Finished: 15.04.2026
Paul radically reshaped Empire. He overthrew ten thousand years old dynasty. His Fremen legions spread religious violence upon human cosmos on unimaginable scale in his and his family name. Paul is trapped in his circumstances, however he can seem to be the most powerful person of his times. Both biggest political and religious positions combined. Emperor, Muad’Dib of Fremens. He abhorred the violence that was waiting in his future already during events of “Dune”. His Kwisatz Haderath abilities of prescience cursed him to see that different choices (including his own death) would lead to even more death in his name.
“Dune Messiah” is direct sequel to the first novel, it is set barely dozen years after, which is minuscule next to scales that saga uses (at the start it’s ten thousand years since space Guild monopoly, which is a hundred since Butlerian Jihad, which is undefined future from our times). Capital of Empire was moved to Arrakis (known also as titular Dune), to its most populous city Arrakin, now vastly expanded. Paul is on the throne and the center of fanatic Fremen religion. His precocious sister Alia, awaken in prenatal stage with adult consciousness and ancestral memories, now teenager and equally worshipped as main priestess-goddess. Their mother Jessica withdrawn to their home planet, Kaladan, away from most of storyline of this novel. Dune ecological transformation, so awaited by Fremens, is quickened thanks to resources of the Empire.
In many regards I could praise this novel for the same reasons as first entry of the series, so I won’t be repeating myself about those aspects. It is much shorter though. Despite of changes that happened on Arrakis and in Empire, we got a lot of familiar elements. There are some new expansions to the universe.
At the center of the story lies intrigue to remove Paul. Multiple factions take part in this conspiracy and here we see new expansions in Dune universe. One of the factions is Tleilaxu, secretive society of genetic/biological engineers. One of their creations are Face Dancers, genderless humans with ability to change their appearance. Another are “gholas”, people brought out from death, but without memories from their original life. They brought out ghola of Duncan Idaho, Atreide loyal servant, and they gave him to Paul as a gift. We also see for the first time navigator of the Guild. It is revealed that they are heavily modified transhumans with fish characteristics who swim midair (thanks to some antigrav technology) in heavy melange vapor air. Another new addition is Ixans, advanced technologically culture that is working on the edge of Butlerian Jihad’s taboo against computers.
Chani is pregnant while Paul’s legal wife is left out from any intimacy or prospects for legal heir. It is one of the aspects that moves intrigue forward. One of the most memorable things was that due to intrigue Paul lost his sight and even eyes, but his precognition got stronger and he effectively could “see” through his vision. It only added to his religious aura. He can see ahead of him trap lied out for him by conspiracy, but the final gives some surprises for the reader. I really like that in this universe people with prescient abilities can’t see others with same abilities. That is key aspect of conspiracy and why navigator of the Guild was brought out.
The novel is short, I felt like most of it is slow preparation for the final. At the final various strands ties and pace hastens drastically, leaving the reader with big change that preconfigure new situation for the next sequel.