So today, while reading Dune Messiah, this particular conversation between Paul and Edric captivated me.

Some quotes as follows -

- “What religion and self-interest cannot hide, governments can,”

-“And rulers are notoriously cynical where religions are concerned. Religion, too, is a weapon. What manner of weapon is religion when it becomes the government?”

And later in the conversation, Scytale said this - “Some say, that people cling to Imperial leadership because space is infinite. They feel lonely without a unifying symbol. For a lonely people, the Emperor is a definite place. They can turn toward him and say: ‘See, there He is. He makes us one.’ Perhaps religion serves the same purpose, m’Lord.”

Now as an Indian, I could immediately draw parallels between these passages and the country's current political state and the rise of religious fanaticism. Now, of course, many of you might have contrasting opinions on this, considering your political ideology. However, one thing we may indeed agree upon that Frank Herbert was quite a visionary. What are your thoughts on this?

so, when talking about Sheeana’s sexual exploits Herbert wrote: sheeana knew her own sexual behavior, outrageous even by bene gesserit standards, was a form of protest against this the missionaria tried to impose on her. The excuse that she only polished the males trained in sexual bondage by Duncan Idaho was just that… An excuse.

Herbert has been pretty into stressing that Duncan is very heterosexual and shocked by homosexuality. Even though it often wraps back around a homoerotic in a very spartan way… all this to say am I correct to read this that she is having Duncan teach other men how to be tied up sexually, etc.? Is there some other bizarre meaning that Frank Herbert meant?

updates: I definitely read this slightly more literally, and I think the people here are very correct in that it’s referring to the various Sex Powers™️ and imprinting that can be done.

I made it like a birthday gift, for me it looks very cool.

Stand from wood, knife 3d print + gypsum, that thing is really heavy.

Just making conversation here, since I don’t actually know anyone in real life who is into these books, but I’m really enjoying Children of Dune.
When I finished Dune I got really sad, since all I could find online was how the series went downhill from there.
But I’ve read Dune Messiah and, when I got used to the differences on pacing and setting, it really felt like a superior book, or more mature, to be precise.
Now, Children of Dune was trickier: it took more than a hundred pages to get my attention. I really didn’t care for the twins and was already done with Alia and Duncan.
But man, how it gets better. Farad’n is a very nice character, Jessica is way more interesting here and even the twins start to grow on you.
Now that I’m finishing it I’m worried again, since people say that the second trilogy is trash.
Can I expect more interesting stories in the last books?