Comic Book Review - Dune: House Atreides #7

Rob reviews Dune: House Atreides #7...

Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson's adaptation of sci-fi masterpiece Dune House Atreides is shaping up to be a 'must-read' comic. Fans of both Herbert's original Dune novel and David Lynch's 1984 film will find a lot of familiarity throughout this look into House Atreides...

Dune: House Atreides #7 opens back on Arrakis as Pardot Kynes weds the Freman woman Frieth. Fans will recognise Pardot's name as the planetologist is briefly mentioned in the original novel as the person who was originally sent to Arrakis. Whilst the Freman see Pardot as some kind of Prophet, the reluctant planetologist goes ahead with the wedding as a means to further study the Spice for the Empire. 

Soon we're back on Giedi Prime where proceedings take a much darker tone. Reverend Mother Mohiam has come to Giedi Prime to seek out Baron Harkonnen. With the Harkonnen's secret supply of Spice on the line and Mohiam needing a daughter of Harkonnen heritage, the Baron goes to extreme measures to keep the Sisterhoods blackmail under wraps. With some very shocking results.

Meanwhile, Duncan Idaho arrives on Caladan and is welcomed into Castle Atreides. However, the youngster soon finds something amiss...

Herbert and Anderson have done a fantastic job in conveying this part of the House Atreides novel. Each scene is packed with plenty of detail and everything is starting to tie together. The rape scene on Giedi Prime is portrayed as best as it can be. Whilst it doesn't take a lot to solidify Baron Harkonnen as a 'bad guy', this scene goes further and pushes this fact home. However as we soon learn, even in this monstrous act Sister Mohaim had gotten her wishes - a daughter with the Baron. 

Herbert and Anderson do leave behind IX in this issue, but there's already a lot going on here that adding anything else would bloat the issue. 

The art team of Dev Pramanik, Raffaele Semeraro, and Alex Guimarães work wonders in bringing these very different worlds with their different cultures and inhabitants to life. Guimarães colour work highlights everything from the rough almost inhospitable Giedi Prime, to the serene peaceful, and almost paradise setting of Caladan. 

Dune: House Atreides #7 continues the stellar work that Herbert and Anderson have given us through the series so far. Whilst House Atreides isn't a comic you can approach casually, for those of us who've read the novel (or even seen the film) there is a great amount of detail given to fill in those blanks. Whilst I've not read the 1999 House Atreides novel, reading this comic book adaptation has made me invest in House Atreides and has made (for me) Dune that ever more of a masterpiece. 

Rating 9/10 

Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev