Children of Dune takes place 9 years after Dune Messiah. And yes, this final volume includes even more, “plots within plots within plots…”
The twins Ghanima and Leto are 9 and unfortunately, their father, Paul Muad-Dib is gone. Alia is in control of the “religious government” of Arrakis and her mother Jessica, returns to this planet of turmoil as the story begins.
The real question I had to keep asking myself while reading this was, “Who is really in control?” Is it Alia? She has apparently been in control for 9 years but is she losing that control? And does she lose more control when her powerful Bene Gesserit mother returns? Alia actually does the worst thing imaginable to retain the control she has, she becomes what the previous books foreshadowed her as being, an abomination.
But where is Jessica in all of this? Because of the ghola carrying out Alia’s plot to abduct her mother, Jessica spends the majority of her time on another planet, Salusa Secundas. She becomes an integral part of a new character, Farad’n, and his Bene Gesserit training.
The twins have their own plots. What begins as a plot to stay alive turns into a massive turn in the story for Leto to find his father and become something that may not be entirely human. Ghanima plays a mainly supporting role in Leto achieving his goals, while still having an incredible story of her own. And by the way, do not call her a “child”!
Overall, Children of Dune is even more intriguing and epic than either Dune or its sequel, Dune Messiah. I highly recommend this series not only because it’s great, but also because it is a must-read for scifi and fantasy fans. The ideas that were created in the making of this masterpiece live on today in the modern era of these genres.
Thanks for reading my review! Next I’ll be reading and reviewing Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Happy Reading!!
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