Dune Messiah (1969) Review
-For the Uncensored!
In Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah (1969) Frank Herbert experienced an enormous amounts of success, even though it took ten years to write the sequel. It meant that he had to create the sequel that people would love. Only then we see that end result of the work published in 1969. Dune Messiah shows us that Paul won, as he is head of the “Golden Lion” Throne, and Chani, who was his Fremen lover, ends up as his concubine. “Muad’Dib’s Imperial reign generated more historians than any other era in human history. Most of them argued a particular viewpoint, jealous and sectarian, but it say something about the peculiar impact of this man that he aroused such passions on so many diverse worlds.” (p.7). But “Dune was a world of paradox now—a world under siege, yet the center of power” (p. 32). But Paul sees his grandfather, Paulus, in the mirror, as he remembers him saying, through his spice induced power, “One who rules assumes irrevocable responsibility for the ruled. You are a husbandman. This demands, at times, a selfless act of love which may only be amusing to those you rule.” (p.34).
“Chani asserts, after they have tried and failed to produce an heir, to take Irulan and give an heir. Paul rejects this, but this is “fremen custom.” Paul sees so many thing since he became empeor. The spice, which he alone controls, allows him to see so much, but he’s addicted to it. Princess Irulan wouldn’t move against Paul if he created an heir.
What the book does do is show a plot brewing. Princess Irulan, with a face dancer, Scytale, with the help of the Reverand Mother Mohaim, the Bene Gesserit villain from Dune, plot against Paul. Much of the book is spent surrounding what traitors think. What the book does do well is that Paul’s Jihad couldn’t be abated. He couldn’t stop what he feared the most. He has now become a target for House Corrino’s daughter Irulan, to attack. Duncan Idaho is a Ghola, resurrected by the asdf to help kill Paul. Only the Ghola admits this, and his sister, Alia of the Blade, is his right hand.
What the book does prove is that Paul, twelve years after his reign, that he makes abundantly clear. And many people don’t think about this. Paul still thinks of himself as an individual. “Constitutions become the ultimate tyranny,” Paul said, “They’re organized power on such a scale as to be overwhelming. The constitution is social power mobilizied and it has no conscience. It can crush the highest and lowest, removing all dignity and individuality. It has an unstable balance point and no limitations. I however have limitations. In my desire to provide an ultimate protection for my people, I forbid a constitution.” (p. 78).
Duncan Idaho is resurrected as a Ghola, as he disobeys his priorities to kill Paul. Alia falls in love with the Ghola Duncan, as Duncan realizes he’s still inside the Ghola. Paul’s empire is crumbling around him. He can’t hold the people together. The plot is found, as Scytale is killed, and Irulan is given Paul’s seed, in order to let her leave. As Pauls empire collapsed, Chani dies, as he goes blind. Alia and Duncan are holding each other, and Paul’s children, are born. Paul leaves to wander the desert, as the Fremen don’t care about there blind. Stilgar comments on Paul’s legacy: “I see how we clutter the universe with our migrations. Muad’Dib gave us something uncluttered.” (P. 332).
It comes as no shock that Dune Messiah was a major disappointment to readers. Nobody wanted to see Paul end up a tyrant, but Paul’s words say it best: “There are problems in this universe for which there are no answers.” (p. 329). And when the question is posed, “Is this the golden genesis of man?” (P. 307)
Not for readers as they didn’t want to see Paul’s empire destroyed, as much as he wanted it to end. He didn’t want to be a leader. Some people are not meant to be Emperors. Some are thrust into a leadership role, but much of life is about answers that can’t be explained. Considering that the National Lampoon were disappointed, I certainly am not. Tragedy is part of life. If a generation can’t live with disappointment and failure, they have learned nothing from Dune Messiah. You can’t run away from failure, as much of it can’t be predicted or missed. So, Dune Messiah is the book that turns all boys into men, but fledgling writers into masters of the craft. I have hated commercial fiction for a long time but Dune helped me love commercial writing again.
To close this review, Fredrich Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Tharustra, “I love him who lives for knowledge, and who wants knowledge that one day the Superman may live. And thus he wills his own downfall.” (p. 44). I could argue this for days, but this is why Dune matters to so many people. Paul has so many visions that he brought upon his own downfall. This is why Dune matters. Paul is not the Superman, because he is earns his place in the Dune series. Which is why people are still curiously fascinated with Dune, even 56 years after its publication in 1965.
Final Analysis: 5/5
-Louis Bruno is the author of more than 19 books, including, The Michael Project, The Michael Project: Book 2: The Lost Children of Eve, Thy Kingdom Come, The Disintegrating Bloodline (and the original text re-released in 2019), Apocalypse Soldier, The Data Chase, Selection: The First Book of the Life and Death Saga, and Blinking Eyes: The Second Book of the Life and Death Saga, Hierarchy of Dwindling Sheep, The City of Sand, To the Moon and Back, The Villain Lives and The Villain Lives: The Divided Pinpoint, Come Home, Young One. He has a Bachelor of Arts in English from University of Phoenix. His books can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Lulu. He can be found on Gab, https://gab.com/thereallouistbruno, Minds https://www.minds.com/lbruno8063/. Instagram @lbrruno8063 and @louisbrunoofficialbook. Our Freedom Book https://www.ourfreedombook.com/thereallouistbruno17. He has written for the Intellectual Conservative and Ephemere. His next series, City of Sand is out now:https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/louis-bruno/city-of-sand/hardcover/product-rke9jz.html?page=1&pageSize=4. Also, if you can’t subscribe so that you can get members only content, please be sure to share the articles, as well. Subscribe as well so you can get my articles in your inbox every time. Every little bit helps in the war against Big Tech. Thanks for reading.