For Devotees Mostly

The author explores the nature of consciousness, intelligence, and the consequences of creating an artificial intelligence that is self-aware.

Destination Void's a fairly difficult read and an even tougher "listen." Herbert's writing is dense with techno-babble and conceptual exposition. I had to, at many points, go back several paragraphs and re-read. Listening to the audiobook demanded extreme attention - and even then it was difficult to 'follow' the story in anything but a superficial way.

I cannot recommend the audiobook despite Scott Brick's excellent narration. This is a book that must be read to be understood. If then ...

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Wait until the end

Just the last hour of the Audible make it worth the listening, not an easy listen, and this comes from a tech/engineering aficionado. Recommended, though.

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At turns intriguing and frustrating

I first heard of this book in a Modern Scholar audiobook on Science Fiction (also available on Audible). I later came across a paperback copy of this book for a long time, but flipping through it I could tell this would be a book I would have a hard time wading through. The audiobook version proved me right!

On the one hand, this book has intriguing concepts about artificial intelligence and the dangers in creating it. The characters are basically forced into a situation in which they have to create a functional AI under duress. The ways they are manipulated, and their efforts to produce a mechanical analog to the human brain using their ship did create many neat and thought-provoking moments.

On the other hand, the book is filled with technical details that went right over my head. Herbert seems to have done quite a bit of work to make this a piece of Hard SF, but the problem is that the kinds of machinery he bases his work on (huge computers with magnetic tape readers, tons of plugs and relays, and a fraction of the computing power of my laptop) make the book quite dated. I'm not a luddite, but I wonder if someone more steeped in the technology of the time would have an easier time following the logic of the character's building process.

Also, the characters at times seem more less like round characters and more like vehicles to have a discussion about AI. Much of the book is spent with them chucking scientific revelations at one another followed by philosophical introspection. It felt too contrived.

Scott Brick's superb narration made this audiobook readable (or listen-able, I guess). It's a difficult text to begin with, but his efforts brought out the drama and its nuances. If he wasn't the narrator on this one I am uncertain as to whether or not I would have downloaded it.

I knew this would be a difficult book going in, and since I plan on listening to the next book in the series, The Jesus Incident (which from the reviews I have read is much more readable for a contemporary audience), I am glad I picked up this one.

I would recommend this book to die-hard Herbert fans looking to branch out from Dune and Hard SF geeks interested in how AI was discussed before the digital revolution. Casual science fiction listeners will be put off by all of the technical discussions of dated technology.

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dated but engaging hard sci fi

thought provoking and profound concepts. spaceship/computer jargon that doesn't age well. still glad I read it.

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Thought Provoking

This is one of Frank Herbert’s most thought-provoking novels—and that’s saying a lot. Four clones on an interstellar space flight designed to fail, attempt to create an artificial intelligence to steer their craft safely between the stars. Their entire lives, and this completely manufactured crisis, are part of an experiment being run by humans to try and achieve artificial intelligence. Herbert’s plot unfolds with a series of crises intended to force the clones to succeed in their task or die—exciting on its own level. But at the same time, Herbert consciously models his story on the big questions raised by Mary Shelley in her novel Frankenstein. He questions what life and consciousness truly are and brings the crew to what was to me a totally unexpected fate at the end of the story. I’ve read this book five or six times and always get something new out of it.

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“Theoretical Discussions Regarding the Nature of Consciousness”

…would have been a much more fitting title for this book.

While not uninteresting, and maybe a welcome respite from sci-fi saturated with meaningless action and senseless violence, this may just go a tad bit overboard in the other direction. Imagine the last 30min of 2001 Space Odyssey written out in book form.

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Not Herbert's best work

The story required continuous suspension of disbelief. Very little of the story was credible. Many times I was tempted to stop, but I went on. Having finished it, I can say I wouldn't have missed anything by stopping.

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Excruciatingly boring!

Way too much verbal cogitating and psycho-gobbldygook. Unrealistic characters and situation. Hard to believe it ever sells.

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Too Metaphysical For Me

What would have made Destination: Void better?

I like Frank Herbert's work, but found this book so focused on the metaphysics of consciousness that it just wasn't enjoyable.

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A mental exercise

A very deep and complex book. I found too much of it to technical jargon to enjoy. The story itself is explained very simply in the first chapter of the second book.

Scott Brick's reading was what I found interesting in this book. The way he read chapter after chapter of electrical hook ups and definitions of consciousness.... I applaud his masterful skill.

I wouldn't recommend it to anyone as an introduction to Herbert's writing.

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