"I know nothing compared to it except Lord of the Rings", Arthur C. Clarke has noted on the back cover. We all know who Mr Clarke is, famous author of the brilliant "2001", a novel that is the sister book to the visually stunning "2001: A Space Odyssey" movie directed by Stanley Kubrick. Which I want to name the movie with the best opening ever. Also sprach Zarathustra as the camera pans a sunrise from space.. Wonderful!

Now, I only state this to argue that Mr Clarke is not anybody. He knows good science fiction when he sees it. Also Robert Heinlein has described the book in favourable terms.

Now to me. Did I like the book? Well, meh. It left me in a meh state. I do not dislike the book by no means, it is just that I was just left with a feeling that it lacked the cleverness of Isaac Asimov's novels and the political messages of Robert Heinlein, to give two examples. It was a fantasy book without magic, set on a distant planet thus qualifying it as a science fiction novel. I fully agree with Clarke that it compares to the Lord of the Rings. I finished two and a half books in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and I stopped half way through the third because, I became bored. There was no depth in the story. And the same goes with Dune. No hidden messages, no layers, just a quite complete environment and a somewhat compelling story. But I want more, stir my feelings and opinions, tickle my mind..

But I would recommend it. If not for anything else, then for the importance of the novel in the world of science fiction. It is one of the classics, and thus a novel one should read. It has no doubt shaped science fiction of today and influenced authors of past, present and future. Go read it! But for depth, then choose one of the author I gave as examples above.