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Review: ‘Dune: The Graphic Novel, Book 2: Muad’Dib’ by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

The Nerd Daily — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 04:00:08 +0000

Post contributed by Catherine Lowe

The new era of Frank Herbert’s acclaimed sci-fi epic Dune has found wild success since the release of Dune: The Graphic Novel Book 1 as well as the release of the major motion picture Dune directed by Denis Villeneuve in October 2021. The first installment in the Dune: The Graphic Novel series provided readers an easier introduction into Paul Atreides’s story, and the second installment of the series proves to do the same.

The second installment in the Dune: The Graphic Novel series, Dune: Book 2 continues 15-year-old Paul Atreides’s story as he and his mother, Lady Jessica, wander into the vast unknown after their family was betrayed and attacked in Arrakeen. Paul and his mother know that the evil Harkonnens are responsible for their family’s slaughter and seek refuge in Arrakis’ sandy dunes. As the pair carefully navigate traveling through this desert planet’s hostile environment they encounter violent sandstorms, Harkonnen spy ‘thopters, and even giant man-eating sandworms. Thankfully for Paul and his mother, the pair run into a group of “fremen”, the free people who have learned to adapt to the harsh conditions that they live in. Even though the fremen are unsure if they can trust Paul and Jessica, Paul eventually wins over their trust by winning a ritual fight to the death called “atmal”. He then accepts his new name Paul-Muad’Dib and his newly founded place among the fremen.

Dune: Book 2 provides readers with intricate and colourful illustrations depicting characters’ appearances and personalities as well as their environment. The insight brought through by these illustrations proves to help readers navigate the many different characters that are at conflict with one another during the duration of the story. This novel jumps to the perspectives of several important characters including Paul, the Baron, Dr. Liet Keynes, and Lady Jessica. Since there are so many powerful people who play a part in the development of the story, being able to put faces to names proves helpful in order for readers to balance all of the different personalities and their roles in the conflict. Additionally, the illustrations of the environment that characters are in during their chapters provides a much-needed view into the world that Frank Herbert imagined when he first wrote Dune decades ago.

This second installment of the Dune graphic novel series continues Paul’s story with the same fast-paced and action-packed theme that was ever present in the first book. The fast pace of this graphic novel provides readers with necessary information when it comes to the plot of the story without taking away from the experience of the reader. Since only necessary information related to the plot and conflicts taking place in the story is mentioned, readers may find themselves remaining engaged in the absence of extra information that they may not find interesting or important to know.

Even though the lack of some information may help some readers remain engaged in the contents of the book, there are still some important details that are left out or not explained especially when it comes to the fremen. One example of this lack of information is when Lady Jessica is told that she must become the Reverend Mother of the fremen. At first, the fremen leader Stilgar finds it difficult to trust Jessica because of her Bene Gesserit “weirding”, but very soon after she is made one of the most powerful people in their seitch. It would be helpful for readers to have insight into what changed Stilgar’s mind about the woman and exactly what her Bene Gesserit powers mean to them. In addition, Paul is made to become responsible for Janis’ wife and children after he defeats the man in the atmal. Even though Paul is slowly learning the culture of this new group of people, readers may find it helpful to have a chapter in the perspective of one of the fremen in order to truly understand the story on a deeper level and why Paul is obligated to take care of two small children among all of his other responsibilities.

Overall, Dune: Book 2 continues the story of Paul Atreides in this fast-paced and action-packed installment to the series that has captivated sci-fi fans for decades. Through the illustrations and perspectives of different important characters, readers that are new to the daunting sci-fi/fantasy genre may feel more comfortable continuing Paul’s story in this format rather than the written novel.

Dune: Book 2 is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of August 9th 2022.

**Will you be picking up Dune: Book 2? Tell us in the comments below!**

Synopsis | Goodreads

In DUNE: The Graphic Novel, Book 2: Muad’Dib, the second of three volumes adapting Frank Herbert’s Dune, young Paul Atreides and his mother, the lady Jessica, find themselves stranded in the deep desert of Arrakis. Betrayed by one of their own and destroyed by their greatest enemy, Paul and Jessica must find the mysterious Fremen, or perish.

