| Dune | |
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.png){kind=logo} Logo of the 2021 film and its sequels | |
| Created by | Frank Herbert |
| Original work | Dune (1965)[a] |
| Owner | Herbert Properties |
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| Novel(s) | List of novels |
| Short stories | List of short stories |
| Comics | List of comics |
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| Film(s) |
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| Television series |
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| Games | |
| Traditional |
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| Role-playing |
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Dune is an Americanscience fictionmedia franchise that originated with the 1965 novelDune[a] byFrank Herbert and has continued to add new publications.Dune is frequently described as the best-selling science fiction novel in history.[1][2] It won the inauguralNebula Award for Best Novel and theHugo Award in 1966 and was later adapted into a1984 film, a2000 television miniseries, and a two-part film series with thefirst film in 2021 and asequel in 2024. Herbert wrote five sequels, the first two of which were concomitantly adapted as a2003 miniseries.Dune has also inspiredtabletop games and aseries of video games. Since 2009, the names of planets from theDune novels have been adopted for the real-worldnomenclature of plains and other features onSaturn's moonTitan.
Frank Herbert died in 1986. Beginning in 1999, his sonBrian Herbert and science fiction authorKevin J. Anderson published several collections of prequel novels, as well as two sequels that complete the originalDune series (Hunters of Dune in 2006 andSandworms of Dune in 2007), partially based on Frank Herbert's notes discovered a decade after his death.[3][4][5] As of 2024, 23Dune books by Herbert and Anderson have been published.
The political, scientific, and social fictional setting of Herbert's novels and derivative works is known as theDune universe orDuniverse. Set tens of thousands of years in the future, the saga chronicles a civilization that has banned all "thinking machines", which include computers,robots, andartificial intelligence. 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 harshdesert planetArrakis, the only known source of the spicemelange, the most valuable substance in the universe.
For the similarities between some of Herbert's terms and ideas and actual words and concepts in theArabic language, as well as the series' "Islamicundertones" and themes, aMiddle Eastern influence in Herbert's works has been widely noted.
TheDune saga is set thousands of years in humanity's future.Faster-than-light travel has been developed, and humans havecolonized a vast number of worlds. However, a great reaction against computers has resulted in a ban on any "thinking machine", with the creation or possession of suchpunishable by immediate death. Despite this prohibition, humanity continues to develop and advance other branches of technology, includingextrasensory perception (ESP) and instruments of war. At the time of the first book's setting, humanity has formed afeudalinterstellar empire known as the Imperium, run by several Great Houses that oversee various planets. Of key interest is the planetArrakis, known to the native population as "Dune". Adesert planet with barely anyprecipitation, 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 throughprescience, allowing theSpacing Guild pilots (mutated by heavy melange use) to navigatefolded space and travel the distances between planets; and triggers some of the powers of theBene Gesserit, a religious group that secretly seeks to control the direction humanity takes. Melange is challenging to acquire due to the harsh environment of Arrakis, and the presence of giantsandworms that are drawn towards any rhythmic sounds on the sands of the desert. Feudal control over thefiefdom Arrakis, its spice production, and the impact on humanity's development become the centerpoints of a millennia-long conflict that develops through the series.
