House Corrino (Prelude to Dune) [Paperback]

I didn't think the the last two prequels were absolute classics, but they were extremely entertaining to read. This one is the best out of the bunch, and the one I felt I had to give 5 stars. Not only in commendation of the excellent work both autors put in, but I honestly thought I was reading a book by Frank at some points.

The books feel like one long story, and in a way, they are. But this one was the most action packed and the most un-put downable (is that a word?). The set pieces involving Ajidica are fantastic, and you just know that they are setting the scene for the long-awaited 'Chapterhouse: Dune' follow-up, 'Dune 7'. Even though it is set 5,000 years before the events in that book, you get an idea of just where Frank Herbert was heading. Don't forget, these guys actually found Frank's notes for 'Dune 7' and said they adjusted the story accordingly. Look for the clues, they are there.

The story simply thunders along. For a long portion in the middle, you simply cannot stop reading; the Heighliner accidents and struggle for Ix are great sci-fi. In fact, and this must sound funny in a way, when the parts on Dune itself kept cropping up, they didn't match the imagination of the authors' vision elsewhere. I found this quite refreshing after so many Herbert books set on the dusty planet.

The finale is great, if (obviously) a tad predictable. But the way you GET there is the great high point of this book; even a few surprises and twists crop up. Although he had a bit-part in Dune, the part of Count Fenring has been fleshed out to produce one of the best characters in the whole series. The parts involving him were very entertaining to read indeed.

Overall, a magnificent achievement. You can't make any protest now about these two talented authors finishing off Frank's original masterpiece now. I myself can't wait.

Towards the end, as the various scenarios played out to their conclusions, things did got a bit more interesting. This was where Herbert and Anderson were able to fill in some gaps in the "Dune" backstory; my favorite would probably be the whole bit with the Bene Gesserit breeding program for producing the Kwisatz Haderach and the continuing ecological plan of Leit-Kynes for Arakkis (although less so with the latter than in previous volumes). I was even rethinking the rating I was planning on giving this book, but then Duke Leto announced the middle name for his son Paul and I went directly to my "Give me a break" mantra: how do you think the Lady Jessica would feel about Paul having that middle name? Especially when you take into account how Leto feels about his own mothers. Then again, clearly the goal here is to show what Frank Herbert's giant cast of characters were doing before the

Obviously, your decision to read "House Corrino" should already have been made. No one is going to read the third volume in a trilogy if they have not read the first two volumes. My general observation about the entire trilogy would be the closer the trilogy gets to the events of "Dune," the weaker the narrative; the converse would apply as well. I certainly enjoyed "House Atreides" the best of the three, but I think "House Harkonnen" and "House Corrino" are a toss-up down on the next level. Of the trio of titular characters the authors do the most fleshing out with Shaddam, who is certainly a lesser figure in Dune than Duke Leto or the Baron Harkonnen. The next time I re-read "Dune" I will be interested in seeing how well this trilogy fills in the book's massive backstory. For fans of the Dune series this is something you should probably read once, but my prediction (done without the use of melagne) is that you will not be going back and rereading it again.

This trilogy acts as a prequel to the classic Sci-Fi saga written by Frank Herbert (Brian Herbert's late father).

So what's the verdict? Is this trilogy merely a money-spinning potboiler, designed to fleece the devotees of Herbert senior's amazing invention, or does it have merit in it's own right?

Well - simply - yes it DOES have a great deal of intrinsic worth, and there's certainly a lot more life in the Dune universe yet!

Frank Herbert completed 6 Dune novels before his untimely death in 1986: 'Dune', 'Dune Messiah', 'Children of Dune', 'God Emperor of Dune', 'Heretics of Dune', and 'Chapter House: Dune'. That saga (as anyone who has read them will know) was left incomplete. 'Heretics..' and 'Chapter House..' were the first two parts of a trilogy that was meant to be completed by a book that was, at the time of Herbert's death, still only tentatively titled 'Dune 7'. This book would have answered the question of what it was the terrifying 'Honoured Matres' were running from, and would have revealed the true relationship between the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood and the Matres.

Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson discovered the preliminary notes, not only for 'Dune 7', but also for a proposed 'prequel' trilogy that would have chronicled events surrounding the Butlerian Jihad - the war of Humankind against the machines that took place thousands of years before the first 'Dune' book.

Brian and Kevin originally formulated plans to execute this 'Butlerian Jihad' prequel trilogy first, following on with 'Dune 7', but as they researched the books it became clear to them that without another prequel trilogy, (one that took place closer to the original Dune series in chronological terms), the Butlerian Jihad Trilogy would not make enough sense.

So 'Prelude to Dune' was born, and released at a time when interest in the 'Dune' universe was at an all time high; with the Sci-Fi channel's mini-series based on the first 'Dune' book (which they will follow up later this year with another mini-series based on 'Dune Messiah' and 'Children of Dune'), and countless computer games becoming available.

The trilogy cannot fail to please fans of 'Dune'. Events hinted at and referred to as history by the characters in Frank Herbert's saga are detailed as current affairs in the 'Prelude' books: Leto Atreides' father's death on the horns of the Salusan Bull, how Gurney Halleck got his scar, how Leto met Jessica, why Glossu Rabban took the name 'Beast'... it's all detailed here for your delight. Each page is custom designed to answer all the little things that - if you're even half as sad as I am - you MUST have wondered!

There are one or two things that jar slightly for those of us who are familiar with the original books - the David Lynch perpetrated conceit that Mentats require chemical stimulation to attain their peak performance, for example, (a substance called Sapho Juice that had, previously, only appeared in Lynch's stylish yet unsatisfying big screen version of 'Dune' has also, somehow, made it's way into Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's version of the 'Dune' Universe).

If I were in a mood to defend the books (not, I hasten to add, that they need defending!), I would say that the addition of Sapho Juice to the books could be dismissed as a recognition that the 'Dune' universe is now bigger than its original creator; it now has a number of contributors (including Lynch) who, all in all, make 'Dune's' vision richer.

The only other gripe I have is - unusually - with the sub-editing of the trilogy, particularly with the first book 'House Atreides'.

To explain: The greatest joy, in my opinion, in reading entertaining and fantastical novels of this nature is that the reader can totally immerse him/ herself in the story. When reading 'House Atreides' I was, several times, shocked out of the story - and into the realisation that I was reading - by spelling mistakes and misused words.

This served to give me the impression that, although the book was undoubtedly enjoyable, it had been put together hurriedly and to a strict deadline.

So, to fully answer the questions I posed in the first paragraph of this review: "Is this trilogy merely a money-spinning potboiler, designed to fleece the devotees of Herbert senior's amazing invention, or does it have merit in it's own right?"

Answer: "Yes, on both counts, but because of the trilogy's intrinsic worth, we shouldn't resent the fact that it is a cash cow that is being milked by the authors and their publishing company".

Final Verdict: Buy it, read it, enjoy it - there are bound to be more to come!