Favorite Author

Perhaps one of my largest lamentations is the fact that I don't read often enough. Moreover, during the year I only read books that are assigned to me and during the summer I only occasionally read a book for leisure. As a result, my scores in reading comprehension are often lower than they should be and my vocabulary is not as developed as I would like it to be. Nonetheless, on occasion I have read without being forced to for a grade and in that rare time, I have developed an admittedly undeveloped preference for some authors over others.

Dune is, in my opinion, a masterpiece of science fiction and a melodramatic yet realistic collection of highly creative ideas originating in the mind of Frank Herbert. This book uses fast paced action to draw the reader in and pays close attention to every detail of the fabricated setting and characters imaginable. Unlike many science fiction authors who only scrape the surface of their fantastical worlds, Herbert focuses on the natives, their customs, wildlife, history, government, socioeconomic status, etc. Additionally, Herbert adds a dramatic appeal to his writing which adds to the sense of urgency in it and serves to romanticize his writing. Each sentence is written with this sense of urgency and the writing as a whole seems to be full of emotion and a degree of mystery, leaving the audience and the characters guessing as to the future. Accompanied with this drama is the author's appeal to fiction on a grandiose scale. Furthermore, Herbert creates characters whose each action has gigantic repercussions on the situation as a whole, and he creates a setting that is enormous and encompasses a broad and ever changing landscape. Hence, he creates a setting of boundless possibilities and gives his characters space in which to fully develop. Overall, these and other aspects of his writing make his stories come to life in a unique and unrivaled way.