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Welcome to the universe of
No book has ever captured my imagination like Dune by Frank Herbert. After reading it, I was hooked!! The six books in Frank Herbert's Dune Chronicles have become some of the most popular works in science fiction history. Now, Frank's son Brain Herbert, along with sci-fi author Kevin J. Anderson, continue the series with the Prelude To Dune Trilogy and the Legends Of Dune Trilogy.
In Dune, the most valuable substance in the universe is the spice called Melange, which exists only on the desert planet of Arrakis, also known as Dune. This orange spice extends life, enhances the power of the mind, and makes space travel possible. Dune tells the story of the struggle to control the spice, and how the destiny of one Paul Atreides, later known as Muad'Dib, would change the universe forever.
The Padishah Emperor, Shaddam IV
Ruler of the Known Universe
The series also focuses on political intrigue, religion, the rise and fall of empires which span the known universe, and the evolution of the human race. We learn of the Great Imperium and the rule of the Padishah Emperors. As well as the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, who have controled human breding lines for centuries to produce a superbeing known as the Kwisatz Haderach. Then there are the Great Houses of the Landsraad, ruled over by the Emeperor according to the old Feudal System. And the centuries old feud between the noble House Atreides and their mortal enemies the Harkonnens.
The Dune series is definately one of the best and most intriguing series of books I have ever read. Personally, I found these books to be all consuming, I couldn't stop reading them. The story is very complex and somewhat difficult to follow at times, but the Dune books are just great reads. The movie Dune, as well as the new miniseries, are very good and help to bring the books to life.
Atreides vs Harkonnen
Dune Info
The site Arrakis-Dune has a great list of quotes and terms:
Terminology of the Imperium
Quotes from The Dune Cronicles
Dune Links:
DUNE: The Official Website
Dune Index
Arrakis-Dune
SciFi.com: Dune
Dune: Foldspace
Dune-Behind the Scenes
The World of Dune
Visions Of Dune
Bringing Dune to the screen - IMDB Links:
Dune (1984)
Dune miniseries (2000)
Children of Dune miniseries (2003)
Summary of the Dune Chronicles:
In the year 10,191, House Atreides is ordered by the Emperor to oversee spice production on Dune. However, this is the first step in a trap set up by the Emperor to destroy the Atreides. Due to the actions of a traitor within the house, the Atreides are left defenseless during a Harkonnen attack. Paul's father, Duke Leto Atreides, is murdered and House Atreides is all but destroyed. Believed to be dead, Paul and his mother, Lady Jessica, flee into the desert, where they encounter the desert dwelling Fremen. Paul, now known as Muad'Did, is also believed to be the Kwisatz Haderach.
Paul Muad'Dib
Paul Muad'Dib leads the mighty Fremen warriors against those trying to take Dune for themselves. Riding across the desert on the great sandworms, the Fremon battle against the combined forces of the Harkonnens and the Imperium, and Muad'Dib assumes the throne as Emperor. After a 12 year reign, and a great Jihad fought in his name, Paul becomes the victem of a conspiracy set up to destroy him.
Paul's successor is his son, Leto Atreides II. By the age of 9, Leto has undergone a bizarre transformation, one that would allow him to live for thousands of years as he became part man part sandworm. Known as the God Emperor, Leto rules the universe for over three thousand years. Many considered him a tyrant as he forced all of humanity along his "Golden Path." This path would become a great step in human evolution, but would also require the God Emperor to make a great sacrifice.
As the story continues, the life cycle of the planet Dune goes full circle, from desert, to green with life, and back to desert. A millenium after Leto's death, the universe is once again ungulfed in turmoil. Events set in motion by Leto's Golden Path give rise to the Honored Matres, a deadly group of women bent on conquering the universe and destroying anything that stands in their way. The Bene Gesserit Sisterhood leads the resistance against them.
These are only some of the elements of this phenomenal series. This bref description cannot do justice to such a vast story.
