Dune Messiah: Deluxe Edition - book cover
  • Publisher : Ace; Deluxe edition
  • Published : 04 Apr 2023
  • Pages : 288
  • ISBN-10 : 0593548442
  • ISBN-13 : 9780593548448
  • Language : English

Dune Messiah: Deluxe Edition

A deluxe hardcover edition of Dune Messiah, the second novel in Frank Herbert's magnificent science fiction saga.

This deluxe hardcover edition of Dune Messiah includes:
• An iconic new cover
• A stamped and foiled case featuring a quote from the Litany Against Fear
• Stained edges and fully illustrated endpapers
• A beautifully designed poster on the interior of the jacket
• An Introduction by Brian Herbert

Dune Messiah continues the story of Paul Atreides, better know-and feared-as the the man called Muad'Dib. As Emperor of the known universe, Paul possesses more power than a single man was ever meant to wield. Worshipped as a religious icon by the fanatical Fremen, Paul faces the enmity of the political houses he displaced when he assumed the throne-and a conspiracy conducted within his own sphere of influence.
 
And even as House Atreides begins to crumble around him from the machinations of his enemies, the true threat to Paul comes to his lover, Chani, and the unborn heir to his family's dynasty....

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Dune Messiah

"Brilliant...it is all that Dune was, and maybe a little more."-Galaxy Magazine

"The perfect companion piece to Dune...fascinating."-Challenging Destiny

Praise for Dune

"I know nothing comparable to it except Lord of the Rings."-Arthur C. Clarke

"A portrayal of an alien society more complete and deeply detailed than any other author in the field has managed...a story absorbing equally for its action and philosophical vistas."-The Washington Post Book World

"One of the monuments of modern science fiction."-Chicago Tribune

"Powerful, convincing, and most ingenious."-Robert A. Heinlein

"Herbert's creation of this universe, with its intricate development and analysis of ecology, religion, politics and philosophy, remains one of the supreme and seminal achievements in science fiction."-Louisville Times

