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Pro Complex and unique ecology
Dune is one of the first sci-fi books to have as detailed fictional ecology that plays a big part in the overall story.
Pro Huge scope
The book covers topics such as ecology, politics, religion, humanism and war and touches on subjects like artificial intelligence, gender dynamics, nuclear weapons, architecture, engineering, heroism and many many more. All of these aspects are intertwined and executed on a grand scale.
Pro Cult book
This is an old series, several video games have been inspired by this book. Dune, Dune 2, dune 2000 and more.
Con Later books weren't finished by the original author
The original author, Frank Herbert, died after finishing the first few books. His son Brian Herbert and co author Kevin J. Anderson have since finished the series based on his scribblings, notes, and voice memos. A gargantuan task. The result can be a bit "weird" at times, but they have d...
Pro Some of the most memorable characters in literature
The Lord of the Rings is home to a great many memorable characters, but the names of Gandalf, Frodo, Legolas, and Aragorn are known far and above the rest.
Pro It's got an incredibly deep, detailed backstory
Lord of the Rings boasts one of the most detailed backstories of any series in the world. Supplementary books have been released that detail thousands of years of stories that all lead up to the events of The Lord of the Rings series.
Pro The books are filled with songs and poems
Tolkien was a great writer, and that wasn't limited to books. His works are filled with a host of wonderful songs, poems, and riddles for you to enjoy.
Con It may be too slow for a casual reader
The Lord of the Rings has a very slow narrative pace to begin with, and all the incredibly detailed descriptions of the environment don't help with that very much.
Pro Suggests that not all changes be made at once
Where many productivity books encourage you to start everything at once, Zen To Done takes a different approach. Realizing that making a large number of changes at once can be discouraging, it suggests that you take your time implementing the changes (recommending a year to do so).
Pro Adaptation of "Getting Things Done"
The author of Zen To Done realizes the potential in the book "Getting Things Done", but acknowledges the ways in which it can be discouraging for some people, and a hard lifestyle change to maintain. Zen To Done applies those same concepts presented in "Getting Things Done", b...
Con Plenty of typos
Though the occasional typo tends to make it through to publication, this book has more than it's fair share. The number of typos and other errors (such as incorrectly numbered lists) can get distracting and cause some confusion.
Con Ideas are rehashed throughout the book
The author takes his initial suggestions and repeats them frequently throughout the book, which feels like an attempt to fill pages. It makes for a somewhat dull read.
Pro Breaks everything down into steps
A lot of different techniques are introduced (such as a filing system and planner) which can be overwhelming. The author breaks everything down into smaller steps that can be completed immediately.
Con Does not consider technology
Getting Things Done, including the most recent update (2015), includes very little about incorporating technology into the process (such as tracking apps) that could speed up the process.
Con Repetitive, infomercial-like writing style
A large majority of the book is filler writing, repeating the few initial lessons in various different wordings.
Pro Offers exercises that can be started immediately
The author has provided exercises at the end of each of the 21 rules to help you quickly put into practice what you've learned.
Pro Fast read
This book was written to be a quick and easy read, at only 128 pages. However, that doesn't result in a lack of helpful information. The author has a very clear and concise writing style.
Con Relies on self-discipline
This book teaches various ways for organizing tasks and encouraging you to tackle them, however it relies on you having the self-discipline to get started. Of course, it's not something that can simply be learned. However, discussion on the psychology behind motivation and self-discipline would...
Pro A diverse cast of main and side characters bring the world to life
Starting with the main character, Rand, and his two friends, Matt and Perrin, the cast of this series continues to grow throughout the books as the events of the story have far-reaching effects. All of these characters are written very well, with deep personalities and realistic flaws, and feel li...
Pro Incredibly detailed world building
Across 14 books author Robert Jordon builds an amazing world full of interesting places, people, and events.
Con Wheel of Time is a very long series
With 14 books, many long in their own right, this is a very long series and the middle books in the series can get a bit dry as the politics of this world take a front seat in the build up to the finale.
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