''Dune'', also known as the ''Dune Chronicles'', is an American
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imagination, imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, Paral ...
media franchise
A media franchise, also known as a multimedia franchise, is a collection of related media in which several derivative works have been produced from an original creative work of fiction, such as a film, a work of literature, a television program ...
that originated with the 1965 novel ''
Dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
'' by
Frank Herbert and has continued to add new publications. ''Dune'' is frequently described as the best selling
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imagination, imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, Paral ...
novel in history.
It won the inaugural
Nebula Award for Best Novel and the
Hugo Award in 1966, and was later adapted into a
1984 film, a
2000 television miniseries, and a
2021 film. The latter will be followed by a
2023 direct sequel. Herbert wrote five
sequels, the first two of which were adapted as a miniseries called ''
Frank Herbert's Children of Dune'' in 2003. ''Dune'' has also inspired some
traditional games and a
series of video games. Since 2009, the names of planets from the ''Dune'' novels have been adopted for the real-world
nomenclature of plains and other features on
Saturn's moon
Titan
Titan most often refers to:
* Titan (moon), the largest moon of Saturn
* Titans, a race of deities in Greek mythology
Titan or Titans may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Fictional entities
Fictional locations
* Titan in fiction, fictiona ...
.
Frank Herbert died in 1986. Beginning in 1999, his son
Brian Herbert and science fiction author
Kevin J. Anderson published a number of
prequel
A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work.
The term ...
novels, as well as two sequels that complete the original ''Dune'' series (''
Hunters of Dune'' in 2006 and ''
Sandworms of Dune'' in 2007), partially based on Frank Herbert's notes discovered a decade after his death.
The political, scientific, and social fictional setting of Herbert's novels and derivative works is known as the ''Dune'' universe or Duniverse. Set tens of thousands of years in the future, the saga chronicles a civilization that has banned all "
thinking machines", which include computers,
robot
A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may be ...
s and
artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by machine
A machine is a physical system using Power (physics), power to apply Force, forces and control Motion, moveme ...
. In their place, civilization has developed advanced mental and physical disciplines as well as advanced technologies that adhere to the ban on computers. Vital to this empire is the harsh
desert planet Arrakis, the only known source of the
spice melange, the most valuable substance in the universe.
For the similarities between some of Herbert's terms and ideas and actual words and concepts in the
Arabic language
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
, as well as the series' "
Islamic
undertones" and themes, a
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
ern influence in Herbert's works has been widely noted.
Premise
The ''Dune'' saga is set thousands of years in humanity's future.
Faster-than-light travel has been developed, and humans have
colonized a vast number of worlds, but a great reaction against computers has resulted in a ban on any kind of “thinking machine”, with the creation or possession of such
punishable by immediate death. Despite this prohibition, humanity continues to develop and advance other branches of technology, including
ESP and instruments of war. At the time of the first book's setting, humanity has formed a
feudal interstellar empire known as the Imperium, run by several Great Houses that oversee various planets. Of key interest is the planet
Arrakis, known as "Dune". A
desert planet with nearly no
precipitation
In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hai ...
, it is the only planet where a special life-extending drug,
melange or "the spice", can be found. In addition to life extension, melange enhances the mental capacity of humans: it enables humans known as
Mentats to perform complex calculations without the aid of computers; allows for the mutated
Spacing Guild pilots to navigate
folded space and travel the distances between planets; and triggers some of the powers of the
Bene Gesserit, a religious group that secretly seeks to control the direction humanity takes. Melange is difficult to acquire, not only due to the harsh environment of Arrakis, but also the presence of giant
sandworms that are drawn towards any rhythmic sounds on the sands of the desert. Control of Arrakis, its spice production, and the impact on humanity's development become the centerpoints of a millennia-long conflict that develops through the series.
Plot arc
The ''Dune'' universe, set in the distant future of humanity, has a history that stretches thousands of years (some 15,000 years in total) and 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
The ''Dune'' prequel series is a sequence of novel trilogy, trilogies written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. Set in the Dune (franchise), ''Dune'' universe created by Frank Herbert, the novels take place in various time periods before a ...
''
prequel
A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work.
The term ...
trilogy (2002–2004) by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; ''
Great Schools of Dune'' (2014–2016) by Brian Herbert and Anderson
*
The Corrino-led Imperium: ''
Prelude to Dune'' prequel trilogy (1999–2001) by Brian Herbert and Anderson; ''
Heroes of Dune'' series (2008–2009) by Brian Herbert and Anderson
*
The rise of the Atreides: ''
Dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
'' (1965), ''
Dune Messiah'' (1969), and ''
Children of Dune'' (1976) by Frank Herbert; ''Heroes of Dune'' series (2008–2009) by Brian Herbert and Anderson
*
The reign and fall of the God Emperor: ''
God Emperor of Dune'' (1981) by Frank Herbert
*
The return from the Scattering: ''
Heretics of Dune'' (1984) and ''
Chapterhouse: Dune'' (1985) by Frank Herbert; ''
Hunters of Dune'' (2006) and ''
Sandworms of Dune'' (2007) by Brian Herbert and Anderson
The Butlerian Jihad
As explained in ''Dune'', the Butlerian Jihad 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 "computers,
thinking machines, and
conscious robots".
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
taboo
A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannic ...
,
which has a profound influence on the
socio-political and technological 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.
Critical analysis has often associated the term with
Samuel Butler and his 1863 essay "
Darwin among the Machines", which advocated the destruction of all advanced machines.
In Herbert's ''
God Emperor of Dune'' (1981),
Leto II Atreides 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.
This technological reversal leads to the creation of the universal
Orange Catholic Bible and the rise of a new
feudal pan-galactic empire that lasts for over 10,000 years before Herbert's series begins.
Several
secret societies also develop, using
eugenics
Eugenics ( ; ) is a fringe set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists have attempted to alter human gene pools by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior or ...
programs, intensive mental and physical training, and pharmaceutical enhancements to hone human skills to an astonishing degree.
