New books

[TMA_1]

Though this doesnt have any particular relation to Dune, I wouldnt write this in general because the people who are interested in this kind of stuff are generally in this board. I hope you mods give me some slack here.hehe

I got 5 more books to my frank herbert collection! its a huge stack, Im so happy.hehe

I got:

The Green Brain

Soul Catcher

Worlds of Frank Herbert (strange that it too has tactful saboteur)

Destination: Void, Unrevised Addition. I have the revised one too.

Santaroga Barrier: I am reading this one right now, it is very very good.

So far I have these books:

The Worlds of Frank Herbert

Eye

The Green Brain

Santaroga Barrier

Soul Catcher

The Godmakers

The Heavenmakers

Direct Descent

Destination: Void

The Jesus Incident

Whipping Star

The Desodi Experament

The eyes of Heisenberg

Dune

Dune Messiah

Children of Dune

God Emperor of Dune

Heretics of Dune

Chapterhouse Dune.

So far I have read all of the Dune series, Whipping Star, Desodi Experament, Destination:Void, The Jesus Incident, Eye, The Godmakers, and the Heavenmakers.

Yay me! lol Seriously though I am close to the full collection, and am rather happy. I also am noticing even more of a connection between the books. Santaroga Barrier is kinda hard to make a connection as it is placed at our current time.lol

[SpiceGuid]

I have read none of them.

I suppose most only read Dune novels.

Once you have read them all, can you answer some dumy questions such as:

* what books are separate, what books are continued?

* are these books only practice before writing a Dune novel?

* are they less/more difficult than Dune novels?

* do they contain less/more action and sex than Dune novels?

* are they as multi-layered as Dune novels?

* some seem only about language or only about conscious, true or false?

* are ideas in these books redundant with Dune novels ideas, new development of Dune ideas, or new ideas?

* are these books underestimated by FH fans?

[Duneguy]

isnt The Lazarus effect part of Destination: Void? didnt have it listed or anything...

[TMA_1]

yes, and I want to have it really bad, but I cant find it!! The pandora trilogy and the whipping star trilogies are my favorites by frank, even more than Dune!

* what books are separate, what books are continued?

if I get the question right, you are saying which are stand alones and which are parts of series'? If so this is how it works I do believe.

The Pandora Trilogy:

Destination: Void

The Jesus Incident

The Lazerus Effect

The Whipping Star Trilogy:

Whipping Star

The Desodi Experament

The Ascension factor

(in a sidenote, a short story called "The Tactful Saboteur" is also apart ofthis series)

The Dune Chronicals:

You know how that goes...

(road to Dune is another short semi included in this trilogy, though it is more of a fancy than anything else.)

and the rest are stand alones I do believe from the ones I have read. Check out the awesome listing made, it is pinned up at the top of Duniverse Forum.

* are these books only practice before writing a Dune novel?

Actually no, and yes in a way. See Frank wrote from my eyes at least in an odd way. He actually wrote some of Dune messiah and Children before he wrote Dune, he got ideas much later in the series before the vary beginning of it. It all came togehter soon though, but the entire chronicals spanned much of Frank's later life, and he left some of it unfinished after his death God bless him. Most of these books though were written after the first Dune novel, and the ones written before were made popular after the Dune novel. Most of the books will say something corny like "an exciting new saga from the writer of Dune!" and every single one of them mentions that he wrote Dune. THis is a crying shame because they should be put on their own pedistel.

* are they less/more difficult than Dune novels?

Hmm this depends. Some of them are easy and fun reading compared to Dune. They still contain very articulate and intelligent writing, but are a bit more simple. Some of them though are massively harder in my opinion. The Pandora Trilogy is like that for me in some odd way. It is extremely philisophical. To the point where some think that they are horrible books and just plain stupid. That is their opinion but I think they are great, and are pretty damn ahrd to understand at time and I have to read parts over to get again. This includes others like The Godmakers and the like...

* do they contain less/more action and sex than Dune novels?

