Children of Dune (Dune Chronicles, Book 3). Frank Herbert. Ace. 1987.

Book review by Joel
Children of Dune (Dune Chronicles, Book 3) takes off a few years from where Dune Messiah (Dune Chronicles, Book 2) ends. The twins of Paul are 9 years old--too young to take care of themselves but born fully aware and prescient, (as was Alia, Paul’s sister). This meant that they had all their genetic memory going back millennium. So although they looked young they were actually mentally older than everyone around them, something that they can use as a weapon if need be.

All the "powers that be" want to assassinate the twins because they are considered abominations and they are heir to the throne of emperor of the Universe. Also a subplot involves a preacher who may or may not be the Paul or “muad’dib” who walked blinded into the desert. Then there is Alia, who is the sitting regent for the twins until they are of age. She is an abomination as well, coming to prescience in the womb of Paul’s mother when she went through the spice agony.

It is pretty weird what Frank comes up with to solve the dilemma of the assassination attempt and the various other plots. It ties up the book and also generates the grist for the next three books in the series. Leto and twin sister Ghanima are inventions of unique and surprisingly vast imagination.

Highly recommended.

Joel.