Ahira's Hangar

Sandworms came in the mail today - but there is a catch. The new Neil Gaiman book, Interworld, cowritten with Michael Reeves, also came. I think I will go for the Gaiman first, as I adore his writing. But Sandworms will come soon.

Me, I liked Neverwhere alot. And I love the Sandman comics. And Death, The High Cost of Living.

Just read Smoke & Mirrors and Anansi Boys though, and they left me pretty cold.

--A

I couldn't deal with the inexplicable reverence for rats in Neverwhere.

Now then, I did read Sandworms.

My first scattered impressions:

* I think they really might have written Hunters and Sandworms based on outlines and notes from Herbert. They are nowhere nearly as annoyingly written and riddled with continuity errors as the Houses books...in fact, they read like fleshed out outlines - which is OK, as the constant repetative descriptions aren't there to drive me crazy


* boy, did they sneak in some not so subtle plugs for Paul of Dune or what?

[spoiler]
* I sure as heck wasn't expecting a "happily ever after" ending for nearly every character...I do not associate "Happily ever after" with the Duniverse at all [/spoiler]

Definitely not. Oh well, I'm in no rush to read them...I'd rather read the prequels...maybe...

--A

The Main Problem I have with the Continuation of the Dune Series is Omnius and Erasimus, and their linking to the Old Man and Woman from Chapterhouse.

If you read Chapterhouse, particularly the ending, which is a dialog between the Old Man and Woman (who are really just Frank and his wife, Bev,) it becomes rather apparent that the Man and Woman had no malicious intent what so ever. They were a mouthpiece for the author, and, more specifically to the storyline, they represented the potential of the Scattering -- in an infinite Universe, anything may happen. God-like beings may come into existance.

My largest problem with the continuation, in re Man and Woman Omnius and Erasimus, is that the Old Man and Woman EXPLICITLY identify themselves as Facedancers! They come out and say it! Hellfire and Damnation! Did they not read the books?

*sigh*

There are more errors, but I'd have to re-read Hunters first.

Still, as I listen to Sandworms, their writing style becomes less annoying. I would re-read the Houses Books, (or re-attempt,) but for their mangling of cannon.

I may give the Butlerian Jihad books a go, since they can't mangle cannon much there.

Poor Leto II... I would like to have known him. Even if my last words became, "Damn you, Leto!"

I'd love to see the notes from that safety deposit box!! It would be nice to know how much they changed what Frank was planning.

Yeah, I think i'm more interested in the Jihad books myself. Anybody got the titles handy?

--A

Butlerian Jihad
The Machine Crusade
The Battle of Corrin

Thanks. I'll look for them first. (Not that I won't pick up the others if I happen across them...just because...they're...well...books. )

--A