History of Dune II - Crusade of the Machines

The greatest weakness of thinking machines is their belief that they have no weak points... For more than two decades, a holy war has raged in the universe between the followers of Serena the Handmaiden and Omnius and his robots. Billions of people have been slaughtered in this crusade - not only the soldiers of the League of the Sublime, but also innocent colonists and slaves from the Synchronized Worlds. Nobody bothers to count the destroyed machines. However, both sides are still equally far from the final victory, so every move matters in a fierce game. This is known to both the great General Agamemnon, who heads the rest of the Titans and the neo-cymeks, and his greased son Vorian Atreides, who, together with the implacable Xavier Harkonnen, is trying to get the better of the computer omniscience and its minions. And the unpredictable figures who can significantly intervene in the game of humanity's destiny continue to grow. How will the unscrupulous politician Iblis Ginjo, the brilliant inventor Norma Cenva, Erasmus' protégé Gilbertus Albans, the murderous mercenary Jool Noret, the peaceful cogitor Kwyna or the worm-sitting Selim the Horseman fare? There are countless ways to die, but the worst is to disappear without a purpose... The second volume of the History of Dune trilogy, set several decades before the founding of the Cosmic Guild and ten thousand years before the birth of Paul Atreides. The rebellion against Omnius has been dragging on for years, and the people, exhausted by the hopeless conflict, are losing motivation! "The authors maintain the atmosphere and style of the original Dune series while expanding its mythology and developing new characters and events." - LaCultura.cz "All the politicking, lying, creating misinformation, etc. the creators have managed to handle it perfectly, and not for nothing is the whole Dune called 'Game of Thrones in space'." - from reader reviews on databazeknih.cz Iblis was aware of the bystanders watching him and may have noticed his hesitation. He dared not show concern. Everything the Great Patriarch does is scrutinized and discussed. He put the melange on his tongue and closed his mouth. "The purest form of melange is said to have many facets... just like that precious pendant you have around your neck," Venport said. "The melange will manifest itself differently for each person who marries her." Iblis felt... different. He couldn't place it exactly because he had never experienced anything like it. His heart rate sped up and then slowed again, sped up and then slowed again. Such a strange feeling! Then he calmed down even more, and in a state of complete equanimity he almost looked into his own heart and soul. He could barely form the words and pronounce them. "Amazing. Where... do you get... the spices?" Venport smiled at him. "Come on, I'm entitled to some trade secrets." He offered Iblis another sample of melange, and the Grand Patriarch accepted without hesitation. "Trust me," said the merchant, "even if I told you, where the spice comes from, it's not the place, wherever you want to go." - excerpt from the book