I’ve always been a science fiction and fantasy fan. I’m ashamed to say I had never picked up “Dune” because the overall tenor of the conversation around David Lynch’s adaptation had turned me off. Then… Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation came out. Villeneuve is my favorite modern director. I loved it and wound up seeing it four times in theaters, and I wanted to know what happened next… and so I finally picked up the book.

The book does not disappoint. The ending is a bit rushed but I forgive it for superb world building, and the presentation of a morally ambiguous story about power and the way it corrupts even the most beloved characters. I couldn’t help but think how ahead of its time it was; moral ambiguity was hardly the trend back when Herbert wrote the book. In many ways, I was able to see how Dune’s DNA influenced the similar moral ambiguity and focus on palace intrigue and politicking that exists in George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice And Fire.” I was so taken by the world and by the characters. Loved it.