More than 3,500 years have passed since Paul Atreides walked the sands of Dune. And now, there is almost no sand to walk on since Leto Atreides II has guided humanity along his vision of a Golden Path.

Known for dividing readers, Frank Herbert uses this installation to explore philosophical and political meanderings on what it means to be a leader, nearly immortal, or even a god. The principal narrator would know. His sight has shown him the future, and his destiny has allowed him to glimpse nearly all of history through his ancestors. Sure, there are other narrators, but none are as chiefly necessary as all things begin and end with Leto — although some characters will argue he is of two minds. 

One is of Leto II, the Atreides-heir apparent. The other is the worm god, a nod to the Arakeen sandtrout, a larval form of Sandworms, that he fused his body to in the preceding book. As such, the book is less of an adventure and mostly devoid of action, favoring a meditation on the loneliness of true power and how manipulating the masses is a clandestine right of passage for anyone holding the reigns of leadership. 

In Leto's time, his power is even more expansive because he has near-total control of Arakis' dwindling spice resources as most of the planet has been terraformed and sandworms driven to extinction, making him the last link to that species. At the same time, Leto has reached a point where his power has exhausted him. He suffers from loneliness and boredom, barely managing to push forward because of what he calls his love for humanity. 

Not everyone agrees with him, namely The Duncan Idaho, one of many Duncan clones who must face the monstrosity of Leto's rule as a contradiction of his sense of loyalty. Secondarily, Siona, an Atreides' descendent, is leading a small rebellion against Leto despite his plans to place her in a position of power, replacing her father in the process. 

In the mix of it, Herbert provides humanity with a stark warning against believing in the miracle of AI. And, as part of the bargain, it shows Leto as balancing on the razor's edge of being a ruthless dictator and ultimate martyr. While never explicit in his goal, Leto is attempting to usher forth a humanity capable of defending itself against AI and cutting its chords from past abuses of power (despite having used these tactics himself). 

While the novel is essential to the series, it's not one all readers will appreciate. But for those who enjoy some political and philosophical rhetoric bundled up in the Dune universe, it will be an enjoyable read with a few moments that make you trace your understanding of history, humanity, and power. And this time around, that worked splendidly for me.