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Is it space opera? Is it political commentary? Is it philosophical exploration? Is it fantasy? _Dune_ is all of these things and possibly more. One thing I do know: it's a kick-ass read!I've loved this book since I first plunged into it's mightily constructed, weird and obscure world. Of course it's hailed as a classic, and I am one of those that agrees. The sheer magnitude of Herbert's invention, his monumental world-building tied with an exciting story of betrayal, survival, rebellion and ultimate ascendance are more than enough to guarantee that. His characters too, are worthy of note: Paul Atreides the young heir to not only a ducal throne, but the hopes and desires of the oppressed population of an entire planet and the strange otherworldly powers of prescience and command that are his unique birthright; his mother Jessica torn between devotion to her family and her pledge to a generations-long plan spawned by a secret order bent on controlling the universe from behing the scenes; Chani and Stilgar the wild yet honourable representatives of a dangerous people just waiting to burst their chains and explode onto an unsuspecting universe. Add to these heroes the malign Baron Harkonnen and his debased nephews Feyd Rautha and "the beast" Rabban, the spiteful and covetous Emperor Shaddam IV, masterminds of the fall of Paul's House, and we have the recipe for an exciting contest of wills with no less than the future of humanity at stake.Even without an exciting story to drive it, the book is almost worth reading just to experience the world created by Herbert. 10,000 years in the future mankind has experience the "Butlerian Jihad" wherein all "thinking machines" were destroyed and the hatred of the technological has a religious conviction. In their place there are the Mentats, the "human computers" able to utilize the human mind to nearly it's full potential, drawing accurate inferences and conclusions with minimal data. There is the Sisterhood of the Bene Gesserit, a community of women who have honed their mental powers to the point of a near magical ability to coerce, tied with a training in politics and influence that would make Machiavelli proud. Finally is the Guild: a community of mutated humans, the sole "pilots" able to bend space and foresee their path amidst the void and thus keep interstellar trade and community together. Both the Siterhood and the Guild owe their great powers to the mysterious spice Melange, the only product of the planet Arrakis (known colloquially as Dune) and the society of the Empire in general also depends on it for its "geriatric qualities". Dune is thus the linch-pin for all Imperial power. Without the spice, travel ceases, trade stops, life ends. He who controls the spice controls the universe.Upon this stage is born Paul Atreides, the son of the Duke who is to take control of Arrakis as a fiefdom for the emperor. Paul is not merely the heir to political power though, for he is the last link in a chain of breeding that has been going on for generations, part of a plan created by the Bene Gesserit in the hopes of breeding a superhuman whom they could control. But Paul was born too early, his mother's rebellion against her orders have brought about an unforeseen occurrence. Now in the midst of political betrayal and the loss of all he has known Paul must also fight for survival amongst the most merciless tribe of humanity the universe has formed. Greater powers than any human before him has known will be thrust upon the young man, and the mantle of messiah will be his to accept or reject.Did I mention that I love this book? Well I do. I highly recommend it to any and all. I must admit that there is the occasional infelicity in some of Herbert's prose (and a too-heavy reliance on inner monologues to either state the obvious or convey information to the reader), but overall I can forgive him this for having crafted such an excellent tale. Woven into the story of a tottering space empire are real questions about ecology, responsibility and human life that are well-worth thinking about. Politics is not just a veneer, but the lifeblood of this story and, to me at least, it makes it all the more exciting.I'll admit right here that I am one of the few who actually likes all of the original Dune books, though I must admit that after the original trilogy Herbert seems to lose some of the strands of his narrative thread and my admiration is mostly due to the character of (view spoiler)[ Duncan Idaho (hide spoiler)] and the world-building. (But please avoid the prequels and sequels written by Herbert's son and Kevin Anderson in an attempt to cash in on the franchise, they are worse than anathema.)Also posted at Shelf Inflicted["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>colleen the contrarian ± (... never stop fighting) ±
3 1/2 This is a hard book for me to rate. Before I read it, I'd seen the movie multiple times, and the mini-series - both the Dune one and the Children of Dune one. I'd also been told all the differences between the books and both of these things from my insane boyfriend who's read it 27 times to date.That said - it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Not that I didn't enkoy the movie, the mini-series, or the lectures - but because I was warned it was rather dry reading and might not be quite up my alley.It sort of was and wasn't.On one hand, I found it interesting. I enjoyed, on an intellectual level, anyway, the outlining and commentary on religion and politics. My favorite parts about the religious stuff is both the way that it can be used to control people, and also the way that people are lost to their own legends. I'm pretty certain that most of the people and ideas and whatnots that modern religions are based on would be appalled at what's become of them - the way things have altered, been forgotten, or changed - either out of zealotry, ignorance, or tyranny.But, for all that, these weren't ground-breaking thoughts to me. Perhaps if I read this book when I was younger and less cynical, I'd be more profoundly affected by the truisms therein.As an intellectual exercise, it was one of the better ones.As a story though?I never really emotionaly connected with it. I hated Jessica. I liked her at first, but as the story progressed I just found myself more and more irritated by her, and sort of wished she was just shut up. I couldn't get a grasp on Paul as a person. Gurney was ok, but then disappears for most of the book. I also never connected with Stilgar as a person. The characters were all sort of thin, and there more for their role in the plot than as fleshed out people.I liked Channi, though. I've always liked Channi, in all the various versions of the story I've seen/read. And Alia, though I would've liked to have seen more of her.I found the Fremen interesting. Their mix on enlightenment and barbarism. The way women can be revered in one sense, and treated like chattle in another. The always odd to me notion of a culture in which death comes easy, life is cheap - and yet so much can hang on the balance of it at the same time.But, again, I found it interesting, but not emotionally engaging.As for the writing - it was oddly jumpy in places. I don't mean the shifts of thought-perspective. I quite liked that third person omniscience, actually, as we went from one persons thought to another's pretty seamlessly.But within scenes, we would jump to a different scene, and there would be no paragraph break or anything to let you know it's shifted. It was very jarring. The action sequences were sometimes done really well, but other times they were slapdash and hard to follow.And he tended to be repetitive, both in thought-patterns and descriptions. Such as the description of Gurney's "inkvine scar". Did this phrase really need to be repeated every time the scar is referenced? That's just the example that stood out the most, but it was a problem through the whole book, really.Anyway - I'm glad I read it, and I didn't hate it, as I feared I would, but, for me, for a book to get 4 or 5 stars I have to connect with it not just intellectually, but also emotionally, and this just never got there. But it was interesting, and it was worth the read.John Wiswell
No one should argue the importance Dune. It laid the foundations for a great deal of the themes and constructs in modern science fiction. Frank Herbert was as important to the genre as Isaac Asimov and Arthur Clarke. Unfortunately, just like them, he's quite dated, and his books can be a labor to read. One thing he maintained from old science fiction was prim and scientific dialogue that no one would ever actually speak. I've known many scientists, and they don't talk like this. You're not going to convince me a child does.The stuffy dialogue is inserted into even stuffier narrative, until it feels like nothing is organic about Herbert's prose. This is a terrible tragedy when you've got a world that he put so much effort into building - and it is an amazing feat of world-building, technically interplanetary building. But unlike J.R.R. Tolkien, who he is so frequently compared to, Herbert didn't make sure to include a great story in his world. Instead he included a story that frequently illustrated how clunky an artificial world can be, even if it's lovingly crafted. I struggled to attach or find interest in anyone, yet they're more archetypes than human beings, whose logic races past modern skepticism and whose dialogue is cloyingly artificial, the way people cared for the Hobbits, Dwarves and Rangers. In his world-building, Tolkien at least saved himself from being dated by antedating himself, and even with his illuminated prose, wrought more characteristics in just one protagonist than all of Dune's cast. Even the political intrigue Herbert tries to fall back on was overdone in the Spy genre decades before he started this book. All fans of the "Genre" genres should appreciate Herbert's massive contributions, but they shouldn't pretend to enjoy the books if they don't, and they should be wary of certain pitfalls typical of science fiction that survived into his landmark work.Cindy
