Dune was groundbreaking. It did for Sci-Fi what Lord of the Rings did for fantasy. Reading the first novel is an essential for all people series about novels whether a Sci-fi fan or not. It gets to grips with many concepts and explores them in a new light. How the hero (superhero) us flawed. How such power can and will go wrong eventually.
Of all of the six in the Dune series written by the original author, Frank Herbert I consider Chapterhouse Dune to be the greatest. The story keeps you gripped, the characters endear you and it makes you wonder what can possible happen next. If any book deserves the phrase 'page turner' this novel does.
One thing I found so enjoyable about it is it lets you see another side to the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood. In many of the other works they are seen as cold, distant perhaps even evil, certainly selfish. In this you see they are human. Sure cold at times, sure selfish, domineering but also caring, out for the human race not just themselves.
And here we see how they cope when they are on the brink of extinction from another new Sisterhood that are coming into play.
This sets things up for a great grand finale to the series yet alas Frank Herbert died before her could write the seventh novel which was to be the last. I hear news his son and his co-author plan on writing that, and despite their talent I doubt they can quite match what the Master would produce.