I finished “Children of Dune” over the weekend, I am a little surprised at how much of the book I had completely forgotten. I enjoyed the story overall, recognizing why I would have felt so disappointed at the progression of the series when I was younger. I was a young teen when I first read Dune, and I think I identified pretty closely with Paul in the first book. Seeing him being consumed by doubt and intrigue in the second book, and then superseded completely in the following books, just caused me to lose interest. I guess I can see the bigger picture now, or at least appreciate it more.
One thing that does still kind of bother me a bit is how difficult it is to relate to the main characters of these books. Paul starts to move into prescience and omniscience in the latter half of the first book, moreso in the second. Then his children are born with knowledge of their ancestors and are developing deep schemes for the future of the empire in the third book at the of nine. They don’t react or talk like any other human being, naturally enough since they aren’t like any other human being. I think this must be why Herbert kept inserting Duncan Idaho back into the story, to keep a more human link, someone the reader can relate to more easily.
Anyway, on to God Emperor!