Dune: House of Atreides Vol 1: Why Is There Only Spice Here?

The art of this collection fits this story, as it has this realistic feel to it that suits the story very well.  Dev Pramanik gives each of the characters a realistic and unique look, showing age in the older characters, with the face wrinkles looking ultra realistic as do the character’s hair.  It is conceivable that I am actually looking at a person’s hair when I look at these pages. I also enjoyed the differences in the worlds, from Arrakis, the desert planet that is the sole source of the spice melange, to the mechanical underworld of Xi, that has absolutely zero natural elements, to different worlds in between.

Likewise, Pramanik does a great job in showing the characters’ emotions in their face. Their reactions are believable. The colors are also top notch and appropriate for these shifts and changes. Overall, the art is a feast for the eyes.

The story is really complicated to talk about because of the richness in it. There are several subplots visited throughout the telling of the story and I enjoyed them all… From the study of the planet Arrakis by the royal planetologist to understand the planet and determine why this is the only world the spice can be found, to the study abroad of the young Atreides, this is a rich tapestry of story and world building.  There is political intrigue involving an assassination plot, action with the sand-worm hunt on Arrakis, scientific mystery with the development of a lab grown spice.

The characters are very complex and nuanced.  There is the question of the noble men who enjoy hunting humans, a religious rite requiring a coupling that neither party is ecstatic about.  Herbert does a great job in creating character empathy.  The reader feels for the boy, Duncan Idaho, as he loses his family and is faced with the impossible challenge of escaping a ruthless hunter while having a tracking device implanted in his back.  What this story may lack in action, it gains in characters and intrigue.