Dune: The Machine Crusade

By: Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 27 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

The breathtaking vision and incomparable storytelling of Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson's Dune: The Butlerian Jihad, a prequel to Frank Herbert's classic Dune, propelled it to the ranks of speculative fiction's classics in its own right. Now, with all the color, scope, and fascination of the prior novel, comes Dune: The Machine Crusade.

More than two decades have passed since the events chronicled in The Butlerian Jihad. The crusade against thinking robots has ground on for years, but the forces led by Serena Butler and Irbis Ginjo have made only slight gains; the human worlds grow weary of war, of the bloody, inconclusive swing from victory to defeat.

The fearsome cymeks, led by Agamemnon, hatch new plots to regain their lost power from Omnius, as their numbers dwindle and time begins to run out. The fighters of Ginaz, led by Jool Noret, forge themselves into an elite warrior class, a weapon against the machine-dominated worlds. Aurelius Venport and Norma Cenva are on the verge of the most important discovery in human history: a way to "fold" space and travel instantaneously to any place in the galaxy.

And on the faraway, nearly worthless planet of Arrakis, Selim Wormrider and his band of outlaws take the first steps to making themselves the feared fighters who will change the course of history: the Fremen.

Here is the unrivaled imaginative power that has put Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson on best seller lists everywhere and earned them the high regard of readers around the globe. The fantastic saga of Dune continues in Dune: The Machine Crusade.

©2003 Herbert Properties LLC (P)2003 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC and Books on Tape, Inc.

Grand continuance

Following the prequels should be enjoyable. They are fantastic unto themselves. I will not compare them to the original as they are unto themselves.

The fascinating frustration

Let’s start with the obvious. Yes, I loved the story line. Yes, it keeps true to the flow and vision of the original Dune Series. Now for my area frustration. Listening, I heard pronunciations of words that were cemented in my immutable knowledge base, pronounced differently. At the end of the book, as the writers give insight into their path to authoring this series, we learn that this was purposeful. So, I have two suggestions. Listen with an open mind and discover “the why” at the end of the book.

And then there was one. Everyone I know is dead.

I'm massive lore nut: I love the background information in the Dune universe. The machine crusade is loaded with political intrigue, horrible crimes, and unremitting war. The best part is the multiple story lines. The original 6 dune books have a very narrow scope, just one or two interlocking stories.

There's a moment in that last few chapters that really resonates with me. After Sabrina Butler throws away her life, Xavier Harkonnen burns up with Iblis Ginjo, Zufa Cenva needlessly gives her life to kill Hecate' (and her ex-husband in collateral), and Hecate's asteroid wipes out the Ginaz archipelago, that several characters find they are all that's left of their associates and dearest friends. Chirox was the most striking. The image of him standing on the island stripped bare, holding the broken body of his long time student and friend; contemplating how the core of the mercenary order happen been exterminated, and that he'd rebuild it. That's a powerful image, and I'm moved by the horror and desolation of that moment.

I'm in love

After watching the current iteration of the Dune saga movie, I was interested to know the backstory of the house harkonnen and house atreides conflict and was thrilled to see so many layers to absorb. This is only the second book but I cannot wait to cover the rest.

Awesome Story - Awesome Storyteller!

The narration is stellar! The intonations and timing are masterful, not to mention the voices for the characters. Every syllable carries weight, and keeps me transfixed! I can't wait to get to The Battle of Corrin.

This was engaging and well done.

Great Prequel. I found the origins of the opposing factions and people interesting. they honored the original while telling a new story. good job

Great Dune prequel with triumphs and trajectories.

Great Dune prequel with triumphs and trajectories. A continuation of The Butlerian Jihad. More, more!

great book

grand adventures surround us and call to us. sometimes we stumble into things we never new existed.

Awesome

Really enjoyed this. currently binging the whole series, read the original book now going in chronological order and loving it.

the gravity

more voices would be better and sound effects. like the movement of worms and female voices