I've spent a few days hoping that my thoughts and feelings about Dune will solidify into one coherent and brilliant essay. There's a lot going on in the book, and there's been a lot going on in my life, so coherency might not be forthcoming.Dune is intricate, at times confusing, allegorical and meticulously researched story. Even though I didn't fall in love with the characters, I fell in love with the book. It's easy to see how Dune is a classic, often imitated.I loved this book, but at least one of my GR friends who I greatly respect hated this book. Which is fine, because, hey, we all have different tastes. (And thank Odin we've got diverse authors and genres for all types!) But I couldn't help ponder which attributes might make Dune so disliked. Sure, it's long, it's complicated, and has a pretty big cast of characters. And despite the Reverend Mothers and their power, the book has that overall masculine appeal - testosterone in overdrive. I don't mind that, but I can see how it could bother some readers. But I think there might be other factors that would cause people to not just dislike, but really hate Dune. My hypothesis, (which I admit is most likely completely wrong, but I'll put it out there anyhow): Dune will only be loved by hard-core science fiction fans. I don't mean this in any derogatory way, since science fiction doesn't and can't appeal to all tastes. And that's quite all right by me.A year ago, Jo Walton wrote about a concept that she attributes to Samuel R. Delany, specifically from his book The Jewel-Hinged Jaw: Notes on the Language of Science Fiction. The thesis is that science-fiction has it's own language and protocols. From Walton's essay:"He then went on to say that one of the ways of approaching SF is to look at the way people read it—that those of us who read it have built up a set of skills for reading SF which let us enjoy it, where people who don't have this approach to reading are left confused."For SF fans, it's fun to read a story and not fully understand the language, the technology, the aliens, or what have you. And Dune is extremely challenging in this regard. The desert dwellers, the Fremen, have a culture that can be shocking and overly practical to us Earth-dwellers. There is a whole language and terminology invented, complete with a glossary included with the book. Herbert drops facts about a pre-history into the readers lap as if the reader already has knowledge of those events. It's a challenge to read, and not all readers would find those challenges "fun."Other fun things in Dune: Huge sandworms! Blue eyeballs! "Do as she says, you wormfaced, crawling, sand-brained piece of lizard turd!" Prophesies! Water-reclamation technologies!OK, now that I've thoroughly pissed off my non-sci-fi-loving friends, let's totally shift gears here. In my 40th Anniversary Edition, there is a afterword written by Frank Herbert's son, Brian Herbert, who has written many of the Dune sequels. Here's a few of the more fascinating revelations in his essay:* "When he was a boy, eight of [Frank Herbert's] Irish Catholic aunts tried to force Catholocism on him, but he resisted. Instead, this became the genesis of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood."* Herbert researched over a 4-year period, 1957-1961, then wrote the book between 1961-1965. The book was rejected by all the major publishing houses, but was finally picked up by Chilton, the publisher of all those car-repair manuals.* Sometimes Herbert would write passages first in poetry, before he expanded and converted them to prose.* Herbert took some inspiration of the Paul Maud'dib character from Lawrence of Arabia - the outsider who helped lead a desert revolt in Turkey in WWI.Ben Babcock
Second review (Reviewed on February 12, 2011).Dune is a classic because it tells a classic story well. It combines two plots that I love: a vast political intrigue with an intimate family conflict. The Atreides and Harkonnens are related by blood; their feud is a blood feud going back generations. Yet their battles are political in scale, using vassals as soldiers and spies in an interstellar chess game where the throne of the Imperium itself is within reach. In my first review, which I crafted hastily one day when I added this book to Goodreads, I pontificated on the role of science fiction as a setting rather than a genre. Frank Herbert chose to set Dune far into the future and across the galaxy. There are spaceships, shields, lasguns, and of course, the all-important spice. Yet, I argued, this changes nothing. Dune is not a classic work of science fiction; it is a classic, period.I stand by this, and while I do not want this review to be a rehash of the first, I want to elaborate further. It has been at least five years since I last read Dune, and I knew going into this reading that I would see it differently, since I'm now an adult, with more experiences and more science-fiction books under my belt. Though nominally science fiction and science fiction and fantasy in its setting, at its heart Dune is an epic, a tragedy reminiscent of ancient Greece and pre-Enlightenment Europe.House Atreides and House Harkonnen are embroiled in a bitter blood feud, and now that feud seems to be coming to an end in the form of a political gambit by the nefarious Baron Harkonnen that results in the destruction of Duke Leto Atreides, his family, and his new fiefdom on the desert planet of Arrakis. Backed by the Emperor, the Harkonnens seemingly wipe out House Atreides and re-assume control of Arrakis, the only planet known to produce spice. Spice is a panacea known for its geriatric properties, but more importantly, it is the only substance that gives Spacing Guild navigators the prescient visions required to navigate through folded space. Without the spice, interstellar travel would be limited to relativistic speeds. Hence the oft-repeated mantra: whoever controls the spice, controls the universe.Aside from the occasional mention of sandworms and spaceships and lasguns, this could be set in Tudor England or fifteenth-century France. The Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV does exactly what kings of old used to do; he pits his nobles against each other so they do not succeed in uniting to depose him. His downfall comes from underestimating House Atreides and the Fremen inhabitants of Arrakis who align themselves with the fugitive Atreides scion, Paul, also known to them as Muad'Dib. He becomes a messiah for the Fremen, a dangerous figure indeed, and in so doing discovers he has triggered a revolution he cannot fully control, even with his newfound powers as the Kwisatz Haderach, the culmination of a Bene Gesserit breeding program.I paid more attention to Paul's role as a messiah this time around. When I was younger, I didn't fully understand the ramifications of this role. (I remember rejecting Dune Messiah the first time I tried to read it because "it seemed to religious"!) Thanks to the two Sci-Fi channel miniseries that rekindled my interest in Dune, these ramifications are much more obvious. They inform the rest of the story, acting as a pivot point around which crucial events revolve. Paul's role as a messiah accords him great influence, great power—but as a role, it also restricts his choices as much as his visions of the future does.What's amazing is how close Baron Harkonnen comes to winning. Paul might have chosen to live out his days among the Fremen rather than win back his dukedom (and more), but he doesn't. Jessica even urges him to do this at one point, but it is clear the decision is less Paul's than it is the Fremen. They were set upon this path long before the Atreides came to Arrakis, back when Pardot Kynes and his son, Liet, commenced a centuries-long ecological transformation plan. They hate the Harkonnens perhaps as much as Paul does, are eager to raid against the Harkonnen forces, so they wouldn't take "no" as an answer; if Paul were to take the safe course, he would not find acceptance among them. Finally, Paul-Muad'Dib is their messiah, the Lisan al-Gaib. There are prophecies about him, and having demonstrated his authenticity as the messiah, he must fulfil them.Above all, Paul states several times he rejects the "temptation" to take the safer path. That's how his prescient visions manifest themselves—as potential paths the future could take, always twisting and snarling and reforming as each choice he makes changes that vision. He sees safer routes, but these, he says, lead only to stagnation. These are the routes the Guild navigators take, which has resulted in the Guild morphing into a parasite on the back of the Imperium. Having acquired prescience, Paul sees the potentialities for the human species, and he realizes he has the ability to effect change. But he has to be careful, because to know the future is to become trapped by it, even as one changes it.I guess I just have a soft spot for tragic heroes. I like watching heroes fall, because it reaffirms their humanity by the very fact that, despite their larger-than-life actions, they are flawed. This is important when it comes to Paul, because as the Kwisatz Haderach, he has become something posthuman, more-than-human. He is colder, slightly more divorced from his surroundings, because he is mediating both the present and the many-futures. It would be a mistaken to say he is disconnected, though, for it is clear he still loves and cares for Chani; rather, he is heavily burdened by his roles and responsibilities. We don't see his actual fall in this book, but the seeds of it are there—as Irulan says, every revolution carries with it the seeds of its own destruction. Herbert foreshadows the trials Paul will face: the uncontrollable storm of revolution; his increasing alienation from those close to him, like Gurney and Stilgar and even his mother; and of course, opposition from external forces, such as the Bene Gesserit and the former Padishah Emperor.A great hero deserves a correspondingly great villain, and the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen certainly fits this description. He is an intriguing counterpoint to Muad'Dib. Like Paul, the Baron is depicted as somewhat inhuman, but in his case it's because of his obese figure and his profound cruelty. This guy has his nephew murder the entire house seraglio as a punishment for discovering his nephew's crude plot to murder him! He will stop at nothing to get what he wants, and his wants are many, varied, and perverse. His flaws, however, get the better of him. As a result of his overindulgence and his arrogance, the Baron ignores the real threat—the Fremen and their messiah, Muad'Dib—while spending too much time counting all the riches he'll have and plotting to make his nephew emperor. His downfall is as much his own as it is Paul's (or, as the case may be, Alia's).So Dune has a great hero and a great villain. It also has plenty of morally-ambiguous characters who span the spectrum between. Jessica Atreides and Thufir Hawat fall into this category. Jessica was supposed to bear a daughter for the Bene Gesserit, who would in turn give birth to a Harkonnen son who might become the Kwisatz Haderach. They did not expect her, out of love for Duke Leto, to give birth to a son; they did not expect Paul's latent psychic abilities to come into full force through ingestion of spice. As a result of this act, Jessica irrevocably alters the Imperium. Though she claims she never regrets her decision, it is obvious that she struggles with her role as a Reverend Mother among the Fremen and how she influences Paul's actions. She is torn between being a mother and a Reverend Mother, between her son and her leader, her new duke.Hawat is captured by the Harkonnens while still labouring under the false impression that Jessica is a traitor. Reluctantly, he works for the Harkonnens while seeking a way to destroy them. In this role as a captive Mentat, we see Hawat become trapped, unable to destroy his new patrons but unwilling to forgive them or abandon his desire for vengeance. His manipulations of the Baron and the Baron's nephew bely his supposedly tamed status, but he has lost some—perhaps even most—of his edge; he is broken, if not beaten.I'm not sure what else I can say about Dune. It is a classic and a masterpiece because it takes a form and formula that are timeless and lays over this framework complex characters who struggle against each other and the circumstances in which they find themselves. Paul Atreides is a duke's son who becomes a desert fugitive, a reluctant warrior, and the figurehead of a revolution. Surrounding him are friends and family who soon begin to slip away, and enemies who underestimate him even as they plot to destroy his life and all that he holds dear. It's a story we've told time and again, but Herbert puts it in space, throws in some sandworms, and adds a little spice. Consequently, Dune stands on the shoulders of stories that have come before it, attaining its greatness because it is something both recognizable and unique.First review (When Added to Goodreads, Last Read Pre-Goodreads).Many people hear the words "science fiction" and run away in terror. They labour under the erroneous idea that science fiction must be some sort of fantastic space opera in which there are laser blasters, warp engines, teleportation, and all that jazz. Thanks in part to Star Wars, Star Trek, and the improvements of the special effects industry, science fiction is reduced that narrow category.So what is science fiction? Science fiction is a setting, not a story. And no book better demonstrates this than Frank Herbert's Dune. Yes, Dune is set in the future (the distant future). Yes, there are spaceships, other planets (in fact, Earth isn't around any more), and bizarre things like prescience. But once you accept these and move on to the actual story, you'll find that it is an epic, dynastic tale of political intrigue. It's set in the future, but the environment is distinctly feudal. Frank Herbert incorporates a dazzling array of motifs, such as religion, drugs, ecology, rebellion, and prophecy.Whenever I read Dune, I can't help but think about how big it is. The Dune universe operates on such a magnificence scope that it's hard to believe it came from the mind of one man. The story is timeless, because it is about the human condition: betrayal, love, murder, avarice--all of the characters exhibit the best and the worst of human emotions. In fact, Dune is devoid of alien intelligences. This isn't about humanity versus the Martians. It's about human versus human, one person pitting his or her intelligence against another. It's about the sacrifices necessary to achieve power or save a loved one.Dune is a classic, a masterpiece of fiction, regardless its genre.Katie