Artificial insemination
Artificial insemination is the deliberate introduction of sperm into a female's cervix or uterine cavity for the purpose of achieving a pregnancy through in vivo fertilization by means other than sexual intercourse. It is a fertility treatment ...
is also prohibited, as explained in ''
Dune Messiah'' (1969), when
Paul Atreides negotiates with the
Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, who is appalled by Paul's suggestion that he impregnate his consort in this manner.
Herbert died in 1986,
leaving his 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 machines they had created, who rise up and nearly destroy humanity.
The series explains that humanity had become entirely complacent and dependent upon thinking machines; recognizing this weakness, a group of ambitious, militant humans calling themselves the
Titans 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
AI 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 Emperors of House Corrino, who rule the known universe for millennia by controlling the
Sardaukar, a brutally efficient military force. Ten thousand years later, Imperial power is balanced by the assembly of noble houses called the
Landsraad, which enforces the
Great Convention's ban on the use of
atomics against human targets. Though the power of the Corrinos is unrivaled by any individual House, they are in constant competition with each other for political power and stakes in the omnipresent
CHOAM company, a directorship that controls the wealth of the entire Empire. The third primary power in the universe is the
Spacing Guild, which monopolizes
interstellar travel and banking. Mutated
Guild Navigators use the spice drug
melange to successfully navigate "
folded space" and safely guide enormous
heighliner
Technology is a key aspect of the fictional setting of the '' Dune series'' of science fiction novels written by Frank Herbert, and derivative works. Herbert's concepts and inventions have been analyzed and deconstructed in at least one book, ''Th ...
starships from planet to planet instantaneously.
The
matriarchal Bene Gesserit possess almost superhuman physical, sensory, and deductive powers developed through years of physical and mental conditioning. While positioning themselves to "serve" humanity, 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. By the time of ''Dune'', they have secured a level of control over the current emperor,
Shaddam IV, by marrying him to one of their own who intentionally bears him only daughters. 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. When ''Dune'' begins, 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, ordered by the Bene Gesserit to produce a daughter who would breed with the appropriate male to produce the Kwisatz Haderach, instead bears a son—unintentionally producing the Kwisatz Haderach a generation early.
"Human computers" known as
Mentats 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
Bene Tleilax
The Bene Tleilax, also called Tleilaxu , are an extremely xenophobic and isolationist society in Frank Herbert's science fiction ''Dune'' universe. Genetic manipulators who traffic in biological products such as artificial eyes, gholas, and "t ...
are amoral merchants who traffic in biological and
genetically engineered products such as artificial eyes, "twisted" Mentats, and
gholas. Finally, the Ixians produce
cutting-edge 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 Atreides, 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 rise of the Atreides

As Frank Herbert's ''Dune'' (1965) begins, Duke
Leto Atreides finds himself in a dangerous position. The 81st Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV has put him in control of the
desert planet Arrakis, known as Dune, which is the only 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
sandworms that protect the spice. In addition, Leto is aware that Shaddam, feeling 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 his predecessor, the villainous Baron
Vladimir Harkonnen, will negatively affect the position of House Atreides in CHOAM, which relies on spice profits.
Further, the very presence of the Atreides on Arrakis inflames 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
Fremen, 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
messiah
In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; ,
; ,
; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...
, 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 Atreides in control of first the Fremen people and then Arrakis itself. Absolute control over the spice supply allows Paul to depose Shaddam and become ruler of the known universe, with Shaddam's eldest daughter
Princess Irulan as his consort.
With a bloody
jihad
Jihad (; ar, جهاد, jihād ) is an Arabic word which literally means "striving" or "struggling", especially with a praiseworthy aim. In an Islamic context, it can refer to almost any effort to make personal and social life conform with Go ...
subsequently unleashed across the universe in Paul's name but out of his control, the Bene Gesserit, Tleilaxu, Spacing Guild, and House Corrino conspire to dethrone him in ''
Dune Messiah'' (1969).
Though the plot fails, the Atreides Empire continues to devolve in ''
Children of Dune'' (1976) as the religion built around Paul falters, Irulan's sister
Wensicia conspires to place her son
Farad'n
The following is a list of secondary fictional characters from the science fiction media franchise ''Dune'' created by Frank Herbert. The characters listed originate in Herbert's novel series (1965–1985), but some also appear in the ''Prelude to ...
on the throne, and Paul's twin heirs
Leto II and
Ghanima rise to power.
The ''Heroes of Dune'' series (2008–2009) by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson chronicles the major events that take place between ''Dune: House Corrino'' (2001) and ''Dune: The Duke of Caladan'' (2020), between ''Dune'' (1965) and ''Dune Messiah'' (1969), and between ''Dune Messiah'' and ''Children of Dune'' (1976).
The reign and fall of the God Emperor

At the time of ''
God Emperor of Dune'' (1981), Paul's son, the God Emperor Leto II Atreides, has ruled the Empire for 3,500 years from the verdant face of a transformed Arrakis; melange production has ceased. Leto has forced the sandworms into extinction, except for the larval
sandtrout with which he had forged a
symbiosis, 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 humanity would be threatened by extinction in any number of ways; his solution was to place humanity 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
diaspora
A diaspora ( ) is a population that is scattered across regions which are separate from its geographic place of origin. Historically, the word was used first in reference to the dispersion of Greeks in the Hellenic world, and later Jews afte ...
is later called the Scattering and, combined with the invisibility of Atreides descendants to prescient vision, assures that humanity has forever escaped the threat of total extinction. At the time of ''
Heretics of Dune'' (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, as it is now called, Old 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, through manipulation of the Priesthood of the Divided God, control the sandworms and their planet, now called Rakis, but the Tleilaxu have discovered how to produce melange using their axlotl tanks in quantities that greatly exceed natural melange harvests. 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 Matres
The 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. For this reason they are often de ...
, 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.
Development and publication
Original series
Herbert's interest in the desert setting of ''Dune'' and its challenges is attributed to research he began in 1957 for a never-completed article about a
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...
experiment using
poverty grasses to stabilize damaging sand
dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
s, which could "swallow whole cities, lakes, rivers, and highways."
