How did you discover Dune?


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Tyrant
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Post by Tyrant »

it was about 6 years ago when me and my wife only had 2 kids...we lived in an apartment and i used to smoke weed with the upstairs neighbor .... i was huge into star wars at the time ...but at the same time was bored with it...well i was smoking up at my neighbors house when i noticed he had a vhs home recording tape with a shitty run down label on it labled Dune. i remember years before my parents saying Dune was a "wierd" movie..i could tell they were not impressed..so i asked him about it... he said it wasnt the movie but a new miniseries ... and that it was good... so i asked if i could borrow it....it took me 3 seperate times watching it before i finished it..and i thought it was pretty good...being bored alot i watched it a few more times and ended up getting addicted to it...then i heard that CoD had just been released on DVD so i bought it and thought it was great..at this point i still had no real ambition to read it..until i watched CoD so many times that i wasnt satisfied with Letos transformation..the mini series doesnt explain it at all ... he just gets the skin then runs real fast and beats some ass...so i started reading the books mainly to find out what the fuck Leto's skin was all about... i ended up reading all 6 books in one month...loved em...but i realized i read thru them too quick mainly cause i just wanted to finish them..so i decided to slow way down and savor every word in order to understand it better...man i missed alot of stuff thru the first reads .... i love the books so much i read them at least once a year..sometimes twice a year ... so all you mini series haters should know they have done some good .... dune has had a huge influence on my out look of alot of things in life ... probably too much so ...anyway...i know my story was long...bad grammer...but oh well..thats my dune story


EDIT: cant leave this out....after i read the books i watched David Lynchs Dune and i wanted to stab my eyes out with courtney loves used tampons
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Post by DuneFishUK »

A Thing of Eternity wrote:
Ampoliros wrote: (truth: At first I hated each new book, till I was about 1/3 of the way through it. After that it clicked and each one opened new horizons.)
I had the exact same experience, aside from GEoD which I got into much faster than the others.
Yeah - same with me. I couldn't read HOD for a long time after GEoD though. Then suddenly I got it and CH:D was easy after that.

It was the original Cryo Dune game that got me started. My dad said it was based on a good book, but couldn't find his copy. So I bought him a new copy for Christmas... and I still have it :P
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Post by A Thing of Eternity »

For some reason I had a really big problem with "Rakis" just made me mad.
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Post by Ampoliros »

really? I loved how the world evolved, that it wasn't the exact same place.
I thought it was awesome that Frank blew up Dune, er Rakis.
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Post by Rakis »

A Thing of Eternity wrote:For some reason I had a really big problem with "Rakis" just made me mad.
Huh ?! :shock:



:)
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Post by Ghost »

My discovery was first by Lynch's movie, the dune 1 game, then bought the books and later Dune 2.
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Post by DuneFishUK »

Ampoliros wrote:really? I loved how the world evolved, that it wasn't the exact same place.
I thought it was awesome that Frank blew up Dune, er Rakis.
Definately! That is one of the best things about Dune - FH isn't afraid to do something drastic and move the story on. It is the reason why FH wrote Dune Messiah rather than Paul of Dune.

But it's also a bit jarring - I reckon an FH version of Paul of Dune would have been a really really enjoyable read. Even if it was totally unnecessary.
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Post by Freakzilla »

For me, Dune, the planet, was killed by Leto II. It was dissapointing that it didn't make a comeback in HoD and CH:D but the story was no longer about the Fremen or Arrakis, but all of humanity. So I was kind of glad to see it go at the end of HoD, it was only a shadow of what it was.
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Post by A Thing of Eternity »

Freakzilla wrote:For me, Dune, the planet, was killed by Leto II. It was dissapointing that it didn't make a comeback in HoD and CH:D but the story was no longer about the Fremen or Arrakis, but all of humanity. So I was kind of glad to see it go at the end of HoD, it was only a shadow of what it was.
That's how I felt, it was almost better to see it destroyed completely than to see it the way it was after LetoII
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Post by dunaddict »

My first Dune-memory is of my mother watching a very weird movie about a Fat man sticking needles in his disgusting looking pustules. Needless to say, I didn't feel like watching this movie for a long time. I don't even remember when I did finish it.

Next thing was the Dune II pc-game. I played it for a while at a friends house, and thought it was a cool war-game. But not having read the books, I of course didn't understand any of the terminology (Evil Harkonnnen, Harvesting spice, Noble Atreides)

I know I already owned a copy of Dune when I got the Dune 2000 pc-game in 1998, but for some reason it just collected dust on the shelves.
Then, sometime in '99, during some very boring commutes on the bus, I started reading the book and couldn't believe I had let this fantastic story sit on my shelf for so long! After I finished Dune, I immediately rushed to the library and read the other five in less than a month. Now I own the entire collection and read them all again. Several times.

