content: While I thoroughly enjoyed the first three prequels written by the duo (and the original Dune series), I was dissappointed with this one. Without the inspiration and perhaps plot lines of Frank Herbert's original characters, this book fell short. The second half of the book was significantly better than the first half, but I'm not sure that it is worth slogging through the first 300 pages to get the payoff. The book also ends abruptly just when it becomes engaging. I'd recommend House Corrino, House Atreides, and House Harkonnen, but not this one.