“ the whole “Paul can’t be messiah because bad things will happen” struggle is underbaked (just as it is in the books, I’m sorry).”
Which is why Herbert wrote Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. Really, the three books should be read as one very long novel, sort of like Lord of the Rings.
“ the whole “Paul can’t be messiah because bad things will happen” struggle is underbaked (just as it is in the books, I’m sorry).”
Which is why Herbert wrote Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. Really, the three books should be read as one very long novel, sort of like Lord of the Rings.
(Long disquisition on God Emperor dodged.)
I don’t know if you’ve seen the Dune/Children of Dune miniseries from SciFi, but they’re worth tracking down. Setting aside the early 2000’s SciFi production values, the scripts and acting are really good.
I've read the original six Dune novels at least half a dozen times starting in my teens, and as an almost middle-aged adult, I can understand why Paul's angst is tedious and off-putting for some readers. I think the Villeneuve movies actually did a nice job of streamlining some of that while still trying to convey how it would feel to suddenly realize you're going to be responsible for mass death.
As far as the books go, I agree that Dune Messiah and Children of Dune (along with God Emperor) help a lot to retroactively clarify Paul's dilemma. It's not just anguished philosophizing about the weight of history; he's torn over whether he has what it takes to make the awful personal sacrifice his son ultimately has to take on.
“ the whole “Paul can’t be messiah because bad things will happen” struggle is underbaked (just as it is in the books, I’m sorry).”
Which is why Herbert wrote Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. Really, the three books should be read as one very long novel, sort of like Lord of the Rings.
(Long disquisition on God Emperor dodged.)
I don’t know if you’ve seen the Dune/Children of Dune miniseries from SciFi, but they’re worth tracking down. Setting aside the early 2000’s SciFi production values, the scripts and acting are really good.
I've read the original six Dune novels at least half a dozen times starting in my teens, and as an almost middle-aged adult, I can understand why Paul's angst is tedious and off-putting for some readers. I think the Villeneuve movies actually did a nice job of streamlining some of that while still trying to convey how it would feel to suddenly realize you're going to be responsible for mass death.
As far as the books go, I agree that Dune Messiah and Children of Dune (along with God Emperor) help a lot to retroactively clarify Paul's dilemma. It's not just anguished philosophizing about the weight of history; he's torn over whether he has what it takes to make the awful personal sacrifice his son ultimately has to take on.