Dec 25, 2009

Dune | Techniques

Dune is an excellent example of how an author may solve the potential conflict between a novel of "ideas" and an entertaining narrative. Paul is a near-perfect hero because he is a good charismatic leader who can foresee the results of his actions, which advances Herbert's principal theme of destruction. However, a character's ability to know the future presents significant problems for maintaining suspense. If a character can see into the future, then both he and the reader will know everything that will follow and there is no suspense. Often, a writer will solve the problem by having...