Herbert spent the next five years researching, writing, and revising what would eventually become the novel ''Dune'',
which was initially serialized in ''
Analog
Analog or analogue may refer to:
Computing and electronics
* Analog signal, in which information is encoded in a continuous variable
** Analog device, an apparatus that operates on analog signals
*** Analog electronics, circuits which use analo ...
'' magazine as two shorter works, ''Dune World'' (1963) and ''The Prophet of Dune'' (1965).
The serialized version was expanded and reworked—and rejected by more than 20 publishers—before being published by
Chilton Books, a printing house best known for its auto repair manuals, in 1965.
''Dune'' won the inaugural
Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1966, and the 1966
Hugo Award.
The novel has been translated into dozens of languages, and has sold almost 20 million copies. ''Dune'' has been regularly cited as one of the world's best-selling science fiction novels.
A sequel, ''
Dune Messiah'', followed in 1969. A third novel called ''
Children of Dune'' was published in 1976, and was later nominated for a Hugo Award.
''Children of Dune'' became the first hardcover best-seller ever in the science fiction field.
Parts of these two first sequels were written before ''Dune'' was completed.
In 1978,
Berkley Books published ''The Illustrated Dune'', an edition of ''Dune'' with 33 black-and-white sketch drawings and eight full color paintings by
John Schoenherr, who had done the cover art for the first printing of ''Dune'' and had illustrated the ''Analog'' serializations of ''Dune'' and ''Children of Dune''.
Herbert wrote in 1980 that though he had not spoken to Schoenherr prior to the artist creating the paintings, the author was surprised to find that the artwork appeared exactly as he had imagined its fictional subjects, including
sandworms,
Baron Harkonnen and the
Sardaukar.
In 1981, Herbert released ''
God Emperor of Dune'', which was ranked as the #11 hardcover fiction best seller of 1981 by ''
Publishers Weekly
''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...
''.
''
Heretics of Dune'', the 1984 ''
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' #13 hardcover fiction best seller, was followed in quick succession by ''
Chapterhouse: Dune'' in 1985.
Herbert died on February 11, 1986.
Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
Over a decade after Herbert's death, his son Brian Herbert enlisted science fiction author Kevin J. Anderson to coauthor a
trilogy of ''Dune''
prequel
A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work.
The term ...
novels that would come to be called the ''
Prelude to Dune'' series.
Using some of Frank Herbert's own notes,
the duo wrote ''
Dune: House Atreides'' (1999), ''
Dune: House Harkonnen'' (2000), and ''
Dune: House Corrino'' (2001). The series is set in the years immediately prior to the events of ''Dune''. This was followed with a second prequel trilogy called the ''
Legends of Dune
The ''Dune'' prequel series is a sequence of novel trilogy, trilogies written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. Set in the Dune (franchise), ''Dune'' universe created by Frank Herbert, the novels take place in various time periods before a ...
'', consisting of ''
Dune: The Butlerian Jihad'' (2002), ''
Dune: The Machine Crusade'' (2003), and ''
Dune: The Battle of Corrin'' (2004). These were set during the
Butlerian Jihad, an element of
backstory that Frank Herbert had previously established as occurring 10,000 years before the events chronicled in ''Dune''.
Herbert's brief description of humanity's "crusade against
computers,
thinking machines, and
conscious robots"
was expanded by Brian Herbert and Anderson in this series.
With an outline for the first book of ''Prelude to Dune'' series written and a proposal sent to publishers,
Brian Herbert had discovered his father's 30-page outline for a sequel to ''Chapterhouse Dune'', which the elder Herbert had dubbed ''Dune 7''.
After publishing their six prequel novels, Brian Herbert and Anderson released ''
Hunters of Dune'' (2006) and ''
Sandworms of Dune'' (2007), which complete the original series and wrap up storylines that began with Frank Herbert's ''Heretics of Dune''.
The ''
Heroes of Dune'' series followed, focusing on the time periods between Frank Herbert's original novels.
The first book, ''
Paul of Dune'', was published in 2008,
followed by ''
The Winds of Dune''
in 2009.
The next two installments were to be called ''
The Throne of Dune'' and ''
Leto of Dune'' (possibly changing to ''The Golden Path of Dune''),
but were postponed due to plans to publish a trilogy about "the formation of the Bene Gesserit, the Mentats, the
Suk doctor
This is a list of terminology used in the fictional ''Dune'' universe created by Frank Herbert, the primary source being "Terminology of the Imperium", the glossary contained in the novel ''Dune'' (1965).
''Dune'' word construction could be clas ...
s, the Spacing Guild and the Navigators, as well as the solidifying of the Corrino imperium."
''
Sisterhood of Dune'' was released in 2012,
followed by ''
Mentats of Dune'' in 2014. In a 2009 interview, Anderson stated that the third and final novel would be titled ''The Swordmasters of Dune'',
but by 2014 it had been renamed ''
Navigators of Dune''
and was published in 2016.
In July 2020, Herbert and Anderson announced a new trilogy of prequel novels called ''
The Caladan Trilogy
The ''Dune'' prequel series is a sequence of novel trilogy, trilogies written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. Set in the Dune (franchise), ''Dune'' universe created by Frank Herbert, the novels take place in various time periods before a ...
''. The first novel in the series, ''
Dune: The Duke of Caladan'', was published in October 2020, and the second, ''
Dune: The Lady of Caladan'', was released in September 2021.
The third novel, ''
Dune: The Heir of Caladan'', was released on November 22, 2022.
Jon Michaud of ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issue ...
'' wrote in 2013, "The conversion of ''Dune'' into a franchise, while pleasing readers and earning royalties for the Herbert estate, has gone a long way toward obscuring the power of the original novel."
Short stories
In 1985, Frank Herbert wrote an illustrated short work called "
The Road to Dune", set sometime between the events of ''Dune'' and ''Dune Messiah''. Published in Herbert's
short story collection ''
Eye
Eyes are organs of the visual system. They provide living organisms with vision, the ability to receive and process visual detail, as well as enabling several photo response functions that are independent of vision. Eyes detect light and conv ...
