Fiction

Dune Messiah

Background

Originally published in 1969, Dune Messiah is the sequel to Frank Herbert’s classic science fiction novel Dune. The story takes place 12 years after the events of Dune, and it follows Paul Atreides, who has now become the Emperor of the Known Universe. However, Paul soon realizes that his power comes at a great cost, and he begins to question whether he is truly the messiah that his followers believe him to be. The novel explores themes of power, religion, and the dangers of hero worship.

Dune Messiah
Dune Messiah

My Thoughts

I wasn’t quite that impressed after the first book. Paul has many special powers but that won’t stop everyone around him from trying to control him. He seems a little overpowered for my tastes but the story works regardless.

Recommendation

Good book. It went by very fast.

Dune, The Duke of Caladan

Background

Published in Oct of 2020, Dune, The Duke of Caladan is the story of Leto Atreides. Who was this man and how did he get the privilege to oversee the spice mines on Arrakis. This novel is the first of 3 prequels to the saga of Dune.

Dune the Duke of Caladan
Dune the Duke of Caladan

My Thoughts

Another great book which felt very close to the writing of the original Dune series. Leto Atreides is set up to be the paragon of honor and responsibility. I’d compare him to Abraham Lincoln without the sense of humor. His people love him and his enemies hate him. Even the corrupt Emperor respects him…

Recommendation

Great read and worth the time.

Dune The Lady of Caladan

Background

Published September of 2021, Dune The Lady of Caladan is the second book in the new prequels to Dune. This book focus is on the Lady Jessica who was brought back to the Bene Gesserit and forced away from her family.

Dune The Lady of Caladan
Dune The Lady of Caladan

My Thoughts

A great book that felt very true to the writing of Dune. I actually thought I was rereading one of the old fan fictions and was surprised to find out this was a new book. Of course, as this was book 2, I had to find and read book 1.

Recommendation

Great read, very entertaining.

Bunnicula 1-7

Background

Bunnicula is a work of fiction originally thought up by the husband and wife team of James and Deborah Howe. The named character Bunnicula is a pet bunny who sleeps during the day and sucks the juices out of vegetables. However, the main characters are their pet cat Chester, who is convinced their is a conspiracy behind everything, and their dog Harold, who is thoroughly a dog. Harold is also set up as the semi-autobiographical author of the books. These books are billed as 3rd to 5th grade reading level.

1 Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery (1979)
2 Howliday Inn (1982)
3 The Celery Stalks at Midnight (1983)
4 Nighty Nightmare (1987)
5 Return to Howliday Inn (1992)
6 Bunnicula Strikes Again! (1995)
7 Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow (2006)

The Bunnicula Collection
The Bunnicula Collection
Bunnicula Books 4 and 5
Bunnicula Books 4 and 5
Bunnicula Books 6 and 7
Bunnicula Books 6 and 7

My Thoughts

This series was a fun read. I enjoyed the interplay between the pets and they tried to understand the world around them.

Recommendation

Worth the time to read.

Jim Morrison

Background

Jim Morrison was the lead singer of “The Doors” but he also considered himself a writer. This book is his collective works. Published in June of 2021, it is largely put together by his friends and children.

Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison

My Thoughts

When I started reading this book, I thought it was a autobiography. It really wasn’t. It was so much worse… It starts by telling you he considered himself a writer more than a musician. That may be true but if you can imagine the poetry of a drugged out 60’s post teenager, you have a good idea of what this book was like. But wait there’s more!

The folks that put out this book recycled some of the same material. I guess they figured the reader would have given up some time ago and wouldn’t notice. That would be a fair strategy except apparently I enjoy a good train wreck and just can’t look away.

Recommendation

Skip it. Seriously, it isn’t worth the time.

Shadows in Flight

Background

Published in January of 2012, Shadows in Flight tells the story of Bean and his kids as they are in at near light speed waiting for a cure to their condition. Hundreds of years have passed on Earth and they have been all but forgotten.

Shadows in Flight
Shadows in Flight

My Thoughts

I liked this one better than the last. It seemed to wrap things up a bit better and was pretty interesting.

Recommendation

If you are this far into the series, it was worth the read.

Shadow of the Giant

Background

Published in March of 2005, Shadow of the Giant is the fourth book in the “Shadow” series by Orson Scott Card. These books continue and deepen the story found in the “Ender’s Game” series.

This book finds Bean as an ever growing giant and watches the critical stages of Peter as he is trying to unite earth and end war forever. However, the question keeps coming up, “What to do with the Battle-school graduates?” They just keep stirring up trouble.

Shadow of the Giant
Shadow of the Giant

My Thoughts

This book closed up a bunch of gaps and brought some good closure to the series. There is another book so I will read it but this would have been a good stopping place for me.

Recommendation

Pretty good. Worth the time.

Shadow Puppets

Background

Published in August of 2002, Shadow Puppets is the third book in the Orson Scott Card’s Shadow Series. This installment follows Bean and Petra through their marriage and sees the resolution of their conflict with Achilles.

Shadow Puppets
Shadow Puppets

My Thoughts

Not a bad book but again it seems to give so much power to Achilles were it doesn’t seem to make much sense. Peter Wiggin continues to be more understandable and we see continued redemption of the Wiggin parents. All made the characters more human and therefore more likeable. Well done!

Recommendation

Good book

Shadow of the Hegemon

Background

Published in December of 2000, Shadow of the Hegemon is the second book in Orson Scott Card’s Shadow series. While we know the Hegemon will be Peter Wiggin (older and more aggressive brother of Ender Wiggin) the book primarily follows Bean and Petra through their lives after the great battle of Ender’s Game. It raises the specter of war on Earth after we ran out of others to fight.

Shadow of the Hegemon
Shadow of the Hegemon

My Thoughts

While it made sense the nation-states would fall back into war, I was surprised the main villain turned out to be Achilles who grew up on the streets with Bean. I just didn’t see him as that much of a character. Peter Wiggin becomes more reasonable now that he is overmatched and knows it. Also, we finally see the Wiggin parents weren’t quite the 2-dimensional characters they were made out to be.

Recommendation

Not a bad read

Children of the Mind

Background

Published in August of 1996, Children of the Mind is the final book in the Ender’s Game series. It finishes the tale of Ender Wiggin and shows what happened to the 4 sentient life forms they knew about. Is there another?

Children of the Mind
Children of the Mind

My Thoughts

It was well written and I enjoyed the experience. Some of the ideas presented were one’s I hadn’t really thought about before (e.g. communicating via ingestion). All of which is fun enough. However, there was something about this book that was tugging at me and I haven’t been able to really put a finger on it. I don’t believe I will read it again though I will likely read Ender’s Game a few more time as least. Perhaps I will revisit this at another time.

Recommendation

On the fence. It was worth closing out the series but it left me wanting.