I don't lend this book, because I don't want to take a chance on losing it.

In all his writings, Frank Herbert had a way of getting to the core of ideas of the spirit. In "Soul Catcher" he managed to convey the meaning underlying the actions of Charles Hobuhet in such a way that I was able to set aside my cultural preconceptions. Even though I wanted Hobuhet to free the captured boy, I began to accept where his spirit world was leading him. I've read very few authors who could accomplish what Herbert did in this small novel.

A mark of a good book is when it haunts you for years with flashes of memory. This one does.

AWSOME BOOK READ IT YOU WILL FIND OUT WHY!!

SOUL CATCHER IS THE BEST BOOK IV"E EVER READ,IF YOU READ IT YOU WILL AGREE.THEY NEED TO BRING THIS BOOK BACK INTO CIRCURLATION,PLEASE DO!

Cheers to iBooks for apparently being the only major publisher who cares about resurrecting classic sci-fi for the current market. They've put several books by R. Zelazny back in print, and they seem to be on the road to reprinting Berkley's Masterworks of Sci-Fi & Fantasy series, of which this book was one, originally released in the mid-80s. This short-lived series, consisting of story collections by the pros of the genre, was amazing. The care that was put into the product is something readers don't get today. Not only did you get a good selection of stories, but also many extras such as fantastic artwork (both covers and interior), informative story intros (as with A.C. Clarke), or biographical sketches (as with Fritz Leiber). "Eye" has a good intro by Herbert discussing the Dune movie, and you get the brief titular story, which is an excerpt from an Arrakian tour guide, complete with illustrations of characters and landmarks. Jim Burns provides the art, which includes a piece for each story, as well as a beautiful cover. The stories are not the literal "best" of Frank Herbert, but they are enjoyable, certainly much better than other stuff coming out today.

Herbert was as good at producing tight short stories as epic, far-reaching novels. The story "Murder Will In" is the best "body-stealer" tale I've come across. His terrific "Devil in the Sea" (aka Under Pressure) is, for some reason, only half published in this book! What a dumb mistake!

Anybody who's read the in depth novels of Frank Herbert will understand my enthusiasm directed toward this book. Frank Herbert could get a little....well...overly philosophical at times. This caused quite a few within his fandom to sigh and/or scratch our heads and say, "I wonder what he means by that?" But here, in 'Eye,' we get to see the short version of his ample mind....

'Eye' is a collection of short stories by Frank Herbert. Since Mr. Herbert's genre has almost always been Science Fiction, these stories are also. And to top off this wonderful collection, it's been illustrated (on the cover and with sketches inside) by Jim Burns, a world renowned British artist. The cover alone makes it worth your while to buy, as does Mr. Burns explanation in the back of the book as to why he chose this subject material in this color scheme. The 'Walking Tour of Arrakis' with its multiple sketches and descriptions were outstandingly and tastefully done.

But let's get to the meat-and-potatos of this book: Frank's mind. It starts out with Mr. Herbert's feelings about the making of the movie, Dune. Most insightful. Then we quickly move on to 'Rat Race,' a 25 page short story about first contact with aliens on earth and how that might come about. And how these aliens might perceive us. Freaky! Then we move on to a short version of 'Dragon in the Sea,' which actually became a novel and a series. The interesting part of this story is it shows Mr. Herbert's past experiences within the Navy. Then on to 'Cease Fire' which was undoubtedly my favorite story and only 19 pages long. Here Mr. Herbert shows us what he's famous for: diving into the human pysche and human power struggle from governments but doesn't do it overly-so. Thank Shai-halud!

All the stories are worth mention but I feel I'm already lengthy in my review. But pick up a copy of this book for your Science Fiction loved one this Xmas season. They'll love you for it. And you can ogle at the beautiful artwork.

The fame of Herbert's Dune series has sadly obscured some of his other science fiction - Santaroga is a prime example. A valley town in California appears to be not just different from the rest of the world around it, but practically on a different planet. It's residents have no interest in the external world or the products it offers - almost an autarky. Driven by a corporate marketing assignment combined with the lure of an old (but strongly flickering) flame, Gilbert Dasein visits the town and finds a bizarre degree of contentment and unity. On the face of it, it is the mysterious Jaspers (akin to the mélange of Dune) that is responsible but Herbert is driving at a larger picture here. Santaroga is almost a collective mind, or a community with a group consciousness. One that thrives in its little pond and fears the vast ocean outside which it strives to hold at arm's length - the barrier of the title. A fascinating read.

