things that are beyond his control and sucked into something that he loathes (as you see in his constant nightmares about what will happen in the Jihad), but is nevertheless the only thing he can reasonably allow to happen.