I've loved science fiction my whole life, but I was finally told that I couldn't call myself a SF fan if I hadn't read Dune. So I read it. I know Dune is worshipped as a paragon of groundbreaking SF, I can witness and acknowledge Herbert's genius, and I can understand that when it was written it was certainly seminal, but I still don't think much of it.Aside from Herbert's horribly annoying use of 3rd-person-omnipotent viewpoint, he's just not a good writer. For clarification: he's a fantastic story-teller and creator. He has an incredible imagination and a talent for world-building and interweaving complex storylines. But the actual craft of writing, well, he just can't write worth 2 beans. As a result, I found Dune nearly impossible to get through.Story-wise, I got bored with all the political stuff because it's not my thing, and I got bored with all the preaching about ecology. But I loved the elements that dealt more closely with the human drama, the personal choices characters make, their interactions with others, how they cope internally with themselves and their own strengths and weaknesses. Those are the stories I like. There was enough of that here to make me check out the sequel from the library, but after about 10 pages of Herbert's writing I just couldn't stomach any more.Keely
People often forget that this series is what innovated our modern concept of science fiction (up until Neuromancer and The Martix, at least). Dune took the Space Opera and asked if it might be more than spandex, dildo-shaped rockets, and scantily-clad green women. Herbert created a vast and complex system of ancient spatial politics and peoples, then set them at one another's throats over land, money, and drugs.Dune is often said to relate to Sci Fi in the same way that Tolkien relates to Fantasy. I'd say that, as far as paradigm shift, this is widely true. Both entered genres generally filled with the odd, childish, and ridiculous and injected a literary sensibility which affected all subsequent authors.Few will challenge the importance of Star Wars' effect on film and storytelling in general, but without Dune, there would be no Star Wars. Princess Alia, the desert planet, the Spice, the Bene Gesserit, and Leto II all have direct descendants in the movies. It is unfortunate that Lucas seems to have forgotten in these later years that his best genius was pilfered from Herbert, Campbell, and Kurosawa.Though I have heard that the later books do not capture the same eclectic energy as the first, Dune itself is simply one of the most original and unusual pieces of Sci Fi ever written. Read it, Starship Troopers, Ringworld, Neuromancer, and Snowcrash and you'll know everything you need to about Sci Fi: that you want more.Callum
Dune is an unusually savage, epic, ethereal space opera that subverts the common ideals of science fiction by transcending social and technological development, and focuses on the metaphysical aspects of human development. It's a fantastic work of fiction; complex in its setup and traditional in its delivery. It's loaded with societal intrigue, bizarre science-fiction, spacial politics, villainous aristocrats and elaborate interplanetary cultures.Every strange and wonderful dynamic in this novel works, be it the odd pairing of a highly technologically advanced society following an ancient feudal structure, to people, primitive by today's standards, living among beings so self-aware, their consciousness have surpassed mentality and enhanced their physical form. This novel doesn't consist of a basic structure; I mean, anyone could extrapolate elements of a medieval feudal system and throw in some spaceships, laser guns and superhumans. But that's not Dune. Herbert goes into profuse detail, creating ideas based on a dense speculation so precise, it's almost mathematical. He ingratiates every aspect of his world so intrinsically, that nothing feels out of place.Even with such an intelligently structured world gripped firmly in his hands, Frank Herbert's delivers with an almost childlike energy to his story. It's vicious, convoluted and fascinating. Each character, though memorable and important to the story, feel authentic. Yes, they contribute to the story, but they aren't just cogs whose goals are merely to assist the protagonist. They are individuals, with lives that transcend the plot of the story and therefore, play a far more profound part in the novel's entire design. At times, you'll really notice the grandeur of this novel. It plays with familiar themes, but there's a hard-hitting edge to them. He issues all the attributing factors that make up an empire and intensifies them with epic science fiction and supernal metaphysics. That brings me to the subject of expanded human conciousness, a phenomena that interlocks with many of the characters. I've seen plenty of science ficiton play with the idea of superhuman ilks; most notably in space operas. But they mostly consist of characters who fit a comic book type description and don't go any further than that.Dune is so compelling because these superhuman oddities deconstruct the psychology of the character. Because of this, they're actually interesting. Sure, they hold a power that supersedes any great force in the universe, but Herbert is quick to remind us they are still human. And this goes for every character, no matter their physical anomalies. And as bizarre and fantastical as it may initially appear, his work still remains a strong, serious subject of science fiction. His science fiction is built on the physical and the metaphysical, and the complex design of pseudo-divinity.As I mentioned, the characterization is nearly perfect. Sure, the work is more traditional, it has villains hungry for power and reluctant heroes who must embrace their fate, but it's compelling. I think the romance in this novel was handled incredibly well. It didn't start with mere physical attraction and it isn't established with some cheesy back story. It's warm, sweet and realistic. It builds gradually, and doesn't distract the story but improves it.Herbert is an (if not 'the') instigator of heavily modifed drugs playing a part in a relatively large work of science fiction. But he's most reknown for revolutionizing space operas. Neither the men or women were scantily clad, his vision of romanticism wasn't cheesy or falsified, and all his characters were three-dimensional and vivid without having to be cartoonish. Granted, the traditional villains may come off as so. But thinking about it, villains like Feyd Rautha and Baron Harkonnen seem to be Dune's answer to terrifying historical figures like Nero or Robespierre.Frank Herbert's Dune is bold and energetic. His science fiction is smart, strange and intriguing; it never substitutes substance for style and better yet, never emphasizes his concept over story or character. For all it's intelligent, complex, and metaphysical prowess, Dune is just a fantastic story. Being one of few that I had both the time and pleasure to read more than once. There are so many ideas here that are just unforgettable, and it's easy to see why it's considered so revolutionary.Karen
I've read this before and liked it; several portions stick vividly in my mind but I never read the rest of the series. I still don't expect to read the rest of the series, but my friend just read it and has brought it up a few times in conversation so when they had it on the "Librarians' Picks" shelf at the--guess where?!--library I grabbed it.ADDED FEBRUARY 26:The book has some odd characteristics of the writing that I am overlooking in favor of the story. I don't like the rapid jumps of point of view. I also think the "insights" provided by the jump into a character's thoughts are quite obvious and a poor strategy for alerting the reader of character motivations. It's actually kind of bad writing. But it gets better as the book progresses and more happens within each chapter to one or two characters only. I'm at Part II and the writing has improved tremendously.I do think it's funny how little bits of "I'm writing in 1965" slip into what is a remarkably timeless story. One character consults a wrist watch, and it's called a wrist watch. They watch instructional films. There's an evil homosexual in power, which is supposed to be a radical idea the way it's presented. I am very impressed, however, with the way the powerful Bene Gessirit (sp?) women are presented as just being powerful without any of the "I Am Woman" overtones that appear in 1970s and 1980s post-ERA fiction. Perhaps it matters that a man is writing and lacks the outrage and indignation of the oppressed and does not exaggerate what women could accomplish if given the chance. He just presents them as a sect with influence everywhere that pass knowledge and information through female bloodlines. They are neither earth goddessy nor particularly nurturing nor acting exactly like men. It's very modern and quite prescient. I'm impressed.ADDED FEBRUARY 28:I dunno. The book petered out for me in part three. Maybe I'm just being harsh on books this month, but I couldn't keep track of it anymore. Nothing happened but you had to just keep reading. I think I got sick of all the telepathy and prescience. The paranormal is fine but everything was explained as known in some psychic way. No one ever did anything except look into future timelines and pick the one where you weren't dead or someone else was dead and then stuff happened with that result. It was like eating dinner from a pill in Willy Wonka. There'd be these comments from a character along the lines of "let's go kill all those hundreds of slaves now" and "we just killed six thousand people outside"--huge events mentioned in passing. If you have to mention something like that at all, shouldn't there be a scene detailing it? That's excitement, not wisdom gained by psychically uploading the wisdom of ten people older than you.I remember really liking this book the first time I read it and now I don't remember why. Maybe it's because of all the jihad and bourkas and desert nomads in the book. I think we're Islamed out lately. I really would rather have started with the part where the Fremen were doing real work to transform the planet, but I already got that in Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars Trilogy (interestingly, another book/s with direct tributes to Islam).I guess in the end I don't care that much about courtly intrigue and want the book to be about something else. That's not the author's fault, I suppose.Apatt
