Again with the Dune kiddie-books...

[NeoDevilbane]

The following excerpt from the recent Brian Herbert interview at :

http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue350/interview.html

"Many of the fans are pawing away for more information on anything Dune-related. Some have been interested in the Dune short stories that Kevin J. Anderson and you have published. Any more of those planned?

Herbert: We have many more Dune short stories planned, along with graphic novels, young adult novels and other projects."

More short stories, OK, graphic novels OK... but young adult novels? Enough with that rubbish... WE DON'T NEED JUNIOR JEDI FREMEN CHRONICLES!

- Neo

[Egeides]

I really can't wait to buy a Dune kitchen set and a Dune doggy bowl :D

[Vanguard3000]

It's funny, yet somehow very sad...

[Tezcatlipoca]

Quite simple; they arn't artists. Brian is out to make as much money off of his daddy's intellectual master pieces as he can, and he doesn't care what he ruins while doing it.

[Inoculator9]

The young adult series was actually Byron Merritt's idea, as he told me. I think you guys are just to... I don't know. You don't want to see an intellectual masterpiece reduced to a "Young Jedi" series, lol :P But getting "young adults" of a lesser reading order to read these, might later encourage them to read FH's Dune. It makes more money, and increases the longevity of the series. So, I suppose personally it p's me off too, but in the long run, it's better for the series.

I don't want to Dune to die out for lack of interest, and things like this will prevent that. A necessary... "evil."

[Tezcatlipoca]

Some good points, but I haven't seen Asimov's work die off because he or his kind didn't decide to rape the idea. The point I'm sticky on is this whole "young adult novel." Arn't their books young adult novels anyway ;)? They should have left well enough alone IMO, and now they see it fit to attempt to squeeze it even further. I don't mind someone attempting to keep the memory of a good serise, or good person alive, but to do so just to make money off of it (which is all i can see this amount to) is not very decent. No, I don't believe that was their original intent, but now that they see their nice little cash flow, it appears that they're as eager as lucas to milk it for all it's worth.

Certainly not enough credit is given to the original series if people think it's going to die out from lack of interest. This whole site is more or less a counter argument for that, although arguably not the best one.

Basically my point is, Edgar Allan Poe, Edgar Rice Burroughs(well.. Tarzan has been beaten to death, and has been reduced to multiple disney movies... horrid..), Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and many more, even Shakespeare (although I personnally don't like his works), and their decendents didn't find it necessary to carry out their legacy with such marketing, why would Frank Herbert need it? He only has slightly less noteriety then some of these people, and more then quite a few of them.

But I retain my original assumption; they arn't artists. They tried their hand at the trade and should have realized that they didn't make the grade. I think that they just might have, but deicded to keep the utter active anyway.

[Mahdi]

The young adult series was actually Byron Merritt's idea, as he told me. I think you guys are just to... I don't know. You don't want to see an intellectual masterpiece reduced to a "Young Jedi" series, lol :P But getting "young adults" of a lesser reading order to read these, might later encourage them to read FH's Dune. It makes more money, and increases the longevity of the series. So, I suppose personally it p's me off too, but in the long run, it's better for the series.

I don't want to Dune to die out for lack of interest, and things like this will prevent that. A necessary... "evil."

They've survived fourty years already without any "Young Dune" books, and most people who read Dune first do it in the latter elementary school years.  "Young Dune" isn't going to make the originals any better or more popular.

[Inoculator9]

"They've survived fourty years already without any "Young Dune" books, and most people who read Dune first do it in the latter elementary school years."

As did I actually, but that's still not the point. It isn't intellectual rape, addapting a novel like this to younger readers. And Asimov of course has survived and Frank Herbert will too and both and more will be remembered for their contributions. But Dune shouldn't just be those great books back than, I think it should continue. Not as young adult books... but hey, it can lead to better things. Perhaps more writers will come to the series and write installments in throw off storylines. I'd kill for a Dune novel by Orson Scott Card ;)

[NeoDevilbane]

Maybe I'm a weird case, but I read Dune when I was like 12, and though I didn't understand some of the more higher-level layers to the plot until now, I certainly enjoyed the story and made me the Dune fan I am today. I didn't need to be force-fed any "Young Adult" novels targeted at my age bracket specifically to woo me into the world of Dune.

