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Children Of Dune by Frank Herbert
01/04/2008 . Source: Rod MacDonald 
audio CD. pub: Audio Renaissance. 18 hours. 14 CDs. Price: $49.95 (US), $54.95 (CAN) ISBN: 978-1-4272-0291-8) read by: Simon Vance, Scott Brick, and others. Buy Children Of Dune in the USA - or Buy Children Of Dune in the UK  check out website: www.audiorenaissance.com and www.duneaudio.com
Good old Uncle Geoff! He's not such a bad fellow after all. First of all, he gave me the 'Dune' audio book to review followed by 'Dune Messiah', both of which were well received, enjoyed and reported in earlier editions of SFCrowsnest. With generosity that knows no bounds, he's given me the 'Children Of Dune' audio book to review. Perhaps he had a hidden agenda in thinking that listening to 17 hours of audio would keep me out of trouble!
This is the third in the 'Dune' series by Frank Herbert. It was first serialised in 1976 by Analog Science Fiction and Fact and was converted into a TV series by the Sci-Fi Channel in 2003. This audio edition maintains the same high standards set by Macmillan Audio with the previous volumes and it must be highly recommended. Indeed, the 'Dune' series of audio books will likely become collectors items and avid listeners will look forward to the future planned editions of Dune sequel books.
Essentially, the first three books in the 'Dune' series combined to make a trilogy. Later 'Dune' books are set much further in the future but these three make up a complete story. It's said that Frank Herbert intended this to be so in his initial conception of Dune.
What about the story? Paul Attrides, from the first two books, walked into the desert and disappeared leaving his twins, Leto and Ghanima, as heirs of the planet Arrakis. However, the only reason that the planet became significant in the first place was the fact that it was a dry desert inhabited by huge worms which produced, as a bi-product, the invaluable drug known as mélange or spice. When the planet, as a result of human intervention, started to become green and fertile, the environment for the production of this drug began to disappear thus creating the dilemma of the story.
This is a strange tale of success bringing on failure. The twins try to do something about the impending catastrophe but it's not that simple. Paul's sister, Alia's, influence isn't always helpful and there are a bunch of fanatics running about. The same fanatics that originally started things going in 'Dune' and later created havoc within the Empire in 'Dune Messiah'.
Do we dare make comparisons to some of the oil-rich states in the Middle East? Admittedly, in 'Children Of Dune', there are some fat cats wallowing in wealth from the revenue of spice sales but it is actually far more complicated than this. It is a tale about the ecology of a planet created by Frank Herbert 30 years before the same issues have taken on paramount importance in our world of today. Yes, the same complexities exist today. We know that the changing climate threatens mankind but doing something about it is a different question.
Frank Herbert was also rather cryptic on occasions. There are many issues in his books which can be interpreted in many ways so the choice is yours. Unfortunately, he is no longer with us so we can't ask 21st century questions from one of the best authors of the latter part of the 20th century.
This audio book is a true representation of the original story. Unabridged, it doesn't condense text and all you need is your imagination to follow the eloquent delivery of the narrators. Simon Vance and Scot Brick are favourites from the Macmillan Audio team. You won't be disappointed.
Rod MacDonald
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