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One of the great classics of science fiction, a book that has inspired two different movie versions-- this book lives up to the hype. With Dune, Herbert created an entire space-faring society with all the intricacies of real history, politics, and war. There are plenty of memorable, fascinating characters, along with many fascinating ideas about what makes good leaders, soldiers and strategies, and the interaction of fate, prophecy, and being able to see the future. And, of course, the planet Dune itself, with the strange worms and mysterious Fremen, and the powerful spice... all are compelling, at least to my imagination.

The Bene Gesserit are a fascinating creation-- trained women with an incredibly long-range plan to influence society, women who are taught to control themselves to the utmost degree, and who are willing to use their bodies when necessary to advance the Bene Gesserit cause. (Pity the woman who had to seduce the Baron Harkonnen before his tastes devolved completely away from females...) I find the Princess Irulan a particularly interesting character; we get to know her through her writings before we know her fate, since many of the chapters are prefaced with lines from her texts. She is forced into her eventual fate in part because of her Bene Gesserit training; it seems to me that she thinks very highly of Paul Muad'Dib, in spite of the fact that he deposes her father, and could even love him-- but because of his love for Chani, and consequent harshness towards her, nothing can ever come of it.

One of the more interesting things about Dune is the ambiguity about prophecy-- there are plenty of statements made by the Fremen about Paul when they first meet him, but Jessica seems certain (at least, at the beginning) that they are merely taking advantage of prophecies planted by the Bene Gesserit for their protection in an emergency such as this-- although there is clearly much more going on among the Fremen of Arrakis.

Dune is a powerful, intricate book that is worth reading and even re-reading. There is an incredible wealth of ideas contained in this one book.

Title:	Dune
Author:	Frank Herbert
Date published:	1965
Genre:	Science Fiction
Series:	Dune Chronicles
Number of pages:	533
Notes:	Second reading.

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This is an well-written novel centering on various members of a large British family, all connected to an eccentric but dominating matriarch, a feminist, the famous writer Freda Haxby Palmar, the "witch" of the title. Her family all think she has finally gone off the deep end this time, but are uncertain that any of them have any influence over her or any ability to stop her. However, the most compelling idea to me (one that stayed with me) is David D'Anger's idea of "pushing the button": if you could, with the push of a button, revolutionize our social hierarchy in the hopes of making things at least slightly better for everyone even if it makes your own situation worse, would you do it? This question is posed mostly as a thought experiment as part of a dinner conversation, but the implication is that those who are wealthy and comfortable in the current system-- despite its injustices-- are not very likely to "push the button".

I bought this book used at a library for a pretty good price, because Margaret Drabble's name caught my eye. I had read The Radiant Way before and enjoyed it fairly well (and, no doubt, the title caught my eye because of my predilection for fantasy-- although the book doesn't really deliver on that end). It took me a long time to read this one (I think I actually started it sometime last year). The characters are all incredibly realistic and believable, and each one has their flaws, but none of them is particularly admirable or likable, so it is difficult to connect to any of them.

The book is well-written, and there are some fun points where the narrator intrudes and bluntly tells you that there are details you don't get to see because they aren't important to the story, or other little comments like that, which I enjoyed. However, the book as a whole is a pretty slow read, and rather sad in general-- so many unhappy people, and an unjust society that they are all part of.

Here is a quote from David D'Angers about pushing the button (although this is earlier in the book, while he still quite idealistic), which is the one idea from this book that really stayed with me:

To know the good is to choose it. This is what he learnt. This became clear to him as a boy and it is clear to him now. He would push the button, he would countenance earthquakes. He would rip away the veil from the temple and force us to choose the good. You know such men are dangerous. He knows the absence of such men is dangerous.

Title:	The Witch of Exmoor
Author:	Margaret Drabble
Date published:	1996
Genre:	Fiction
Number of pages:	281

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Connie Willis herself admits it in an interview:

"The answer to your question about Uncharted Territory is, no, you weren't supposed to have figured it out. Yes, I was trying to trick you. No, I do not intend to apologize."

I got this book partly for the sake of completeness (since I now own most of Connie Willis' books), without knowing too much about it. What comments or reviews I had come across were a bit inconsistent, but I love Connie Willis' work so much, I decided to take a chance.

Uncharted Territory is fairly short - it's probably classified as novella rather than a novel - and it is unusual (as far as I know) among Willis' work because, as she admits, to a certain extent she is trying to trick the reader. The story seems a little bit confusing at first, because you don't get all the details and things don't quite make sense-- but it helps to realize that this is intentional, and is certainly not the result of shoddy writing.

I don't want to reveal too much, because I would hate to spoil the surprise for anyone. I will say that this book has some interesting things to say about gender and attraction. And, by virtue of the way Willis tricks the reader, it may reveal some of our own assumptions, by the things we take for granted when reading a book, even when we have not explicitly been told.

Title:	Uncharted Territory
Author:	Connie Willis
Date published:	1994
Genre:	Science Fiction
Number of pages:	160

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In a way, this book is all about power. The main character, Sybel, has the power to summon creatures - and humans - and in the course of the book, she comes to learn the difference betwen creatures and people coming because they are called, and coming because they choose to. It is also books about the choices we make, and how they change us - particularly choices like hate and revenge, or love.

Sybel is an unusual character; she's a very powerful wizard with the ability to summon strange and powerful creatures, and men-- even powerful kings-- are afraid of her. She is icy, and even seems unfeeling at times, and she must learn how to love. Coren, in contrast, is a wise, warm man-- and he is so generous in his love to Sybel. I think I loved him, and wanted Sybel to love him, long before she did.

Sybel's little zoo of strange, wise, mythical creatures are all interesting, but Cyrin the Boar fascinated me most-- this wise, riddling boar seemed unlike any beast in any other tales I've read.

The end made me weepy; it's so sad and so beautiful, because Sybel finally realizes that what she had wanted all along had been there with her. It is a beautiful conclusion-- the most beautiful creature is also the most terrible and fearsome one, one that kills by pure fear unless you can face it and name it. It struck me as somewhat similar to the glorious firebird in The Forests of Serre.

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Title:	The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
Author:	Patricia A. McKillip
Date published:	1974 (original publication)
Genre:	Fantasy / Young Adult
Number of pages:	343

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This is a funny book, in both senses of the word-- it's a bit strange, and it's also rather humorous. Rupert Venable is the junior-most Magid (a secret society of wizard-types who keep the many worlds in order), and after the death of his mentor he must find a new Magid (to keep the numbers even)-- with the somewhat unhelpful assistance of his no-longer-quite corporeal former mentor. One of the most humorous points about this book is that the bulk of the action is set in a hotel during a science fiction convention, and most of the attendees are completely unfazed by the bizarre happenings taking place when the tasks Rupert is supposed to be handling start spiralling out of control.

I did not find this book quite as delightful as Dogsbody or the Chrestomanci books, but it was still entertaining. Some parts of the plot were a little predictable (like the fact that the Magid-candidate Rupert was most immediately annoyed with was the best candidate), while others were quite creative and interesting. Rupert, Nick, and Maree are all quite memorable characters, and it is fun to see all the story lines coming together at the end, and solving a long-standing mystery.

Title:	Deep Secret
Author:	Diana Wynne Jones
Date published:	2000
Genre:	Fantasy
Number of pages:	375

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