Every once in a while, a long time after everyone else, I get around to something and Have Thoughts on it.
This time it was *Dune*, which I decided to give a try since it's considered iconic and I do like some science fiction and it seemed better than making myself sit through any of *Star Trek*. (OK, so I really only like *obscure* science fiction. *Babylon 5* forever!)
Perhaps it is just now being the mother of teenage boys, but I feel like the teenage-boy-protagonist-will-save-the-world thing is way overdone. With apologies to Deux and Dash, who are quite decent human beings, really, here are the responses you would *actually* get if you asked a teenage boy to save the world:
- "Does the world really have to be saved? Couldn't we just skip it this time?"
- "I saved the world *last* week. It's Andromeda's turn to save the world."
- "Mmmppphh."
- "I have to finish fighting this boss first."
- "Oh right, I forgot. Save the world. Will do."
- "I would, but I'm leaving right now. Maybe when I get back."
Finally, in exasperation, one would lay into them with a store of accumulated righteous indignation, only to have them say, "I already did it!"
Repeat weekly, which is how often world-ending scenarios come up in science fiction anyway.
However, it's not just the having of a teen hero. After all, the Codex Alera books have a teenage hero saving the world, and they're delightful. Mostly, I think it's just that Paul is such a thoroughly dislikable person. Cold, detached, unrealistically competent, followed by unreasonably adoring fans and worst of all, he's boring. I would not want to be his mother. Whereas I would be quite proud to be Tavi's mother. He's warm, curious, funny, he makes mistakes and has to deal with them, and just all round feels like an actual human being.
I think the clincher for me is when Paul is proposing to the Emperor's daughter and his common-law tribal wife is like, "Oh, Paul, you don't have to worry about me, I won't get in the way of your galactic ambitions." Even though *their child was just killed by the Emperor's forces*. Kitai would have throat-punched Tavi if he had even thought about something like that. And he would have known he deserved it.
Then again, maybe I'm just too old for this, and I will go back to cheering on Thursday Next and Precious Ramotswe.
