Sadly, it's another book I didn't like too much. I picked up this 1972 copy of this out-of-print book because I'd never read anything by Herbert except the first 5 'Dune' books, and thought I'd check out a non-related work. Unfortunately, this book has none of the complexity or depth of 'Dune.'
'The Godmakers' gives us Lewis Orne, an agent for a military-style organization that is charged with enforcing peace. After a disastrous interstellar war, no sign of warlike qualities in a culture will be tolerated - and any sign of an incipient militaristic attitude would justify blasting that civilization out of existence.
The first half of the book shows us Orne in a series of episodic missions to different planets, basically swaggering around chauvinistically (yeah, yeah, we KNOW you don't like women running your life... get over it already) and saving the day.
Then, suddenly, Orne develops psi powers, and travels to the religious planet of Amel, where they decide that he has the remarkable potential to be a 'god.' Orne now must undergo psychic training ordeals... What will he do with his new and unprecedented power?
Herbert was very obviously trying to make several philosophical statements regarding peace vs. war (and the irony/futility of trying to enforce peace through military action), and religion - but the writing here is too choppy for it to seem more than awkward...
'The Godmakers' gives us Lewis Orne, an agent for a military-style organization that is charged with enforcing peace. After a disastrous interstellar war, no sign of warlike qualities in a culture will be tolerated - and any sign of an incipient militaristic attitude would justify blasting that civilization out of existence.
The first half of the book shows us Orne in a series of episodic missions to different planets, basically swaggering around chauvinistically (yeah, yeah, we KNOW you don't like women running your life... get over it already) and saving the day.
Then, suddenly, Orne develops psi powers, and travels to the religious planet of Amel, where they decide that he has the remarkable potential to be a 'god.' Orne now must undergo psychic training ordeals... What will he do with his new and unprecedented power?
Herbert was very obviously trying to make several philosophical statements regarding peace vs. war (and the irony/futility of trying to enforce peace through military action), and religion - but the writing here is too choppy for it to seem more than awkward...
