Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, Dune: The Battle of Corrin Review

Overall Rating

Dune: The Battle of Corrin
Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
Tor, Aug 2004, $27.95, 624 pp.
ISBN: 0765301598

The century-long war between the human Army of the Jihad and the thinking machine robots of the Synchronized Empire has surprisingly gone very well for the carbon based people. Machine leader Ominius concludes that if current trends continue, the humans will prove victorious as they keep recruiting new members with ease. Ominus needs a new weapon of mass destruction to change the tide so he introduces pandemic plagues to eradicate the enemy.

The virus work extremely well. The machines feel victory is eminent. The humans make a last stand at Corrin, but they are not only reeling from the plague infested deaths, they are divided, weakening them further. Jihad leader Varian Atreides claims rival Abulurd Harkonnen acted cowardly; thus both major houses are ready to battle one another at a time when unity is the only hope. Others have split apart, seeking solace in enclaves by forming a sorceres- based sisterhood and the Freemen of Dune. The future looks bleak for mankind.

Dune fans will appreciate the final tale in the Legends of Dune trilogy (see THE BUTLERIAN JIHAD and THE MACHINE CRUSADE) that is based on references from Frank Herbert's original 1960s novels. The storyline is relatively fast-paced (at least for a Dune tale), but also contains the typical mythos-religious blending that is a series trademark. The cast seems two-dimensional whether they are human or machine (no Johnny Five is alive amongst this crowd) except perhaps the heated rivalry that adds depth to Varian and Abulurd, but only when they are together in some context. Still, readers will enjoy the final act of survival prequels to the Dune dynasty.

Harriet Klausner