Dune Messiah (Dune Chronicles, Book 2). Frank Herbert. Ace. 1987.

Book review by Joel
This is book two in the Dune Trilogy Box Set. This book follows Dune after Paul (Muad’dib) has ruled the known Universe and has sent a bloody jihad throughout the known Universe with fremen hordes. The book opens on a meeting of the Tleilaxu, Bene Geserit sisters, the Guild, and the Princess Irulan (wife of Paul).

This is the book that basically explains the downfall of muad’dib. Paul realizes that the gift of prescience is deadly. Once he had seen a certain path of the future it would be locked in place and nothing could stop it.

The book starts out with tension building from the scene with the conspirators and just keeps going throughout. This book would stand by itself, but it is best to read the first book, Dune (Dune Chronicles, Book 1), to understand the history. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The landscapes, characters, society, and belief systems are fleshed out to the point where it seems real--a book you can sink into.

I would recommend getting the entire series and working through them. If you like science fiction, or just good literature, these books are very good.

Joel.