The
Dune universe, or
Duniverse, is the
politicalPolitics is a process by which groups of people make decisions. The term is generally applied to behavior within civil governments, but politics has been observed in all human group interactions, including corporate, academic and religious institutions...
,
scientificScience is in its broadest sense to any systematic knowledge-base or prescriptive practice that is capable of resulting in a prediction or predictable type of outcome...
, and
socialSociety or human society is the manner or condition in which the members of a community live together for their mutual benefit. By extension, society denotes the people of a region or country, sometimes even the world, taken as a whole....
fictional settingA fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements which differ from the real world. It may be called, variously, a fictional realm, world or universe...
of author
Frank HerbertFranklin Patrick Herbert, Jr. was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American science fiction author. Although a short story author, he is best known for his novels, most notably Dune and its five sequels...
's series of six
science fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction. It differs from fantasy in that, within the context of the story, its imaginary elements are largely possible within scientifically-established or scientifically-postulated laws of nature...
novels which began with 1965's
DuneDune is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert, published in 1965. It won the 1966 Hugo Award and the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel...
.
Dune itself is considered by many to be the greatest
science fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction. It differs from fantasy in that, within the context of the story, its imaginary elements are largely possible within scientifically-established or scientifically-postulated laws of nature...
novel of all time; it was the first bestselling hardcover science fiction novel, and is frequently cited as the best-selling science fiction novel in history.
Dune won the 1966
Hugo AwardThe Hugo Awards are given every year for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories...
and the inaugural
Nebula Award for Best NovelWinners of the Nebula Award for Best Novel, awarded by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. The stated year is that of publication; awards are given in the following year...
, and was later adapted into a
1984 filmDune is a 1984 science fiction film written and directed by David Lynch, based on the 1965 Frank Herbert novel of the same name. The film stars Kyle MacLachlan as Paul Atreides, and includes an ensemble of well-known American and European actors in supporting roles, including Sting, Jose Ferrer,...
as well as a
2000 television miniseriesFrank Herbert's Dune was an effort to create a 3D action game in the Dune universe...
. The novel's first two
sequelA sequel is a work in literature, film, or other media that chronologically portrays events following those of a previous work.In many cases, the sequel continues elements of the original story, often with the same characters and settings. A sequel can lead to a series, in which key elements appear...
s appeared as a miniseries in 2003. The
Dune universe has also inspired a series of
Dune video gamesA number of computer games based on Frank Herbert's science fiction novel Dune and its two adaptations for film and television were created:-Dune :...
, including
Dune IIDune II: The Building of a Dynasty is a Dune computer game released in 1992 by Westwood Studios...
, the first modern
real-time strategyReal-time strategy games are a genre of computer wargames which do not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
game.
Herbert himself died in 1986. Beginning in 1999, his son
Brian HerbertBrian Patrick Herbert is a bestselling American author who lives in Washington state. He is the elder son of famed science fiction author Frank Herbert....
and science fiction author
Kevin J. AndersonKevin J. Anderson is an American science fiction author. He has written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and is the co-author of the Dune prequels. His original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity...
produced a number of
prequelA prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel .-History:Though the word "Prequel" is of...
novels, as well as two which complete the original
Dune series —
Hunters of DuneHunters of Dune is the first of two novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson to conclude Frank Herbert's original Dune series of novels...
(2006) and
Sandworms of DuneSandworms of Dune is the second of two novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson to conclude Frank Herbert's original Dune series of novels...
(2007) — partially based on Frank Herbert's notes discovered a decade after his death.
Brief synopsis
The fictional
Dune universe, set in the distant future of humanity, has a history that stretches tens of thousands of years (some 15,000 years in total) that covers considerable changes in political, social, and religious structure as well as technology. Creative works set in the
Dune universe can be said to fall into five general time periods:
- The Butlerian Jihad: Legends of Dune
Legends of Dune is a prequel trilogy of novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in Frank Herbert's Dune universe.* Dune: The Butlerian Jihad * Dune: The Machine Crusade * Dune: The Battle of Corrin...
prequelA prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel .-History:Though the word "Prequel" is of...
trilogyA trilogy is a set of three works of art - usually literature, film, or video games, less commonly visual art like paintings or musical works - that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works....
(2002-2004) by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
- The Corrino-led Imperium: Prelude to Dune
Prelude to Dune is a prequel trilogy of novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in Frank Herbert's Dune universe....
prequel trilogy (1999-2001) by Brian Herbert and Anderson
- The ascension of the Atreides: Dune
Dune is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert, published in 1965. It won the 1966 Hugo Award and the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel...
(1965), Dune MessiahDune Messiah is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, the second in a series of six novels. It was originally serialized in Galaxy magazine in 1969. The American and British editions have different prologues summarizing events in the previous novel...
(1969), and Children of DuneChildren of Dune is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, third in a series of six novels set in the Dune universe. The novel was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1977. It was originally serialized in Analog Science Fiction and Fact in 1976, and was the last Dune novel to be...
