Dune Messiah is the second book to come in the
Dune series, just after the original Dune and
serving as a prequel to the magnificient Children
of Dune.
The Atreides reign has been established across
the known usniverse. Paul's fanatic legions of
Fremen have completely eliminated 90 planets and
500 planetary systems have succumbed to the power
of the Atreides. Paul lives with Chani in Arrakeen,
and he has been deified by his people.
However, it is time that he is brought low by
the very forces that created him. The Ixian face
dancers, the Spacing Guild, the still powerful
Bene Gesserit, who seek control over Paul's genes
and Princess Irulan, who desperately wants Paul's
child and heir, all are part of a conspiracy that
will pose a serious threat on Paul himself. This
is too clearly represented in Paul's visions of
the future, and the emperor, seeing no way out
of the corner that human nature has been driven
to, decides to follow his very own, much unexpected
path.
In Dune Messiah, the theory behind Paul's prescience
is farther exploited and we can see both restrictions
and dangers in it. Paul come to a point where
he can but live within his vision, and his real
life is but an exact copy of his prescient views
of the future. That proves to be devastating,
leading to loss of interest for an already lived-in
future, with all the boredom and fatigue this
can induce, whereas the sheer fact that everything
is predetermined is a threat to the very nature
of humanity!
In this second book, fans of Dune will also find
many of the characters of the initial movie, including
the reborn Duncan Aidaho (a ghola, produced when
the Benw Tleilaxu gave back life to his lost flesh,
one of the most interesting and clever introduction
to the story) and the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen
Mohiam. Also, Alia's personality is more deeply
presented, with a focus on her relation to Paul
and her special powers, preparing her to play
a major role in Dune third book, Children
of Dune.
In all, Dune Messiah, though lacking the sheer
quality that produced a masterpiece such as the
original Dune, is much more than a sheer sequel.
It is definitely recommended not only for some
mostly important innovations that are inserted
in the plot, but also for the reason it serves
as much of a bridge towards the third part of
Frank Herbert's work,
Children of Dune.
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