The Dosadi Experiment

The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert

Did you know that Frank Herbert wrote a book about a planet with such an extreme environment that it breeds a superior race of humanity that is highly disciplined, smarter, and tougher than the rest of humanity? This population has access to life extension and if turned loose on the rest of the galaxy, will overturn everything.

You probably have, but this is the other one.

The Dosadi Experiment is set in Herbert's Consentiency universe. “Universe” is used loosely since there was just this book and “Whipping Star.” Both featured Jorg X. McKie, Sabotageur Extraordinary of the Bureau of Sabotage. BuSab was created to throw a monkey wrench into the government and thereby protect individual liberty.

We could use one of those now.

The Consentiency is populated by a variety of interesting and quirky aliens, including the frog-like Gowachin. They have kidnapped a mixed population of humans and Gowachin, which they have kept isolated on the poisonous planet of Dosadi for generations. The habitable area of Dosadi amounts to a few square miles inhabited by millions. Competition is intense.

Now, the lid is about to blow off the Dosadi experiment.

Because he was trained in the Gowachin's perverse legal system, McKie is tasked to go to Dosadi to investigate what the Gowachin were doing.

The story comes to a head in a courtroom scene where death is on the line.

I read this in its Galaxy serialization. I enjoyed it. The story mostly holds up, although there is a bit much of Herbert's tendency to make his characters appear far more insightful than they actually are.

Nonetheless, if you have a choice between the 79th instalment of the Dune saga - The Master Bakers of Dune - or this one, give this one a shot.