- I like how Herbert utilizes the excerpts from Irulan to open each chapter. It widens the scope of the book by showing his audience glimpses of more that is to come and helps to make it feel "more real" for me.

- To a point I made in the first section, it's interesting how Herbert lays out so much of the conspiracy and plots in these early chapters, AND YET he has one piece of information he is holding back: Jessica's parentage (Reverend Mother: "he who must not be named" from our first section and the Duke pondering her ancestry to open this section). Why is this the one thing he seems intent on saving for a reveal?

- I love the how the Bene Gesserit seeded prophecy throughout the galaxy in order to help out any B.G. sisters that might find themselves in a hostile/strange environment. It's interesting in that, this is Herbert turning one of the main conceits of DUNE (that of prophecy) on its head. Having the stories laid out in the far reaches of the universe, stories the B.G. know and can utilize to gain access to strange cultures. It's like pulling back the curtain on a carny mentalist.
It also goes to a point made in the first comments section that prophecy doesn't just happen in this book. It has to be worked at, tough choices are made in order for the prophecy to come true. But that's getting a bit ahead.

- I will add my love to the way that Herbert just glosses over the space travel aspect, in a science fiction novel. Like Tolkien, more in the way her formed his narrative in Lord of the Rings, Herbert eschews the tropes of the genre and tells a far more compelling and lasting tale. I think the fact that he doesn't belabor the "futuristic" science definitely adds to the strength of this book.
I read DUNE the first time on a recommendation from one of my high school teachers because he knew how much I enjoyed science fiction and Tolkien. I was an SF/Fantasy junkie, and the fact that the sci-fi trappings are so slim with this didn't take away at all from my enjoyment of the book.

- To Dustin's point, the Bene Gesserit are certainly the most powerful group in DUNE. And, like those with real power, they do much of their work in the shadows and prefer to stay in the background while the Harkonnens and the Padishah Emperor and the other more "masculine" seats of power prefer to show off with their machinations and conspiracies that are divined by everyone else.

- And doesn't Frank Herbert the writer like the ellipsis (…)?

The laser/shield thing seems weird to me too, but a good excuse for the different warfare they use – singularity indeed.

I was also struck by how they just appeared on Dune – no travel, no description of the landscape, no desert at first, just the city. Maybe the sand as a "character" isn't introduced yet – I know it will be huge later.

I really like how the "magic" of the BG witches is really just hyper-awareness and training – like someone above said, science. The idea of seeding prophecies all over the place for later use is great, just great. Jessica's feeling around the prophecy while talking to Mapes was crazy.

Finally, great drawings all. You are purging the film's images out of my head and I am very very grateful.

Shouldn't Gurney's name be Idaho since he's shaped like a potato?

It's stated in various texts that the size of the explosion is random and unpredictable, though I'm fairly certain that it's assured fatal for both parties 100% of the time.

You're right about the lasers/shield combo–it's called "the Holtzmann Effect", basically a reaction that destroys the target AND shooter. Important a) because of the already-discussed repercussions on all other martial technology/culture, and b) for later in the story.