Children of Dune (1976)

Author: Frank Herbert
Publisher: Ace

Synopsis:
As Alia appears to have become the Abomination the Bene Gesserit fear, the twin children of Paul seek a way to avoid her fate.

Impressions:
One of the key sources of conflict in this volume is Alia's struggle with the Other Memory. I wish this had been set up more in the previous book, but I suppose the seeds had been planted since her debut in Book 1. I rather liked Alia in the previous book, so I wasn't happy to see the direction her character takes. It's good from a dramatic and narrative perspective; it's just not what I wanted for her. It's a bad time for poor Duncan, too.

Whereas Hayt was the thing I liked best about the last book, here it's the dynamic with Leto and Ghanima. I like how they work together. As Leto develops, it's interesting to see how he's basically Paul without the hesitation. I would say he doesn't earn his rise as much, but from his perspective, he's already lived thousands (if not millions) of lives, so moving things along quickly in this one is no big deal. I'm also a big fan of Farad'n. He could have been a bland, stock villain, but he's perhaps the most interesting character in the book, especially with his later development. I also enjoyed how the Preacher stirred things up.

In case you're wondering, the obtuseness of the prose continues here with a purplish shade here and there that might evoke a few giggles, but overall I really do like how Herbert handles elements like prescience, plans within plans and so on.

Overall, fans of the series shouldn't be disappointed. Themes and plot elements are carried along nicely and I gladly recommend adding it to your collection.

Rating:
Own It