'', it takes the form of a guidebook for pilgrims to
Arrakis and features images (with descriptions) of some of the devices and characters presented in the novels.
Brian Herbert and Anderson have written eight
''Dune'' short stories and four ''Dune'' novellas, most of them related to and published around their novels. The eight short stories include "
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), "
Dune: Wedding Silk" (2008), and "
Dune: Red Plague" (2016). These eight short stories were published together in the 2017 collection ''Tales of Dune: Expanded Edition''. The four novellas include "
Dune: The Waters of Kanly" (2017), "
Dune: Blood of the Sardaukar" (2019), "
Dune: The Edge of a Crysknife" (2022), and "
Dune: Imperial Court" (2022). The four novellas were published together in the collection ''Sands of Dune'', which released on July 28, 2022.
By other authors
In 1984, Herbert's publisher
Putnam Putnam may refer to:
People
* Putnam (surname)
Places Canada
* Putnam, Ontario, community in Thames Centre
United States
* Putnam, Alabama
* Putnam, Connecticut, a New England town
** Putnam (CDP), Connecticut, the main village in the town
...
released ''
The Dune Encyclopedia'' under its
Berkley Books imprint.
Approved by Herbert but not written by him, this collection of essays by 43 contributors describes in invented detail many aspects of the ''Dune'' universe not found in the novels themselves.
Herbert's estate later confirmed its non-
canonical status after Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson had begun publishing prequel novels that directly contradict ''The Dune Encyclopedia''.
The 1984
''Dune'' film spawned ''The Dune Storybook'' (September 1984, ), a
novelization written by
Joan D. Vinge,
and ''The Making of Dune'' (December 1984, ), a
making-of book by
Ed Naha.
In November 1984,
Pocket Books
Pocket Books is a division of Simon & Schuster that primarily publishes paperback books.
History
Pocket Books produced the first mass-market, pocket-sized paperback books in the United States in early 1939 and revolutionized the publishin ...
published ''
National Lampoon's Doon'' by
Ellis Weiner
Ellis Weiner (born 31 October 1950) 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 ...
(), a
parody
A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its su ...
novel.
In May 1992,
Ace Books published ''Songs of Muad'dib'' (), a collection of ''Dune''-related poems written by Frank Herbert and edited by his son Brian.
Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson released ''
The Road to Dune'' on August 11, 2005. The book contains 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.
In the 1999
gazetteer ''The Stars and Planets of Frank Herbert's Dune: A Gazetteer'' (1999), Joseph M. Daniels estimates the distance from Earth in
light-years (ly) for many ''Dune'' planets, based on the real-life distances of the stars and
planetary systems referenced by Frank Herbert when discussing these planets in the glossary of the novel ''
Dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
''. Though Herbert used the names of actual stars and planetary systems in his work, there is no documentation supporting or disputing the assumption that he was, in fact, referring to these real-life stars or systems. ''
The Science of Dune'' (2008) analyzes and deconstructs many of Herbert's concepts and fictional inventions.
Themes and influences
The ''Dune'' series is a landmark of
soft science fiction. Herbert deliberately suppressed technology in his ''Dune'' universe so he could address the politics of humanity, rather than the future of humanity's technology. ''Dune'' considers the way humans and their institutions might change over time.
Jon Michaud of ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issue ...
'' called the originating novel ''Dune'' "an epic of political betrayal, ecological
brinkmanship, and messianic deliverance."
Director
John Harrison
John Harrison ( – 24 March 1776) was a self-educated English carpenter and clockmaker who invented the marine chronometer, a long-sought-after device for solving the problem of calculating longitude while at sea.
Harrison's solution revo ...
, who adapted ''Dune'' for
Syfy's
2000 miniseries, called the novel a universal and timeless reflection of "the human condition and its moral dilemmas", and said:
Novelist
Brian Herbert, Frank Herbert's son and biographer, explained that "Frank Herbert drew parallels, used spectacular metaphors, and extrapolated present conditions into world systems that seem entirely alien at first blush. But close examination reveals they aren't so different from systems we know".
He wrote that the invaluable drug
melange "represents, among other things, the finite resource of oil".
Michaud explained, "Imagine a substance with the combined worldwide value of cocaine and petroleum and you will have some idea of the power of melange."
Each chapter of ''Dune'' begins with an
epigraph excerpted from the fictional writings of the character
Princess Irulan. In forms such as diary entries, historical commentary, biography, quotations and philosophy, these writings set tone and provide exposition, context, and other details intended by Herbert to enhance understanding of his complex fictional universe and themes.
Michaud wrote in 2013, "With daily reminders of the intensifying effects of global warming, the spectre of a worldwide water shortage, and continued political upheaval in the oil-rich Middle East, it is possible that ''Dune'' is even more relevant now than when it was first published."
Praising Herbert's "clever authorial decision" to excise robots and computers ("two staples of the genre") from his fictional universe, he suggested that "This de-emphasis on technology throws the focus back on people. It also allows for the presence of a religious mysticism uncommon in science fiction."
Environmentalism and ecology
The originating novel ''Dune'' has been called the "first planetary ecology novel on a grand scale".
After the publication of ''
Silent Spring'' by
Rachel Carson in 1962, science fiction writers began treating the subject of ecological change and its consequences. ''Dune'' responded in 1965 with its complex descriptions of life on
Arrakis, from giant
sandworms (for whom water is deadly) to smaller, mouse-like life forms adapted to live with limited water. ''Dune'' was followed in its creation of complex and unique ecologies by other science fiction books such as ''
A Door into Ocean'' (1986) and ''
Red Mars'' (1992).
Environmentalists have pointed out that ''Dune'' popularity as a novel depicting a planet as a complex, almost living, thing, in combination with the first images of Earth from space being published in the same time period, strongly influenced environmental movements such as the establishment of the international
Earth Day.
Declining empires
Lorenzo DiTommaso compared ''Dune'' portrayal of the downfall of a galactic empire to
Edward Gibbon's ''
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,'' which argues that
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesu ...
allied with the profligacy of the Roman elite led to the fall of
Ancient Rome
In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–50 ...
