The Butlerian Jihad is the first installment of a trilogy, a prequel of a prequel of sorts ostensibly based on the notes and writings of Frank Herbert, deceased. For those of you that don't know, The Butlerian Jihad takes place ten thousand years before the time of originator, Frank Herberts, immensely popular book Dune. It is a collaboration between Brian Herbert (Frank's son)and Kevin Anderson. It is the fourth book co-written by these authors that I know of, having just finished another trilogy/prequel, The House series (House Atriedes, Harkonnen and Corrin).

By reading The Butlerian Jihad, I finally got to experience the distant past, which was constantly but vaguely alluded to in the original Dune novels.

We get to meet the beautiful, compassionate Serena Butler, who's year old son, the murder of which, set off the rebellion, which eventually brought down the heartless thinking machines. We also meet distant relatives of Baron Harkonnen - Xavier (who is a good and honorable person) and Paul Atriedes - Vorian (the son of the wicked Titan, Agamemnon {a thousand year old human brain in a mechanical body})and Tio Holtzman (the revered inventor of the Holtzman Effect and other inventions). We experience the last stronghold of free humanity, with The League of Nobles, the fledgling exportation of the spice Melange from Arrakis and the precursor of the Bene Gesserit, in the Sorceress's of Rossak.

Background

The Old Empire was stagnant if not decadent and humanity had lost it's drive allowing machines to perform all major work and tasks. This malaise permitted a small but vicious group of twenty revolutionaries to stage a coup and take over the Empire. This group called themselves Titans and their bloody rule was short lived (fifty years) as the Titans being short in number, mistakenly allowed the Thinking Machines too much responsibility, whereupon they usurped the power.

Prior to the Machines "putsch" the Titans, striving for immortality, became Cymeks - Human brains housed in a cannister within a mechanical body. After the Machine revolution, the Titan/Cymeks became reluctant servants of the Evermind - Omnius, the head Thinking Machine. Humans existed within Omnius's empire but were mostly slaves with a few Trustees.

The Butlerian Jihad begins the epic struggle encompassing humanities rebellion against the thinking machines, which sets the tone of a future in which the total rejection of any sort of thinking machines is a reality. Our Story begins a thousand years after Omnius's victory over the Titans

The Plot

Although The Thinking Machines Empire (called Synchronized Planets) consisted of thousands of inhabited planets, there were many inhabited worlds still outside the Empire's boundaries, some of which had formed a federation called the League of Nobles (primarily as a defense mechanism). Though Omnius considered the battle with humans to be inefficient, with prompting from the remaining Titans (after a thousand years, there were five) and especially Agamemnon, the defacto Titan leader/spokesman, Omnius undertook the conquest of the remaining free worlds.

The Story

This first installment covers a period of some three or fours years of the epic conflict. During this time the main three characters go through many tribulations. Dune's incarnation of evil, Baron Harkonnen's distant ancestor Xavier Harkonnen is a Primero (General) in the League's army. He and the lovely Serena are engaged but while on a mission, Serena takes on a mission of her her own, a radical plan to save the besieged Planet Gedi Prime. The Plan is successful but Serena is captured by the machines and taken to the their primary world Earth.

On Earth Serena, who is pregnant with Xavier's child is given to the ever curious independent robot, Erasmus as one of his house servants. Erasmus who likes to think of himself an expert on human beings, has been studying specimens for hundreds of years and being a robot is indifferent to the plight and pain of his victims. He is intrigued however by the imperious but humane and unflappable Serena. Also intrigued is Vorian Atriedes, a trustee and the son of the bloodthirsty Titan, Agamemnon. Vorian who believes his father to be a hero and a great warrior is informed otherwise by Serena. Not believing her at first he is shocked when learning the truth after researching his fathers brutal past.

Meanwhile Serena gives birth to Manion a bubbly toe head. Unfortunately being an infant, Manion requires much attention, taking time away from Erasmus's constant inquisitions. Serena is constantly trying to help the other household slaves and Erasmus sees this is a way to remove the troublesome toddler and punish Serena by getting rid of Manion. Erasmus has totally misjudged the situation and instead of finding Serena properly cowled he finds rage and his action was the catalyst that provided the spark which started a world wide rebellion.

With the entire planet in turmoil Vorian being a Trustee and using subterfuge gains possession of a ship which allows Serena, another Trustee named Iglis Ginjo, and himself to escape to Serena's home planet, Salsua Secundus.
It is a this point that Serena enjoins the entire free human race to rededicate themselves to a rejuvenated holy war - A Jihad against the Thinking Machines. From this point forward Serena Butler is known as the Priestess of the Jihad.

Evaluation

Unlike some other reviewers, I found The Butlerian Jihad to be an exceptional book. I believe it to be Herbert/Anderson's most accomplished manuscript yet.

As with the original Dune, the authors create numerous civilizations in a Universe dwelling on millions of planets and then embellish it with devious evil characters and their requisite counterpoints. It may be ten thousand years in the past from Dune but they are every bit as advanced to us, as we are to Neanderthals.

I found this book, consisting of 695 pages, to be an enthralling read. True, the chapters are numerous and short but the story is huge so it couldn't be overly detailed, or the book would have been unwieldy. We are, after all, talking about a Universal Epic in which the authors followed about fifteen main characters on six different planets and in space. As with Dune we are treated to an excellent page turning science fiction novel with religious undertones. The writing is fluid and concise and is a pleasure to read, in fact it is an easier read than Dune.

Conclusion

Of course nothing can compare with the original classic novel by Frank Herbert - Dune, not even the elder Herbert's written sequels. In fact I found all of the Anderson/Herbert prequels to be more rewarding than the Herbert written sequels. I was disappointed in Dune Messiah and Children of Dune and I only read half of The God Emperor of Dune because I found it so strange.

Still, in my opinion, The Butlerian Jihad specifically and all the prequels in general, are compelling reading that I have no compunctions about recommending to all, with the exception of those that are looking for a replication of the original Dune.



Recommended: Yes