The Dragon in the Sea by Frank Herbert (1-Apr-2008) Paperback

This book has a much different feel than the original book--a narrower scope, slower pace, heavier on philosophy, intricate layers of plotting, etc.--but still vintage Herbert. If you were hooked by the first book, this volume won't disappoint you--just be prepared for the different tone in which Herbert wrote this one.

No comparison to the first part. Convoluted writing and the story basically plays out in the first chapter, after that it is a sometimes painful journey through visions and prescience etc. etc. If you can get lost in it, this might be fantastic reading for you, but I didn't enjoy it very much.

So much of this book is political intrigue and not sci fi. That being said I found Messiah an enjoyable read with a surprise ending.

Herbert does a masterfull job of finishing one storyline all the while setting you up for the next book!

This book was not well-received by critics, but they are idiots. Set 12 years after young Paul Atreides becomes Emperor of the known universe, the story traces his struggle to free himself from a tragic future from which he cannot escape against a plot to destroy him. This book is a must-read for Dune fans, and for newcomers, it would be wise to read "Dune" first.

Frank Herbert always seemed to understand the ways that overuse of an environmental factor affects options in a society and its future. His predicted messianic paths in the Dune novels demonstrate stylized remarks about this. This novel, the second of the three Dune books most often read, is all about The Path or Way.

This book presents the reader with a slower, more thought-provoking read and requires of the reader the commitment to follow the story on the deeper journey it follows; it is quite different in tone, psychology and approach to the other books in the series but a great read nonetheless...

My advice to the reader is that you persevere despite the slower pace and you shall be well rewarded and prepared for the next installment...

My review is based on the Kindle version. Messiah has excellent formatting, better than Dune’s. I knew at all times how many minutes I had left in the current chapter. This functionality was missing in the first book.

Herbert continues the saga of Arrakis with another instalment. This book, although engaging, didn’t grip me like the first. I found the description of the effects of atomics non-credible. Unless attackers employed watered-down weapons, there is no way they would cause as little damage as the book relates. Muad’dib’s character develops as the story progresses, but I found his overreliance on and trust in prescience another sticking point in the narrative.

Some of the major characters die. However, I suspect there is more to one of the deaths than the book reveals.

Even though I’m awarding Dune Messiah only four stars, I’m hooked and will continue the series.

This audio book is well produced and a great compliment to Dune. The story picks up a few years after the original book and brings the story to a rightful conclusion. IMHO, the original book and Dune Messiah really combine to make one story, not two.

The story leaves the desert scenery behind and settles around Paul as god-emperor. You'll get much more an inside look on his castle and relationships and less of the desert crysknife fighting. I think it gets clear that Herbert intended to leave some open doors for further books and limit the elements of the Dune universe on this book. I guess you could say the first book is a story on it's own, and this one really leaves some connections to be made.

This book is a transitional vehicle from Dune to the story of Paul's son culminating in the God Emperor of Dune. It sets the premise that knowing the future is trap, much like physics principle that the mere observation of an experiment changes the out come. Paul's will accept this and try escape the future. This intelligently and develops the characters from Fume more fully. These aren't the cardboard cut out characters we see in the store's self publishing books, but fully realized characters that draw into their lives and lead you to care about them. I strongly recommend reading the whole dune series, it is rewarding. Herbert is giant in this tenure.

This book Dune Messiah is a great continuation of the Dune Series. This book takes place around 9 years after the first book finished and is again focused on the Main character Paul. There are a few twists and turns through the book and is interesting to see if someone can change their fate. If you knew what the future held with all of the options that were possible, what outcome would you choose?

But is well worth the read, a truly insightful approach to character development in the persona of Paul and Duncan Idaho, truly an impressive piece of work with a focus on drama over action leading to political intrigue and a general wonder at what's to come next in the series.

Loved the foreword from Frank Herbert's son. It set up the feeling of the whole book.

I thought this sequel to be a perfet fit within the chain of events for the series.

Will read the next book as well!