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Dune – Audio Book Review

Dune – Audio Book Review

As most of the people on this site would be aware of the classic book DUNE, now this is one I have to send in my Geek Cred certification I had not read it. As a result when I saw that this was available on Audible I jumped at the chance to get myself up to speed. The download was separated into 3 so that the 21 hours and 8 minutes of audio did not blow out your download limit. The hours seemed to fly by as story unfolds.

The story starts with the introduction of Paul Atreides, the child out of wedlock of the Duke Leto Atreides and his bound concubine. As they prepare to move. Ahead the desert planet Arrakis, sits like a giant sand dune, dry an laden with the most important material in the empire Melange. From these fairly simple origins the story sweeps over the planetary empire to the mysticism of the warrior survivor race called the Fremen. The pace quickens as the boy Paul, alienated by the families bitter enemies the Harkonnens, grows into the religious icon and warrior Maud’dib

The expansive world and the political intrigue is well chronicled and expressed in this version of the Award winning Frank Herbert novel so suits the world that it seems a quirk of nature that Dune was not written for the medium. Even thought the boo was originally published in 1965, it loses none of its relevance, particularly when you realise that it has been the subject of 1 movie, a mini-series, with another in the works

On a first listen the use of the actors and narrators was awesome. Though at subsequent listens the reuse of individual actors was apparent and being that it is dramatised was jarring. I am unsure as to whether that is because of the awesome material ( I am not saying anything new here, award winning content always helps) or the strength of the characterisations. The ability of the cast to get complex narrative without sounding lecturing is a plus, especially as this was an introduction to me in the medium.

I would also like to point out something my partner said to me which I took as an endorsement “Unlike most of the vision I have seen on DUNE, the really got across the sense of dryness”.

If you want a great introduction to Audio books or the genre defining series of Dune, grab it, download it and listen the hell out of it. Or if you have run out of Audio from CoolShite, and any other mediums, see if you can’t waste some time with this cracker! If you are on the ball you can get in before the movie comes out so you have a point of comparison.

Macmillan Audio also has the other books in the series, dramatised as well.

What do you think? Is audio the best way to bring the story of Dune to life? Or will the killing word be one delivered through earbuds?

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About The Author

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I am an avid consumer of media from pretty much anywhere, in pretty much any format. By day is a hard working Technical Consultant, by night a Spatial Avenger with mediocre wit and a talent for Pun-ishing remarks. One of the few people who can say he moved to the nations capital to work for someone other than the government. Standing for Vector, Raster and the Correct Coordinate System.

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