. In "History and Historical Effect in Frank Herbert's ''Dune''" (1992), DiTommaso outlines similarities between the two works by highlighting the excesses of
Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV on his home planet of
Kaitain and of the
Baron Harkonnen in his palace. The Emperor loses his effectiveness as a ruler through an excess of ceremony and pomp. The hairdressers and attendants he brings with him to Arrakis are even referred to as "parasites". The Baron Harkonnen is similarly corrupt, materially indulgent, and a sexual degenerate. Gibbon's ''Decline and Fall'' partly blames the fall of Rome on the rise of Christianity. Gibbon claimed that this exotic import from a conquered province weakened the soldiers of Rome and left it open to attack. Similarly, the Emperor's
Sardaukar fighters are little match for the
Fremen of Arrakis because of the Sardaukar's overconfidence and the Fremen's capacity for self-sacrifice. The Fremen put the community before themselves in every instance, while the world outside wallows in luxury at the expense of others.
The decline and long peace of the Empire sets the stage for revolution and renewal by genetic mixing of successful and unsuccessful groups through war, a process culminating in the Jihad led by
Paul Atreides, described by Herbert as depicting "war as a collective orgasm" (drawing on Norman Walter's 1950 ''The Sexual Cycle of Human Warfare''). These themes reappear in ''
God Emperor of Dune''
Scattering and
Leto II's all-female
Fish Speaker
Multiple organizations of the ''Dune'' universe dominate the political, religious, and social arena of the setting of Frank Herbert's ''Dune'' series of science fiction novels, and derivative works. Set tens of thousands of years in the future, ...
army.
Heroism
Brian Herbert wrote that "''Dune'' is a modern-day conglomeration of familiar myths, a tale in which great sandworms guard a precious treasure of melange...
hatresembles the myth described by an unknown English poet in ''
Beowulf
''Beowulf'' (; ang, Bēowulf ) is an Old English Epic poetry, epic poem in the tradition of Germanic heroic legend consisting of 3,182 Alliterative verse, alliterative lines. It is one of the most important and List of translations of Beo ...
'', the compelling tale of a fearsome fire dragon who guarded a great treasure hoard in a lair under cliffs".
Paul's rise to superhuman status follows the
hero's journey
In narratology and comparative mythology, the hero's journey, or the monomyth, is the common template of stories that involve a hero who goes on an adventure, is victorious in a decisive crisis, and comes home changed or transformed.
Earl ...
template; after unfortunate circumstances are forced onto him, he suffers a long period of hardship and exile, and finally confronts and defeats the source of evil in his tale. As such, ''Dune'' is representative of a general trend beginning in 1960s American science fiction in that it features a character who attains godlike status through scientific means. Frank Herbert said in 1979, "The bottom line of the ''Dune'' trilogy is: beware of heroes. Much better
orely on your own judgment, and your own mistakes."
He wrote in 1985, "''Dune'' was aimed at this whole idea of the infallible leader because my view of history says that mistakes made by a leader (or made in a leader's name) are amplified by the numbers who follow without question."
Juan A. Prieto-Pablos says Herbert achieves a new typology with Paul's superpowers, differentiating the heroes of ''Dune'' from earlier heroes such as
Superman,
van Vogt
Alfred Elton van Vogt ( ; April 26, 1912 – January 26, 2000) was a Canadian-born American science fiction author. His fragmented, bizarre narrative style influenced later science fiction writers, notably Philip K. Dick. He was one of the ...
's
Gilbert Gosseyn and
Henry Kuttner's telepaths. Unlike previous superheroes who acquire their powers suddenly and accidentally, Paul's are the result of "painful and slow personal progress." And unlike other superheroes of the 1960s—who are the exception among ordinary people in their respective worlds—Herbert's characters grow their powers through "the application of mystical philosophies and techniques." For Herbert, the ordinary person can develop incredible fighting skills (Fremen,
Swordmasters of Ginaz
Multiple organizations of the ''Dune'' universe dominate the political, religious, and social arena of the setting of Frank Herbert's ''Dune'' series of science fiction novels, and derivative works. Set tens of thousands of years in the future, ...
and Sardaukar) or mental abilities (Bene Gesserit, Mentats, Spacing Guild Navigators).
Middle-Eastern and Islamic influences
Due to the similarities between some of Herbert's terms and ideas and actual words and concepts in the
Arabic language
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
, as well as the series' "
Islamic
undertones" and themes, a
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
ern influence on Herbert's works has been noted repeatedly.
As a foreigner who adopts the ways of a desert-dwelling people and then leads them in a military capacity, Paul Atreides' character bears many similarities to the historical
T. E. Lawrence, whose 1962 biopic ''
Lawrence of Arabia'' has also been identified as an influence.
Lesley Blanch's novel ''The Sabres of Paradise'' (1960) about Muslim resistance to the
Russian Empire in the Caucasus, has also been identified as a major influence upon ''Dune'', with its depiction of
Imam Shamil and the Islamic culture of the
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range ...
inspiring some of the themes, characters, events and terminology of ''Dune''.
Multiple proverbs recorded by Blanch's ''The Sabres'' as originating from the Caucasus Mountains are included in ''Dune'', such as “polish comes from the city, wisdom from the hills,” becoming “polish comes from the cities, wisdom from the desert” for Arrakis.
The environment of the desert planet Arrakis is similar to the Middle East, particularly the
Arabian Peninsula and
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bo ...
, as well as
Mexico
Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...
. The novel also contains references to the petroleum industries in the
Arab states of the Persian Gulf as well as Mexico. The Fremen people of Arrakis were influenced by the
Bedouin tribes of Arabia, and the
Mahdi
The Mahdi ( ar, ٱلْمَهْدِيّ, al-Mahdī, lit=the Guided) is a messianic figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the end of times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a descendant of Muhammad w ...
(messiah) prophecy originates from
Islamic eschatology.
Inspiration is also adopted from medieval historian
Ibn Khaldun
Ibn Khaldun (; ar, أبو زيد عبد الرحمن بن محمد بن خلدون الحضرمي, ; 27 May 1332 – 17 March 1406, 732-808 AH) was an Arab
The Historical Muhammad', Irving M. Zeitlin, (Polity Press, 2007), p. 21; "It is, o ...
