Yet again a novel is written by Kevin J Anderson & Brian Herbert that is set in the Dune Universe. Together they have written 10 novels for the dune universe and quite frankly sometimes it tires a little. Yet is has been a while since the last one and its not like other writers haven’t milked out franchises. Their new book is called ‘Sisterhood of Dune’ and is the first book of a trilogy called Schools of Dune. Though if the book is not a succes then its possible they will can the others.
Personally I have mixed feelings about this book, it is set after the butlerian jihad which quite frankly wasn’t the best series of Dune books. And yet it is about the Bene Gesserit order which was my favorite from Frank Herbert’s original series. Kevin J anderson and Brian Herbert have so far not managed to eclipse the older Herbert with his skill in describing the Bene Gesserit. They have in fact done many miserable things like giving them magical powers. Here’s hoping for the best though I do wonder how yet another sequel will reach a lrager audience amongst the diminishing returns from readers as they turn away from the franchise. To someone it must make good business sense because publisher aren’t known for their heart of gold.
Here is the press release…
It is eighty-three years after the last of the thinking machines were destroyed in the Battle of Corrin, after Faykan Butler took the name of Corrino and established himself as the first Emperor of a new Imperium. Great changes are brewing that will shape and twist all of humankind.
The war hero Vorian Atreides has turned his back on politics and Salusa Secundus. The descendants of Abulurd Harkonnen Griffen and Valya have sworn vengeance against Vor, blaming him for the downfall of their fortunes. Raquella Berto-Anirul has formed the Bene Gesserit School on the jungle planet Rossak as the first Reverend Mother. The descendants of Aurelius Venport and Norma Cenva have built Venport Holdings, using mutated, spice-saturated Navigators who fly precursors of Heighliners. Gilbertus Albans, the ward of the hated Erasmus, is teaching humans to become Mentats…and hiding an unbelievable secret.
The Butlerian movement, rabidly opposed to all forms of “dangerous technology,” is led by Manford Torondo and his devoted Swordmaster, Anari Idaho. And it is this group, so many decades after the defeat of the thinking machines, which begins to sweep across the known universe in mobs, millions strong, destroying everything in its path.
Every one of these characters, and all of these groups, will become enmeshed in the contest between Reason and Faith. All of them will be forced to choose sides in the inevitable crusade that could destroy humankind forever….
The Sisterhood of Dune will be released on January 3, 2012.
UPDATE, despite the fact that is says january 3rd in the text above the novel is probably going to be released in february (according to most online publishers). However, this may be a discrepancy brought on by different release dates for the US & other countries!!!
Although I was really looking forward to the total cluster-fook that Throne of Dune was shaping up to be (come on, Shaddam with a ghola army?! How could that NOT suck out loud!!!), this one promises to be bad in enough ways to satisfy even the most bloodthirsty critic (like me!). One thing in particular to watch for is WHERE they locate the Commission of Ecumenical Translators: Herbert made it fairly obvious that the location was Hawaii… but then he made it fairly obvious that Marty and Daniel were some sort of super-advanced Face Dancer and they managed to screw that up. (The problem of course is that they nuked the Earth to cinders at the beginning of the Jihad.)
As one less than stellar fan of the McDune books used to crow on the Dune Novels forums, GOOD TIMES! 😀
(By the way, your title says “february 2012” but the main text and actual date is January!)