Dune Messiah is an incredible follow-up to Dune because it delves into the deeper and more tragic side of Paul's character; while Dune is about forward momentum and Paul's triumphant ascendancy to the Imperial throne, this book focuses on the torment that comes with Paul's prophetic abilities, the straining of his relationship with the Fremen, the decay of Paul's empire, and the unforeseen consequences of Arrakis' environmental reimagination. It provides the same kind of action that the first book does by introducing a new faction and focusing on its motives, as well as the Fremen's beliefs, but becomes more philosophical and reflective in a way that deviates from Dune to a large extent. Dune Messiah is certainly different from its predecessor in many ways, but it takes the Dune series in a logical and compelling direction and manages to hold true to Herbert's original masterpiece. ( )

Read this again after watching Dune Part I and Part II. I feel the same way I felt when I read it years ago--pretty good story, but kind of a short book that is more interested in the philosophy of leadership and absolute power than any story really. This could've been a short story honestly. I still really enjoy it and will try and finish the main series. ( )

For me, this was even better than "Dune." The deapth of thought, analysis, interplay of religious traditions, underlying social and political commentary... Complex and insightful, and of course, written as a great piece of art. ( )

Paul Atriedes, Maud'dib, unleashed the Fremen on the Empire, and in this sequel to Dune, now controls many worlds. Arrakeen, the capitol, is irrigated by underground reservoirs, and many Fremen live in relative comfort, but miss the old seitch ways. The Bene Gesserit still plot to stop Paul, recruiting a Tleiaxu shape shifter and creating a Duncan Idaho clone who has all memories of his former life. The shape shifter lures Paul to a rendezvous with an old Fremen, and detonates an atomic blast that destroys Paul's eyes, but his spice-induced mystic sense of prescience allows him to function as though he still sees, until the plot is quelled. He then walks into the dessert, as is the Freman way. Herbert waxes mystical and philosophical, beginning most chapters with an epigram of pronouncements from the collected works of Maud'dib, and giving Paul constant misgivings and conflict as he walks with full knowledge of his fate. The original Dune came up with a unique world, and was a good adventure yarn. This sequel is not of the same quality. ( )

This was a difficult book. Much more of the story was internal - characters thinking about Time and its effects on their own particular plot. I felt confused frequently and wondered how everything came together. The end was satisfying with the resolution making sense, though a lot was relegated to characters just talking about what happened to others who were mostly absent for the last third of the book.