I stumbled upon the first prequel by accident, in a bookstore. I was pleasantly surprised. A new Dune book! I thought it was decent. So was House Harkonnen, although a bit long and boring.
.... House Corrino. It started out alright. It was actually less boring than Harkonnen. But when it became clear that Pauls birth was imminent on Kaitain, I literally kept thinking: "Jessica, time to go to Caladan", "Jessica, time to go to Caladan", "Jessica, time to go to Caladan". But no. Sigh...

Ever since, I view these prequels with totally different eyes and watched in disgust as they slid into ever increasing mediocrity.
I kept reading them, being a dunaddict, because I wanted to know the 'ending'. After Sandworms though, I don't think I'll read another prequel again and let you guys and gals do the Hard work.
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Post by Mandy »

My first Dune experience was thanks to my dad. He had a shelf full of book of the month club books, and I was looking for something to read. He handed Dune to me, and said it was great, so I read it. I was about 14 or 15 then, and I've been rereading the series ever since.
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Post by RM Opportuniac »

Always a reader, and from the age of 12 or so a sci-fi reader, so I knew of Dune for many years before reading it.

When I did, I bought all 6 at once, as well as the House trilogy. Yes, sacrilege, I read from House Atreides to Chapter House in one fairly extended 'sitting'. In all fairness, I then sold the prequels and kept the original 6.

It's taken me a few years to truly 'get' them, though. Heretics and Chapter House are my favourites, followed by God Emperor, so they get the most rereadings. It wasn't until the start of this year that I truly 'got' God Emperor, though, and having just reread the last two I've discovered that I far prefer Heretics.

It only took 7 years to fully understand the brilliance of Herbert. Well, that and getting over crippling emotional trauma.

I did read the Legends trilogy, but went into knowing that I'd hate them. I forced myself to finish, and by the end was apoplectic. Norma? Sorceresses? Robots? Dickhead authors? For shame.

Have not and will not ever read Hunters and Sandworms. The Dune series clearly finished with Chapter House. The end.
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Post by Laphtiya »

RM Opportuniac wrote: Have not and will not ever read Hunters and Sandworms. The Dune series clearly finished with Chapter House. The end.
That is my opinion as well. Chapterhouse was unfortunetly the end for me as well. I have finished House Atreidies and working my way on the last few pages of House Harkonnen. They are not bad when compared to SOME so called books that I've read, but they are no FH and they are not Dune, they simply pass the time to and from work. Probably why I managed to read them because lets face it reading anything would be better than sitting on your ass for an hour looking at some guy sitting opposite you on the train.
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Post by moreh_yeladim »

I think at some point I heard on Slashdot that Dune was one of the greatest pieces of science fiction ever written. So I got it out of the library... and things went from there.
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Post by MattMahdi »

I was in junior high or early high school and I found a copy of Dune, a battered old paperback, on a bookshelf in our garage. It was next to a copy of Clarke's 2001. Turns out that my Dad hadn't got into it, that he couldn't suspend his disbelief that far. (Not sure exactly at what exactly.) I browsed and read it, and it became one of my favourite novels.

In university a few years later (1987 or early 1988) I found and bought a copy of the illustrated version. Beautiful. When I first saw the Harrison miniseries, and its introduction of Rev. Mother Mohiam, I was amazed that the image seemed to be straight from one of the line drawings. Shortly after I bought it I read through it one weekend while trying to psych myself up to writing a paper. Needless to say I began the paper a few pages after my wife's favourite line from the book and miniseries: "History will call us wives." (Only intended to read a few chapters....)

Speaking of my wife, she's a Dune NUT. It was from her, when we were dating, that I decided to give Dune Messiah another go and then tore through the remaining four novels. Each has been reread several times since, most lately when I bought them in sequence from the SFBC.

I'm one who enjoyed House Atreides, its sequels less so, and I couldn't get through The Butlerian Jihad. I enjoyed HA mostly because it let me see aspects of the Dune universe that I hadn't been able before. The events that spring to mind involved the spice-essence poisoning of a settlement.

I did eagerly read the sequels, because of the "Frank's outline" aspect, and I enjoyed most of Sandworms immensely. It felt pretty good --- until that wonderful chapter at its end when, as I'd feared was coming, Marty and Daniel were truly revealed. Darn. The other thing that galled me was the obvious fact that two of the characters were probably new face dancers just from the way that the escape from the planet of the Handlers was written. But exploring the No Ship was kind of fun. [Even as I set about to read it, I knew that the outline-aspect was in disrepute. But, hope springing eternal, I read it despite what I had heard.]

