See .. already I have hit a passage that reaffirms the importance of taking in the whole story from beginning to end! Being optimistic that I will have readers ... for those of you reading my blog that have not read all the Dune books, I will try not to give away story details that would take away from your book reading pleasure. However, in some cases, like the one I am about to discuss, I will be hinting at some future events and I sincerely hope that this piques your curiosity rather than turns you off.
The following passage from p. 224 of The Butlerian Jihad is some truly ominous insight in to Omnius:
Thinking machines were capable of making long-term plans - and living to see them carried out. By the time humans expanded into those distant star systems, Omnius would already be there.
Waiting.
This passage refers to the fact that as the thinking machines reworked the factories of the newly conquered Giedi Prime, Omnius discovered the human designs for a new model of long-distance space probe which Omnius realized "could be adapted as emissaries for the thinking machines, new substations for the computer evermind" (The Butlerian Jihad, p. 223).
This whole passage went under my radar in my first reading of the book ... before reading Hunters of Dune and Sandworms of Dune. But now ... oh my. Completely different perspective on the importance of the concepts here. First, although the thinking machines clearly have their weaknesses, humans did not take in to account the long range planning ability and patience of the thinking machines. Second, the consequences of the Giedi Prime occupation by the thinking machines, and the realization and action taken by the Giedi Prime-Omnius are NOT a sidebar to history!
Throughout the reading of Dune, I am constantly drawn to the insight of what it means to be "human". This passage provided some insight into what "thinking machine" might mean.
I've got to make a more "literal" comment here and complain a bit about including this particular passage in "Buterlian."
ReplyDeleteThey introduce this insidious plan executed by Omnious, and then almost as quickly dismiss it! The only reference to these probes comes later on - either in "Butlerian" or in "The Machine Crusade" where one of the probes lands on Dune and is eaten by Shai Hulud.
Now, introducing this grand design into Omnious's approach to ruling the universe was brilliant - it had me absolutely terrified every time the human forces moved to a new system. I was CONVINCED thinking machines would be waiting for them.
In any event - something of a disappointment. Or does this become relevant farther down the Dune road?
This does become relevant farther down the Dune road. It is a LONG road and long range planning is one of the advantages of the thinking machines.
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