TheDune 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 theDune universe can be said to fall into five general time periods:
As explained inDune, theButlerian Jihad is a conflict taking place over 11,000 years in the future[7] (and over 10,000 years before the events ofDune), which results in the total destruction of virtually all forms of "computers,thinking machines, andconscious robots".[8] 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 madetaboo,[8] which has a profound influence on thesocio-political and technological development of humanity in theDune series.[9] 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.[10] Critical analysis has often associated the term withSamuel Butler and his 1863 essay "Darwin among the Machines", which advocated the destruction of all advanced machines.[11]
In Herbert'sGod 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.[12] This technological reversal leads to the creation of the universalOrange Catholic Bible and the rise of a newfeudal pan-galactic empire that lasts for over 10,000 years before Herbert's series begins.[13][14] Severalsecret societies also develop, usingeugenics programs, intensive mental and physical training, and pharmaceutical enhancements to hone human skills to an astonishing degree.[13]Artificial insemination is also prohibited, as explained inDune Messiah (1969), whenPaul Atreides negotiates with theReverend MotherGaius Helen Mohiam, who is appalled by Paul's suggestion that he impregnate his consort in this manner.[15]
Herbert died in 1986,[16][17] leaving his vision of the events of the Butlerian Jihad unexplored and open to speculation.[10] TheLegends of Dune prequel trilogy (2002–2004) by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson presents the Jihad as a war between humans and thesentient machines they had created, who rise up and nearly destroy humanity.[18] 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 theTitans use this widespread reliance on machine intelligence to seize control of the entire universe.[18] Their reign lasts for a century; eventually they give too much access and power to theAI programOmnius, which usurps control from the Titans themselves.[10][18] 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.[10] This crusade against the machines lasts for almost a century, with much loss of human life but ultimately ending in human victory.[18]
The ancientBattle of Corrin—occurring 20 years after the end of the Butlerian Jihad—spawns thePadishah Emperors of House Corrino, who rule the known universe for millennia by controlling theSardaukar, a brutally efficient military force. Ten thousand years later, Imperial power is balanced by the assembly of noble houses called theLandsraad, which enforces theGreat Convention's ban on the use ofatomics 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 omnipresentCHOAM company, a directorship that controls the wealth of the entire Empire. The third primary power in the universe is theSpacing Guild, which monopolizesinterstellar travel and banking. MutatedGuild Navigators use the spice drugmelange to successfully navigate "folded space" and safely guide enormousheighlinerstarships from planet to planet instantaneously.[13][19]
ThematriarchalBene Gesserit possesses 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 ofDune, 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 has a secret, millennia-long selectivebreeding program to bolster and preserve valuable skills and bloodlines as well as to produce a theoretical superhuman male they call theKwisatz Haderach. WhenDune begins, the Sisterhood is 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. ButLady Jessica, ordered by the Bene Gesserit to produce a daughter who would breed with the appropriate male to make the Kwisatz Haderach, instead bears a son—unintentionally producing the Kwisatz Haderach a generation early.[13]
"Human computers" known asMentats 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.[20] TheBene Tleilax are amoral merchants who traffic in biological andgenetically engineered products such as artificial eyes, "twisted" Mentats, andgholas. Finally, the Ixians producecutting-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.[13]
Against this backdrop, thePrelude 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.[21]
As Frank Herbert'sDune (1965) begins, DukeLeto Atreides finds himself in a dangerous position. The 81st Padishah Emperor, Shaddam IV, has put him in control of thedesert planetArrakis, known as Dune, which is the only source of the all-important spice melange.[22] 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 giantsandworms 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 BaronVladimir Harkonnen, will harm the position of House Atreides in CHOAM, which relies on spice profits.[13] Further, the very presence of the Atreides on Arrakis inflames the long-simmeringWar 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.[23][24]
The little-understood native population of Arrakis are theFremen, long overlooked by the Imperium. Considered backward savages, the Fremen are extremely hardy people and exist in large numbers; their culture is built around the commodity of water, which is extremely scarce on Arrakis. The Fremen await the coming of a prophesiedmessiah, not suspecting that this prophecy had been planted in their legends by theMissionaria Protectiva, an arm of the Bene Gesserit dedicated to religious manipulation to ease the path of the Sisterhood when necessary. InDune, the so-called "Arrakis Affair" puts unexpected Kwisatz HaderachPaul 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 daughterPrincess Irulan as his wife.[13] With a bloodyjihad 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 inDune Messiah (1969).[15] Though the plot fails, the Atreides Empire continues to devolve inChildren of Dune (1976) as the religion built around Paul falters, Irulan's sisterWensicia conspires to place her sonFarad'n on the throne, and Paul's twin heirsLeto II andGhanima rise to power.[25]
TheHeroes of Dune series (2008–2009) by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson chronicles the major events that take place betweenDune: House Corrino (2001) andDune: The Duke of Caladan (2020), betweenDune (1965) andDune Messiah (1969), and betweenDune Messiah andChildren of Dune (1976).[26]
At the time ofGod 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 larvalsandtrout with which he had forged asymbiosis, transforming him into a human-sandworm hybrid. Human civilization before his rule had suffered from twin weaknesses: that a single authority could control it and that it was 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 compulsory religion (as well as maintaining a monopoly on spice and thus total control of its use). Personal violence is banned, as is nearly all space travel, creating a pent-up demand for freedom and travel. The Bene Gesserit, Ixians, and Tleilaxu seek ways to regain some of their former power or unseat Leto altogether. Leto also conducts his selective breeding program among the descendants of his twin sister Ghanima, finally arriving atSiona, daughter ofMoneo, 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.[27]
In the aftermath of the fall of the God Emperor, chaos and severe famine in many worlds caused trillions of humans to set off into the freedom of unknown space and spread out across the universe. Thisdiaspora is later calledthe 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 ofHeretics of Dune (1984) andChapterhouse: Dune (1985)—1500 years after Leto's death—the turmoil is settling into a new pattern; the balance of power in the Old Empire, as it is now called, 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 theHonored Matres, who 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 singleNew Sisterhood with shared abilities is their best chance to fight the approaching enemy.[28][29]
The sequelsHunters of Dune (2006) andSandworms of Dune (2007) by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson complete the original series and wrap up storylines that began withHeretics of Dune.