Yes! well sometimes again.lol It depends on what book you area reading, Frank wrote in a variaty of styles, but like for example Destination:Void is full of odd sexual overtones, and you will find most of his books are that way. There is a sexual heat in them and some find it gross, I think it is rather interesting and fresh compared to other writers. Also the action in some books is much greater. Whipping Star is a great example in my opinion. It is more of the action adventure book. The main character has to save the universe from a woman crazed by her own vanity for her looks and for power. She makes a contract with Fannie Mae, a living star and tricked her into an even greater plot. She uses fannie mae for a sort of ransom. Her underling constantly whips Fannie Mae and eventually wishes to destroy her. That is where Jorj Mckie comes into play. He is apart of Busab, or the bureau of sabotauge. He is basically a special agent that protects humanity from hostile forces as well as a tool in the major plot of Busab to keep the government running slowly. Its a long story just read the book! hehe

* are they as multi-layered as Dune novels?

Yes, they are very depthly and involving in my opinion.

* some seem only about language or only about conscious, true or false?

Dont quite get the question, but from what I can see that you said, I dont think so at all. Usually each book that Frank writes has multipule meanings, the most important is up to the individual reader. I find that most of his stories have to do with humanity creating powers that they cannot control. Like in the Godmakers, them creating a Godlike creature that goes out of their hands, or in the Pandora Trilogy where they create an artificial intelligence that grows beyond their power, or even Dune where there is a plethera of the same kind of situations. so false I would have to say.

* are ideas in these books redundant with Dune novels ideas, new development of Dune ideas, or new ideas?

No they are all different in my opinion, though he does use much of the vocabulary from Dune, and I suspect it is not just recycling, I think there is a connection in some books. That is just my opinion.

* are these books underestimated by FH fans?

Bigtime. Most people think that they are just alsorans. That is why in some stores you can find most of these books listed for one to two dollars a piece. A great price for used books. Also like I said almost every single book out there always mentions Dune on the cover. It is sad to see that these books have to be compared to DUne, when they are just as good, in my opinion some are even better.

I hope those answers make sense, if not just tell me. If you think my answers absolutely suck then IM me and Ill try to explain a bit better. :)

[Vanguard3000]

TMA: The Ascension Factor is part of the Pandora trilogy, is it not? TJI, TLE, and TAF make up the trilogy itself, while D:V acts as a standalone plot setter (like The Hobbit).

[Egeides]

Philosophically and politically, what kind of stuff is in there? As strong as what we find into Dune? What is it talking about?

[TMA_1]

Your quite right vanguard. It started with frank and bill writing jesus experament, sorry about that. dork ;) hehe ego buster. :D

About the different themes, each book has multipule themes. Santaroga Barrier, the one I am reading right now is about the effects of drugs on a society, also about the dangers of seculsion. Those are of my opinion anyways. Other books have to do with the ethics of AI, or the dangers of our technology and creating something too powerful for us to handle. So many different themes for each story.

[SpiceGuid]

Thanks TMA.

Despite my poor english you got all the questions right.

And you clear up the common idea that these books are minor contributions, only a draft of the masterpiece Dune serie.

One day I will buy the Whipping Star trilogy.

And, of course, the Dune prequels.

[Vanguard3000]

TMA: I've always wondered - is The Santaroga Barrier anything like The Dosadi Experiment? I've heard it dealt with the whole "dangers of seclusion" theme, which sounds a bit like Dosadi.

[Egeides]

erm... could any of you be clear and name me the correct series with their titles? ;D

I'd like to write it correctly in my thread about all Dune books and related works...

[TMA_1]

its a bit different, I explained over IM.hehehe

yeah vanguard could do it, I would mess it up somehow.hehe

[Vanguard3000]

The Pandora Trilogy

Destination: Void - Frank Herbert (prequel/intro, like The Hobbit is to the rest of the Lord of the Rings books)

The Jesus Incident - Frank Herbert and Bill Ransom

The Lazarus Effect - Frank Herbert and Bill Ransom

The Ascension Factor - Frank Herbert and Bill Ransom

The Whipping Star Trilogy

The Whipping Star - Frank Herbert

The Dosadi Experiment - Frank Herbert

The Tactful Saboteur - Frank Herbert (Short story in "Eye")

A Matter of Traces - Frank Herbert (a short story set in the WS universe; found in "Eye")

I don't think this stuff really needs to be listed in out list though, Egeides. I think we're trying to cover too much ground with this.

[Egeides]

Well I'm puting everything that has to do with Dune, and works from the same author is still in direct link. Some links can be made, etc.

Their less important link to the Duniverse itself is perhaps represented by the fact that FH's books are at the end of the list.