Children of Dune

I really thought I was getting into this Dune book. I was grokking the political intrigue and the environmental debates. Then I started to lose it and the novel ended. There are people that are in power. Others seem to know their position on life. The environment has changed in a way that seems to benefit most people. However, this change has also caused negative impacts that may lead to future destruction. There does seem to be a lot of potential in this book, but I couldn't quite absorb it.

God Emperor of Dune

What does it take to become a deity? What about a ruler? What would it be to live on forever? What would it be like to have a monopoly on water in a desert? In this Dune book, the leader has adopted a hybrid sandworm/human form and has ruled for thousands of years. The narrative structure relies on many "primary" sources and flashbacks. There is plenty of introspection in the book. Duncan Idaho comes in and tries to make changes. There is exploration of procreation and continuing on. Alas, success becomes pyrrhic. 

Hellstrom's Hive

Hellstrom's public persona is an insect afficionado that spends most of his time making nature documentaries from his isolated compound in a remote corner of Oregon. The locals pretty much ignore him and let him go about doing what he does. However, the happenings inside this compound are much more complex than first meets the eye. He is part of a community of humans acculturated to an insect-like behavior. Through a number of biochemicals, people are brought into the fold and their behavior is controlled. Breeding is carefully carried out to maximize the most desirable traits. (Breeding with outsiders is also encouraged in order to bring in valuable mutations.) The compound is built primarily underground, with a number of tunnels and elevators leading to different areas, including one area carrying out research in advanced weaponry. Even dead bodies are sent to the vats to become the next meal. Resources are very efficiently used. Anybody that stumbles into the area is often exterminated (and thrown to the vats.)

Into this setting, we have some agents of a super-secret government agency. They managed to uncover portions of the plans for the weapon that were accidentally left on the desk of an MIT library. The first agent was put to the vats, so a new crew was sent out. This crew didn't make it, so another crew came out. A large team ended up descending on the compound, though not many survived. (Hellstrom's compound also had a number of security measures, including radio blockers as well as audio listening and communication equipment.)

The novel ends as Hellstrom's group sets off a major explosion in Asia and the government workers invasion fails. During the story, we find ourselves sympathizing with Hellstrom, in spite of the community that seems to go against the core beliefs of western society.

What could become of this society? Would it eventually encompass all of humanity? We see that the insect-like humans still maintain some of their free-thinking. They occasionally violate hive orders (though is that for the betterment of the hive itself.) They also allow an agent to escape the hive, due to a limited chemical treatment. (He was weaned off the control chemical, but maintained the "member" chemical. Thus, the drones ignored him, even as he retained the ability to act on his own.

The society reminded me a little of the Formics in Orson Scott Card's Ender books. (However, in this case, they are true humans rather than an alien species.)

The book also provides some criticism of the politics of both the left and the right. Being in the early 70s, Hippies and Vietnam would have been on people's minds. The Hive is the hippie commune taken to extreme: everyone is totally free to do what they want - as long as they do it the hive way. The secret government agency is plagued by infighting and internal conflict and ends up seeking its personal goals, rather than what is best for the country.

Dune Messiah

The second book in the Dune series is much shorter than the first. It also has a much more coherent story. It continues a dozen or so years after the first, with Paul having firmly established his "empire". He has also established himself as a quasi-deity.
While the first book covered Paul "going native" and working hard to overthrow the "evil overlords", this book deals more with his struggles as a "reluctant" ruler. He desires to "get out" of his high position. However, others are plotting against him, so he seeks a way to exit without handing the position to his enemies.
A key message is that empire building may be the easy part. Holding on to the empire and keeping it running is the more difficult part. (And with it the similar theme that good conquerors tend to make bad bureaucrats.)
The last part of the book primarily involves Paul "acting out" his vision of events. This was carried out fairly well. Paul was shown to be strong enough to continue on the path that he knew would get his desired outcome - even though he also knew he would suffer in the process.
The Dune audiobooks are very polished productions with multiple "readers" covering different characters. The voicing for Paul makes him come across as a conceited jerk. (His words seem to back up this feel, so it is probably not too much of a stretch.)

Dune

I tend to avoid long novels. It seems excessive length is most often a sign of poor editing rather than excess content. The Harry Potter series is a great case in point. The middle books were both the longest and the most tedious.
Thus, it was with some apprehension that I chose to tackle Dune.
When thinking of Dune, the first thing that comes to mind is Sting running around the sand with a bunch of worms. (This in spite of having never seen the movie.)
The book itself did not immediately give me warm fuzzies. It created a grand world, with different classes of people and beings.
Another Lord of the Rings? Ughh. I'm sure with enough time that somebody could appreciate the whole Middle Earth thing. But, there has to be some desire to actually spend that time. And I'm a little reluctant to slog through that a pile of books before deciding. "Uh. Yep. I really don't like it."
Luckily, Dune turned out to be pretty good. I still got lost in some of the details of the planetary conditions and family relationships. Luckily, it did not seem to matter.
The novel is set on a desert planet that happens to have a rich supply of an addictive "spice". Water is in such short supply that it has assumed a high value and is eagerly conserved. Out in the desert live giant sandworms as well as "native" people who have a culture adapted to the conditions (as well as an "addiction" to spice.)
In to this setting, we place our hero, Paul. He is of noble birth and trained in special mental skills, fighting and (by his mother) "witchery". His grandfather attempts to have him and his mother killed. They escape, fall in with the "natives" and eventually lead the natives to capture the "city" and become ruler of the land.
Among his gifts, Paul also has the ability to see in to the future. His visions of the future, however, appear in varying degrees of clarity, and are subject to change based on events. (Thus, they become more akin to "prophesy".) He even manages to "see the present" at the end of the novel and act as would benefit his people in the situation.
The novel does a pretty good job of wrapping "most" things up at the end, providing some finality, while still providing many possible avenues of exploration in sequels. It was popular enough, and thus there are plenty of sequels.