's cyclical history and his
dynastic concept in North Africa, hinted by Herbert's reference to Khaldun's book
Kitāb al-ʿibar ("The Book of Lessons") as known among the Fremen.
Additional linguistic and historic influences
In addition to Arabic, ''Dune'' derives words and names from multiple other languages, including
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
,
Navajo,
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...
,
Chakobsa
Chakobsa is a Northwest Caucasian (NWC) language (possibly in the Circassian subgroup). According to John Colarusso it is also known as ''shikwoshir'' or the 'hunting language' and was originally a secret language used only by the princes and nob ...
, the
Nahuatl
Nahuatl (; ), Aztec, or Mexicano is a language or, by some definitions, a group of languages of the Uto-Aztecan language family. Varieties of Nahuatl are spoken by about Nahua peoples, most of whom live mainly in Central Mexico and have small ...
language of the
Aztecs,
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
,
Persian,
East Indian,
Russian,
Turkish
Turkish may refer to:
*a Turkic language spoken by the Turks
* of or about Turkey
** Turkish language
*** Turkish alphabet
** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
*** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey
*** Turkish communities and mi ...
,
Finnish,
Dutch and
Old English.
Through the inspiration from Lesley Blanch's ''The Sabres of Paradise'', there are also allusions to the tsarist-era
Russian nobility
The Russian nobility (russian: дворянство ''dvoryanstvo'') originated in the 14th century. In 1914 it consisted of approximately 1,900,000 members (about 1.1% of the population) in the Russian Empire.
Up until the February Revolutio ...
and
Cossacks.
Frank Herbert stated that bureaucracy that lasted long enough would become a hereditary nobility, and a significant theme behind the aristocratic families in ''Dune'' was "aristocratic bureaucracy" which he saw as analogous to the Soviet Union.
Zen and religion
Early in his newspaper career, Herbert was introduced to
Zen
Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...
by two
Jungian psychologists, Ralph and Irene Slattery, who "gave a crucial boost to his thinking".
Zen teachings ultimately had "a profound and continuing influence on
erbert'swork".
Throughout the ''Dune'' series and particularly in ''Dune'', Herbert employs concepts and forms borrowed from
Zen Buddhism
Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...
.
The Fremen are Zensunni adherents, and many of Herbert's epigraphs are Zen-spirited. In "''Dune'' Genesis", Frank Herbert wrote:
Brian Herbert called the ''Dune'' universe "a spiritual melting pot", noting that his father incorporated elements of a variety of religions, including
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
,
Sufi mysticism and other Islamic belief systems,
Catholicism
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
,
Protestantism
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
,
Judaism
Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...
, and
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or ''dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global po ...
.
He added that Frank Herbert's fictional future in which "religious beliefs have combined into interesting forms" represents the author's solution to eliminating arguments between religions, each of which claim to have "the one and only revelation."
Frank Herbert writes that, in the aftermath of the technology-purging Butlerian Jihad, the Bene Gesserit composed the Azhar Book, which "preserves the great secrets of the most ancient faiths".
Soon after, an
ecumenical council created a
syncretic religion defined by the Orange Catholic Bible, which would become the primary orthodox religious text in the universe.
Its title suggests a merging of Protestantism (
Orange Order) and Catholicism. Herbert writes in the glossary of ''Dune'':
The Bene Gesserit also practice "religious engineering" through the
Missionaria Protectiva, which spreads contrived myths, prophecies and superstition on primitive worlds so that the Sisterhood may later exploit those regions. Herbert suggests that the Fremen religion on Arrakis has been thus influenced, allowing Paul to embody their prophesied messiah. ''Bene Gesserit'' is derived from the Latin meaning "it will have been well borne" symbolizing their doctrine in the story.
Legacy
The
political
Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studi ...
,
scientific
Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.
Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence ...
, and
social
Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not.
Etymology
The word "social" derives from ...
fictional setting of Herbert's novels and derivative works is known as the ''Dune'' universe or Duniverse.
''Dune'' has been widely influential, inspiring numerous novels, music, films, television, games, and comic books. It is considered one of the greatest and most influential science fiction novels of all time, with numerous modern science fiction works such as ''
Star Wars'' owing their existence to ''Dune''.
''Dune'' has also been referenced in numerous other works of
popular culture
Popular culture (also called mass culture or pop culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices, beliefs, artistic output (also known as, popular art or mass art) and objects that are dominant or prevalent in ...
, such as ''
Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vario ...
'', ''
The Chronicles of Riddick'', ''
The Kingkiller Chronicle'', and ''
Futurama''. ''Dune'' was cited as a major source of inspiration for
Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese animator, director, producer, screenwriter, author, and manga artist. A co-founder of Studio Ghibli, he has attained international acclaim as a masterful storyteller and creator of Japanese animated feature films, and is widel ...
's
anime
is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
film ''
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'' (1984).
Jon Michaud noted in 2013 in ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issue ...
'', "what's curious about ''Dune'' stature is that it has not penetrated popular culture in the way that ''
The Lord of the Rings
''The Lord of the Rings'' is an Epic (genre), epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 c ...
'' and ''
Star Wars'' have."
He praised Herbert's "clever authorial decision" to excise robots and computers ("two staples of the genre") from his fictional universe, but suggested that this may be one explanation why ''Dune'' lacks "true fandom among science-fiction fans".
Since 2009, the names of planets from the ''Dune'' novels have been adopted for the real-world
nomenclature of plains (
planitiae) and complexes of valleys (
labyrinthi) on
Saturn's moon
Titan
Titan most often refers to:
* Titan (moon), the largest moon of Saturn
* Titans, a race of deities in Greek mythology
Titan or Titans may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Fictional entities
Fictional locations
* Titan in fiction, fictiona ...
.
Planet names used to date include
Arrakis,
Caladan,
Giedi Prime,
Kaitain,
Salusa Secundus, and
Tleilax.
The
Hagal dune field and other sites on
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Roman god of war. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmos ...
are informally named after planets mentioned in the ''Dune'' series.
