Chapterhouse: Dune (Dune Chronicles #6) by Frank Hebert.

"The final book in the Dune Chronicles, (at least the last book written by Frank Herbert), is just as rambling, nonsensical, annoying and unnecessary as the last four novels. Getting through the last 200 pages was a chore. Dune was so amazing but the rest of the series is a waste of time. "

1 Star

Pros: The open-endedness of the ending. It lets the reader decide whether or not they want to find out what happens to the characters and sadly, this reader doesn't.

Cons: 600 pages of circular, non-sensical, unnecessary rambling about God only knows what. Yes, there was a plot but it was so overwhelmed by the obnoxious pretention of Herbert that the last 200 pages were a chore.

Full Review:

The characters from Heretics of Dune have made it to Chapterhouse, the planet that houses the main force of the Bene Gesserit. The Honored Matres have made it their personal mission to hunt down the Bene Gesserit and destroy them and Darwi Odrade, the Supreme Reverend Mother must do whatever is necessary to make sure that does not happen, no matter who she abuses, manipulates or destroys.

Sometimes in a series, when an author has to meet a deadline or is given a certain amount of books to write as part of a contract, the story suffers. It happened with Caraval by Stephanie Garber. The first book was great, the third, Finale, lackluster. Unfortunately with Frank Herbert's Dune Chronicles, this happened as well. The first book was astounding, mesmerizing, sensationally immersive in every aspect. I, at least, truly felt like I was there with Paul as he traversed the planet Arrakis and simply fought to survive. But the rest of the series, from Dune Messiah to Chapterhouse: Dune were just unnecessary.

At best, some of the characters had potential, like Sheeana and her control of the worms in Heretics of Dune but even then, it never seemed to amount to anything. All the characters just came across as flat, emotionless and I just didn't care. I didn't care what happened to them and even when one did die, it was glossed over and I had no emotional reaction whatsoever. .

Never before have I been so underwhelmed by a series that I was actually relieved and grateful when it was done. Never before has reading a series felt like such a chore. And that is the saddest part. What could have been a truly amazing series became hundreds of pages of rambling nonsense about prescience, procreation...the list could go on to infinity. I cannot properly put into words my disappointment with this series as a whole.

By all means, read Dune and enjoy it but as for the other 5 books, do yourself a favor and don't waste your time.

Comments

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