This faithful adaptation of the 1965 novel, Dune, by Brian Herbert, son of Frank Herbert, and the New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson, continues to explore Paul’s journey as he evolves from boy to mysterious messiah. Illustrated by Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín, this spectacular blend of adventure and spirituality, environmentalism, and politics is a groundbreaking look into our universe and transformed by the graphic novel format into a powerful, fantastical tale for a new generation of readers.

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Review: ‘Dune: The Graphic Novel, Book 1’ by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

The Nerd Daily — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 08:00:12 +0000

Post contributed by Catherine Lowe

Readers interested in diving into the daunting sci-fi/fantasy genre may find reading the original Dune novel by Frank Herbert to be quite intimidating, but these readers may find Brian Herbert’s and Kevin J. Anderson’s DUNE THE GRAPHIC NOVEL: BOOK 1 [Harry N. Abrams, November 24, 2020] as a more welcoming introduction to the epics within the genre. Through the colourful illustrations and animated dialogue, this graphic novel proves to be an important addition to the Dune collection.

The first in several instalments of the series, Dune: Book 1 follows the story of fifteen-year-old Paul Atreides as he tries to navigate his new life on the desert planet Arrakis where his powerful family has taken control. When Paul’s mother Jessica finds a note in a secret conservatory warning her of a traitor in their midst, the Atreides family scrambles to figure out which one of their trusted advisors is plotting to kill them or even worse—deliver them to the wicked Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. While Paul and his father Duke Leto navigate the customs of this new world from flying across the sand dunes while trying to avoid giant man-eating worms to selling drops of water to poor people on the street, it is made clear to both Paul and Duke Leto that living on Arrakis will be no easy feat to accomplish.

Throughout the novel, the colourful illustrations accompanying the dialogue between the characters proves to provide special insight into what exactly Herbert intended readers to imagine while reading his original novel. A particularly enjoyable aspect of the novel is a scene where Paul and his father travel to the sand dunes to watch natives to the planet Arrakis mine for spices. During this scene, readers are given special insight into how important spice mining is for the sake of the planet and just how dangerous mining is. Paul and his father have to wear special spacesuits called stillsuits in order to survive in the arid heat of the desert and the air is so potent on the dunes, both men have to breathe through a special apparatus. Then, when a giant worm threatens to swallow all of the men on the dunes whole, the action sequence that follows provides much needed tension and excitement in order to compel readers to continue turning the pages.

With just the right amount of information, humour, and action mixed in with politics, readers may find Dune: Book 1 to be a perfect introduction into the world of sci-fi and fantasy. Through the different races and well-rounded characters that readers are able to meet accompanied by tensions that arise between the house Atreides and the other races provide an interesting dynamic that keeps readers interested. Additionally, the different prophecies surrounding Paul and his magical abilities and how important he is for the development of the planet Arrakis pushes readers to continue flipping the pages and even to go as far as to anticipate the release of the next graphic novel adaptation in the Dune series.

While the addition of illustrations provide much needed insight into the scenery of the planet Arrakis and the differentiation between the different races of people in the series, Dune: Book 1 does leave out some much needed information especially in terms of what certain terms mean. From the Kwisatz Haderach, the Bene Gesserit, Gom Jabbar, and the fremen, there is little to no explanation of what these terms mean and they seem to have a very important place within the novel. It would be helpful for readers, especially those who are new to the intricacies of the sci-fi/fantasy genre, to have a dictionary to reference in the back of the novel in order to clear up the confusion they may feel around these terms.

Overall, the Dune: Book 1 graphic novel is a much-needed addition to the series started by Frank Herbert decades ago. Readers who are trying to find an easy introduction to the dense epics already published within the genre may find this graphic novel to be the perfect way to dip their toes into sci-fi without the added commitment of the written novel.

Dune is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

**Will you be picking up Dune? Tell us in the comments below!**

Synopsis | Goodreads

The definitive graphic novel adaptation of Dune, the groundbreaking science-fiction classic by Frank Herbert

Dune, Frank Herbert’s epic science-fiction masterpiece set in the far future amidst a sprawling feudal interstellar society, tells the story of Paul Atreides as he and his family accept control of the desert planet Arrakis. A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism, and politics, Dune is a powerful, fantastical tale that takes an unprecedented look into our universe, and is transformed by the graphic novel format. In the first volume of a three-book trilogy encompassing the original novel, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s adaptation retains the story’s integrity, and Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín’s magnificent illustrations, along with cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz, bring the book to life for a new generation of readers.

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