The city of
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma ( ) is the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. A port city, it is situated along Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, Washington, Olympia, and northwest of Mount ...
, Herbert's birthplace, dedicated part of
Point Defiance Park as the "''Dune'' Peninsula" to honor the writer and the series.
In other media
Film
In 1973, director and writer
Alejandro Jodorowsky set about creating a cinematic adaptation, taking over the option that producer
Arthur P. Jacobs had taken on the film adaptation rights in 1973 shortly before his death. Jodorowsky approached, among others,
Peter Gabriel, the prog rock groups
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics an ...
and
Magma
Magma () is the molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed. Magma is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and evidence of magmatism has also been discovered on other terrestrial planets and some natura ...
for some of the music, artists
H. R. Giger and
Jean Giraud
Jean Henri Gaston Giraud (; 8 May 1938 – 10 March 2012) was a French artist, cartoonist, and writer who worked in the Franco-Belgian ''bandes dessinées'' (BD) tradition. Giraud garnered worldwide acclaim under the pseudonym Mœbius (; ) ...
for set and character design, and
Dan O'Bannon for special effects. Jodorowsky cast his own son
Brontis Jodorowsky in the lead role of Paul Atreides,
Salvador Dalí
Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (; ; ; 11 May 190423 January 1989) was a Spanish surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, and the striking and bizarre images in ...
as Shaddam IV, Padishah Emperor,
Amanda Lear as Princess Irulan,
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen,
Gloria Swanson as Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam,
David Carradine as Duke Leto Atreides,
Geraldine Chaplin as Lady Jessica,
Alain Delon as Duncan Idaho,
Hervé Villechaize as Gurney Halleck,
Udo Kier as Piter De Vries, and
Mick Jagger as Feyd-Rautha.
He began writing a vast script, so expansive that the movie was thought to potentially last 14 hours. The project, nevertheless, was scrapped for financial reasons, leaving Jodorowsky's unfinished handwritten script in a notebook that was partially published as a facsimile in 2012 as part of the ''100 Notes – 100 Thoughts'' catalog of the
13th
In music or music theory, a thirteenth is the note thirteen scale degrees from the root of a chord and also the interval between the root and the thirteenth. The interval can be also described as a compound sixth, spanning an octave pl ...
''
documenta'' exhibition. Frank Pavich directed a documentary about this unrealized project entitled ''
Jodorowsky's Dune'', which premiered at the
2013 Cannes Film Festival in May 2013,
and was released theatrically in March 2014.
In 1984,
Dino De Laurentiis and
Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...
released ''
Dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
'', a feature film adaptation of the novel by director and writer
David Lynch.
The film stars
Kyle MacLachlan as Paul Atreides,
Jürgen Prochnow as Duke Leto Atreides,
Francesca Annis as Lady Jessica,
Sean Young as Chani,
Kenneth McMillan as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen,
Siân Phillips as Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam,
Max von Sydow as Doctor Kynes,
Sting as Feyd-Rautha,
Freddie Jones as Thufir Hawat,
Richard Jordan as Duncan Idaho,
Everett McGill as Stilgar,
Patrick Stewart as Gurney Halleck,
Dean Stockwell as Doctor Wellington Yueh, and
José Ferrer as Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV.
Although a commercial and critical failure upon release, Frank Herbert himself was reportedly pleased with the movie, as it stayed more faithful to the book than earlier movie adaptation attempts. However, he had his reservations on its failures at the time, citing the lack of "imagination" in its marketing and estimated costs, and some of the filmmaker's production techniques.
In 2008,
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
announced that they had a new feature film adaptation of ''Dune'' in development with
Peter Berg set to direct; Berg dropped out of the project in October 2009, and director
Pierre Morel was signed in January 2010. Paramount dropped the project in March 2011.
In November 2016,
Legendary Entertainment acquired the film and TV rights for ''Dune''. ''
Variety'' reported in December 2016 that
Denis Villeneuve was in negotiations to direct
the project, which was confirmed in February 2017. In early 2018, Villeneuve stated that his goal was to adapt the novel into a two-part film series. He said in May 2018 that the first draft of the script had been finished. Villeneuve said, "Most of the main ideas of ''Star Wars'' are coming from ''Dune'' so it's going to be a challenge to
acklethis. The ambition is to do the ''Star Wars'' movie I never saw. In a way, it's ''Star Wars'' for adults." In July 2018, Brian Herbert confirmed that the latest draft of the screenplay covered "approximately half of the novel ''Dune''."
Timothée Chalamet is to play
Paul Atreides.
Greig Fraser joined the project as cinematographer in December 2018. In September 2018, it was reported that
Rebecca Ferguson was in talks to play
Jessica Atreides. In January 2019,
Dave Bautista and
Stellan Skarsgård joined the production, playing
Glossu Rabban and
Vladimir Harkonnen, respectively. It was reported later that month that
Charlotte Rampling had been cast as
Reverend Mother Mohiam,
Oscar Isaac as
Duke Leto,
Zendaya as
Chani, and
Javier Bardem as
Stilgar. In February 2019,
Josh Brolin was cast as
Gurney Halleck,
Jason Momoa as
Duncan Idaho, and
David Dastmalchian as
Piter De Vries. Filming began March 18, 2019, and the film was shot on location in Budapest, Hungary and Jordan. Distributed by
Warner Bros., Villeneuve's ''
Dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
'' was released on October 22, 2021.
''Dune'' performed very well at the box office at its opening, leading Legendary Pictures to greenlight a sequel, ''
Dune: Part Two'', within that week, with a planned released date in October 2023.
Television
The
Sci-Fi Channel (now branded as Syfy) premiered a three-part
miniseries adaptation called ''
Frank Herbert's Dune'' on December 3, 2000.
Its March 16, 2003 sequel, ''
Frank Herbert's Children of Dune'', combined both ''Dune Messiah'' and ''Children of Dune''.
As of 2004, both miniseries were two of the three highest-rated programs ever to be broadcast on Syfy.
