My all time favourite book is Dune by Frank Herbert. I suppose this says a lot about what I like to read, but don't judge me just yet. I have a university degree in English Literature yet here I am advocating a science fiction novel. All I can ask is that you hear me out.
So what is it I enjoy about Dune? I marvel at the setting, and the universe that Herbert has constructed. The planet spanning civilisation, that at its heart is just as nasty as our own world. Hobbes would be proud of the picture that Herbert describes with life being nasty, brutish and short.
I also love the political machinations described in the novel, everyone has their own best interests at heart, and is not afraid to use or crush others to get what they want.
I enjoy the characters and how they interact with each other. The dialogue and motives are believable if you accept that the universe Herbert has described actually exists.
But most of all I enjoy the pace and flow of the story. Herbert's writing has a spark that is difficult to describe but is very effective. The recent prologues written by Kevin J Anderson and Brian Herbert are good but still lack something that only Frank Herbert's writing could convey.
So in the end I urge people to dip their toe into this wonderful book, and if they do they may find that they want to dive straight in.
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