Readers Top Reviews

AdamHDastS. Palme
This second book in the Dune trilogy polarises people. I confess when I first read this back in 1979 about a year after reading Dune for the first time I didn't particularly like it because it is very different, yes same characters, locations etc.. but the story line is not the same fast paced action and eventual results you hope for for the main character Paul. Having now just read Dune again 40 years later immediately followed by Dune Messiah I now get it, it can't be the same as Dune as it wouldn't work as a book. Dune is about change and the excitement of that happening, Messiah is about the consequences of that change and having to deal with the awful reality of it all, so its a bit bleak at times but reading it straight away after Dune was important to me as it felt like the conclusion to Paul's Dune experience. Do I like it, sort of, well maybe but it makes sense and anything is difficult to compare with Dune so I guess I do like it.
ProvidentialAdamH
Messiah is a bit of a dividing book, but then again so are all the books that followed Frank Herbert's Dune. Dune is an all-time sci-fi classic, unimpeachable thanks to its vast influence over other a broad range of media. Messiah? Not as much. What is Messiah about? Set 12 years after Dune, Messiah is about the world Paul-Muad'dib set in motion in the first book. You see the ramifications of his decisions, and you get quite a bit of pontificating about the nature of fate. Can the fortune-tellers of Dune really affect the future, or are they only catching glimpses of a destiny that already awaits them? That's what this book is really about. What makes Messiah different? Messiah takes the political subtext that was a big part of Dune, and elevates that aspect of the story until it nearly excludes the other portions. You're not going to get the same big battles, the fascinating technology, the brand-new ecologies. A lot of fans of Dune were really into that book book because of those far-future technological aspects, so they find this book strangely lacking. In Messiah you get what is almost an alternate-universe political treatise with oblique only references to the technologies of the first book. It's one part philosophy, one part politics, and really only a splash of far-future science fiction for flavor. Is Messiah good? I think it's so-so. At half the length of Dune, it's certainly not as epic in scope. Dune was not slow in pace, so that page count really does mean something. Messiah is by comparison just a short treatise. It's not bad, but it really doesn't expand on the Dune universe in a way that I was hoping for. I love the politics, but Herbet really skimped on the rest of the book getting there. If you padded out this book to Dune's length by inserting those action scenes back in, I might like it more. Repeatedly having characters wander from room to room pontificating while offhandedly mentioning the genocide of dozens of planets at a go does leave room for some exploration into that latter part of the story. Is Messiah worth reading? I'm in the process of re-reading the Dune novels before the upcoming movie, so at the moment I'm solidly in the camp of saying it's fine to stop with Dune. I have vague memories of Messiah and Children and Chapterhouse, and I found the whole thing underwhelming. People often say God Emperor is worth the trip, but having been so long since I read it and obviously since that book didn't stick with me, I'm not sure I agree. Maybe my mood will change after going through the series again but from where I stand - either stop at Dune, or buckle in for the whole series. Messiah is definitely more along the lines of the rest of the series. There's a lot of politics and philosophy ahead, so maybe that will help you decide if you want to go on. Overall: Messiah is okay. There's a reas...
Joe G.Joe G.Provi
Frank Herbert is something else. While reading this book my mind is drawn and quartered a thousand times. It is pushed and pulled this way and that. I am like a child grasping for meaning, knowing it is there but just out of reach. On the edge of understanding, I sit, in awe of what might be on the other side. Comprehension, just out of reach and yet in the back of my mind, it has been there the whole time. The words are new but they make sense, like some dream that tries to incorporate elements that seem, at first, to be disconnected, only to discover later, maybe after a day or two of contemplation, that the meaning was there amidst the confusion. Then, he brings you back. Frank Herbert, the man that sent you down the rabbit hole is there holding your hand and makes everything clear. Dune Messiah is the second in the Dune series and it is a wonderful rollercoaster. One minute I'm trying to follow the story and figure out what is happening, what might happen, and then the next minute I'm lost in the jargon and intrigue of a world I barely know. The internal ruminations of the characters, the dialogue, and the world that Frank Herbert created is so thoroughly it's own that it is like turning on a documentary from an alien world at an alien time. As much as it is unfamiliar it is just familiar enough to cause a fury of excitement and suspense. The intrigue is palpable and enticing. It keeps you going and gives you hope. In this, the second story about the desert planet known as Dune, we take up the story of Paul Atreides, AKA Muad 'Dib AKA Usul, AKA the ruler of the known universe. The book starts about twelve years after the end of the first Dune book. We find that with the help of violence, religious ideology, his prescient sister Alia, his Fremen soldiers, and his monopoly over the invaluable resource known as melange, Paul has brought his form of justice and leadership to all. He is known by some as a god and by others as a devil. He is not unaware of this duality and is plagued by his own doubt about the legacy that he is creating. Paul tackles internal and external threats to his dynasty but with his powers of foresight, he seems to be one step ahead of his enemies. While he attempts to root out the spies in his midst he is also dealing with the matter of his succession plan. Chani, his concubine and true love, is pregnant and there are many who want to take advantage of her vulnerability and Paul's potential weakness toward her. He knows who to trust but he doesn't always know if he can trust himself and by the end, the true plot is revealed. Will Paul fall to the wiles of his enemies or will he continue his violent conquest? Read to find out!
Zaking H.Joe G.Jo
This book does a phenomenol job of portraying the characters in a light, which makes you FEEL just how human they are. Expertly written, and well executed. It is definitely on the same level as, if not higher , than the first entry. I look forward to reading Children of Dune.
DanielZaking H.Jo
Not all will understand the significance of Dune Messiah. It is more relevant today than it was at release. Frank Herbert had a deep understanding of the machinations of men and this book is his warning to us all. Pay attention to the epigraphs.

Short Excerpt Teaser

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Introduction







EPILOGUE

Books by Frank Herbert

THE BOOK OF FRANK HERBERT
DESTINATION VOID (revised edition)
DIRECT DESCENT
THE DOSADI EXPERIMENT
EYE

THE EYES OF HEISENBERG
THE GODMAKERS
THE GREEN BRAIN
THE MAKER OF DUNE
THE SANTAROGA BARRIER
SOUL CATCHER
WHIPPING STAR
THE WHITE PLAGUE
THE WORLDS OF FRANK HERBERT
MAN OF TWO WORLDS
(with Brian Herbert)




The Dune Chronicles
DUNE
DUNE MESSIAH
CHILDREN OF DUNE
GOD EMPEROR OF DUNE
HERETICS OF DUNE
CHAPTERHOUSE: DUNE







Books by Frank Herbert and Bill Ransom
THE JESUS INCIDENT
THE LAZARUS EFFECT
THE ASCENSION FACTOR







Books edited by Brian Herbert
THE NOTEBOOKS OF FRANK HERBERT'S DUNE
SONGS OF MUAD'DIB

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.




Published by arrangement with Herbert Properties LLC.






Copyright © 1969 by Frank Herbert.




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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data




Herbert, Frank.
Dune messiah / Frank Herbert ; with a new introduction by Brian Herbert.
p. cm.-(Dune chronicles ; bk. 2)

eISBN : 978-1-101-15787-9




1. Dune (Imaginary place)-Fiction. I. Title.
PS3558.E63D86 2008
813'.54-dc22
2007040248

INTRODUCTION

by Brian Herbert



















Dune Messiah is the most misunderstood of Frank Herbert's novels. The reasons for this are as fascinating and complex as the renowned author himself.

Just before this first sequel to Dune was published in 1969, it ran in installments in the science fiction magazine Galaxy. The serialized "Dune Messiah" ...