Re:The Machine Crusade (SPOILERS!)
MAJOR SPOILERS AND SPECULATION AHEAD!!
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Well I finished it this weekend and DAMN! what a book!
It answers almost ALL of my questions except the *BIG* one. Who the hell are the two people (Marty and someone) at the finale of ChapterHouse Dune? Now all the sudden that conversation makes a lot more sense at the end of Chapterhouse, but I don’t have the first clue of who those people could be. Could it be Erasmus and Norma??? (one is a woman one is a man) Perhaps having made a bet?
At the moment I’d argue it’s Erasmus and someone. Erasmus is clearly seeking a way to turn his programming into DNA, or at least that’s his dream. He claims it’s impossible but he doesent know about the Tluxla (Tleilaxu) *yet*.
I’m thinking it’s going to be a Lexx type beginning (Think episode “Mantrid”) Erasmus will realize there’s no way machines can defeat humans in their current state and become human, creating the Bene Tlielax inner-circle of Masters and their “Long Waiting” explained in Heretics of Dune as Spannspagogen or something like that.
Gilbertus will become the first Mentat; Norma will leave for Arrakis and become the first Reverend Mother there, creating the prophecy that Paul Maud-Dib will one day fulfill (How about that chapter where she hears the Fremen screaming Maud-Dib, Maud-Dib, over and over, trippy!!)
We also see how the Tleilaxu were originally partners with what became CHOAM, and how they lost it and why they are pissed.
The visit to Bandalong was INCREDIBLE. I was so hoping they would include something like that. And the way the little Master said: “Mind if we take some DNA???” to Butler, what a laugh I got at that. Explains so much about how the Bene Tlielax were able to create their own Kwizatch Hadarich prior to Paul.
And what about those Harkonnen??? Xavier by far in my mind is the biggest hero of the series thus far.
Norma and her mother CLEARLY show how the Bene Gesserit could devolve (along with the Fish Speakers) into the Honored Matres.
If I didn’t know better I would think her Mother was an Honored Matre until the latter half of this book. Great stuff.
IX and Richese are finally explained: They were both synchronized worlds and thus why in the Dune Saga are the most technologically advanced and feared. It’s likely because as they are digging more and more into their past they are uncovering more and more technology from the days of the Jihad. This is why the Guild and the Emperor claimed: “Many new machines on IX and Richese, dangerous machines”. This line ALWAYS confused me.
We also see how Iblis(and successor) is going to create the Orange Catholic Bible, which of course is the reason that during the Dune Saga no one really knows what truly happened during the Jihad. Because stupid Iblis took the Cognitors words and twisted it to his own purpose.
And what about that Tio Holtzman! Talk about parallels to JP Morgan! Good riddence I say.
The death of Hecate is really confusing, I’m not sure I understand why they introduced her at all and then killed her off so quickly. She must of been a foil of some kind or something included in the notes. And damn she reminded me totally of Londo and the Shadows. But her true motives were never fully uncovered, just made even more elusive by that conversation with Agamenmon. I guess the end result is she wanted Omnius destroyed and that’s all.
And finally what of the Titan Tlaloc? This is the Titan that supposedly ruled the Tluluxa (Bene Tlielax), could he still be alive and ready to throw a monkey-wrench into my whole conspiricy theory?
The worst part about this book is it ends and you’re left wanting more and more!! But the greatest thing is you could take that “Dune” tag right off, and you still have imo one of the better Sci-Fi books written in the last 20 years.