This book was a massive step-up from the first book! One of the biggest issues I found with the first book was Paul's omniscience was too powerful and barely without flaw or consequence and when the book reached a certain point he relied on that ability almost completely without question.

This book, however, fixed it! It took that overpowered god-like ability and flipped it upside and gave it consequences, drawbacks and allowed for human error! It was perfect! I feel if Herbert had these in the first book, then it could have fully reached it's potential.

I do believe this book needed more action scenes, it was almost entirely lacking, but that is not a huge issue, this was a beautiful work of fiction that really leaned into the philosophies and dangers of religious fanaticism and the mixing of belief and law. 

Paul went from being a man believing in his own myth, filled with ego and arrogance in the first book to a man enwisened by time and experience, who questions his own existence and the concept of choice itself. He sees so many futures and so many consequences now that he constantly questions why things are and why things must be.

The introduction of

these Steermen that are immune to Paul's Sight

finally introduces danger, tension and a sense of stakes! Which was sorely lacking in the first book. While I feel Herbert did not sufficiently explain the mechanics

of why they are immune to the Sight

, it was a great addition to the world.

What I loved the most was, while there was now a possibility of Paul being hurt or killed, there was a larger focus on Paul's family and friends being in danger too. This was largely possible due to Herbert exploring and fleshing out the characters more in this book and making us empathise and care for them more.

This book was small, but somehow larger than the first book. The ending was superb,

it might have been a tad bit predictable as Herbert loves to mirror elements of Chistrian religion, but it was a satisfying ending regardless. Especially the part where Paul could kill Scytale despite being blind because he could see through the eyes of his newborn son, who was born aware and fully conscious.