(1976) by Frank Herbert
- The reign and fall of the God Emperor: God Emperor of Dune
See God Emperor for the general concept, for the Warhammer 40,000 personality c.f. Emperor of Mankind .God Emperor of Dune is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert published in 1981, the fourth in the Dune series....
(1981) by Frank Herbert
- The return from the Scattering: Heretics of Dune
Heretics of Dune is a 1984 science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, fifth in a series of six novels.-Plot introduction:Fifteen hundred years have passed since Leto's reign ended; humanity is firmly on the Golden Path...
(1984) and Chapterhouse DuneChapterhouse Dune is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, last in his series of six Dune novels. Published in 1985, it is also known variously as Chapterhouse: Dune, Chapter House Dune and Chapter House: Dune...
(1985) by Frank Herbert; Hunters of DuneHunters of Dune is the first of two novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson to conclude Frank Herbert's original Dune series of novels...
(2006) and Sandworms of DuneSandworms of Dune is the second of two novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson to conclude Frank Herbert's original Dune series of novels...
(2007) by Brian Herbert and Anderson
The Butlerian Jihad
As explained in
Dune, the
Butlerian JihadThe Butlerian Jihad is an event in the back-story of Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. It leads to the outlawing of certain technologies, primarily "thinking machines," a collective term for computers and artificial intelligence of any kind....
is a conflict taking place over 11,000 years in the future (and over 10,000 years before the events of
Dune) which results in the total destruction of virtually all forms of "
computerA computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a set of instructions.Although mechanical examples of computers have existed through much of recorded human history, the first electronic computers were developed in the mid-20th century . These were the size of a large room, consuming as...
s,
thinking machinesThe thinking machines are fictional intelligent machines from Frank Herbert's Dune universe. The human crusade against such artificial intelligence — known as the Butlerian Jihad — is an epic turning point in the back-story of the Dune universe...
, and
conscious robotsA robot is an input-output device that is built from inanimate matter and its behavior in response to the environment is determined by how the robot was designed. By this definition, an elevator is a robot. Cognition is the action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought,...
." With the prohibition "Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of a human mind," the creation of even the simplest thinking machines is outlawed and made
tabooA taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and forbidden. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society. The term comes from the Tongan language, and appears in many Polynesian cultures...
, which has a profound influence on the
socio-politicalSocial engineering is a concept in political science that refers to efforts to influence popular attitudes and social behavior on a large scale, whether by governments or private groups. In the political arena the counterpart of social engineering is political engineering.For various reasons, the...
and
technologicalTechnology is a broad concept that deals with human as well as other animal species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt to its environment...
development of humanity in the
Dune series. Herbert refers to the Jihad several times in the novels, but does not give much detail on how he imagined the causes and nature of the conflict. In Herbert's
God Emperor of DuneSee God Emperor for the general concept, for the Warhammer 40,000 personality c.f. Emperor of Mankind .God Emperor of Dune is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert published in 1981, the fourth in the Dune series....
(1981),
Leto Atreides IILeto Atreides II is a fictional character from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. Born at the end of Dune Messiah , Leto is a central character in Children of Dune and is the title character of God Emperor of Dune . The character is brought back as a ghola in the Brian Herbert/Kevin J...
indicates that the Jihad had been a semi-religious social upheaval initiated by humans who felt repulsed by how guided and controlled they had become by machines: "The target of the Jihad was a machine-attitude as much as the machines," Leto said. "Humans had set those machines to usurp our sense of beauty, our necessary selfdom out of which we make living judgments. Naturally, the machines were destroyed." This technological reversal leads to the creation of the universal
Orange Catholic BibleThe Orange Catholic Bible is a fictional book from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert...
and the rise of a new
feudalFeudalism is a decentralized sociopolitical structure in which a weak monarchy attempts to control the lands of the realm through reciprocal agreements with regional leaders...
galactic empire which lasts for over 10,000 years before Herbert's series begins. Several
secret societiesSecret society is a term used to describe a variety of organizations. Although the exact meaning of the term is disputed, several of the definitions advanced indicate a degree of secrecy and secret knowledge, which might include denying membership or knowledge of the group, negative consequences...
also develop, using
eugenicsEugenics is the study and practice of selective breeding applied to humans, with the aim of improving the species. Widely popular in the early decades of the 20th century, after having become associated with the Holocaust, it has largely fallen into disrepute.- Overview :As a social movement...
programs, intensive mental and physical training, and pharmaceutical enhancements to hone human skills to an astonishing degree.
Artificial inseminationArtificial insemination is the process by which sperm is placed into the reproductive tract of a female for the purpose of impregnating the female by using means other than sexual intercourse...
is also prohibited, as explained in
Dune MessiahDune Messiah is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, the second in a series of six novels. It was originally serialized in Galaxy magazine in 1969. The American and British editions have different prologues summarizing events in the previous novel...
