Tolkien hated Dune, but was too polite to explain why. When you compare the sensibilities of Tolkien's writings to those of Herbert's, it makes sense why it wouldn't appeal to him. The Lord of the Rings has clearly defined good guys and bad guys and is a story of good triumphing over evil. Dune is about a group of not-so-good people getting revenge on even worse people. The Lord of the Rings has themes lifted from Judeo-Christian theology, and heroes rising up to fulfill their destinies. Dune is very much an anti-religious story about the weaponization of faith and man-made prophets claiming destiny as justification for their grasps at power. The Lord of the Rings is about small people from humble backgrounds facing dangers to protect what they love. Dune is about aristocrats killing aristocrats and using the little people as cannon fodder. The Lord of the Rings is optimistic and ends with the true king being restored to the throne and ushering in a golden age. Dune is pessimistic and ends with a tyrant being replaced by another tyrant.
I love both books, but Dune is far, far more relevant to our lives today while LoTR appeals mainly as a wonderful mythological fable of a time past. All the issues Dune addresses - climate change, authoritarianism, geopolitics, wars based on religion and resources, colonialism, intelligent machines, propaganda - are front and center for us today. LoTR is good vs. evil, subjugation, some ecological issues, but mainly a fairy tale. Interestingly, as a school kid, I first learned of the existence of LoTR from a blurb on the back cover of Dune, which said that the only book comparable to it was LoTR.
@ReviewsPossum And Elric Saga mogs them both.
@ReviewsPossum It wasn’t Judeo-Christian beliefs. It was and IS Christian beliefs. Nothing to do with Judeo.
@ReviewsPossum Dune is a more realistic depiction of the human condition. I enjoy both though
@ReviewsPossum To be fair to Tolkien, he said this in a private letter to someone; he wasn't going around badmouthing Dune.
@ReviewsPossum Lord of the Rings is interesting. Dune is boring.