Children of Dune left events on rather momentous grounds, and the wondering what might come of it all is answered here.

We fast forward three thousand years, into a word so very unrecognisable from the original Dune. However, two familiar characters are still on the scene, one being the no-longer-human Leto, God Emperor of Arakis and the entire universe.

Leto’s transformation is insidiously terrifying, if you stop and think about it. But he’s accepted the change and all its burdens – and the odd benefit or two! – as his prescience shows no other way to avoid the extinction of the human race. However, such a personal sacrifice – personal humanity for all of humanity – isn’t recognised by the subjects who call him tyrant.

God Emperor was an interesting book, certainly more ‘out there’ than anything that’s come before. There is a certain logic to this as a sequel, but it’s also the biggest change, in both content and approach. Really, the story is a bit small and the ideas a bit too bizarre at times to really feel satisfying.

Overall I’d say three stars: intriguing, but didn’t entirely tie together for me.