Over the course of the past 6 months, I’ve spent an incredible amount of time getting my 9th graders to find a shimmer of joy in reading. For months they whined and complained, rebelled and refused, scratched and clawed…all for avoiding words printed in black ink on a blank canvas.
I knew only one way to show them how important reading truly is to their psyches—to model it for them. I needed to show them why, how, and even when reading is one of the greatest gifts humanity has been given. This couldn’t be forced on them. It had to be adapted. I had to find a way to make them see how much I looked forward to cracking open the spine of my current read and diving in.
So I did.
I told them we’d be reading silently every day for 30 minutes. An ominous groan filled the room as I spoke the words. I also told them we’d be doing this until the very end of the semester. No excuses. No refusals. Only one rule - read without distraction.
I vowed to them that I would not be reading just 1 book…or even 1 series…as they embarked on their reading. I would be attempting to read 2 series that I’ve wanted to dive into for years: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis and the Dune series by Frank Herbert. This, I said, would be quite the challenge, but if I was forcing them to challenge themselves, I would need to do the same. Reading the Narnia books and the Dune books was a lofty goal, which is exactly how they felt about their task.
In the end, most of the kids surrendered to the will of the classroom and participated. That, in itself, was a magnanimous feat for these kiddos. I told them I was proud of what they’d accomplished. Whether they were able to find a semblance of joy in it is up for debate, but I do know that they were given every opportunity to find something they loved to read.
In the meantime, I met my goal. I finished Book 7 (the final book in the series) of The Chronicles of Narnia on final exam day and snapped it shut as the bell rung. Perfect timing! Chapterhouse Dune (Book 6 and the final installment of the canonical Dune series) was finished the following week. I hit a new sense of pride for my hard work that I didn’t think possible. As a writer, I understand reading as much as possible is one of the most significant things I can do for my craft, but I had always been a slow reader. To finish these novels in such a short amount of time has brought out a new sense of adventure that I didn’t think possible in authorship.
Now that I’ve completed them. I’d like to rank Herbert’s insanely imaginative and often diabolically-written series. My hope is that, down the road, some of you will get in touch with me to chat about your thoughts on the series. Now that Denis Villenueve’s movies are pushing Dune back into the mainstream light, the conversations centered on the series are never too far away. I welcome them more than you know!
So without further ado, here are my rankings (from worst to best):
6. Dune Messiah
The Story: Dune Messiah is the sequel to Frank Herbert’s most famous work, Dune. The story follows Paul Atreides as he navigates empirical political intrigue, betrayal, and the consequences of his actions of the previous story. The novel delves into themes of power, religion, and the consequences of messianic figures, if given too much power. As Paul's vision for the future unfolds, readers are taken on a journey that examines the price of leadership and the burden of prescience.
Thoughts: Messiah isn’t a terrible novel. It’s simply a “bridge” book. Frank Herbert himself has said this. The political scheming, nor the scenic action, is as impressive as it is in Dune or any of the other Dune novels succeeding it. It’s simply a hand-in-hand walk with Paul Atreides as he struggles with the decisions he’s made throughout the course of his newfound desert life. It has never been well-received by critics and arguably by fans, but it deserves a little more credit than it generally receives. - 3.5/5 stars
5. Children of Dune
Summary: Children of Dune is Frank Herbert’s 3rd installment in the story of the Atreides family on the desert planet of Arrakis. The book follows the twins Leto II and Ghanima, the children of Paul Atreides. As the heirs to House Atreides, they face challenges from rival factions seeking control of Arrakis and the spice melange. It’s a changing empire story that delves into the complexities of faith and politics in a very human-centered distant universe.
Thoughts: Children of Dune relieves much of the disappointment brought about by Messiah, mostly because it separates from Paul’s main storyline and focuses on the generational repercussions of his decisions via his children. The twists and action sequences are reminiscent, if not mirrorings, of the first installment, Dune. The political maneuvers of the once all-powerful House Corrino shows in the character of Farad’n as he is pressured into becoming something like his once-emperor grandfather, the Padishah Emperor himself. In the end, the twists needed to keep on “The Golden Path” and save humanity from extinction requires impossible choices that the characters must embrace…and do. A wonderfully dense and entertaining read. -3.9/5 stars
5. God Emperor of Dune
Summary: "God Emperor of Dune" is the fourth novel in the Dune series and the start of a new trilogy after the conclusion of Children of Dune. Set thousands of years after the events of Children, it follows the story of the tyrannical ruler and prescient being Leto II, known now as the God Emperor of the Known Universe. He rules over the universe with an iron grip, enforcing peace through harsh measures and manipulation of religious and political systems.
Thoughts: Strangely enough, God Emperor is more of a love story than it is a novel that hammers the political intrigue as the books before it had done so perfectly. The commanding problem heading into this novel was: how can any outside force contend with a tyrant emperor that knows all, sees all, and seems invincible at every turn? This installment beats out the others previously on this list because it answers that question in the most human and logical of ways. This novel is excruciatingly dense in the philosophical and political senses, but it is a culmination of everything the readers have experienced in an ultimate power sort of way. If you’ve enjoyed parts 1-3 for its fantasy/sci-fi overlap of human qualities in distant space, this book will knock your socks off. - 4.2/5 stars