Does the world need another Dune review? I very much doubt it needs mine but that never stopped me before, saturation be damned!Dune in and of itself, in isolation from the rest of the numerous other Dune books, is by general consensus the greatest sci-fi novel of all time. You may not agree, and one book can not please everybody but statistically Dune comes closest to achieving just this. Witness how often you see it at or near the top of all-time best sf books lists.I never read Dune with the intent to reviewing it before, it makes for a more attentive and actually more enjoyable reading experience. When I first read it in my early teens I did not really appreciate it, I thought it was good but overrated. There are just too much depth for my young mind to handle. I got the gist of the story just fine but the richness of the novel completely escaped me.What makes Dune superior to most sf books is the quality of the world building. Frank Herbert went into painstaking details of Arrakis without ever bogging down the story. During the main body of the novel (excluding the appendices) he did not once resort to making info dumps. How many modern day sf authors can do that? Still, world building alone can not possibly account for the legendary status of the book. Herbert places equal emphasis on the characterization, plot and prose. The book is full of memorable characters from the badass Lady Jessica, to Paul Atreides who starts off as a fairly generic Luke Skywalkerish "chosen one" kid to a messianic figure always ready with a sage comment for every occasion. The villains are even more colorful, especially the super-sized Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, so fat he needs anti gravity devices to help support his girth (cue worthless yo papa so fat he needs suspensors jokes). And his psychotic nephew Feyd-Rautha who is a ruthless natural born killer and seems kind of gay for some reason. When I read it as a young lad the book seemed very long, but by today's gigantic epic sf/f books standard Dune's 896 pages length does not seems like much of a challenge if you take into account almost 100 pages of appendices and glossary. It is a highly readable and accessible book that transports the reader to a very vividly realized place. If you are looking for a bit of escapism you can not beat reading Dune for the first time.That's enough review I think, I just want to make a few random observations for people who are familiar with this book (more than half the people who read this review imagine):- Most memorable scene for me is the "Gom Jabbar" test where Paul Atreides has his humanity tested by the Reverend Mother. What is yours?- I love the little quotes from all those Muad'Dib books by the Princess Irulan. How many are there? Is there a "Muad'Dib's Cookery Without Water" or perhaps a Muad'Dib popup book for the kids?- The stillsuits are great, I want one!- What is with all the "ah-h-h" business most (lesser) writers make do with an "ah!" or an "aha!". Are the characters having orgasms?- Don't skip the appendices, they are well worth reading.- Last but not least, do check out Dune - Book Summary & Analysis by Thug Notes on Youtube, preferably after you have finished Dune; it's funny, insightful and informative. Come to think of it, if you are having any difficulty getting through Dune you may want to watch this.Eric Allen
DuneBy Frank HerbertA Dune Retrospective by Eric AllenMy Wheel of Time retrospective is almost complete, so it's time for me to start up another one: Dune. For most people, Dune is a nearly incomprehensible cult classic movie that tells the tale of a man taking revenge for his father's murder by conquering a corrupt empire. For the true Sci-Fi nerd, Dune is to Science Fiction as Lord of the Rings was to Fantasy. At the time that Dune was published, Science Fiction was thought of as a low brow, childish genre that no one with an ounce of self respect would either read or write. Before this book, Sci-Fi was basically the joke of the literary world, and if you've read much Sci-Fi that comes before it, you'll see that people rightly thought of it as such. Frank Herbert had a brilliant idea. He had a story that was epic in scope, with great characters, intrigue, betrayal, revenge, and a whole slew of other things that had never really been applied to the Science Fiction genre, and instead of putting them in what would have been a more respectable setting at the time this book was written, he put it in a Sci-Fi setting. In a quote, Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, attributes his inspiration to go forward with his ideas for the original Star Trek series the following year to the success of Dune, and Sci-Fi fandom was born. Dune is an epic story, that happens to take place in a Science Fiction setting. At the time of its publication, it was one of a kind. These were two things that no one had ever thought to put together because the notion seemed ridiculous until Herbert showed them the way. You can see in the fifty years of Science Fiction that followed, many nods, references, and inspirations taken from this book.Herbert spent nearly a decade compiling notes before he even began writing this book. He wanted everything in it to be as scientifically accurate as possible. And it really does show in the book. In fact, when NASA began talking about how to terraform Mars into a planet that could support human life, it was Dune that they turned to first for ideas. Forgive any misspellings, this time through the book was in audio format and holy crap are there a lot of words hard to spell just by listening to them in this book.Dune begins with House Atreides packing up to leave their homeworld of Caladan to take possession of Arrakis, a.k.a. Dune, and the production of the spice that is harvested there, from their ancient rivals the Harkonens. Duke Leto knows that this is a trap, but is confidant that he can turn it to his advantage, and so has accepted the posting, moving his son Paul, and his concubine Jessica, as well as all of their servants and small army of House Soldiers to Dune.As Duke Leto predicted, a trap was laid for vague reasons that the book doesn't really feel the need to explain, though ARE explained, strangely enough, in the extended cut of the 1984 movie adaptation of all things. Through the use of a traitor, the Harkonens slaughter the Duke's forces, and take him and his family hostage. The Duke dies in custody, but Paul and his mother are able to escape into the desert where they join up with a group of Fremen, the native people of Arrakis.The rest of the book deals with Paul amongst the Fremen, preparing to take back Arrakis. He goes through rites of passage to become a full member of the Fremen tribe, and is affected by the spice to become the Kwisatz Haderach, or the first male Bene Gesserit, a being that their order has spent hundreds of generations regulating the breeding of the nobility of the universe to produce.When Paul's son is murdered, he leads a final attack on the Harkonens, taking Arrakis for the Fremen and the Empire for himself through the very real threat of being able to destroy all spice forever on Arrakis.The Good? As I said, Herbert did massive amounts of research into desert climates, what it would take to turn a desert into a paradise, how a body loses moisture and how that moisture can be saved, and a thousand other little details that make Dune all the more realistic because the science upon which the fiction is built is sound. His hard work really paid off to make a very realistic alien world. His combination of Science Fiction and elements of Epic, and Fantasy as well was revolutionary at the time, and brought about the golden age of Science Fiction that we know today. Such great series as Star Trek and Star Wars owe their success, in part, to Dune for paving the way before them. Herbert is a good writer, despite one or two flaws that I'll go into later in the review. His ability to describe things without seeming like he's describing them is something that few writers ever seem to be capable of achieving. His wording is, often times, very poetic, and he knows the value of repeating themes to make them stick in a reader's mind without going too far into repetition. Characters have very distinct and different personalities, and their interactions often come with quite a bit of clever dialog. There is a lot of exposition to give in this book, and the author never really infodumps it on us. He weaves it into the story oftentimes rather than lecturing us on it.The entire book is a rather clever allegory for Middle Eastern Oil that the author denied until shortly before his death. It makes a real profound statement on the world's reliance upon a resource that comes from such a volatile, and barren place that was MUCH ahead of its time.The Bad? There are a few things that are very vague in this book. The reason for moving House Atreides to Arrakis, for one. There are a lot of character motivations that are really left to the reader's imagination. We're not really told why a lot of things are happening, or how. There are a lot of things that happen for the convenience of the plot without explanation. Herbert worked for years on the science of Dune, but maybe he should have spent a little more time on developing the actual story on top of it. There are several uses of plot convenience and Dues Ex Machina that, while not overly offensive to the reader, DO still noticeably exist.The Ugly? The whole concept of the Kwisatz Haderach is not really explained AT ALL. Almost the entirety of the book deals with Paul becoming the Kwisatz Haderach, and Herbert never actually tells us what it is, what it does, or what it is supposed to accomplish. And yes, I HAVE read all of the other books so I have a much fuller understanding from them, but I'm talking about this book and this book alone, taken on its own merits. And taken on its own merits the Kwisatz Haderach is just some vague Chosen One that will do "something" sometime in the future. We are told that this being will be able to see the genetic memory of the male side of things as well as the female side, but it's never really explained what that means, what it entails, and why it's important. Paul develops powers of precognition, but we never really get told why or how, or if this is a part of his heritage as the Kwisatz Haderach. For a concept that is talked about for the majority of the book, and which the main character basically sets out on a quest to become, by the end of the book it's still a gigantic question mark. We know almost nothing about it by the time we reach the ending.This is just my personal preference, and really more of a nitpick than anything else, but the book is written in a voice called Third Person Omniscient, which means that rather than sticking with one single character's viewpoint for the entirety of a scene, with clear breaks to indicate the switching to a different character's point of view, the author switches around from character to character at random when one of them has a thought or observation that is relevant to the plot. I find it to be annoying and oftentimes confusing. This is one of my biggest dislikes in writing styles and was distracting enough to me that it did take away some of my enjoyment from the book.In conclusion, Dune has done quite a bit for Science Fiction as a genre. It's basically THE Science Fiction book. It's the one that paved the way for many of the excellent Sci-Fi that we have today, bringing the genre out of obscurity and showing its critics that it could be used to tell a truly epic story that is worth the time to read. Despite a few instances of vagueness, plot convenience, and just plain not explaining crucial plot details, Dune is a very enjoyable book that still holds up today, almost fifty years since its publication, as well as it did the day it was released. It is a book that every fan of Science Fiction should read at least once in their life. Check out my other reviews.Donovan
