THE ROAD TO DUNE

Frank Herbert's road to fame with his science fiction novel DUNE wasn't smooth; he dealt with the negative response of Editor John W. Campbell, Jr., and initial apathy from the reading public. Scott Brick reads this collection, which includes SPICE PLANET, a short novel written from the late Herbert's original outline, along with lost short stories and novel fragments by Herbert and anecdotes about how DUNE journeyed to iconic status. Brick's narration hits the mark for both the fiction and nonfiction pieces, giving the stories a poetic quality and making the publishing minutiae intriguing. Some of the fragments, however, will disappoint all but the most devoted DUNE fans. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 06]