(1969) when
Paul AtreidesPaul Atreides is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert; he later takes the Fremen name Paul Muad'Dib and the sietch name Usul. Paul is a prominent character in the first two novels in the series, Dune and Dune Messiah , and returns in Children of Dune...
negotiates with the Reverend Mother
Gaius Helen MohiamGaius Helen Mohiam is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. She is a Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother, and initially appears in the novel Dune and its sequel, Dune Messiah. She also has a major role in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy by Brian Herbert and Kevin J...
, who is appalled by Paul's suggestion that he impregnate his consort in this manner.
The Dune Encyclopedia (1984) by
Dr. Willis E. McNellyDr. Willis Everett McNelly was a professor and writer best known for The Dune Encyclopedia, the 1984 companion to Frank Herbert's classic Dune series of science fiction novels....
(and approved by Frank Herbert) presents an extended chronicle of the Butlerian Jihad. According to Dr. McNelly, he and Herbert had planned to expand this version into a prequel novel to
Dune; Herbert's death in 1986 left this project abandoned, and Herbert's own vision of the actual events of the Butlerian Jihad unexplored and open to speculation. The
Legends of Dune prequel trilogy (2002-2004) by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson presents the Jihad as a war between humans and the
sentient machinesStrong AI is artificial intelligence that matches or exceeds human— or biological intelligence— the intelligence of a machine that can successfully perform any intellectual task that a human being can. It is a primary goal of artificial intelligence research and an important topic for science...
they had created, who rise up and nearly destroy mankind. The series explains that mankind had become entirely complacent and dependent upon thinking machines; recognizing this weakness, a group of ambitious, militant humans calling themselves the
TitansThe Titans are a group of fictional characters in the Legends of Dune series of novels, written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson and set in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. The twenty Titans took over the Old Empire and ruled it for a century before succumbing to the machines led...
use this widespread reliance on machine intelligence to seize control of the entire universe. Their reign lasts for a century; eventually they give too much access and power to the
AIStrong AI is artificial intelligence that matches or exceeds human— or biological intelligence— the intelligence of a machine that can successfully perform any intellectual task that a human being can. It is a primary goal of artificial intelligence research and an important topic for science...
program Omnius, which usurps control from the Titans themselves. Seeing no value in human life, the thinking machines — now including armies of robot soldiers and other aggressive machines — dominate and enslave nearly all of humanity in the universe for 900 years, until a jihad is ignited. This crusade against the machines lasts for nearly a century, with much loss of human life but ultimately ending in human victory.
The Corrino-led Imperium
The ancient
Battle of Corrin — occurring 20 years after the end of the Butlerian Jihad — spawns the
Padishah EmperorPadishah Emperor is the title given to the hereditary rulers of the Old Empire in the science fiction Dune universe created by Frank Herbert.-Original series:...
s of
House CorrinoImperial House Corrino is a fictional noble family from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. The Corrinos come to power after mankind's victory against the thinking machines at the Battle of Corrin , and rule until deposed by Paul Atreides approximately 10,000 years later during the events...
, the former ruling House of the planet
Salusa SecundusSalusa Secundus is a fictional planet appearing in Frank Herbert's Dune universe. With harsh conditions rivaling those of the desert planet Arrakis, Salusa is used as the Imperial Prison Planet, and is one of two planets on which shigawire is grown .-Dune:In "Terminology of the Imperium," the...
who under this new name rule the Known Universe for millennia by controlling the brutally efficient military force known as the Imperial
SardaukarThe Sardaukar are a fictional army from Frank Herbert's Dune universe, primarily featured in the 1965 science fiction novel Dune, as well as Brian Herbert and Kevin J...
. Ten thousand years later, one balance to Imperial power is the assembly of noble houses called the
LandsraadThe Landsraad is a fictional organization in Frank Herbert's Dune universe. The Landsraad is the assembly of all the nobles in the Imperium, representing Houses Great or Minor.-Overview:...
. The Houses of the Landsraad collectively enforce the Great Convention's ban on the use of atomics against human targets, and though no individual House rivals the power of House Corrino, they are in constant competition for fiefdoms and
political powerPolitical power is a type of power held by a group in a society which allows administration of some or all of public resources, including labour, and wealth. There are many ways to obtain possession of such power. At the nation-state level political legitimacy for political power is held by the...
, and grapple for financial power in the omnipresent
CHOAMThe Combine Honnete Ober Advancer Mercantiles is a fictional universal development corporation in Frank Herbert's Dune universe, first mentioned in the 1965 novel Dune...
company, a directorship in which brings vast economic gains. The third primary power in the universe is the
Spacing GuildThe Spacing Guild is an organization in the fictional Dune universe developed by science fiction author Frank Herbert in a series of novels starting in Dune and ending with Chapterhouse Dune.-Overview:...