I had never read Dune. I can't put my finger on exactly why I hadn't read it; although, I do have a nebulous memory of picking it up and not being able to get in to it. I know for a fact that I'd read the closing line previously, which is something I never do prior to reading a book; so that is really odd, perhaps it was quoted in either the movie or the miniseries.I do know people, a surprising number of people, who give Dune an almost Biblical reverence. It isn't a selective grouping either. A totally random swath of people I've known have considered Dune to have had a very formative role in their growth; one, in particular, credits it with her move away from conservative religion. It is a really big deal to some people.While I don't feel like reading Dune changed my life, I did really enjoy it. I suspect I partially enjoyed it just due to contrast. I felt so unstimulated by the Foundation Trilogy that I was thrilled to read something where a "hero" was doing something. It allowed for the "I can change the world" fantasy transposition of reader and main character that I was missing in the Foundation books. I think that having a cast of characters who are active in the whole of the book was an important factor in drawing me into the story.I also enjoyed it for the richness of the world. That's where most of the "science" in this fiction was found, and I find myself more drawn to science as I mature. [In fact, I have been disappointed thus far; I want more science, less fiction.] I have to constantly remind myself while reading through the books on this list that these were, presumably, the first books to use these concepts. Frank Herbert made a universe, complete, from Space Guild to sand plankton. Even after years of reading other stories by authors who have done the same, I can still appreciate the depth of thought and idea behind Arrakis and its surrounding universe. I don't know if I've ever read a book which had as great a handle on the ecology of the world in which is was set; if I were pressed, I can only think of Grass by Sherri S. Tepper as coming close.Equally impressive was his treatment of religion. I especially liked the appendices, which moved even deeper into the evolution of religion over time. Herbert's answer to how religion [and culture] evolved over the millennia[s] since "Old Earth" is similar in concept to the answer Joss Whedon gave with Firefly. Herbert saw the future as blend of Middle Eastern and Western ways; Whedon's future is China/America. Being that his focus was religious as opposed to say, economic, this is understandable. It may even have been more base than that. Possibly he chose that direction because Arrakis is most similar to our desert regions where Islam originated, but I think it has more to do with cultural impact than mere climatic coincidence.I think one of the strongest elements is the writing itself. It's very well written. Although I had been exposed to 2 movie versions of Dune prior to reading it, almost none of the previous imagery colored my mental image of what the characters and settings were supposed to look like. Weaker writing would have easily allowed my perceptions to be molded by the theatrical versions. I really hate when that happens. I don't even know how I used to imagine Harry Potter looking before the movies came out. If Paul Atreides looks like anyone in my head that I've seen visually, I'd tell you he looks like this kid I went to school with [coincidentally named Paul Strange] [anybody remember that kid?] albeit much more attractive.Terence
Don't mistake me, Dune, the novel, retains its 4+ stars in my heavens. This audio version gets the lesser rating because of deficiencies in presentation.The good side of the CD is that, as happened while listening to Tolkien's The Silmarillion, I heard a lot of things I had missed or glossed over in my many rereadings of the book. (I first read Dune when I was 12 or so.) For example, I had never really grasped the "ecological" theme of the novel that many critics point to. I understood the setting of Arrakis but it was just that - the scene where much of the action takes place. The CD brought out Arrakis' role as a character in the book that my readings hadn't. Which is good - I like discovering something new when I reread a book.On the downside: The discs keep going back and forth between the narrator who reads all parts - dialog and narrative - and a cast that handles the dialog. And there appears to be no rhyme or reason for when this happens. In the first case, the narrator is fine when he's reading the story but his vocal range is limited. I wouldn't have minded him reading the entire novel but I think the production should have been consistent - all reader or reader + cast.As to the cast-read parts, most of the speakers are seriously miscast in my opinion. Particularly egregious were the actors who voiced Gurney Halleck and Stilgar. Gurney's tone and rhythms are all off; and Stilgar's delivery is stilted and suffers from a bad pseudo-Middle Eastern accent. (I admit, however, that the fault may not be entirely the cast's fault. Listening to Dune does highlight the fact that Herbert's ear for natural-sounding dialog is not always very good.)Recommended if you liked Dune and need something to listen to on a long road trip or to-and-from work, but one could wish for a better adaptation.Keith Mukai
I guess I'm one of the few that bridge the gap between the Pride and Prejudice camp and the Dune camp. I loved both.Dune isn't a light, enjoyable read. At times it reads more like excerpts from geology, ecology, zoology, sociology, pscyhology, and political textbooks. The characters are more like mega-archetypes than real human beings.The appeal of Dune is peculiar. In order to enjoy Dune you have to enjoy complexity. All authors create little worlds in their stories but Herbert created a world.He doesn't just say that Arrakis is a desert planet, he engrosses himself and the reader into the geology.He puts people on the planet, governments, conflicting cultures, conflicting religions, conflicting ways of life that are thought out to the Nth level above and beyond anything else I've ever read. You could write a sociology or politics dissertation on the societal relations Herbert conceived for Dune.Now is complexity itself a thing to be admired in a work of fiction? Generally no, but Dune is so immense and so detailed that it creates and inhabits a category of its own. The very fact that it often reads more like a National Geographic article than a sci-fi novel speaks to its peculiar charm.Admittedly, this will not appeal to everyone. In fact, odds are that it will appeal to hardly anyone. But limited appeal should in no way factor into a work's quality. Compare the Academy Award-winning films against the yearly box office numbers if you don't agree. I'm sure Armaggeddon outgrossed Monster's Ball.And amidst all this complexity lies a kind of new myth that blends mysticism, religion, and crass real-world politics. It's a hybrid; it's not The Odyssey and it's certainly not Star Wars but I do find great appeal in its particular take on Campbell's hero's journey. And the fact that it plumbs the intricacies of Muslim/Arab/desert culture adds another layer of exotic flair to the work.As if all that wasn't ambitious enough, it even articulates a fascinatingly dark but pragmatic destiny for humanity as a whole.And all of these incredibly ambitious elements are all tightly woven together. Take out one element and the story loses its cohesion. Despite all the ridiculous amounts of detail there is nothing extraneous in this novel.Dune is a remarkable, magnificent accomplishment. But it's okay if it's not to your taste.Richard
8/10A thoroughly enjoyable tale which is a classic in its own right and one that rightly stands atop the shoulders of many others in the sci-fi genre. Coming at it some 50 years after its publication date made the impact of this a little less impressive as some of the main ideas here have been seen multiple times in other works since, compared to if I was coming at it from publication date. Things that can't be taken away from this and are still really impressive are the sheer scope and depth of the world building and the cultures that inhabit Arrakis, quite often overshadowing the main events that are unfolding in the plot. The main story will be known by most as this has been around for some time and has even been adapted to both film and tv series. The book is split into 3 books of their own right which gave the overall feel of this somewhat as a condensed trilogy: The first book laid the foundations and gave the principle characters time to shine. I originally struggled to get into the book with all these tricky names and cultures I was unfamiliar with but when I'd got past the learning curve I began to enjoy things. There was political intrigue as to what was to occur on the new planet that House Atreides was moving to, also why the Duke was so ready to accept something that seemed so obviously a trap, even so that the Duke knew it himself. The characters were fleshed out enough to make them interesting but yet not enough to make you really care if any of them were struck down. The main bad guy was pretty terrible though. The ending of this book was somewhat bizarre and instantly drew me in to the next one. The second book was where things took a downward turn for me. The pacing became glacial with nothing major happening and I was worried that the promise of the first book would be lost. The characters didn't have enough about them to keep things going on their own and the plot was all geared around Paul and his new abilities. This is when I felt it truly was like a mini trilogy as the 2nd books always seem to slow building events for the final book.Which brings us neatly to the end. I wasn't expecting the shift in time but it didn't alter the fact that this book had more going on straightaway than the entire last book. Things really picked up and I was unable to put it down until completed. Everything was rounded off nicely with enough interest to take me to the next book at a later date. So whilst not the best read of the year I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would pick up the next in the series to see how things progress. A special shoutout has to go to the people I read this with in my first "buddy read" who offered their views and thoughts which added to the whole experience. If you like this try: "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes


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The warrior inside Tin Agno
Perhaps one of the toughest positions to play in volleyball is being the Libero. Being tasked to be the team's last line of defense against the opposition's main guns, the Libero spot is usually reserved for the squad's toughest nut.
