Should I read Dune?

[salka]

Title is kind of a click-bait, obviously I should read Dune. Sorry about that.

The real question is should I read Dune before or after watching the movie?

I've been wanting to read Dune for a while, but I'm just so heavily into the Cosmere stuff, having just finished the Stormlight Archive and started on Mistborn. This stuff is so addictive!

So what do you think? Anyone read them AND seen the movie? How do they compare?

[Shard of Reading he/him]

As anyone who has ever seen a movie based on a book before can tell you, read the book first.

Okay, Actually, I'm kidding. I can't say anything about the movie, as I haven't seen it, but I think you'll enjoy both of them more if you've read the book first. (Don't let me change what you're trying to do, because, as I said, I haven't seen the movie)

[Eluvianii he/him]

As a small counterpoint or rather, a second option, sometimes I think you can get something from seeing the movie first. For one you won't be disappointed about any missing details, and when you eventually read the book, you'll be excited because you'll be finding out about said details. 

I can't speak as someone who's read the book and the movie either though. Hope somebody who meets the requirements sees the post. 

[+Invocation]

Watch the movie first. It can only go up from there. 

[Quantus he/him]

11 hours ago, Eluvianii said:

As a small counterpoint or rather, a second option, sometimes I think you can get something from seeing the movie first. For one you won't be disappointed about any missing details, and when you eventually read the book, you'll be excited because you'll be finding out about said details. 

I can't speak as someone who's read the book and the movie either though. Hope somebody who meets the requirements sees the post. 

 

10 hours ago, Invocation said:

Watch the movie first. It can only go up from there. 

This is where I land.  The book can't ruin the movie for you if you haven't read it, and the movie can't really ruin the book at all.  If I watch the movie first there's a strong chance I will like both, but that far less often the case if I read the novel first. 

 

Also, per THIS from the writer of the new Dune film, it will only adapt the first half of the first book.  Given that, I personally would definitely wait so you're not disappointed with a perceived 1/2 of a movie.  

[salka]

Interesting! Not the responses I was expecting.

I did start reading Dune, just a few chapters in but it's pretty captivating. Starts pretty fast compared to some... other.. *cough* Way of Kings *cough*.... books.

But you guys make good points. It's very unlikely that the movie will ruin the book, but it could go the other way.

Thanks!

[Orlion Blight he/him]

No, you shouldn't read Dune. You should let the old people talk amongst themselves of how good it is and surely THIS time there will be a good movie adaptation. 

The thing with most sci-fi fantasy classics, it's really not essential reading and more modern books are waaaay better. If you are enjoying it so far continue with it. Otherwise, pop culture references are easy to understand and deploy without reading it.

[+Invocation]

12 hours ago, Orlion Blight said:

more modern books are waaaay better

Especially once things go truly off the rails

[Orlion Blight he/him]

12 hours ago, Invocation said:

Especially once things go truly off the rails

My grandmother famously advised me to read the first book and pretend the others never happened. 

[+Invocation]

4 hours ago, Orlion Blight said:

My grandmother famously advised me to read the first book and pretend the others never happened. 

Solid advice. I wish I'd done that.

[Spren of Kindness she/her]

6 hours ago, Orlion Blight said:

My grandmother famously advised me to read the first book and pretend the others never happened. 

...I may be your grandmother.

Kidding.  But I don't recommend the ones after the first book.

[Eluvianii he/him]

Bad advice, each iteration only creates more curiosity. 

[Joe Abbott]

I first read the book, then I watched the movie and I wasn't disappointed

[Orlion Blight he/him]

That bad, huh? 

[Dunkum he/him]

On 9/22/2021 at 10:10 AM, Orlion Blight said:

No, you shouldn't read Dune. You should let the old people talk amongst themselves of how good it is and surely THIS time there will be a good movie adaptation. 

The thing with most sci-fi fantasy classics, it's really not essential reading and more modern books are waaaay better. If you are enjoying it so far continue with it. Otherwise, pop culture references are easy to understand and deploy without reading it.

Honestly, while I think you are mostly right, I do think Dune is an exception to this. it may not be perfect, but I think it holds up better than most f the Asimov I've read, for example.

[Orlion Blight he/him]

On 11/19/2021 at 4:27 PM, Dunkum said:

Honestly, while I think you are mostly right, I do think Dune is an exception to this. it may not be perfect, but I think it holds up better than most f the Asimov I've read, for example.

Better than Asimov is a low bar 

[Robin Sedai she/her]

Hmm, I think I disagree with you on that. I enjoyed some of Asimov's books, whereas I've tried Dune twice and never got past the first few chapters. Don't know why, it just never clicked for me.

[Orlion Blight he/him]

Oh, I've enjoyed far more Asimov than Herbert. Doesn't mean Asimov isn't a bad writer (that's also his opinion of himself, it isn't just me being pretentious).

Like, one of his best work is The Gods Themselves, and the final third (that he was proud of because he claimed it showed he could write sex. Spoiler: he could not) any way, the final third is garbage. 

In either event, my original point (that modern SF authors are waaaay better than both) still stands, and no one should have to feel that they HAVE to read the "classics".

[Randomed]

I don't know if you should, but when you read it, you'll want more