Very interesting albeit short collection. I am not sure why they say this book collects three short stories when it actually collects four, but OK.

Stories are interesting but suffer from lack of elegance that disappeared from Dune books after Children of the Dune. While Franks further works got stuck in some weird verbose mode that made Proust and Dumas look like masters of short prose, works made after the Frank Herbert's death suffer from what I can only call over-explanation (something that all big serials suffer from, i.e. Star Wars).

When you look at the first Dune novel (up to the moment when Paul Atreides becomes Emperor) it is quite big but elegant book. It does not insist on details - fights are present and felt but they live in ones head, we are not bombarded by technical details. Just recall assassination attempt of undercover Sardaukar when Gurney gets back with Paul, or Feyd Rautha's arena fight or moment when Tufir Hawath gets captured in the desert - everything is in, fire, blades, thopters falling from the sky, scenes are quite alive and dynamic, but prose is not, lets call it that way, heavy. This is something I am dearly missing from original Dune novels.

That being said.....

Shadout Mapes story is interesting. Of course considering the modern times, she is a strong female fighting to be recognized in the Fremen society (which is total crap considering that in Fremen society women play important role and are fighting shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts - they are the ones who act as religious rulers and when they are capable (as in case of Jessica and later Aliya) they become warrior queens, very very deadly). That aside interesting story, shows how fight can be achieved in both overt and covert means. This is longest story in the book.

Story of the Sardaukar commander is a short one but very interesting. it sheds some light on this elite brotherhood, way they recruit and train. Interesting story about honor and duty.

Gurney Haleck's short story of revenge just shows how this warrior troubadour is deadly and blood hungry. While first two are stories set during longer time periods this one is set in period of couple of days and is very action oriented, very nice set-piece.

Final story is .... dont get me wrong .... quite pointless. If this story was chapter in a bigger book it would make more sense. This way it is [a very short] story that does not bring anything new - it is just one of the steps in Harkonnen-Atreides feud, cemented with several more dead bodies. For me this story was like 5 minute excerpt from a episode 10, Season 4 (out of say 15) of drama series (26 episodes each season). Absolutely not able to figure out the purpose of it. I am sure those who follow everything that comes out related to Dune universe will know what is going on, but I am left in the dark.

In any case very interesting collection of short stories. First three stories I think would play good introduction to the universe to a newcomer. For fans of Dune universe this would be equivalent to small snack and reunion with dear characters.

To general SF readers, I am not sure book would bring anything amazing (for anyone outside Dune universe, all four stories would seem rather generic) but I think it can act as elements to attract attention to the Dune universe in general (if mentioned SF readers never ventured into it).

For me this collection is 3.5 stars but for the inclusion of Sardaukar story I give it 4.

Recommended. ( )

Absorbing!

Ok, it’s been many years since I’ve read the Dune series (think the 70’s) and I’m still as enamoured as I was then.
These four novellas by Herbert and Anderson shed light on the back story of Gurney Halleck and other major figures of the Dune pantheon. A younger Shadeout Mapes, the relentless training of the Sardaukar represented by Bashar Jopati Koloa (with a curious finale), Willem Atreides and the of the conflict between the Houses of Atreides and Harkonnen.
We follow individual paths for revenge and freedom against the uncaring, debauched, power hungry elite of the Kaitain Empire and the implacable feuding outcomes of the various Houses spanning many worlds. Betrayal, determination, vengeance and the shifts of power balances stalk the pages.
A must read for Dune aficionados. Indeed I enjoyed these novellas so much I’m considering a Dune series reread.

A Macmillan-Tor/Forge ARC ( )