In her U23 AVC campaign so far, it has been an up and down ride for Tin Agno given that it is her first time to take her talents to the international stage, but setting aside all the jitters and jeers, she is more than thankful to be representing the country's U23 Women's Volleyball Team.
"Ako, sobrang thankful na nakapaglaro ako dito. Ito ang pinaka-first time ko, since nagstart akong maglaro, na sumali dito," Agno told Tiebreaker Times.
However, considering how inexperienced the Filipino volleyball players are despite their great performances at the local leagues, Agno felt the pressure and had a rough ride to start the international tournament. In their game against Iran, she struggled mightily with Iran's strategic serves, but she would bounce back with a better performance in the Philippines' lone win against Kazakhstan.
Everyone expected that trend to continue, but Agno, once again, felt the pressure, and eventually struggled against Asian powerhouses like Japan, Taipei and most recently, China.
Known for being one of the most passionate fans when it comes to supporting their local teams, we Filipinos are always quick to backlash against our athletes if they have underwhelming performances. Unfortunately, for the past days, Agno has fallen prey to it.
"Sobrang bigat [ng pressure] kasi hindi na school ang dala mo at hindi basta isang liga lang," Agno added. "International na ito at siyempre kung compare naman siya sa akin na walang experience pa, nandoon ang pressure na ikaw lang mag-isa 'yung Libero tapos hindi pa biro 'yung kalaban."
Eventually, the critics got into her head which affected her performance inside the court. She felt that with just one mishap and the crowd will antagonize her; but if she gets things straight, Agno instantly becomes the hero.
Despite all those problems that bombarded her and really put a dent in her morale, Agno luckily has her teammates and close friends to pull her up in times of need.
"May times na bumigay na talaga ako pero hindi ako binitawan ng coaches, teammates [ko sa U23 team], teammates ko sa Army at teammates ko sa FEU. Iyong family ko hindi din nila ako binitawan. Sobrang chinicheer-up nila ako at minomotivate," Agno added. "Kapag sinasabi ng mga team mates ko at sina Coach Roger na nandito lang kami at nasa likod mo kami at wag kang mapressure. Doon ko nakuha ang confidence ko uli para lumaban."
Now, knowing that her colleagues will have her back until the tournament ends, Agno will just continue facing the giants and give it her all. With the country's love for volleyball stronger than before, Agno can only hope for the best in bringing pride to her motherland.
"Ikaw na ang nakataya diyan. Take the opportunity na wala nang urungan at kailangan matapang ka para sa team mo at para sa bansa na dinadala mo," Agno ended.
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- DLSU14 hours ago
Ramil De Jesus thankful for Tai Bundit: 'Di mage-evolve 'yung Philippine volleyball kung wala siya'
- ADMU2 days ago
Jho Maraguinot to forego last playing year
- ADMU5 days ago
Wendel Comboy, FEU rally from 17 down to stun Ateneo; Jun Manzo, UP hold off Letran
- ADMU1 day ago
Tab Baldwin wants Ateneo's Gilas Cadets to return to NT duties after school finals


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DELVAUX, Brown grained leather bag. With his protective bag.Material: GRAIN LEATHER.Brown color State: goodCompartments: 1Pocket: 2Clasp: magneticShoulder strap: 128 cmInside: skinjust slight patinaThe measures: 23/21/7 DELVAUX, Sac en cuir marron grainé. Avec son sac de protection.Matière : CUIR grainé. Couleur : marronEtat : bonCompartiments : 1Poche : 2Fermoir : aimantéBandoulière : 128 cmL'intérieur : peau juste légère patineLes mesures : 23/ 21/ 7
his Delvaux Cross Body Bag is the perfect carry-on for daily use. It comes in blue leather that's slightly grained.On the front flap, you can see a finishing touches in different colors and a gold-tone 'D' sign.The bag opens with a push-button to a beautiful suede interior. Thanks to the adjustable strap, it can be worn cross body or on the shoulder.
DELVAUX bag, model BADINE. Brown leather / cognac.Good condition.Worn shoulder strap (adjustable) or butt.The bag is robust. Measures: 23 cm / 19 cm / 4 cmDELVAUX sac, modèle BADINE . Cuir brun/cognac.Bon état.Porté bandoulière ( réglable ) ou crosse.Le sac bien robuste.Les mesures:23 cm / 19 cm / 4 cm
This vintage Delvaux crossbody bag is the perfect bag to carry with you on a day off. It has an adjustable shoulder strap and there's enough space inside for the things you need on a daily base.The bag also has a zip pocket inside.


text: James James is 20 years old male from Atlanta, United States. He is interested in meet new people, Jewelry. 20, male, Atlanta Likes: 41x Facebook profile Who s/he liked? Send message Favorite May she/he ask you for a date? Never Maybe Sure Interests: Jewelry Fast & Furious Wood working Dry White Wine Burger Usher Shopping PS3 Ocean Equestrian Noodles Relationship: ShowSexuality: ShowHeight: ShowWeight: ShowBody type: ShowEye color: ShowHair color: ShowLiving: ShowKids: ShowSmoking: ShowDrinking: Show Report photo Sign up to see all photos Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest Similar users Sergio 20, Tucson 39 Salsa Sergio 19, Chandler 37 Zachary 23, Dubuque 286 Brandon 21, Ashland 32 Alejandro 23, Revere 76 scott 23, Mckeesport 201 Zachary 23, Murrieta 179 Andrew 21, Shannon 131 Ashton 23, Dallas 48


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Cityroute Hotel
Select your stay dates to check availability at Cityroute Hotel
Cityroute Hotel
About the Hotel
Property Location
You'll be centrally located in Nishi with a stay at Cityroute Hotel, steps from Utsubo Park and close to Osaka Science Museum. This hotel is within close proximity of Orix Theater and Osaka International Convention Center.
Make yourself at home in one of the 124 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators and flat-screen televisions. Your room comes with a memory foam bed. Complimentary wired and wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and pay movies provides entertainment. Private bathrooms with shower/tub combinations feature complimentary toiletries and bidets.
Take advantage of recreation opportunities such as bicycles to rent, or other amenities including complimentary wireless Internet access and a fireplace in the lobby.
You can enjoy a meal at a restaurant serving the guests of Cityroute Hotel, or find a snack in a coffee shop/café. Meet other guests and eat at a complimentary reception.
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include complimentary wired Internet access, express check-in, and express check-out. Planning an event in Nishi? This hotel has 269 square feet (25 square meters) of space consisting of conference space and a meeting room. Limited parking is available onsite.
Hotel Facilities
- Conference space
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Smoke-free property
- Coffee shop or café
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Restaurant
- Parking (limited spaces)
- Elevator/lift
- Luggage storage
Room Facilities
- Free WiFi
- Bidet
- Free wired Internet
- Memory foam mattress
- Daily housekeeping
- Desk
- Flat-panel TV
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Free toiletries
Hotel Policy
Know Before You Go
- Children 6 years old and younger stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding.
- The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare requires all international visitors to submit their passport number and nationality when registering at any lodging facility (inns, hotels, motels, etc. ). Additionally, lodging proprietors are required to photocopy passports for all registering guests and keep the photocopy on file.
The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out.