, whose mutated
NavigatorsIn the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert, Guild Navigators or Steersmen are humans, mutated through the consumption of massive amounts of the spice melange, who are able to safely navigate interstellar space in a heighliner using a limited form of prescience.- Description :To enable their...
use the spice drug melange to gain limited prescient abilities which enable them to successfully navigate "
folded spaceThe Holtzman effect is a fictional scientific phenomenon in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert, beginning with the 1965 novel Dune...
" and thus safely guide enormous heighliner
starshipA starship is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
s from planet to planet instantaneously. By keeping its navigational methods strictly secret, the Guild effects a monopoly over
interstellar travelInterstellar space travel is unmanned or manned travel between stars. The concept of interstellar travel in starships is a staple in science fiction. Interstellar travel is tremendously more difficult than interplanetary travel. Intergalactic travel, the travel between different galaxies, is even...
and banking.
The
matriarchalMatriarchy refers to a gynecocentric form of society, in which the leading role is taken by the women and especially by the mothers of a community....
Bene GesseritThe Bene Gesserit are a key social, religious and political force in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe. The group is described as an exclusive sisterhood whose members train their bodies and minds through years of physical and mental conditioning to obtain powers and abilities that can...
possess almost superhuman physical, sensory, and deductive powers developed through years of physical and mental conditioning. While positioning themselves to "serve" mankind, the Bene Gesserit pursue their goal to better the human race by subtly and secretly guiding and manipulating the affairs of others to serve their own purposes. The Bene Gesserit also have a secret, millennia-long selective breeding program to bolster and preserve valuable skills and bloodlines as well as to produce a theoretical superhuman male they call the
Kwisatz Haderach"Kwisatz Haderach" is the name of a prophesied messiah in Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe.-Overview:In Terminology of the Imperium, the glossary of the 1965 novel Dune, Frank Herbert provides the following definition:...
. By the time of
Dune, the Sisterhood are only one generation away from their desired individual, having manipulated the threads of genes and power for thousands of years to produce the required confluence of events. But Lady Jessica, the Bene Gesserit ordered to produce a daughter who would breed with the appropriate male to produce the Kwisatz Haderach, instead bears a son — producing the Kwisatz Haderach a generation early.
"Human computers" known as
MentatA Mentat is a profession or discipline in Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. Mentats are humans trained to mimic computers: human minds developed to staggering heights of cognitive and analytical ability.- Overview :...
s have been developed and perfected to replace the capacity for logical analysis lost through the prohibition of computers. Through specific training, they learn to enter a heightened mental state in which they can perform complex logical computations that are superior to those of the ancient thinking machines. The
patriarchalPatriarchy is the structuring of family units based on the man, as father figure, having primary authority over the rest of the family members. Patriarchy also refers to the role of men in society more generally where men take primary responsibility over the welfare of the community as a whole...
TleilaxuThe Bene Tleilax or Tleilaxu are an extremely xenophobic and isolationist society in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. The Bene Tleilax are genetic manipulators, equivalent in power to a major house in the Imperium...
, or Bene Tleilax, hide an ancient
totalitarianTotalitarianism is a political system where the state, usually under the control of a single party or faction, recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
theocracyTheocracy is a form of government in which a god or deity is recognized as the state's supreme civil ruler, or in a higher sense, a form of government in which a state is governed by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided. In Common Greek, “theocracy” means a...
and selective breeding program of their own behind the guise of amoral merchants trafficking in biological and
genetically engineeredGenetic engineering, recombinant DNA technology, genetic modification/manipulation and gene splicing are terms that apply to the direct manipulation of an organism's genes. Genetic engineering is different from traditional breeding, where the organism's genes are manipulated indirectly...
products such as artificial eyes, "twisted" Mentats, and
gholaA ghola is a fictional creature in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. A type of clone grown in an axlotl tank from genetic material retrieved from the cells of a deceased subject, a ghola is created using a technological process developed and monopolized by the Tleilaxu...
s,
clonesCloning in biology is the process of producing populations of genetically-identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or organisms...
made from the cells of deceased individuals and possessing their memories in a dormant form which can be awakened by appropriate stimuli. Finally, the
IxiansIx is a fictional planet featured in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert.In Dune it is noted that the planet Ix is classed with the planet Richese as "supreme in machine culture," and that Ixian solido projectors "are commonly considered the best." In Dune Messiah it is explained that the...
produce
cutting-edgeThe state of the art is the highest level of development, as of a device, technique, or scientific field, achieved at a particular time. It also applies to the level of development reached at any particular time usually as a result of modern methods.- Origin :The earliest usage of the term "state...
technology that seemingly complies with (but pushes the boundaries of) the prohibitions against thinking machines. The Ixians are very secretive, not only to protect their valuable hold on the industry but also to hide any methods or inventions that may breach the anti-thinking machine protocols.
Against this backdrop, the
Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy (1999-2001) chronicles the return from obscurity of
House AtreidesHouse Atreides is a fictional noble family from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. One of the Great Houses of the feudal interstellar empire known as the Imperium, its members play a role in every novel in the series. It is suggested within the series that the root of the Atreides line is...
