God Emperor of Dune

NOT his best work. Not by a very long shot.

We learn that the Duncan Idaho ghola has been re-animated many dozens of times (was it 78? - I have blotted it from my SF conciousness). Sorry if that's a spoiler - it certainly did help spoil the novel for me from its very earliest pages.

I very much enjoyed the Dune novels up to this point. These are some of the best novels that SF has to offer. As for God..., I am actually amazed that I rated it as highly as I did - I would have guessed it would have rated much lower.

Unless you are a completist - and feel compelled to read every single Dune novel - I would strongly urge you to skip this one. Both Heretics of Dune and Chaperthouse Dune are considerably better, and I doubt you would have a problem picking up the story again.

I'm sure this is utter blasphemy (and I should make amends to the sacred memory of the great SF author Frank Herbert), but I would even venture to say that the NON - dune sequels (by Kevin Anderson and Frank's son B - - - -) were better than this ill-considered door-stopper.

So - do yourself a favour. The fremen will thank you, the Bene Gesserit will thank you, the Guild pilots will thank you, and even the sandworms... well, the sandworms will probably just eat you, along with your ornithopter.

My rating system: I begin with one star being equivalent to a rating of "C -". Progressing upwards, I add ½ star for each step, up to the maximum 5 stars, which is equivalent to a rating of "A"+. I reserve ½ star for BOMBS, there being no option of zero or negative stars.