So I just copped this 50th anniversary edition of DUNE. Is this

First book amazing
Second slow kind of ass
Third is awesome
Fourth is God emperor

Then just stop there

>>8458346
Just read the first three, maybe four

I just finished the first book and I was very disappointed...

I mean, it was a fun read, but it's definitely closer to Game of thrones than lord of the rings ie little to no literary value

1st book = amazing

2nd book = slow but with feeling the first lacks, less epic

3rd book = decently awesome

4th = slow build, acceptable payoff

5th = what is love, baby don't hurt me

6th = felt like middle of the road scifi in contrast to all that came before it, maybe don't read it because he died before he could get the 7th out to finish the ideas in this one

First three books are great. Fourth book is a short story stretched to fill an entire book. Anything past the fourth book isn't even worth mentioning.

>>8458346
>which ones are patrician reading
None. The early ones are interesting and probably entertaining sci-fi, but they don't qualify as anything close to patrician. If you're used to reading well-written literary fiction you may not even be able to stand the first- it's pretty artlessly written, IIRC.

I don't understand why people like Dune but then hate Dune Messiah. What the fuck's up with that?

I think I have it straight now. In terms of Dune story chronology, it starts with the Legends of Dune trilogy:
Dune: The Butlerian Jihad (2002)
Dune: The Machine Crusade (2003)
Dune: The Battle of Corrin (2004)

Then the Great Schools of Dune trilogy:
Sisterhood of Dune (2012)
Mentats of Dune (2014)
Swordmasters of Dune (TBA)

Then the Prelude to Dune trilogy:
Dune: House Atreides (1999)
Dune: House Harkonnen (2000)
Dune: House Corrino (2001)

Then it gets tricky. The Heroes of Dune planned tetralogy takes place in between and during the original early Dune novels (in full caps), so:
DUNE (1965)
Paul of Dune (2008)
DUNE MESSIAH (1969)
The Winds of Dune (formerly Jessica of Dune-2009)
CHILDREN OF DUNE (1976)
The Throne of Dune (formerly Irulan of Dune-TBA)
Leto of Dune (or perhaps The Golden Path of Dune--TBA)
GOD EMPEROR OF DUNE (1981)
HERETICS OF DUNE (1984)
CHAPTERHOUSE: DUNE (1985)
Hunters of Dune (2006)
Sandworms of Dune (2007)

Even fussier are the collections:

The Road to Dune (2005) contains letters, unpublished chapters from Dune and Dune Messiah, a story ("Spice Planet" based on an outline Frank wrote & shelved prior to writing Dune itself), and short stories "A Whisper on Caladan Seas," "Hunting Harkonnens," "Whipping Mek" and "The Faces of a Martyr" (+ "Sea Child" in the paperback) all by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson (all of which take place at various different points in the series chronology)

Tales of Dune (2011, only available as an e-book so far)has three stories: “Wedding Silk,”“Sea Child” and “Treasure in the Sand." Bonus material includes “Dune: Blood and Water” and “Dune: Fremen Justice.”

*titles in caps are Frank Herbert's six original novels; the others are all co-written by his son Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson).

You can't 'patrician' read Dune. Just read the 1st one (which is decent) & move on to proper books for grown ups.

>>8458412
Options 1 & 3 are acceptable, although I really didnt enjoy books 2 & 3