, whose role in the Butlerian Jihad is all but forgotten. The Imperial House schemes to gain full control of the Empire through the control of melange, precisely at the time that the Bene Gesserit breeding program is nearing fruition.
The ascension of the Atreides
As Frank Herbert's
Dune (1965) begins,
Duke Leto AtreidesDuke Leto Atreides I is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. He features in the novel Dune by Frank Herbert and in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson....
finds himself in a dangerous position; the 81st Padishah Emperor
Shaddam Corrino IVShaddam Corrino IV is a character in the fictional Dune universe of Frank Herbert. Shaddam IV is Padishah Emperor of the known universe at the time of Herbert's 1965 novel Dune. His ascension to the throne is chronicled in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy by Brian Herbert and Kevin J...
has put him in control of the
desert planetIn science fiction, a desert planet is a one-climate planet where the climate is desert, with little or no natural precipitation. The motif is a common one, and includes both real and fictional planets. In a few stories, the motif is accompanied by elements of hydraulic despotism...
ArrakisArrakis , informally known as Dune and later called Rakis, is a fictional desert planet featured in the Dune series of novels by Frank Herbert...
, known as Dune, which is the only natural source of the all-important spice melange. The most valuable commodity in the known universe, the spice not only makes safe and reliable interstellar travel possible, but also prolongs life, protects against disease, and is used by the Bene Gesserit to enhance their abilities. The potential financial gains for House Atreides are mitigated by the fact that mining melange from the desert surface of Arrakis is an expensive and hazardous undertaking, thanks to the treacherous environment and constant threat of giant
sandwormsThe sandworm is a fictional form of desert-dwelling creature from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. They first appear in the 1965 novel Dune, considered to be among the classics in the science fiction genre, and are iconic of the Dune series.In the series, the sandworms – called...
which protect the spice. In addition, Leto is aware that Shaddam, threatened by the rising power and influence of the Atreides, has sent him into a trap; failure to meet or exceed the production volume of their predecessors, the vicious
House HarkonnenHouse Harkonnen is a powerful noble family in Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. The Harkonnens are featured prominently in the original 1965 novel Dune, and are also a major presence both the Prelude to Dune and Legends of Dune prequel trilogies by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson...
, will negatively affect the position of House Atreides in CHOAM, which relies on spice profits. Further, the very presence of the Atreides on Arrakis enflames the long-simmering War of Assassins between House Atreides and House Harkonnen, a feud ignited 10,000 years before when an Atreides had a Harkonnen banished for cowardice after the Butlerian Jihad.
The little-understood native population of Arrakis are the
FremenThe Fremen are a group of people in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. First appearing in the 1965 novel Dune, the Fremen inhabit the desert planet Arrakis and are based on the desert-dwelling Bedouin and Kalahari Bushmen. In Herbert's novels, Arrakis is the sole known source of...
, long overlooked by the Imperium. Considered backward savages, the Fremen are an extremely hardy people and exist in large numbers, their culture built around the commodity of water, which is extremely scarce on Arrakis. The Fremen await the coming of a prophesied
messiahMessiah literally means "anointed "...
, not suspecting that this prophecy had been planted in their legends by the Missionaria Protectiva, an arm of the Bene Gesserit dedicated to religious manipulation to ease the path of the Sisterhood when necessary. In
Dune, the so-called "Arrakis Affair" puts unexpected Kwisatz Haderach
Paul AtreidesPaul Atreides is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert; he later takes the Fremen name Paul Muad'Dib and the sietch name Usul. Paul is a prominent character in the first two novels in the series, Dune and Dune Messiah , and returns in Children of Dune...
in control of first the Fremen people and then Arrakis itself; he deposes Shaddam and becomes ruler of the Known Universe. With a bloody
jihadJihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād is a noun meaning "struggle." Jihad appears frequently in the Qur'an and common usage as the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of Allah "...
subsequently unleashed across the universe in Paul's name but out of his control, the Bene Gesserit, Tleilaxu, Spacing Guild, and House Corrino plot to dethrone him in
Dune MessiahDune Messiah is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, the second in a series of six novels. It was originally serialized in Galaxy magazine in 1969. The American and British editions have different prologues summarizing events in the previous novel...
(1969). The Atreides Empire continues to devolve in
Children of DuneChildren of Dune is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, third in a series of six novels set in the Dune universe. The novel was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1977. It was originally serialized in Analog Science Fiction and Fact in 1976, and was the last Dune novel to be...
(1976) as the religion built around Paul falters and his heirs rise to power.
The reign and fall of the God Emperor
At the time of
God Emperor of DuneSee God Emperor for the general concept, for the Warhammer 40,000 personality c.f. Emperor of Mankind .God Emperor of Dune is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert published in 1981, the fourth in the Dune series....