It's important to note that this re-issued Herbet novel was first published in 1968, and new readers can be forgiven if after the set up of the story presented in its opening pages, they find themselves asking: "Haven't I read/seen/heard all this before"? The answer would be yes, we've been here before. A small, isolated community, strange happenings, odd deaths, and a big secret (JASPERS) which may or may not destroy the hero/world. Nothing new here, and surprisingly, not that gripping either. Herbet spends much of this story trying to build a mystery, but neither the town, its people or our hero, really hold much water. The text is often stiff, the dialouge daytime soap opera quality (at best) and it isn't until the last third of the book that we finally get down the root of the mystery, only to find that Herbert has nothing up his sleeve (there is no shocking TWILIGHT ZONE twist her, nor even a thoughtful OUTER LIMITS musing, the book simply coasts to a idle and then a stop... almost as if it was meant to be part of a large work, which this book was part one in). All THE SANTAROGA BARRIER seems to offer is a extended study into another book, published in 1965, DUNE. The relationship between Jaspers and the spice Melange is direct, their effect, the same, and Herbert tries to tie this into college counter-culture, LSD experiments and some tossed off and dated (even for 1968) ideas about the US government and the corporate world. Not the best from Herbert here, but behind it all there is a gem of an idea that just before the book ends almost gets going and is worth pondering. For fans of Herbert, these re-issued books are a must for the library, as for the casual reader, there is some reward for those who stick it out.

I loved "Dune" of course, but Herbert's other novels are often less know, but really are interesting, too. In particular, I admire "The Santaroga Barrier" because it is set, not in the future, but in a town that could be anywhere today.

"The Santaroga Barrier" is set in a valley town in California. It looks completely normal--life is typically small-town, with small businesses and farms run by the locals. But for some reason, big merchandisers outside the valley cannot sell there. In an age where marketing demographics can tell precisely what brand of car, cigarette, cola or watch you are likely to buy by where you live and your age cohort, this is astounding.

What's also astounding is how Herbert forsees the age of online data-gathering (think, cookies on your browser) and huge mega-merchandisers like W*-mart who control huge blocks of buying power and who drain small towns of dollars that used to circulate and support local businesses.

But that's not the only threatening situation in Santaroga. What is with the "Jaspers" Cheese Co-op (is it a cult?) and why did the previous marketing investigators sent by big business meet with unfortunate accidents? The story that unfolds is fascinating--are the Santarogans just minding their own business, or are they evil in some way, and whose side will you end up on at the end of the book? I really recommend this novel even if you don't like science fiction. It's one of my favorites.

A far future of Mankind, with all the science, polititcs, religion, and all the corruption one might expect. Strong characters, an ingenious plot, and a gripping setting. If you like the first one, you'll love the rest.

I could call this book a "Family Biography" rather than only a bio on Frank Herbert. This is no surprise coming from the pen of his son, Brian Herbert and souldn't had implied something negative, nonetheless I feel that the result was not overall satisfactory, and an important opportunity missed by Brian Herbert.

On the good side, we get to know the intimate family life of Frank Herbert and specially his relationship with his wife Beverly and his sons.In this way we discover the man but we are far from discovering much of the writer. We hardly get any insights into many of his writings (the exception is of course Dune). I was eager to know about the origins of the Pandora Cycle, the Dune Sequels or many of the great short stories, but non of that is propoerly developed and sometimes it is only barely mentioned. We even get more details about Brian Herbert's own writings!, which seems to me a lack of sensibility on the author's part.

While not the best I would expect, "Dreamer of Dune" is certainly valuable for the most familiar aspects of Herbert which would have been unavailable otherwise. Nevertheless, we won't get the full picture of one of science fiction's grandest creators and I recommend to complement this title with other valuable sources to fully understand Herbert's achievement. Some recommendations are Frank Herbert by Timothy O'Reilly (found on the web at Tim O'Reilly's Web Page), The Maker of Dune, a collection of articles by Herbert himself on various topics and the academic works by William Touponce and Daniel Levack.

When you know inside information about the life of a man who's influenced the literary community, you can't help but let that seep into your writing. Especially if you're writing a biography about this man. Add to that the fact that you're his son, and you've got a triple-whammy!

Brian Herbert (a successful author in his own right) shows us the powerful life of his legendary father, Frank Herbert, in Dreamer of Dune, the biography of Frank Herbert's life.

The story surrounds Frank Herbert from his humble beginnings in small town Washington, to his rise to the head of science fiction's most coveted awards (the Nebula and Hugo awards).

Brian Herbert takes us on an emotional rollercoaster ride as Frank and his family go from starving in Mexico, to eating caviar in Hawaii. Then we get let down again as Bev, Frank's love of his life, passes away.

Throughout the biography, Brian expertly weaves the life that would lead Frank Herbert to write his magnum opus: Dune. His newspaper days, working for senatorial candidates, ecological research and travels all helped shape the world of Dune that would emerge onto the literary world and shape the science fiction community for decades to come.

A well-written biography with some touching information on a man who may still remain and enigma to many fans. Enjoy.

I'm actually only part of the way into the book, so this review is provisional. However, only a few of chapters in and I am enjoying it thoroughly. This book I think will be greatly enjoyed by any big fan of Frank Herbert. His Dune, and other, novels and short stories have enchanted millions around the world. As popular as they are, it is amazing that Herbert, who died in '96, is so enigmatic. This substantial biography (it's fairly long) will wipe away the mystery, and really give a detailed view into what shaped his writing, his values, and his life.

