I can't believe it has been almost a month since my last post. My excuse for most of it is that I was away at a conference and then extended to a vacation. I was away for two weeks and the time leading up to the trip was very busy trying to get ready and I have been just decompressing since my return. My trip included Vancouver BC, Seattle, Olympic National Park, Columbia River Gorge, Mt St Helens, Mt Hood, and Mt Rainier. It was a fabulous time! If you ever get a chance to go to Vancouver, GO! What a fabulous fun city! All the rest was wonderful too but Rainier was simply awesome. At over 14,000ft, it is certainly an attention getter as you can see in my new profile picture.
Most of the trip was in terrain so unlike Dune ... so much of the time was quite literally spent in rainforest!!! Except, however, the area around Mt St Helens where any little plant struggles to gain a foothold in the "blast zone". What a contrast to much of the surrounding areas.
Me on a hike in Mt St Helens' blast zone.
My daughter and I on the trail to a vista of Mt St Helens. The trail became as scant as a trail a Fremen might approve of but was too narrow and treachorous for me, had to turn around.
So now back to reporting on my Dune book trek! I have a few random things to mention. First, I just love when Paul and Chani first come face to face. This happens on page 278 of my 40th Anniversary Edition of Dune. She announces "I am Chani, daughter of Liet" (
Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 278) and then promptly begins to chastise him by telling him that he was "as noisy as shai-hulud in a rage" (
Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 278). Paul is overwhelmed by the vision of her although he had not foreseen the way he would meet her. And she is sort of underwhelmed by him. Love it.
On p. 289, the chapter starter is a quote from Princess Irulan's writings "In My Father's House". I mention this chapter starter because of this part of the quote:
My mother obeyed her Sister Superiors where the Lady Jessica disobeyed. Which of them was the stronger? History already has answered. (
Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 289)
Irulan is speaking of the fact that Anirul, her mother, had followed orders and not given Emperor Shaddam a son. As the Kwisatz Haderach Mother, she knew how important it was for Jessica to give birth to a daughter and was, in fact, the one to give the order for Jessica to become pregnant with Leto's daughter. Jessica did not know the import of her disobedience. Anirul and even Margot had more information about the breeding programs then Jessica. That said, it certainly took Jessica a lot of courage to disobey considering the training instilled in her by the Sisterhood. It is too bad that Irulan never knew the important role her mother played and all the history that Anirul kept in her head that, unfortunately, drove her crazy.
One more little tidbit before I close out this entry. Consider the following quote:
"There's a cone of silence between two of the pillars over here on our left," the Baron said. "We can talk there without fear of being overheard." He led the way with his waddling gait into the sound-deadening field, feeling the noises of the keep becoming dull and distant. (
Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 316)
Now remember folks, Dune was first published in 1965.
Get Smart (TV show) first aired in September 1965. I have to think that Frank Herbert's "cone of silence" preceeded any other. Anyone know of a "cone of silence" in fiction prior to 1965? If you do, please share it with me!!!