Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert

If you are expecting the average sequel to a successful book, then prepare to be surprised. This novel focuses almost solely on the political intrigue that occurs 12 years after DUNE. It is only 256 pages long, but it will drive most people away from a truly magnificent series. I suggest you force your way through the novel a first time then take a break then reread DUNE and read this novel again; it will make a lot more sense.

If you have read the first book and think you have a good idea where Frank Herbert would go with this book, you're probably wrong. Herbert shows his brilliance through what is not included in this book.

It's not giving much away to say that this book is set a period of years after the first book, a lesser author would have plodded through that time in detail, there was certainly scope in the story laid down in the first book to do. By moving the story forward Herbert has been able to craft a unique identity for Dune Messiah, rather than just being "the second dune book". This book leaves a strong impact on the reader after they put it down, much more than a sequel would be expected to have.

While the initial exposition of the book will have you wanting for something that follows hot on the heals of the first book, once Herbert weaves the webs of Dune Messiah's intrigue you won't be able to put it down.

The first Dune novel is really fascinating and engaging because of the intertwining of anthropology, planet ecology, politics, psycho-pharmacology,
strange technologies, alein races, and a thousand other things. This novel, Dune Messiah, is also highly entertaining and challenging because of its
emphasis on the consequences of total political/religious power and prescience.
Arcane/recondite philosophies, plots within plots, and gradiose staging make this one of the great science fictions stories of all time.