God Emperor of Dune

By: Frank Herbert

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 15 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's Summary

More than 3,000 years have passed since the first events recorded in Dune. Only one link survives with those tumultuous times: the grotesque figure of Leto Atreides, son of the prophet Paul Muad'Dib, and now the virtually immortal God Emperor of Dune. He alone understands the future, and he knows with a terrible certainty that the evolution of his race is at an end unless he can breed new qualities into his species.

But to achieve his final victory, Leto Atreides must also bring about his own downfall.

Don't miss other titles in the Dune series.

©1981 Frank Herbert (P)2008 Macmillan Audio

Critic Reviews

"A fourth visit to Arrakis that is every bit as fascinating as the other three - every bit as timely." ( Time)
"Rich fare...Heady stuff." ( Los Angeles Times)

Almost as good as the original

God Emperor of Dune compares well with the original Dune, better than the previous two sequels (Dune Messiah and Children of Dune). It doesn't quite measure up to the standard of the first book, but few books, anywhere, do.

Warning: God Emperor of Dune is the third sequel to Dune. Ignore this book until you are familiar with Dune and the first 2 sequels.

It is 3500 years since Leto II Atreides donned his living sandtrout armor. Leto is now a living deity as well as galactic emperor...prescient, super-intelligent, supremely strong, vengeful...and more sandworm than man. Arrakis is now lush and green; the sandworms (except for Leto) are all but extinct. There is no more spice, excepting centuries-old stockpiles.

This is Leto's Golden Path...the future for humanity that he foresaw and planned 3500 years ago.

Like most of Herbert's Dune books, this book has an operatic feel...it moves slowly and most of the book is taken up with dialogue. The story really is the people, their motives and their schemes. This book revolves almost entirely around the title character (more so than the prior books), but, then, the God Emperor is the dominant story of this time and place.

The narration is very well done; Simon Vance narrates most of the book, with Katherine Kellgren reading the occasional female-dominated chapter and Scott Brick delivering the epigraphs at the start of each chapter. Three excellent readers who did a great job.

The art of reading.

There is little need of me further commending the Dune series. My main purpose here is to praise Simon Vance's reading of this extremely long book - as it is perhaps most natural to think of all six of them as one book. He manages to balance an extremely clear enunciation with the right sense of emotion and complex character composition required. I'm eagerly waiting for Audible's publication of "Chapterhouse Dune" , and I certainly expect that Simon Vance will be entrusted with the whole project. He's given new life to a book which is already very alive.

Heavy but excellent book

I was 15 when I first tried reading the Dune series. I quickly devoured the books until I reached God Emperor. Despite trying to push through, I had made it about 2/3 of the way before giving up. After going back to it all these years later, I understand why.
God Emperor of Dune is a book about how a person can choose to act in a way completely counter to how most feel that someone should act in order to bring about an outcome meant for the greater good. The novel is somewhat dense, highly political, and very introspective. After going through God Emperor today, it's easy to understand why my 15 year old self struggled with making it through, as I hadn't experienced enough life to prepare me for the subject matter the novel deals with.
The novel is seen from the point of view of the guide, rather than the adventurer. It's a more mature view that it rare in science fiction, and for those who can identify with that mindset, the novel is very natural and free flowing. This story includes preparing a protege, passing the torch to those that will follow, and the joy that comes from that experience.
All in all, the piece is well written, remains relevant, and worth reading for anyone who wants to understand mentorship. The reading was very well done. It uses the same cast from the previous Dune novels who keep up the same level of quality.

Wonderful continuation of the Dune saga

Im working my way through all of the Dune books. While there is a significant amount of time passed between Children of Dune and this book the plot continues well with out the sense that a significant amount of the story is lost. This book is a little long in the tooth and IMO could have been a few hours shorter and not have lost the overall story. This book defiantly leaves me wanting to listen to the next part of the saga.

Excellent production

Frank Herbert's Dune series are among my all time favorite books. God Emperor is by far my favorite of the series. I have been waiting anxiously for the release of this production. I have not been disappointed. The story is at least as compelling in audio as it is in print. This production does the job excellently.

Great performance.

After I read God Emperor about five years ago, to me, it was one of the most engrossing book I had ever read.

This audiobook does the novel justice. Each of the voice actors match the mood and atmosphere nicely.

My one dislike I have with the audiobook, in my opinion, would have to be the woman narrator. She was great up until she did the voice of Leto. Having the male narrator do all the voices even the women kind of became stale. So allowing a lady to add a touch of feminism sure kept me listening. That being said, the male should have jumped in. Again that is my opinion.

I would definitely recommend this audio to all the fans of the dune novels for sure. Also, to individuals who may of had a hard time reading the novel.