The Complete Dune Chronicles
If you wish to know more about the Dune story, I have set up another site. It contains some of the information already presented, but a more detailed summary of the series. Go here if you want to find out exactly what happens in the books, or just to refresh your memory if you've already read them. If you haven't read the books and intend to, do not go to this site because it will spoil the story!!
The Complete Dune
Prelude To Dune
Frank Herbert's son, Brian Herbert, and sci-fi author Kevin J. Anderson have collaborated to create The Prelude To Dune Trilogy. Based on Frank Herbert own notes, this new series goes into the events which take place during the decades leading up to the time when Paul Muad'Dib walks the sands of Arrakis.
In Dune: House Atreides, we learn about the old tyrant, Emperor Elrood IX, and how his son, Shaddam, who plots to end his father's reign and take the Imperial throne for himself. Also in this book, the Imperial planetologist Pardot Kynes is sent to Arrakis to learn the secrets of the spice Melange. There, he also encounters the mysterious Fremen. The machine planet of Ix is taken over by the Tleilaxu. The eight-year-old slave, Duncan Idaho, begins his escape from his Harkonnen masters. The Bene Gesserit are only two generations away from producing the Kwisatz Haderach. And young Leto Atreides unexpectedly becomes Duke of House Atreides. He is quickly forced to prove himself by protecting the survivors of a fallen house and defending his own house from a deadly plot.
The story continues in Dune: House Harkonnen. Baron Vladimir Harkonnen seeks to expand the wealth and power of his house by squeezing every drop of spice from Arrakis' sands, and crushing his enemies. He participates in an attack on the Bene Gesserit and implements a plot to destroy Duke Leto Atreides. Also, the Baron is forced to deal with his weak brother, Abulurd, and his foolish nephew, Glossu Rabban. Meanwhile, Pardot Kynes continues his work on Dune, as his son, Liet, who has been raised in the ways of the Fremen, begins his own journey. The new Emperor, Shaddam IV, seeks to produce a male heir to secure House Corrino's grip on the throne, and he continues to back up the Tleilaxu occupation of Ix. C'tair Pilru fights to free Ix, while the Harkonnen slave, Gurney Halleck, seeks his own freedom and vengence for all his suffering at the hands of the Harkonnens. Duke Leto Atreides begins to become comfortable in his family life, until a mysterious Bene Gesserit agent named Jessica appears. Her mission is to complete the next step in the centuries old breding program by giving birth to an Atreides daughter. Even more dangerous is a Harkonnen agent that seeks to tear apart the Duke and his family.
All the events of the stroy come together in the conclusion, Dune: House Corrino. The Tleilaxu on the planet Ix have created an artificial form of spice called amal. Emperor Shaddam IV hopes to use amal to secure his power, at the same time eliminating the production of melange by carrying out his great "Spice War." But the Tleilaxu have plans of their own to use the amal for their own purposes. As entire worlds are decimated by the Spice War, Duke Leto Atreides at last decides that the time has come to retake Ix from the Tleilaxu and restore his friend, Prince Rhombur, as it's rightful leader. Meanwhile, Lady Jessica is about to give birth to Duke Leto's son, though she has disobeyed the Sisterhood by bearing a son and not a daughter. But this newborn child may be more unique than the Sisterhood suspects. From the caverns of Ix, to the Atreides homeworld Caladan, and to Arrakis itself, a great battle is to be fought that could change the universe forever.
Want to know more, than check out this site, but only if you don't mind having the story spoiled.
Prelude To Dune
Legends Of Dune
This series chronicles the events surounding humanity's great revolt against the machines. It takes place about ten thousand years before the original Dune. The three books in this series are titled The Butlerian Jihad, The Machine Crusade, and The Battle Of Corrin. The first book is avaliable and the next two will be released within the next two years. Review coming soon as I have not yet read the first book.
Long Live The Fighters!!
"Dune" is a copyright of The Herbert Limited Partnership. All related characters and elements are original ideas of Frank Herbert. The Dune movie is a copyright of Universal Pictures, and the miniseries "Frank Herbert's Dune" is a copyright of the Sci-Fi Channel. The materials on this site are for personal, and non-profit use only and are not intended to infringe on any related copyrights.