(1981), Paul's son, the God Emperor
Leto Atreides IILeto Atreides II is a fictional character from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. Born at the end of Dune Messiah , Leto is a central character in Children of Dune and is the title character of God Emperor of Dune . The character is brought back as a ghola in the Brian Herbert/Kevin J...
, has ruled the Empire for 3,500 years from the verdant face of a transformed Arrakis; melange production has ceased. The sandworms are gone, except for the sandtrout (a larval stage) with whom Leto forged a
symbiosisThe term symbosis commonly describes close and often long-term interactions between different biological species...
, transforming him into a human-sandworm hybrid. Human civilization before his rule had suffered from twin weaknesses: that it could be controlled by a single authority, and that it was totally dependent upon melange, found on only one planet in the known universe. Leto's prescient visions had shown that mankind would be threatened by extinction in any number of ways; his solution was to place mankind on his "Golden Path," a plan for humanity's survival. Leto governs as a benevolent tyrant, providing for his people's physical needs, but denying them any spiritual outlets other than his own compulsory religion (as well as maintaining a monopoly on spice and thus total control of its use). Personal violence of any kind is banned, as is nearly all space travel, creating a pent-up demand for freedom and travel. The Bene Gesserit, Ixians, and Tleilaxu find themselves seeking ways to regain some of their former power or unseat Leto altogether. Leto also conducts his own selective breeding program among the descendants of his twin sister Ghanima, finally arriving at Siona, daughter of Moneo, whose actions are hidden from prescient vision. Leto engineers his own assassination, knowing it will result in rebellion and revolt but also in an explosion in travel and colonization. The death of Leto's body also produces new sandtrout, which will eventually give rise to a population of sandworms and a new cycle of spice production.
The return from the Scattering
In the aftermath of the fall of the God Emperor, chaos and severe famine on many worlds cause trillions of humans to set off into the freedom of unknown space and spread out across the universe. This
diasporaA diaspora is any movement of a population sharing common ethnic identity. While refugees may or may not ultimately settle in a new geographic location, the term diaspora refers to a permanently displaced and relocated collective.Diasporic cultural development often assumes a different course from...
is later called
the Scattering and, combined with the invisibility of Atreides descendants to prescient vision, assures that mankind has forever escaped the threat of total extinction. At the time of
Heretics of DuneHeretics of Dune is a 1984 science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, fifth in a series of six novels.-Plot introduction:Fifteen hundred years have passed since Leto's reign ended; humanity is firmly on the Golden Path...
(1984) and
Chapterhouse: Dune (1985) — 1500 years after Leto's death — the turmoil is settling into a new pattern; the balance of power in the Empire rests among the Ixians, the Bene Gesserit, and the Tleilaxu. The Spacing Guild has been forever weakened by the development of Ixian machines capable of navigation in foldspace, practically replacing Guild Navigators. The Bene Gesserit control the sandworms and their planet, now called Rakis, but the Tleilaxu have also discovered how to synthetically produce melange. This balance of power is shattered by a large influx of people from the Scattering, some fleeing persecution by an as-yet unknown enemy. Among the returning people, the Bene Gesserit finds its match in a violent and corrupt matriarchal society known as the
Honored MatresThe Honored Matres are a fictional matriarchal organization in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe. They are described as an aggressive cult obsessed with power, violence and sexual domination...
, whom they suspect may be descended from some of their own sent out in the Scattering. As a bitter and bloody war erupts between the orders, it ultimately becomes clear that joining the two organizations into a single New Sisterhood with shared abilities is their best chance to fight the approaching enemy.
The original series
Frank Herbert wrote six novels in the
Dune series.
- Dune
Dune is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert, published in 1965. It won the 1966 Hugo Award and the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel...
(1965)
- Dune Messiah
Dune Messiah is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, the second in a series of six novels. It was originally serialized in Galaxy magazine in 1969. The American and British editions have different prologues summarizing events in the previous novel...
(1969)
- Children of Dune
Children of Dune is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, third in a series of six novels set in the Dune universe. The novel was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1977. It was originally serialized in Analog Science Fiction and Fact in 1976, and was the last Dune novel to be...
(1976)
- God Emperor of Dune
See God Emperor for the general concept, for the Warhammer 40,000 personality c.f. Emperor of Mankind .God Emperor of Dune is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert published in 1981, the fourth in the Dune series....
(1981)
- Heretics of Dune
Heretics of Dune is a 1984 science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, fifth in a series of six novels.-Plot introduction:Fifteen hundred years have passed since Leto's reign ended; humanity is firmly on the Golden Path...
(1984)
- Chapterhouse Dune
Chapterhouse Dune is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, last in his series of six Dune novels. Published in 1985, it is also known variously as Chapterhouse: Dune, Chapter House Dune and Chapter House: Dune...
(1985)
Prelude to Dune
The
prequelA prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel .-History:Though the word "Prequel" is of...
trilogyA trilogy is a set of three works of art - usually literature, film, or video games, less commonly visual art like paintings or musical works - that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works....