Looking back, my favourite of the BH/KJA books is The Road to Dune. Sadly, and obviously, it's for the insight we get into Frank's mind and writing process. The notes and fragments and possibilities that didn't make it into print. Second favourite, but I haven't had the heart to go back to it, is Sandworms.

My favourite of Frank's books is certainly Dune, but of its sequels I would choose Children of Dune. It was a breath of optimism and delight after the intentional oppressiveness of Dune Messiah. But it's a close call with Heretics and Chapterhouse.

BTW, my lovely wife of whom I've written has refused to even touch any of the new novels. She is content with the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade-esque ride into the sunset at the end of Chapterhouse. I have commended to her the Frank-written portions of Road, though, and at some point she may browse them.

This, then, is my introduction.

MattMahdi.
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Post by Schu »

I was talking to a friend when I was 13 or 14 about how much I liked lord of the rings and he said I'd like Dune even more. He was right!
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Post by MattMahdi »

MattMahdi wrote:I'm one who enjoyed House Atreides, its sequels less so, and I couldn't get through The Butlerian Jihad. I enjoyed HA mostly because it let me see aspects of the Dune universe that I hadn't been able before. The events that spring to mind involved the spice-essence poisoning of a settlement.
Hold on that! Something's percolating to mind of the story of Leto's First Love and the fact that his line in Dune should have been "They have tried to take the life of my [second] son!" Those aren't remembered with favor, but the general tone of the novel and its re-exploration of the Dune sandbox are.
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Post by dunepunk »

A friend of mine was reading it when we were in sixth grade, so I picked up a copy, and thought the Fremen were the coolest thing ever. So I read Dune Messiah... and it went over my head a bit. I read CoD, and liked it more, but then I kinda forgot about Dune for a while (my interest in the depth of the series couldn't develop-- I was too young). So then a year or two ago, in my Junior year of High School, I picked up the series again and read the whole thing in order. A different friend was pumped because he had heard that Dune 7 was being published from Frank's notes. So I read Hunters and Sandworms....... :cry:

I'm rereading the series right now, and I just started CoD! I can't wait to reread GEoD, though, because I know I missed a lot of the subtleties.
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Post by Freakzilla »

dunepunk wrote:I can't wait to reread GEoD, though, because I know I missed a lot of the subtleties.
I've been reading FH's Dune series for over twenty years and I haven't run out of missed subtleties yet.

:)
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Post by Drunken Idaho »

I had always kind of known about Dune as an obscure sci-fi epic that was floating around out there.

My friend had read it years ago, and said it was great. Then, about three years ago, he bought me the first book for my birthday. Needless to say, I was hooked.
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Post by Seraphan »

I first found out about Dune through a game magazine, the game made by cryo. Then i accidently caught the movie on tv and saw it; then i found out there were 6 novels and heard that they were great. My brother gave me Dune as a christmas gift and i literaly couldnt stop reading, Dune changed my perspective of life and gave me a broad view of the horizon; i was changed.
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Post by trang »

My friend Markus and I were into fantasy/sci-fi early 8-9 years old. We both were reading at high school level at that age. He had go the book from the store and said it was cool. I read it at 9 and was a little overwhelmed. I picked it up again at 12.. and have been reading on and off every since.

Have been into everything Dune since, on and off, over the years. PC games, Board games, movies, you name it. The past two years very intense because I had been unaware of butthead and Kocknockers heresy, so dived into those, reread the originals, and here a I am.

An experience of a lifetime that I share with everyone I know, and pass along the greatness of Frank Herberts writing every opportunity.

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Post by Omphalos »

MattMahdi wrote:I was in junior high or early high school and I found a copy of Dune, a battered old paperback, on a bookshelf in our garage. It was next to a copy of Clarke's 2001. Turns out that my Dad hadn't got into it, that he couldn't suspend his disbelief that far. (Not sure exactly at what exactly.) I browsed and read it, and it became one of my favourite novels.

In university a few years later (1987 or early 1988) I found and bought a copy of the illustrated version. Beautiful. When I first saw the Harrison miniseries, and its introduction of Rev. Mother Mohiam, I was amazed that the image seemed to be straight from one of the line drawings. Shortly after I bought it I read through it one weekend while trying to psych myself up to writing a paper. Needless to say I began the paper a few pages after my wife's favourite line from the book and miniseries: "History will call us wives." (Only intended to read a few chapters....)

