Children of Dune exceeded expectations in that it's not the worst 3rd sequel I've ever read. With such stupid plot points as Alia becoming evil, Baron Harkonnen coming back, the Corrinos becoming good, & lil Leto becoming a superhero, Children of Dune still gets pretty stupid. The ending of Dune Messiah is very conclusive, so it was hard for me to get into the book because I kept wondering "why is there another sequel"? I would probably feel the same way about God-Emperor of Dune if I ever do get to read it. The philosophy & in-universe historical quotes become more tiresome & superficial with each sequel, making reading the Dune sequels a pastime of diminishing returns. I will say there's some cool scenes, and interesting descriptions in Children of Dune, so reading it is by no means an absolute hate-read.