Dune Messiah

Dune Messiah - Frank Herbert

Book 2 of the Dune Saga, my least favorite.

Paul Atreides, better known now as Muad'Dib is Emperor, thanks to the stranglehold he holds on the geriatric/hallucinogenic drug known as the spice melange, via his fanatic and ruthless Fremen troops.

The story has Paul spending most of his time lamenting his prescience power, and seemingly inescapable fate, where he is a religious figurehead and a jihad is waged in his name, killing billions upon billions.

The rest of the book is divided about evenly between the conspirators and Hayt, the ghola created from Duncan Idaho's remains with Tleilaxu technology.

The Duneverse is greatly expanded upon, presenting the above mentioned Bene Tleilaxu and their creations, like facedancers and gholas.

It is worth reading mostly because it sets up the next Dune book, where Paul's sister Alia is regent for his chidren Leto II and Ghanima, and how they come into their own.