Prelude to DunePrelude to Dune is a prequel trilogy of novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in Frank Herbert's Dune universe....
by
Brian HerbertBrian Patrick Herbert is a bestselling American author who lives in Washington state. He is the elder son of famed science fiction author Frank Herbert....
and
Kevin J. AndersonKevin J. Anderson is an American science fiction author. He has written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and is the co-author of the Dune prequels. His original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity...
is set in the years leading up to the events in 1965's
Dune.
- Dune: House Atreides
Dune: House Atreides is a 1999 science fiction novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. It is the first book in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy, which takes place before the events of Frank Herbert's celebrated 1965 novel Dune...
(1999)
- Dune: House Harkonnen
Dune: House Harkonnen is a 2000 science fiction novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. It is the second book in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy, which takes place before the events of Frank Herbert's celebrated 1965 novel Dune...
(2000)
- Dune: House Corrino
Dune: House Corrino is a 2001 science fiction novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. It is the third book in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy, which takes place before the events of Frank Herbert's celebrated 1965 novel Dune...
(2001)
Legends of Dune
Brian Herbert and Anderson followed with a second prequel trilogy called the
Legends of DuneLegends of Dune is a prequel trilogy of novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in Frank Herbert's Dune universe.* Dune: The Butlerian Jihad * Dune: The Machine Crusade * Dune: The Battle of Corrin...
. This series is set at an earlier time in the history of the
Dune universe, when humans and
sentient machinesThe thinking machines are fictional intelligent machines from Frank Herbert's Dune universe. The human crusade against such artificial intelligence — known as the Butlerian Jihad — is an epic turning point in the back-story of the Dune universe...
waged war with one another.
- Dune: The Butlerian Jihad
Dune: The Butlerian Jihad is a 2002 science fiction novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. It is the first book in the Legends of Dune prequel trilogy, which takes place over 10,000 years before the events of Frank Herbert's...
(2002)
- Dune: The Machine Crusade
Dune: The Machine Crusade is a 2003 science fiction novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. It is the second book in the Legends of Dune prequel trilogy, which takes place over 10,000 years before the events of Frank Herbert's...
(2003)
- Dune: The Battle of Corrin
Dune: The Battle of Corrin is a 2004 science fiction novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. It is the third book in the Legends of Dune prequel trilogy, which takes place over 10,000 years before the events of Frank Herbert's...
(2004)
Completion of the original series (A.K.A. Dune 7)
Hunters of DuneHunters of Dune is the first of two novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson to conclude Frank Herbert's original Dune series of novels...
and
Sandworms of DuneSandworms of Dune is the second of two novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson to conclude Frank Herbert's original Dune series of novels...
complete the chronological progression of the series and wrap up storylines that began with Frank Herbert's
Heretics of Dune. The two novels are based on a 30-page outline written by Frank Herbert prior to his death, the working title of which was
Dune 7.
- Hunters of Dune
Hunters of Dune is the first of two novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson to conclude Frank Herbert's original Dune series of novels...
(2006)
- Sandworms of Dune
Sandworms of Dune is the second of two novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson to conclude Frank Herbert's original Dune series of novels...
(2007)
Heroes of Dune
In the foreword to
Hunters of Dune (2006), Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson wrote that they plan to continue writing
Dune novels after completing the
Dune 7 project: "The saga of Dune is far from over!" They announced on the official
Dune website in 2007 that they would release an interquel series of novels called
Heroes of Dune after
Sandworms of Dune (the series had originally been announced as
Paul of Dune in 2006).
Heroes of Dune will focus on the time periods between Frank Herbert's original novels; the first book,
Paul of DuneHeroes of Dune is a planned interquel tetralogy of novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson set in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. The first book, Paul of Dune, was released on September 16, 2008...
, was released on September 16, 2008.
Working titleA working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually a film, novel, video game, or music album...
s for the novels are:
- Paul of Dune
Heroes of Dune is a planned interquel tetralogy of novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson set in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. The first book, Paul of Dune, was released on September 16, 2008...
(2008)
- The Winds of Dune
The Winds of Dune is a science fiction novel written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. Released on August 4, 2009, it is the second book in the Heroes of Dune interquel tetralogy and chronicles events between Frank Herbert's Dune Messiah ...
(formerly Jessica of Dune)
- The Throne of Dune (formerly Irulan of Dune)
- Leto of Dune
Short stories
Frank Herbert wrote an illustrated short work set sometime between the events of
Dune and
Dune Messiah.
- "The Road to Dune
The Road to Dune is a science fiction companion book to the Dune novels by Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. The book was released in September 2005...
" (1985)
Brian Herbert and Anderson have written several
Dune short storiesA series of Dune short stories have been written that relate to the Dune novels by Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. Some of these stories were originally available for download from the official Dune website, released in a promotional capacity in conjunction with the Brian...
