Book 2 in the “House” trilogy, Dune: House Harkonnen by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson picks up about 12 years after the end of Book 1: House Atreides. It needs to be reiterated that House Harkonnen is not really about the Harkonnens, but can be more accurately described as “Episode II” in the Dune prequel series (akin to Star Wars Episode II). For a reader, it is not advisable to pick up House Harkonnen without first having read House Atreides.

The similarities between Books 1 and 2 are numerous. The new characters introduced to the Dune Universe in House Atreides appear in House Harkonnen, and relationships and plot lines that started in House Atreides are further explored and developed in House Harkonnen. Probably the most benefit from that progression is the fact that Duke Leto and Duncan Idaho are no longer children or adolescents in House Harkonnen. The storylines focusing on these two characters seem more believable now that these characters have matured.

One of the difficulties in this type of prequel novel is the fact that the authors have to retrofit the story into the events that will come in the start of the original Dune novel. Some of the explanations, motivations, and plot twists can be a bit of a stretch (or a reach of the imagination), but for the most part the authors do a good job of this.

The enjoyment of House Harkonnen can easily be surmised by the enjoyment obtained from House Atreides. If you enjoyed House Atreides, then House Harkonnen is just as good. If you were let down by the fact that House Atreides was not as good as Dune, then you will be just as disappointed with House Harkonnen. For myself, I found that I enjoyed House Harkonnen. By no means is the book a classic in the sense the original Dune novel is, but if you accept that and want to experience the stories that lead up to the events in Dune, then House Harkonnen is worth the read.

Rating: 7 out of 10.