Really on a “very good, but not my favorite of all time” streak here. Also, I am now setting the precedent that not all reviews will be extremely in-depth. In some ways, these are less reviews and more a reflective log with occasional critique. Regardless: Dune rocks.
I first encountered this book as a wee lad when my older sister read the series. I am happy to have finished the first book all these years later. It’s such a cool world! I’m a sucker for the desert, and I think this book does it very well. I would love to see Arrakis.
There are many different languages in Dune. The Atreides have a battle language. Other families have their own secret languages. Fremen have their own tongue, which incorporate words from another, third language. I already speak a somewhat esoteric language that covers me in most American contexts, but I would like to have my own secret language to communicate in true privacy.Super Humongous Spoilers
The final battle nearly gave me a heart attack. Very stressful. Then it ended with no George R. R. Martin-esque twist, and instead Paul basically totally won against the entire universe. Perhaps intellectually disappointing, but very satisfying.
Dune is long as hell. I took advantage of a cross-country flight to knock out most of it. This will factor into my prioritization of finishing the series. Then again, I’m flying back across the country at the end of the week…