Dune

Dune is a science fiction novel written by American author Frank Herbert. The book spawned five sequels by Herbert and six books by son Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.

Fast Facts

1. Author: Frank Herbert
2. Genre: Science Fiction
3. Publication Date: 1965
4. Publisher: Ace Trade
5. Pages: 544 (Ace Trade 40th Anniversary Edition)
6. ISBN 0441013597 (Ace Trade 40th Anniversary Edition)
7. Awards: Hugo Award, Nebula Award
8. Adaptations: Dune film (film), Dune miniseries (TV miniseries)

Plot Synopsis

Dune presents a far-future when humanity is scattered across the Galaxy in a confederation of feudal Houses held together by fealty to a central Emperor. One of the lynch pins of trade and power in this setting is control of the spice Melange, which imparts on its users powers of prescience and enables one race to control the means to travel faster than light. The Emperor fears the growing power of House Atreides, and so arranges to aggregate the feud between that house and House Harkonnen in the hopes that the two will destroy each other. The conflict boils over on Arrakis, the only world where Melange can be found. In the midst of this conflict, Paul Atreides is discovered to be the end result of a centuries-old breeding program to create a super-human who might unite the galaxy under the banner of the Bene Gesserit, a matriarchal religious order. Dune traces the political, socio-religious, and personal power struggles that stem from these interweaving plot threads.

Critical Reception

Response to Dune has been largely positive. The book won both major awards in science fiction, is taught both at the high school and university level, and its influence can be seen in films like Star Wars, Tremors and Robotech.

Sequels

• 1969: Dune Messiah
• 1976: Children of Dune
• 1981: God Emperor of Dune
• 1984: Heretics of Dune
• 1985: Chapterhouse Dune

Prelude to Dune

• Written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
• 1999: Dune: House Atreides
• 2000: Dune: House Harkonnen
• 2001: Dune: House Corrino

Legends of Dune

• Written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
• 2002: Dune: The Butlerian Jihad
• 2003: Dune: The Machine Crusade
• 2004: Dune: The Battle of Corrin

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