, most of them accompanying their
Dune novels.
- "Dune: A Whisper of Caladan Seas" (2001)
- "Dune: Hunting Harkonnens" (2002)
- "Dune: Whipping Mek" (2003)
- "Dune: The Faces of a Martyr" (2004)
- "Dune: Sea Child" (2006)
- "Dune: Treasure in the Sand" (2006)
Film and television
- Dune
Dune is a 1984 science fiction film written and directed by David Lynch, based on the 1965 Frank Herbert novel of the same name. The film stars Kyle MacLachlan as Paul Atreides, and includes an ensemble of well-known American and European actors in supporting roles, including Sting, Jose Ferrer,...
(1984): David LynchDavid Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker and visual artist. Lynch has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, for The Elephant Man , Blue Velvet , and Mulholland Drive . He also received a screenplay Academy Award nomination for The Elephant Man...
feature filmIn the film industry, a feature film is a film made for initial distribution in theaters and being the "main attraction" of the screening...
adaptation of Dune
- Frank Herbert's Dune
Frank Herbert's Dune was an effort to create a 3D action game in the Dune universe...
(2000): Sci-Fi ChannelSyfy is an American cable television channel launched on September 24, 1992, that specializes in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and paranormal programming. It is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBC Universal...
television adaptation
- Frank Herbert's Children of Dune (2003): Sci-Fi Channel sequel
A sequel is a work in literature, film, or other media that chronologically portrays events following those of a previous work.In many cases, the sequel continues elements of the original story, often with the same characters and settings. A sequel can lead to a series, in which key elements appear...
, based on Dune MessiahDune Messiah is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, the second in a series of six novels. It was originally serialized in Galaxy magazine in 1969. The American and British editions have different prologues summarizing events in the previous novel...
and Children of DuneChildren of Dune is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, third in a series of six novels set in the Dune universe. The novel was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1977. It was originally serialized in Analog Science Fiction and Fact in 1976, and was the last Dune novel to be...
Print
- The Dune Encyclopedia by Willis E. McNelly
Dr. Willis Everett McNelly was a professor and writer best known for The Dune Encyclopedia, the 1984 companion to Frank Herbert's classic Dune series of science fiction novels....
(1984): a single volume of articles inspired by Herbert's novels, partially extrapolated from his notes, and written by "Dune scholars." It was approved by Frank Herbert but also rendered technically non-canonA canon, in terms of a fictional universe, is a body of material that is considered to be "genuine" or "official", that can be directly referenced as, or as if it were, material produced by the original author or creator of a series...
by him, as well as by a later statement from McNelly and Brian Herbert representing the Herbert estate.
- Marvel Comics Super Special
Marvel Comics Super Special was a series of one-off comic books published by Marvel Comics from 1977 to 1985. The first issue featured the rock band Kiss in an original adventure...
No. 36: Dune and Dune: The Official Comic Book by Marvel ComicsMarvel Publishing, Inc., a company doing business as Marvel Comics, produces American comic books and related media. It forms a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, Inc....
(ISBN 0-425-07623-7) (Berkley, 1984): Comic adaptations of the Lynch film
- Songs of Muad'dib (1992): A collection of poems by Frank and Brian Herbert.
- The Road to Dune
The Road to Dune is a science fiction companion book to the Dune novels by Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. The book was released in September 2005...
by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson (2005): a book containing a novelette called Spice Planet (an alternative version of Dune based on an outline by Frank Herbert), a number of the Brian Herbert/Anderson short stories, and letters and unused chapters written by Frank Herbert.
- National Lampoon's Doon by Ellis Weiner
Ellis Weiner is an author and humorist who has previously worked as an editor of National Lampoon and a columnist for Spy Magazine. His humor has also appeared in The New Yorker, Paris Review, and the New York Times Magazine....
(1984): a parody novel.
Games
- Dune games: games inspired by Dune
- Dune computer and video games
A number of computer games based on Frank Herbert's science fiction novel Dune and its two adaptations for film and television were created:-Dune :...
: Video games series inspired by Dune
Music
See also
External links
- Official Dune website, the official website, focused more on the new books by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson
- DuneAudio.com - The Official Dune Audiobook Site ~ news and contests for Dune audiobooks
- Spark Notes: Dune, detailed study guide.
- Cobain, Craig T. St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture: Frank Herbert.
- Star Wars Origins: Dune explores some inspirations behind the Dune novel, and a few ways Dune influenced Star Wars
Star Wars is an epic space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas. The first film in the franchise was originally released on May 25, 1977, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, spawning two immediate sequels, released at three-year intervals...
.
- The Making of Dune (1984): written by Ed Naha
- Dune by Frank Herbert, review of novel by Nicholas Whyte; website includes reviews of many of the Hugo and Nebula winners
- The Notebooks of Frank Herbert's Dune (1988): Aphorisms culled from the Dune Chronicles
- Starmaps of Dune universe