''Frank Herbert's Dune'' won two
Primetime Emmy Awards in 2001, for
Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie and
Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special. The miniseries was also nominated for an Emmy for
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special. ''Frank Herbert's Children of Dune'' won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special in 2003. The miniseries was also nominated for Emmys for
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special,
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Limited Series or Movie,
and
Outstanding Makeup for a Limited Series or Movie (Non-Prosthetic).
In June 2019 it was announced that
Legendary Television will be producing a spin-off television series, ''
Dune: The Sisterhood'', for
WarnerMedia's streaming service,
HBO Max
HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Netwo ...
. The series will focus on the Bene Gesserit and serve as a prequel to the 2021 film. Villeneuve will direct the series' pilot with
Jon Spaihts writing the screenplay, and both will serve as executive producers alongside Brian Herbert. Though he initially served as showrunner, on November 5, 2019, ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...
'' reported that Spaihts had stepped down from this position to focus more on the sequel to the 2021 film. Diane Ademu-John had been hired as the new showrunner by July 2021.
Comics and graphic novels
A comic adaptation of David Lynch's film ''Dune'', by writer
Ralph Macchio and artist
Bill Sienkiewicz, was produced by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in 19 ...
and was published in various formats. On December 1, 1984, it was published with
Berkley in a small paperback as ''Dune: The Official Comic Book'' ().
It was later released as ''
Marvel Super Special #36: Dune'' on April 1, 1985, and as a three-issue limited comic series from Marvel entitled ''Dune'' from April to June 1985.
In January 2020, ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cult ...
'' reported that
Abrams Books was developing a three-part
graphic novel
A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...
adaptation of ''Dune'', which will be the first time the novel has been published in this format. The graphic novel will be written by Brian Herbert and Anderson and illustrated by Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín, with covers by Bill Sienkiewicz. In May 2020,
Boom! Studios was announced to have acquired the comic and graphic novel rights to the 1999 prequel novel ''
Dune: House Atreides'', with the intent of doing a 12-issue comic adaptation written by the original authors Brian Herbert and Anderson. In 2021 they announced another 12-issue comic series based on Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's 2019 Dune short story "Blood of the Sardaukar."
Video games
To date, there have been six licensed ''Dune'' computer and
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...
s released. The first was ''
Dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
'' (1992) from
Cryo Interactive/
Virgin Interactive.
Another game developed at the same time,
Westwood Studios' ''
Dune II'' (1992), is generally credited for popularizing and setting the template for the
real-time strategy
Real-time strategy (RTS) is a subgenre of strategy video games that do not progress incrementally in turns, but allow all players to play simultaneously, in "real time". By contrast, in turn-based strategy (TBS) games, players take turns to pla ...
genre of
computer games.
''Dune II'' is considered to be among the most influential video games of all time.
''
Dune 2000'' (1998) is a
remake
A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the sa ...
of ''Dune II'' from
Intelligent Games/Westwood Studios/Virgin Interactive.
Its sequel was the
3D video game ''
Emperor: Battle for Dune'' (2001) by Intelligent Games/Westwood Studios/
Electronic Arts.
The 3D game ''
Frank Herbert's Dune'' (2001) by Cryo Interactive/
DreamCatcher Interactive is based on the 2000
Sci Fi Channel miniseries of the same name.
On February 26, 2019,
Funcom announced that it was entering into an exclusive partnership with
Legendary Entertainment to develop games related to the upcoming ''Dune'' films. The first game, ''Dune: Spice Wars'', developed by
Shiro Games
Shiro Games is an independent video game development company based in Bordeaux, France. The company was founded in 2012 by Sebastien Vidal and Nicolas Cannasse, and the company is known for their ''Evoland'' game, which was developed during the 2 ...
, was released in early access on April 26, 2022.
Other games

The
board game
Board games are tabletop games that typically use . These pieces are moved or placed on a pre-marked board (playing surface) and often include elements of table, card, role-playing, and miniatures games as well.
Many board games feature a ...
''
Dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
'' was released by
Avalon Hill in 1979, followed by a
Parker Brothers game ''
Dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
'' in 1984. A 1997
collectible card game called ''
Dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
''
was followed by the
role-playing game ''
Dune: Chronicles of the Imperium'' in 2000.
The 1979 Avalon Hill game was republished by Gale Force Nine in 2019. The board game ''Dune: Imperium'' was published by Dire Wolf in 2020. In May 2021, a tabletop RPG, ''Dune: Adventures in the Imperium,'' was released by Modiphius Entertainment.
Merchandising
A line of ''Dune'' action figures from toy company
LJN was released to lackluster sales in 1984. Styled after David Lynch's film, the collection featured figures of Paul Atreides, Baron Harkonnen, Feyd, Rabban, Stilgar, and a Sardaukar warrior, plus a poseable sandworm, several vehicles and weapons, and a set of
View-Master stereoscope reels. Figures of Gurney and Lady Jessica previewed in LJN's catalog were never produced.
In 2006,
SOTA Toys produced a Baron Harkonnen action figure for their "Now Playing Presents" line.
In October 2019,
Funko announced a "''Dune'' Classic" line of POP! vinyl figures, the first of which are Paul in a
stillsuit and Feyd in a blue jumpsuit, styled after Lynch's film. An alternate version of Feyd in his blue loincloth was released for the 2019
New York Comic Con
The New York Comic Con is an annual New York City fan convention dedicated to Western comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, cosplay, toys, movies, and television. It was first held in 2006.
History
The New York Comic Con is a ...
.
Soundtrack albums have been released for the
1984 film, the 2000 TV miniseries, and the 2003 ''Children of Dune'' miniseries, as well as the 1992 video game, the 2001 computer game ''Emperor: Battle for Dune'', and select tracks from the entire series of ''Dune'' video games.
See also
*
Hydraulic empire
References
Relevant literature
* Batt, Jason D. 2020. "Strange Water: An Exile into the Deep Self in Frank Herbert’s ''Dune''." ''Mythological Studies Journal'' 8:9-14.
External links
*
*
*
*
*
''Dune'' (series)at the ''
Science Fiction Encyclopedia''.
{{Kevin J. Anderson
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