And of course, to those who enjoy audiobooks in general.

My rating comes from my true opinions which I have just expressed.

God, this was horrible

I love the Dune series, and especially like the prequel books. But this book is just God awful. A 4000 year old worm God? Come on, and the entire book is just Leto Atreides rambling and rambling.

an actual mess.

this is less a story, and more the conservative ramblings of a mad man. I would say that it is a very disappointing and somewhat disgusting long essay with the most flimsy trappings of story surrounding it. what is most upsetting is the underlying casual homophobia and sexism hidden in the throwaway lines, bringing real truth to the anecdotes in dreamers of dune. This is as far in the series I once called my favorite, Time and education have made me too aware of the problems.

There are also problems with the writing, but I will sum those up with this fact; While Frank Herbert converted to buddhism, he still conceives of a universe where not only is there a self, but the cells are capable of containing that self and reproducing it.

The Golden Path is obvious!

They are doing a great job with the production on these books, The readers are fantastic!
Of course they are the Dune books by Herbert so they are great. This one was as good as the rest.

The best of Dune...

I'm a big fan of Frank Herbert's original works in this series. After the first book (Dune), this one ranks highest in my opinion, but it's true that you have to appreciate Herbert and the world he created in order to 'get' this book. I suspect most people who are fans of this book identify strongly with Duncan Idaho, who bridges the world of the first three books with God Emperor of Dune. Leto Atreides II is such a fascinating character - love him or hate him. The reading is very well done, especially Simon Vance and Katherine Kellgren. Fortunately Scott Brick only reads the chapter introductions... very much over the top as usual, but you can tune those out.

Only one problem

The female narrator is really out of tone and her voice is piercing. My speakers on my phone cant handle her voice so much and it hurt my ears. She also doesnt seem to be in the book as much as reciting without knowing. For instance she says things very drawn out and emotional twang then describes that it was said flat and emotionless. Apart from the female narrator for a very small amount of the book I thought it was a good rendition and this is my favorite dune book. I just skip the parts with the woman speaking

God emperor

Read all of the books, this one seems to ramble, then after a good stroll, finds the road at last. Saying that, the finality of the the last chapter, in my opinion, was rushed

Pretentious and pompous ramblings of a narcissist

The seeds of an interesting story and characters ruined by pompous and pretentious rambling. It’s Dune Messiah, but double the length. Not only is it boring (and oddly homophobic?) but it’s also made me think less of Children of Dune and Mark that down from a 4 to 3. I came into this after Children of Dune hyped to read the next instalment, and was even more excited after a really great and effective first chapter, but now I’m done with the series. Maybe someday I’ll come back, but for now I’m done.

At one point I accidentally skipped forward 2 hours in the audiobook and listened to a forty minute chapter, without noticing. That’s how little happens.

I hate this. Shame.

Confusing and boring in equal measure

I love the Dune books and expect to have my brain tested and expanded in order to capture the vast universe that Herbert has cast us into however this book, placed thousands of years after Children of Dune and thousands of years before the next book does not hold sufficiently new information, the storyline such as it is becomes mind numbingly boring and stilted and its impossible to empathise or even dislike any of the characters as they are all so one dimensional and stereotypical.
Furthermore the audiobook has some really annoying background noises and every now and then at the beginning of some of the chapters, a different narrator appears with a very weird and annoying way of speaking and it sound like he is speaking through a trumpet. This also happened in the first Dune book but the storyline was so fascinating I managed to ignore it most of the time.

another weird , thought provoking installment

this is by far the weirdest of the Dune books but also the mist thought provoking. it is si different to other books in the series but still has the distinctive feel of Dune. this a must listen for all those who have listened to the previous books but not one that could be understood without them.

Multiple readers positively ruins the immersion.

The multiple voices ruins this book. Using a different reader for the quotes is a good idea, but when a chapter suddenly is in a different voice with different interpretations of the cahracters, the magic is gone.

The story is fantastic.

the worst one of the series hands down. Boring and

the worst one of the series hands down. Boring and preachy. stop at previous one

Love this book.

Mind bending scale of structure, space and thought.

I would advise reading/listening to the previous books in the series first though.

Very well read.

God Awful

Like listening to Winston Churchill drone on for 16 hours. That is who the voice of the God Emperor puts me in mind of. Slow, unengaging and uneventful. More of a diatribe of portentous waffle. Pseudo-profundity for hour after hour after hour. I made it to 10 hours. Not sure how. Disappointing as I enjoyed the first 3 audio books.

Sorry, not for me

At times I really had to persevere with this book. The long speeches by Leto came across at its lowest points as drivel. First time in the series when I've been bored. The last two or three chapters pulled the book up, but they can't compensate for the other 10 chapters. Narration was excellent as usual.