Speaking of my wife, she's a Dune NUT. It was from her, when we were dating, that I decided to give Dune Messiah another go and then tore through the remaining four novels. Each has been reread several times since, most lately when I bought them in sequence from the SFBC.

I'm one who enjoyed House Atreides, its sequels less so, and I couldn't get through The Butlerian Jihad. I enjoyed HA mostly because it let me see aspects of the Dune universe that I hadn't been able before. The events that spring to mind involved the spice-essence poisoning of a settlement.

I did eagerly read the sequels, because of the "Frank's outline" aspect, and I enjoyed most of Sandworms immensely. It felt pretty good --- until that wonderful chapter at its end when, as I'd feared was coming, Marty and Daniel were truly revealed. Darn. The other thing that galled me was the obvious fact that two of the characters were probably new face dancers just from the way that the escape from the planet of the Handlers was written. But exploring the No Ship was kind of fun. [Even as I set about to read it, I knew that the outline-aspect was in disrepute. But, hope springing eternal, I read it despite what I had heard.]

Looking back, my favourite of the BH/KJA books is The Road to Dune. Sadly, and obviously, it's for the insight we get into Frank's mind and writing process. The notes and fragments and possibilities that didn't make it into print. Second favourite, but I haven't had the heart to go back to it, is Sandworms.

My favourite of Frank's books is certainly Dune, but of its sequels I would choose Children of Dune. It was a breath of optimism and delight after the intentional oppressiveness of Dune Messiah. But it's a close call with Heretics and Chapterhouse.

BTW, my lovely wife of whom I've written has refused to even touch any of the new novels. She is content with the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade-esque ride into the sunset at the end of Chapterhouse. I have commended to her the Frank-written portions of Road, though, and at some point she may browse them.

This, then, is my introduction.

MattMahdi.
Hi Matt. And welcome. Are you the one who I was talking to over on Chronicles about the leather bound edition of Dune?
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Re: How did you discover Dune.

Post by JustSomeGuy »

I remember seeing clips of the David Lynch movie as a kid and... you know, I thought it was a very strange, very weird movie. I had never seen anything quite like it, and I liked what I saw. I was never able to watch it the whole way through because, well, I was a kid and not on the lookout for it. Whatever station played it back then used to do it in two or three parts, and I would always miss a part of the movie. It was years before I read the book. What a great book! I forget what it was exactly that led me to read it, but wow. Wow.
Ampoliros wrote:I literally believe that Dune made me a smarter, wiser person.
I feel the same way. Dune is one of those books that you read, and afterwards, you're not quite the same person. Kind of like dropping acid. Each book in the series was like that. My favorites are Dune, Dune Messiah, and Heretics of Dune. I was very upset when I found out that Mr. Frank Herbert would not be finishing the series. Dammit, Frank, why did you have to die! :tissue2:
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Re: How did you discover Dune.

Post by SandRider »

JSG gets cookie for bringing this thread up from the pit :

:cookie sm:

>> & is it just me, or does the obscenely bloated "view more smilies" pop-up window take alot
longer to load up than it used to? and I get alot of lag & catch in the animation from time to time;
(and I am using a Carrol Shelby Inspired pieced-out desktop PC than will do over 200mph,
a tweaked-til-it-squeaked Win7.6 OS, an nVidia graphics card that has more processor power and
on-board memory than the Space Shuttle Columbia, and an internet connection on some kinda
microwave shit or something, that reports its' speed as being 500Mbps right now .... so it ain't
me ... or my pimped-out Firefox, neither - getting the exact same thing on IE9 & Chrome ...)
I usually don't even bother to click the "more smilies" anymore ... hand code the :cookie sm:
and roll on ... except like for Right Now, when I went ahead and took the time to fuck around with
it some more before bitching .... bringing up the other point (& don't make me post links
back to threads on this SAME board)(cause you know I will) but somewhere back before last Thursday
someone promised somebody to take a look at the fucked-up mess of the Jacurutu Smiley-Set, and
add the Dunefish's stuff .....and clean out some of the ones we are not going to use ... <<

this is a great thread, might should be stickied .... I think I've told several versions of my first
go-round with Frank & the worms, in several different places ... I'll either think about it for a
few days and come up with a better one, or, more likely, sit down and just bang out the first
things that pop into my head ...

also:
@Lundse - when you come back around to this thread,
would you please edit the subject line in your Original Post,
replacing the full-stop (period) with a question mark (?) ? ....
................ I exist only to amuse myself ................
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