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Saturday, July 14, 2012

Dune Read-Along, Book 1 Discussion

Credit: Jenni Elyse
Yeah!  We made it to the first discussion questions!  Hopefully you all managed to read Book 1 of Dune and answer the following questions.  Feel free to discuss these and other things in the comments.  Beware that there are spoilers for Book 1, but please avoid spoiling anything beyond that as many of us have never read Dune before.  Leave your links for Dune discussions and any other Dune-y posts you so desire below too. If you fall behind, no worries, keep reading at your pace and posting answers when you can.

1. What, if any, preconceived ideas did you have before you started reading Dune and how has the first section measured up to those preconceptions?
Well, I didn't have many ideas of what this book would be like except long and complicated, as many sci-fi sagas tend to be.  So far, it is living up to both of those expectations.  It was a bit hard to adjust myself to the new world and new terminology, but I think after about 40-50 pages I was immersed.

2. What did you think about the plot device of the early revelation that Yueh was to be the traitor?
I was surprised at first, but after seeing it over and over, I was a bit tired of it.  I mostly just wanted to get that traitor stuff over with and see what happened after.  An interesting way to go about telling a story, spoiling part of it so early, but I still had plenty of mysterious stuff to keep me guessing.

3. What was your favorite part of this first section? Which character(s) do you find most interesting and why?
I loved the first interaction they had with a worm - not something one can easily forget, an experience with a giant worm.  I really love Jessica and Paul the most.  I think they are both so much more than they appear and I love seeing their thoughts and what they can see in people without having those people even know.  Extra perceptions always intrigue me and these two have them in abundance.

4. Did the revelation about the Harkonnen surprise you?
Big time! I did not see that one coming! (I'm referring to the surprise regarding Jessica.) So not what I would have suspected and I am not exactly sure where it will go next, which is how I like my stories :)

5. Finally, please share some overall thoughts on this first section of the book. Are you finding it difficult to follow? Easy to understand? Engaging? Boring? Just share what you are thinking thus far.
Well, as I mentioned a little, I was completely thrown off for the first 40-50 pages, totally lost with all the weird names and phrases tossed about like I should know what was going on.  After I finally got it together enough and having some explanations given, I felt like I was joining the world, not just looking in from outside.  The story was slow to start too, but I feel like it's picking up and the momentum is beginning to build.  Definitely I can see how this book has made such an impact and has such a huge following.


What are your thoughts so far?

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6 comments :

  1. The very first time I read Dune, I had a hard time following it too. But, once I realized and saw how intricate the story was and everything began to play out, I just fell in love with it! I hope that happens to you too! :)

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    1. I'm liking it for sure, but those first chapters were super hard! It's like it should come with a disclaimer :)

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  2. Hm, I realize I don't remember many of the little details. I liked how, as Jenni Elyse said, the story is intricate. I liked piecing together all of the history and learning how it influenced the present. Jessica and Paul are intriguing characters, though I'm not sure if I actually like them very much. I'm with you on the extra perceptive characters. They're my favorite kind!

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    1. I imagine it's pretty easy to forget all the details - there are so many! I'm looking forward to you weighing in on the discussions ahead.

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  3. I agree with you, it definitely started out slow! At the same time, it's taken me this long to finally get some kind of grasp on what's happening, so it's probably a good thing not TOO much has been going on!

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    1. That's so true! If more stuff happened, I'd have been too overwhelmed to keep going, probably. Hope it picks up for you in the next book!

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