Because of that, Dune Messiah places number 6 in the Dune series ranked. Not until the final few chapters does the book feel like anything of great substance happens, other than the reappearance of a specific unexpected character. Instead, the book focuses on the consequences of events that we didn’t see.ĭisappointment due to unfulfilled sequel potential aside, the book is just not as compelling as the other entries in the series. More than likely, what you would expect from the sequel to Dune would be an action-packed story of the Fremen Jihad prophesied in the original novel by Paul that would depict his war with the rest of the universe as he and his Fremen conquered the stars. The problem with Dune Messiah is that it’s not the book that you would expect to read after the conclusion of Dune. It’s well-written, intriguing, and overall a good book. Not because the book is terrible at all I think it gets a bad reputation and is judged too harshly by the community. Dune Messiah is also one of the most disappointing books I have ever read. Dune Messiah feels like an epilogue to Dune rather than a true sequel in many ways. Number 6 in the Dune series ranked is Dune Messiah (1969), book 2 in the series. * Potential Spoilers Ahead* #6 – Dune Messiah That being said, every single Dune novel written by Frank Herbert is worth reading. Heretics (1984) and Chapterhouse (1985) are worth it if you want to continue reading stories set in the Dune universe that are not necessarily connected to the storyline started in the original novel. In my opinion, God Emperor is the perfect ending to a specific storyline started from Dune (1965). I strongly recommend reading at least through God Emperor of Dune. Others say that you should read all six to get the complete story as Frank Herbert intended. Some argue that Dune can be read as a stand-alone book. Should you read the other Dune books?Ī common question many first-time readers have regarding the Dune series is whether or not it’s necessary to read the other Dune books after Dune (1965). In 2006, Brian Herbert, his son, continued the series with Hunters of Dune however, I will cover only the original six in the ranking list for this article. These six novels comprise the Dune series written by Frank Herbert. This is the correct reading order of Frank Herbert’s Dune series: If you are in the former category, this section will help you start your journey through the series. If you are in the latter category, you can skip this section. If you have clicked on this article, more than likely, you are interested in reading Dune or have already read the series but want to see where my rankings for the series match up with yours. It’s epic, strange, and one of the most imaginative pieces of fiction you will ever read. What starts as a sci-fi adventure story quickly evolves into a philosophical, political space opera. Let the Spice flow… Reading order of Duneįrank Herbert’s Dune series, simply put, is a masterpiece.

God emperor of dune cover