- Late check-out fee: JPY 1500
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
Mandatory Fees and Taxes
- A city tax will be collected at the property effective January 1, 2017. The city tax ranges from JPY 100-300 per person, per night based on the nightly room rate. The tax does not apply to nightly rates under JPY 10,000. Please note that further exemptions may apply. For more details, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
We have included all charges provided to us by the property. However, charges can vary, for example, based on length of stay or the room you book.Show all hotel policy Show less hotel policy


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This property has been removed by the agent. It may be sold or temporarily removed from the market
3 bedroom semi-detached house for saleWindmill Lane, Castlecroft, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV3
Sold STC
Property Description
Key features
- Attractive Modern Semi -Detached Property
- Occupying a prime position in a favoured residential area
- Front Living Room
- Open Plan Kitchen with Dining Room
- Separate Utility
- Three Bedrooms
- Garage
- Enclosed Rear Garden
Full description
Tenure: Freehold
Occupying a prime position in a favoured residential area convenient for the majority of amenities this semi-detached property has been built to a well-planned specification utilising the maximum space.
The attractive interior incorporates reception hall, front living room with feature fire place, feature open plan dining kitchen with matching suite of units including integrated appliances and a most useful utility off and downstairs WC. On the first floor there are three bedrooms and a family bathroom with white suite. The rear garden is neatly landscaped and maintains the maximum privacy.
A fine example of its type the gas centrally heated, double glazed accommodation further comprises:
PVC door with double glazed leaded window, radiator and stairs off.
FRONT LIVING ROOM: 13'2'' (4.01m) x 13ft (3.97m)
Marble fireplace and heath with electric stone effect fire, double radiator, coved ceiling and double glazed bay window.
FULL WIDTH OPEN PLAN DINING KITCHEN: 10'11'' (3.33m) x 16'2'' (4.93m)
Matching suite of units comprising single drainer sink unit, range of cupboards with matching worktops including built in electric oven/ hob with stainless steel extractor hood over, suspended wall cupboard, pantry, radiator, recessed ceiling spotlighting, ceramic floor, patio window with walk out door to rear garden.
UTILITY: 13'5'' (4.09m) x 2.35m (7'9'')
Single drainer sink unit with matching worktops, plumbing for washing machine, central heating boiler, tiled floor, double glazed door and window and separate WC off.
GARAGE: 16'5'' (5.00m) x 7'9'' (2.35m)
Power and lighting.
Linen cupboard and double glazing.
White suite comprising paneled bath and screen, pedestal wash hand basin, close coupled WC, chrome radiator and double glazing.
BEDROOM ONE: 12'6'' (3.82m) x 9'10'' (3.00m)
Radiator and double glazing.
BEDROOM TWO: 12'1'' (3.69m) x 7'11'' (2.42m)
Radiator and double glazing.
BEDROOM THREE: 9'8'' (2.96m) x 1.83m (6ft)
Radiator and double glazing.
REAR GARDEN: Full width patio, lawn, variety of shrubs and surrounding fencing.
More information from this agent
To view this media, please visit the on-line version of this page at www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-63014807.html
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs)
To view this media, please visit the on-line version of this page at www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-63014807.html
Listing History
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Map & Street View
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Market Info
Disclaimer - Property reference 28awindmilllane. The information displayed about this property comprises a property advertisement. Rightmove.co.uk makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the advertisement or any linked or associated information, and Rightmove has no control over the content. This property advertisement does not constitute property particulars. The information is provided and maintained by Thomas Harvey, Tettenhall. Please contact the selling agent or developer directly to obtain any information which may be available under the terms of The Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 or the Home Report if in relation to a residential property in Scotland.
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Free online movies guide: trailers, reviews & upcoming movies.
MOVIE SYNOPSIS: You can watch Famadihana (Second Burial): Surviving Guilt and Grief, full movie on FULLTV - Directed by Jacques Randrianary, this full movie with audio in French (original language) was premiered in 2014. This movie, whose libretto belongs to Jacques Randrianary, is an original production of Madagascar. You are able to watch Famadihana (Second Burial): Surviving Guilt and Grief online, download or rent it as well on video-on-demand services (Netflix, HBO Now), pay-TV or movie theaters with original audio in French. This film has been premiered in theaters in 2014 (Movies 2014). The official release in theaters may differ from the year of production.
Film classification: General Audiences
Runtime: 28 minutes the full movie online HD (uncut)
Short film, Documental, Family.
The 28-minute film (full movie) was directed by Jacques Randrianary.
Good, meet its target to entertain. The story is interesting.
The original audio of Famadihana (Second Burial): Surviving Guilt and Grief has dialogues in or French. The film was produced in Madagascar.
It was premiered in cinemas or television in 2014.
Screenplay written by Jacques Randrianary.
Jacques Randrianary.
Sj Madagascar Province and Jacques Randrianary.
Original music composed by Chris de Silva.
As usual, the director filmed the scenes of this film in HD video (High Definition or 4K) with Dolby Digital audio. Without commercial breaks, the full movie Famadihana (Second Burial): Surviving Guilt and Grief has a duration of 28 minutes. Possibly, its official trailer stream is on the Internet. You can watch this full movie free with English or French subtitles on movie TV channels, renting the DVD or with VoD services (Video On Demand player, Hulu) and PPV (Pay Per View, Netflix Movies, Amazon Prime Video).
In this movie guide, you can find the most important information about TV films and premieres in USA 3D theaters and cinemas. Every day we add the best movies for you, so you can decide what you want to buy, rent or watch on TV. Visit IMDb data sheet for more information.
See the page of this full movie, Famadihana (Second Burial): Surviving Guilt and Grief in FULLTV Movies.
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|Surviving Me: The Nine Circles of Sophie


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text:
Looking for ways to unplug and relax?
You're not alone!
One of the most underutilized ways to reenergize after a stressful weak is getting outdoors. In a society in which almost all of our daily obligations occur inside an office pod or a classroom, it is so easy to let technology dominate our schedules.
But you'd be surprised how much a thirty minute break can rejuvenate your mind so that when you get back to work, you feel ready to go.
Now, most of us don't have time or money to buy a bunch of camping gear and take an epic trip out west for a week to "get away." Fortunately, there are countless activities that can get you outside and don't cost a cent.
If you're looking for some practical, schedule-friendly ways to get some fresh air, then this is your lucky day!
Here are 5 suggestions:
- Lunch-hour stroll: Sometimes our schedules get so full that we don't feel like we have time to specifically dedicate to exercise. But one thing we all have to do is eat! Pack a lunch that you can eat on the go and take a stroll around the neighborhood…you'll come back with your blood pumping and feeling refreshed!
- Snap a pic: For those of you that find yourselves indoors because exercise isn't your thing, there are still options for you! Nature has literally thousands of breath-taking photo opportunities that are just waiting to be captured. So grab your camera (or iPhone…whatever floats your boat) and see what's out there 🙂
- Take back the porch swing: What's better than one method of relaxation? Two! If you're a bookworm, than bring your favorite novel and "park" yourself on a bench (get it….park bench…) or a porch swing.
- Adventure Book: Remember the movie Up and the cute adventure book the couple made? If you love traveling why not document your adventures in a photo album? If printing out pictures sounds like too much work, there are plenty of apps or programs online that do the same thing!
- Nothing's better than a picnic: Who doesn't love a delicious picnic at your favorite mountain overview or lakeside? Bring a friend, your favorite snacks, and a blanket and enjoy the great outdoors!
These are just a couple ideas to get the ideas pumping, so feel free to create your own list of ways to unplug and connect with nature this week! We'd love to hear what you're up to 🙂 Comment below to share other ideas or tag us on Facebook!


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a review quiz would make the app worth 5 stars! i would like to mix all the cards i've learned together but haven't seen a function like that yet :(
a review quiz would make the app worth 5 stars! i would like to mix all the cards i've learned together but haven't seen a function like that yet :(
☝🏿me after using Chineasy 🤓
I have developed an all new fascination for Chinese culture. I want to learn everything I can from this app!
I'm confused how it shows characters and gives us the English definition, but then it tests us on Chinese words without any previous mention of them.
I am very happy with how easy you have made this instruction and how fun it actually is to learn. I look forward to using the app and can actually picture myself speaking what I always believed was a very difficult language to learn. Kudos to you!!
I have tried many language apps. This one I enjoy very much .
This app is awesome! It's super fun and interactive but very straight to the point. I downloaded it and played to level three then didn't play for another month. I picked it up and surprisingly remembered a lot. I think pairing it with a tiny journal would be really helpful for me lol. Either way, definitely worth it!
I love everything about this app, it really takes advantage of how the human brain learns. The color coordination, pictures on top of the characters, and explanations all make it that much easier to learn. One thing I would suggest is just to be reminded when a certain sound is repeated for another meaning, because grouping words together based on the common sound that they all make would definitely make it more likely that I remember all of the meanings of a single sound.
Not hard to learn and easier than Duolingo and babble.
I am a Chinese American who can speak Mandarin Chinese fluently but I've lost the skill to read it almost completely over the years at English school. This app has helped me so much to regain knowledge. I am forever grateful to it.
