I’ve spent hundreds of hours listening to all the books in the Dune franchise. Perhaps 16 novels (I lost count) … most read by Scott Brick.

It’s certainly the greatest plot I’ve ever known: the Butlerian Jihad (war against the machines), CHOAM, the spice melange, the Spacing Guild, the Navigators, Bene Gesserit, Missionaria Protectiva, the Imperial Sardaukar, the misnamed Holtzman effect for faster than light travel, Mentats, Kwisatz Haderach,

A great plot needs a great conclusion. I actually liked the ending in Sandworms of Dune though it was criticized as relying ..

… on at least four consecutive deus ex machina bailouts …

When Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson took over, filling in details, their plot additions were equally good.

The best character in their books (as opposed to Brian’s father): Erasmus

But Herbert and Anderson are too wordy. Too repetitive. They needed a more ruthless editor.