Brian Herbert knows his audience, and jumps right in providing links between Frank's life and the Dune stories (and others) almost right off the bat. These little morsels are sprinkled throughout descriptions of Frank's growing up near Tacoma, WA and his later years. The complex layering of political, religious and scientific belief systems evident in the Dune chronicles is revealed as you spend time with Frank Herbert during some of his childhood adventures and experiences.

In places, you may feel like you are reading passages from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Frank Herbert had a truly amazing childhood, and the telling of it can make you wish for simpler times.

I am not generally a big fan of biographies. However, this one (so far) is well written, and discusses one of the most important and least understood icons in all of literature, let alone science fiction. Furthermore, having read other works from Brian Herbert, I would say that Brian Herbert's emotion and devotion to his father comes through clearly without being syrupy or pedantic. This is arguably one of his best written works, if not the best.

El libro que originalmente sería la secuela de "Dune" e incluiría "El mesías de Dune" (Dune 2) como primera parte. Revive el espíritu analítico y sociopolítico de la serie y nos da otra visita al increible Universo trazado por Herbert. Han pasado nueve años desde que Paul Muad 'Dib, el Mahdi de todos los Fremen caminó al desierto y los gemelos que dejó atrás se preparan para afrontar la tremenda herencia presciente de su padre. Mientras el fiero Naib Stilgar los guarda, hay quienes conspiran en oscura intriga para conseguir el poder. Dama Jessica vuelve al planeta que comienza a ser un paraiso verde y se define el perfil de Alia como la sucesora de su hermano en el trono. Un excelente libro para los seguidores de la serie y los amantes de la ciencia ficción

If you've read any of Herbert's works (Dune, etc.), you might realize that his endless but intriguing theme is what how people, economies, belief systems, ecosystems, etc. respond to potential extinction. His answer in each of his books with this theme reminds me of that line from Jurassic Park: "Life always finds a way." Having said that, *Under Pressure* is perhaps the smallest level at which he plays this game -- a small submarine whose mission it is to steal oil from an enemy country in a cold war several levels above what the U.S. experienced during the 1950s and 1960s. This might sound like a recycled sub movie plot, but don't be fooled by the premise. *Under Pressure* is more about how men bond...well, under pressure, and become something greater than they could singly. I read it first when I was in junior high, and I read it again earlier this year. It's amazing how quickly the book ends. The only thing that keeps it from earning five stars is what I've always considered Herbert's weakness -- characterization. He takes a whole book (sometimes more than a single book) to flesh characters out fully. Still, I heartily recommend this book because it deals with large themes and is better plotted than some of his more famous works.

C'est un ouvrage très riche en apports sur le plan psychologie des personnages, au-delà de l'intérêt du sujet-même, je le recommande à tous rien que pour cette dimension.

This is a fairly simple and short novel. Unlike some of Frank's other work, this isnt really a sci-fi book, more of a psychological study of the paranoia that overtakes 5 men on a submarine mission to destroy an enemy installation. Its a very good read though, and id definitely reccomend it. Like the best of Franks work, it disorients the reader and fiddles with your perceptions.

Linderman has a wonderful narrative voice in his stories, retaining the flavor and style of the tales as they were told to him by the likes of Walks-with-the-wolf, Fine-feather, Bird-in-the-ground and Cold-wind, back in the early days of the 20th century when Linderman (called Sign-talker by his Native American friends) spent much time at their fires.

By no means a comprehensive tome of Indian lore, Linderman's Old Man Coyote is a delightful introduction to the stories unique to the Crow tribes. It could be a great stepping stone to further study into this fascinating subject.

I picked this up at a used bookstore just because of the author. I think it must be for young adults. The writing was simplistic. I think the typeface was even larger than most books

Sharp art on cover draws one to this book. Good story and plot, certainly a great introduction to Frank Herbert's writing. Black and white drawings throughout this book are terrific and make it more interesting. I was impressed with this book for young people to enjoy.

This is a book that studies the human mind when in a deserted place with no one to help them. An interesting book at the start but it loses steam and never seems to take the next step. It's just centred on the isolation of the three people and the green brain's analysis of these people that try to survive. Strange I'll give it that but it just didn't have enough as it just never got out of second gear to help it along it's way

If Arrakis was Brazil, and Paul was a Brazilian, and the worms were insects, and had become more actively intelligent, and the fremen were trying to destroy them, then you would have this book.

Here the concept of consciousness is grappled with. The insects are part of a greater collective mind that manifests itself and communicates with human adversaries. Very interesting interface, makes your own brain start to cook in its very juices just to think about it all. Reminds me of the Death World series by "Harry Harrison" I wonder if it's ok to plug both in this one space.