Who would we replace the KJA with.

[Hunchback Jack]

The problem is that any established author would probably be wise enough not to take it on. And unfortunately, Frank's voice was pretty unique; although Stephenson, Gaiman, OSC, Gibson, etc are the right *kind* of author to do it, the result would read like one of their own novels, not a continuation of FH's universe.

If we're rewriting history, I would have Bill Ransom write just *one* book - Dune 7 based on Frank's notes. Ransom because he's worked with FH before, knew him as a friend for years, and wrote The Ascension Factor solo, which was not bad at all. Plus the guy has more respect for FH in his pinky finger than Pinky and the Brain do combined.

HBJ

[TheDukester]

Bobo wont read this, he's afraid of the internets.

And airplanes.

And snakes and spiders.

And his own shadow. And cats, other people, heights, cars painted blue, clowns, computers, and podiatrists.

And days that end with a Y.

[Freakzilla]

Bobo wont read this, he's afraid of the internets.

And airplanes.

And snakes and spiders.

And his own shadow. And cats, other people, heights, cars painted blue, clowns, computers, and podiatrists.

And days that end with a Y.

...but not wine.

[SandChigger]

Well, supposedly he's a recovered alcoholic.

[Omphalos]

Bobo wont read this, he's afraid of the internets.

And airplanes.

And snakes and spiders.

And his own shadow. And cats, other people, heights, cars painted blue, clowns, computers, and podiatrists.

And days that end with a Y.

Don't forget his dad. He's really afraid of his dad.

[Freakzilla]

Well, supposedly he's a recovered alcoholic.

No such thing. You are either an alcoholic or recovering.

(How many pictures of the two have we seen with a glass or bottle of wine on the coffee table?)

[D Pope]

The problem is that any established author would probably be wise enough not to take it on. And unfortunately, Frank's voice was pretty unique; although Stephenson, Gaiman, OSC, Gibson, etc are the right *kind* of author to do it, the result would read like one of their own novels, not a continuation of FH's universe.

If we're rewriting history, I would have Bill Ransom write just *one* book - Dune 7 based on Frank's notes. Ransom because he's worked with FH before, knew him as a friend for years, and wrote The Ascension Factor solo, which was not bad at all. Plus the guy has more respect for FH in his pinky finger than Pinky and the Brain do combined.

HBJ

Agreed. Totally! It's those damn what ifs...

[Nekhrun]

I'd like to see a few authors write their own version of Dune 7 based on "The Notes" and then I'll pick which one I like.

[Mandy]

If we could go back in time and have someone else write Dune 7, I'd pick Ursula K Le Guin. If we can't go back, then it doesn't matter because I'm not reading that shit anyway.

[Omphalos]

I would've like to have seen what Bruce Herbert could have done with this baby.

[SandChigger]

Do we even know that Bruce had literary aspirations?

[Freakzilla]

Do we even know that Bruce had literary aspirations?

Even if he didn't he'd have to be better than Brian.

[lotek]

but he does whine

[merkin muffley]

Well, supposedly he's a recovered alcoholic.

No such thing. You are either an alcoholic or recovering.

Really?

(How many pictures of the two have we seen with a glass or bottle of wine on the coffee table?)

He must've graduated.

[Freakzilla]

Well, supposedly he's a recovered alcoholic.

No such thing. You are either an alcoholic or recovering.

Really?

Trust me, I've been to plenty of meetings, I know.

[A Thing of Eternity]

Well, supposedly he's a recovered alcoholic.

No such thing. You are either an alcoholic or recovering.

(How many pictures of the two have we seen with a glass or bottle of wine on the coffee table?)

To be fair, didn't we decide that was balsamic vinegar, and it had oil and such sitting next to it?

[A Thing of Eternity]

It's true, I never hear someone call themselves recovered.

Kinda like smoking for me (though less dangerous to other people obviously). I've never considered myself an ex-smoker, I'm just a smoker that's not smoking right now.

[Lundse]

If we're rewriting history, I would have Bill Ransom write just *one* book - Dune 7 based on Frank's notes. Ransom because he's worked with FH before, knew him as a friend for years, and wrote The Ascension Factor solo, which was not bad at all. Plus the guy has more respect for FH in his pinky finger than Pinky and the Brain do combined.

HBJ

Yeah, that makes sense. Especially if there are actually notes of any interest left behind. Maybe with help from McNelly...?

[Ampoliros]

I'm sure that if there are notes, some Herbert down the line will release them. Probably not in our lifetime though.

Till then, the notes are nothing but a carrot on a stick and a crappy picture of a pair of mismatched 5.25 floppies.

[TheDukester]

That Frank Herbert left behind some notes is very, very likely. Most authors are note-takers; hell, most people are note-takers in general. And FH mostly worked with typewriters and legal pads (as opposed to computers), so he was probably a manual note-taker for much of his life.

It's the volume and content that are open to dispute. There's a part of me that really believes that the actual notes say things like "ultra-spice" and "robot wars," except that if you look closely, there's little arrows drawn to them that connect with things like "This would be really stupid." Or else the top of the page is labeled "Discarded Ideas." Or maybe "Joking around with McNelly" or something like that.

Context is so important here, and that's Spanky and Bobo's biggest problem. It's also something they don't want anyone thinking too hard about. For the preeks, that's no worry — they'll just slurp up whatever slop they're served, never questioning anything. That's pretty much why they're preeks. But S&B really don't want too many intelligent people asking too many questions about the notes. Like, for any given page: when was it written? For what purpose, exactly? Is it in the form of a formal outline, or is it just a series of musings and doodles? Is it Dune exclusively, or are there also notes about groceries and car repairs? And on and on.

[A Thing of Eternity]

That true, and part of what bugs me about these guys is that they seem to think that if FH wrote it down somewhere, then it is canon. I'm sure they have piles of notes he has from writing the novels, and that they take little bits here and there, but they don't seem to stop to see if something contradicts FH (like that whole Jessica Leto meeting thing that FH wrote for the movie), and don't get that if he didn't put it in a book that means it doesn't count (if contradictory).

There's notes, and then there is Dune 7 notes.

[merkin muffley]

It's the volume and content that are open to dispute... the top of the page is labeled "Discarded Ideas." Or maybe "Joking around with McNelly" or something like that. Context is so important here, and that's Spanky and Bobo's biggest problem. Like, for any given page: when was it written? For what purpose, exactly? Is it in the form of a formal outline, or is it just a series of musings and doodles? Is it Dune exclusively, or are there also notes about groceries and car repairs? And on and on.

That's the way I look at the whole Notes controversy. I don't think any writer would want to be held accountable to their notes or discarded drafts (unless your writing consisted of publishing yourself talking while hiking, but a person that did that wouldn't really be writer).

Of course, it's also clear that almost all of the whack ideas KJA and BH have come up with are things Frank Herbert never would have done, and I don't know how much difference it would make if they did have an outline. The outline could never be detailed enough for these morons.

[D Pope]

The best possible scenario, KJH found a box of notes with the missing 'what was I thinking' lable- the trash can.
The worst, a complete lie.
The truth is usually somewhere between. With their combined abilities, what would we have gotten if FH left a completed manuscript? Very likely the same thing.

[SandChigger]

Yeah, they wouldn't have been able to resist "improving" the manuscript. Look at how they have to fill in the "gaps" between the first four original books!

[Freakzilla]

I'd cook Spinrad up a batch of bindweed seed tea and take him out on the Staked Plains
with a digital recorder and just publish that ...

What's bindweed?