To say that to increase the longevity of the Dune novel series it is necessary to spout (whore?) out Young Adult novels is to disrespect the integrity of FH's brainchild.

- Neo

[Inoculator9]

That seems like a pompous view of the situation to me... but... I know what you mean, I read the books at 10, and felt as you felt. Weird story about that, lol, but not important... my personal belief is that most kids that age aren't up to reading Dune and getting anything out of it.

[Egeides]

Read something empty about something that's not and you still have something empty. One doesn't write "The Little Prince" or Grimm's counts out of a sudden. You bring no content before with some "copy the others' schemes", you'll most probably bring no content after.

If they do bring more popularity to Dune, then they can only bring those who are interested in THEIR stuff, which isn't always those people who'd like DUNE. You do not promote eating carrots by proposing ham just because you call them both "carrots". If they would truly wish to bring people to Frank's Dune, then they could try to bring what Frank did somewhere, not write a novel with exterior caracteristics pretty much without the interior caracteristics.

It's Frank's Dune that brang more popularity to their stuff since by bringing them Frank's readers, less the opposite.

[Colonel_Worf]

I totally disagree with the majority here. I think it's great that they are going to publish graphic novels and young people's books. I mean.. I really don't care how much money they make off of it. More people are going to be able to be familiar with Dune when they otherwise wouldn't go out and buy a complex 500 page book.

[TMA_1]

lol your protecting byron inoc because you know him silly! ;) hehe jk

seriously though, you dont compremise a story simply to get more attraction to it. Besides it isnt "dying out". In fact it is one of those cult books (whcih frank never really envisioned or wanted) that will never lose a fan base.

Dune is Dune, and shouldnt be broadened. It didnt start out as a franchise or movie, it isnt something that can be "new and improved". It is a story that is wonderful and shouldnt be played down for smaller audiances. I am not saying that out of some sort of arrogance or because I think it is "too adult", not at all! It is just too much for me. Too much of a ploy that really isnt needed at all. Also, if you downplay it for younger audiances, you would then have to downplay the politics, religious meanings, and depth that makes up what dune is.

it is just too silly, surely you should see that inoc.

[Andrew]

I totally disagree with the majority here. I think it's great that they are going to publish graphic novels and young people's books. I mean.. I really don't care how much money they make off of it. More people are going to be able to be familiar with Dune when they otherwise wouldn't go out and buy a complex 500 page book.

The new books they are putting out are not complex 500 page books, therefore they could use that as their childrens books. ;D

Although I agree that making miniseries about the original books is a good thing and would be much better at getting Dune fans than new childrens (or Dune, with the exception of Dune7..then 8 ) books.

The original miniseries is what got me into the Duniverse, NOT the house series they were printing at the same time. (but could be different for everyone.)

[Colonel_Worf]

The new books they are putting out are not complex 500 page books, therefore they could use that as their childrens books. ;D

Although I agree that making miniseries about the original books is a good thing and would be much better at getting Dune fans than new childrens (or Dune, with the exception of Dune7..then 8 ) books.

The original miniseries is what got me into the Duniverse, NOT the house series they were printing at the same time. (but could be different for everyone.)

Well... they may not be 500 page novels, but they sure are 700 page novels with plenty of interesting storylines.

[trager]

You would think that considering Dune is the best selling sci-fi book of all time that Brian wouldn't have to produce "Noddy" versions of Dune by a washed up Star Wars writter with a reputation for producing bad books in order to put food on the table.

If Dune really must be a family enterprise then Brain will have to accept the fact that genetic traits sometimes skip a generation and perhaps his children can do a better job, probably before they graduate.

[SpiceGuid]

I am ok with graphic novels, because that's a different media.

I am also ok with kiddy-books, provided they do not predate or cross-over the main storyline.

Actually, nothing is crappy enough to degrade what i like. What i feel is crappy i forget.

But of course i would prefer a Dune2000 update patch with fremen ridding worms...

[Caid Ivik]

Another consumerist decadence...