I've got to say that I was shocked about how easy it's been to use this app daily. I'm having so much fun and feel like I'm actually learning!!!
I never pay for a subscription app, but I gladly paid for this. It's a logical and intuitive approach at learning the language - and not forgetting it
It is just a really good app I am leaning fast and easy
Great For learning chinese. Thank You
Would love to see: (1) the "cards" on the Review screen be movable, so you can group them personally based on what you know versus what you get confused on and (2) more phrases mention in the definition of the word to help put context of the single word into likely phrases that you may hear that word/character used in.
On the menu, can you please add the option for self-test of all the words that we learnt, not just after every chapter. So, like a whole random test of all the words from all the chapters that we passed.
The symbol of person are two pieces of wood laying against each other, to support each other, to be able to stand. If you take one piece away, the other will fall. It is a way to explain that one can not be without the other. Fire, are the two pieces lit up. Ad the two additional strokes on person and you have fire. The two pieces of wood on fire. Here in this app it wants to tell you that it is symbolic for a walking person, what can not be more of from the real meaning. That puts meet completely off, as this would lead me to think I leaned the real meaning behind a symbol, what is in reality fascinating as it gives a view on Chinese thoughts, way of living, what is completely different from the Western way of thinking and living. My point is, that you are missing the point of the characters completely if you learn them in this Western way. So I will not use it, add it will distort the truth and it will be hard to reverse that later. Just think someone who learned the symbol person from this app, and now he goes around and claims it is symbolizing a walking person, and would spread this as truth. That would be there complete opposite meaning, that you and your ego after important and that this the first thing you see, not the Chinese eat that explains that we are all one and support each other. You see what I mean with Western way? So if you are looking to learn Chinese and interact with Chinese and fully understands them, this will be doing the opposite, as you will think how it is and can not be more of the truth in many cases.
This app is amazing because it uses a visual approach with varied memorisation techniques, and it also actually helps you learn WHY the symbols/characters are what they are today. Learning the etymology of a language is so important, and this approach has advanced me miles in my learning like no other learning tool has. Cannot recommend it enough!!
I'm enjoying this very much.
So yesterday I installed the app. It was amazing that I went straight forward and bought an annual subscription as it promises 1000+ words. I was sorely disappointed today when I reached level 40 out of 200 and there is NO MORE CONTENT AVAILABLE. That is simply ridiculous. I am honestly thinking about a refund as this is uhm. Unexpected. If this was not the case I would increase the rating to 5 stars without and issue. Edit: Still staying with my 1 star review as they promise a 1000 words and deliver about 200. Your approach to marketing this app is leaving a bad mark on it. If you do have all the levels done, and you are not releasing them so people do not abuse you - you should also consider the feelings of people who support you. Your roadmap is not the only thing that matters.
I like some of the aspects of this new app, but question why it does not concentrate on either Traditional or Simplified characters. As a fairly new student to Mandarin I find it confusing to switch between the two. I feel it is important to understand that I am learning one system or the other. There doesn't appear to be any reason to switch between, maybe they did it because some look better visually. If so, this is a deceiving way to market an app that is geared toward education. I have been looking forward to using the Chineasy ideas in app form for my learning, but this release was quite disappointing and not worth my time or money to learn a mix-n-match of methods. Update: I am not buying the developers response. They do not give a choice of which characters they make you learn, which switches between traditional and simplified. I will agree with the statement about teaching the cultural insights, but the fact remains that they are not giving choices and will end up confusing students when they realize they cannot use the characters interchangeably.
Great app. If you want to learn how to speak and write Chinese-Mandarin, this will help. I wish there is a way to check whether you are pronouncing the character correctly other than repeating it.
Easy Peasy! Love it!
First- this is awesome! Hands down best approach to learning Chinese characters! Second - this needs forced review and targeted help on problem areas. Third- I can't advance past level 70 and I pay. My guess is it's time locked to force you to keep paying. Finally- printing capabilities for DIY flash cards would be off the hook, yo!
Nice app but after 4 hours and 4 attempts could not get a password reset the same garbage emails is coming back with no reset password TNx for the fast response and it worked out fine and works good now on my iPhone and iPad I wish u could add some writing on the app with Apple Pencil TNx again
I like the method they use for learning Chinese characters and speaking the words. The reason I gave it four starts is because each section has review questions but not all the words we learned are covered. I feel I'm not retaining these words unless I go back and revisit those words specifically. If I find that the apps has a way to address these words, I will adjust my review.
They finally added a few more levels so I was able to use it for another hour, now I have to keep waiting for more content.
Just within a couple minutes of using the app I'm starting remember the characters. The flash cards with the art and sound is a helpful learning technique to learn this beautiful language.
What a great way to learn Chinese characters. Lots of fun and educational.
I'm loving it. Clean lines, clear sound, nice colors, layout and amount of words per session are great. All in all, a super cute and educational app. I can't wait for the kids to try it now. :) Thank you!
A great method for learning but I'd love to see more reinforcement/review as you advance on the levels and I'd like the app to say the word out loud after selecting the right word.
This app is great for learning individual Chinese symbols but it won't teach you Chinese grammar. I had to sit through two years of Chinese class in college and another semester in Shanghai China on study abroad in order to build my fluency in Chinese. Where this app succeeds is in allowing you to learn how to identify Chinese characters. If you tap want to Chinese character you can also hear it pronounced. Unfortunately this app can't really teach you the proper pronunciation of words nor can it teach you grammar because it does not allow you to use the words in Chinese sentences nor does it allow you to follow the placement of symbols in a complete sentence.
I'm learning very easily, can't wait to string together sentences.
I love this app because I can learn a language I always wanted to learn that my school doesn't offer, and I'm very happy how easy it is to remember, but can you make it to where the first 10 or 20 levels are free without a membership
Thank you so much for this wonderful way of learning Chinese which I am waiting for so long to realize
The mnemonics are absolutely fantastic! I especially appreciate the fact that you teach Traditional Characters. But it really would be great if there is a writing feature added. Maybe first tracing by stroke order, then writing test in a blank space? Mnemonics helps people to remember, but so does muscle memory. Thanks again!
Unfortunately I can't provide a proper review of the app because I wasn't able to use it. I would happily pay the subscription fee. But I, like many, do not feel like I should have to create a separate account to use an app. I do appreciate that you read all feedback and hope you make some changes. I'll check into the cards you have. :)
I stumbled upon this on the App Store and it has now turned into something I would do on a regular basis. Thank you, developer.
Learn something when stuck in line or anytime you have a few minutes. This is a deceptively simple app.
This is the best way to learn Chinese!!!
It moves you slowly into the vocabulary. Not overwhelming you with too much at one time. I also like how I can move easily between levels and review
You won't regret this download. I've read other reviews asking for full language course features like pronunciation tests, but none of that is necessary, not while Duolingo already exists. The one thing that Duolingo does NOT offer (other than Chineasy's wonderful illustrative mnemonics), is quizzing on writing and stroke order. This is absolutely necessary when learning Chinese. If we could have exercises on writing with fingers or the Apple pencil, this earn a full five stars. Bonus if it offered tracing hints at first and had a really intuitive reading of your writing along with a strict grading curve when it comes to stroke order. Edit: I'll add one more thing. If you're going to make it multiple choice, you have to make the options all be part of the same lesson. If only one of the four options is something I recognize from the last 5 minutes, it's too easy. All options should be from the same section whether it's symbols or translations.
This game is really helping me learn different words! Also it's spring break so Now I can get to learn about things when I'm not at school!
I tried it out for a bit and really liked the interface. I downloaded it to brush up on my Mandarin. Unfortunately I learned from living with people from the north part of mainland China, so some of the vocabulary and pronunciation is not quite what I'm used to. This is simply my preference, though, not a fault of the app or the developer. Great app for starting an amazing journey into a beautiful culture😊
Don't want to sign up for another account just to use this app. Don't need more spam.
The app is great and I downloaded it not knowing a single chinese word or character and now I know quite a few. One thing I would really love to have on the app though is a review quiz or something of that sort, so I could test over every character and word I've learned. I mean, if I'm being honest.. I'm going to forget the first ones I learned before long because I don't have a way to review without it giving the answers to me. I think a review test every 10 lessons or so would improve the app a ton. But like I said, overall the app is 6 out of 5, amazing. I LOVE IT and I'm excited to see what's ahead in the future improvements to the app!!!
This app is so simple but effective! I love playing around with it the association between words and pictures are amazing! Also the little inch worm pet is pretty cute too! Also the illustrations are on point as well. Great job with production!
This app beautifully and clearly presents the meaning of common Chinese characters. The brief description if each character and its meaning and origin are helpful for memorization. The additional pictorial element creates a strong visual that also assists with learning the characters. This is a well-designed app that easily teaches common Chinese words and characters to anyone.
App is perfect but need to put sentence with every new word a easy sentence not difficult it also increase the vocabulary
This is a great app.It teaches short cuts in Chinese


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