Herbert's interest in the desert setting ofDune and its challenges is attributed to research he began in 1957 for a never-completed article about aUnited States Department of Agriculture experiment usingpoverty grass to stabilize damaging sanddunes, which could "swallow whole cities, lakes, rivers, and highways."[30] Herbert spent the next five years researching, writing, and revising what would eventually become the novelDune,[30] which was initially serialized inAnalog magazine as two shorter works,Dune World (1963) andThe Prophet of Dune (1965).[31] The serialized version was expanded and reworked—and rejected by more than 20 publishers—before being published byChilton Books, a printing house best known for its auto repair manuals, in 1965.[32]Dune won the inauguralNebula Award for Best Novel in 1966, and the 1966Hugo Award.[33][34] The novel has been translated into dozens of languages, and has sold almost 20 million copies.[35]Dune has been regularly cited as one of the world's best-selling science fiction novels.[1][2]
A sequel,Dune Messiah, followed in 1969.[36] A third novel calledChildren of Dune was published in 1976, and was later nominated for a Hugo Award.[37]Children of Dune became the first hardcover best-seller ever in the science fiction field.[38] Parts of these two first sequels were written beforeDune was completed.[39]
In 1978,Putnam publishedThe Illustrated Dune, an edition ofDune with 33 black-and-white sketch drawings and eight full color paintings byJohn Schoenherr, who had done the cover art for the first printing ofDune and had illustrated theAnalog serializations ofDune andChildren of Dune.[40] 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, includingsandworms,Baron Harkonnen and theSardaukar.[41]
In 1981, Herbert releasedGod Emperor of Dune, which was ranked as the #11 hardcover fiction best seller of 1981 byPublishers Weekly.[42]Heretics of Dune, the 1984New York Times #13 hardcover fiction best seller,[43] was followed in quick succession byChapterhouse: Dune in 1985.[44] Herbert died on February 11, 1986.[16]
Over a decade after Herbert's death, his son Brian Herbert enlisted science fiction author Kevin J. Anderson to coauthor atrilogy ofDuneprequel novels that would come to be called thePrelude to Dune series.[45] Using some of Frank Herbert's own notes,[45][46] the duo wroteDune: House Atreides (1999),Dune: House Harkonnen (2000), andDune: House Corrino (2001). The series is set in the years immediately prior to the events ofDune. This was followed with a second prequel trilogy called theLegends of Dune, consisting ofDune: The Butlerian Jihad (2002),Dune: The Machine Crusade (2003), andDune: The Battle of Corrin (2004). These were set during theButlerian Jihad, an element ofbackstory that Frank Herbert had previously established as occurring 10,000 years before the events chronicled inDune.[10] Herbert's brief description of humanity's "crusade againstcomputers,thinking machines, andconscious robots"[8] was expanded by Brian Herbert and Anderson in this series.[10]
With an outline for the first book ofPrelude to Dune series written and a proposal sent to publishers,[47] Brian Herbert had discovered his father's 30-page outline for a sequel toChapterhouse Dune, which the elder Herbert had dubbedDune 7.[48] After publishing their six prequel novels, Brian Herbert and Anderson releasedHunters of Dune (2006) andSandworms of Dune (2007), which complete the original series and wrap up storylines that began with Frank Herbert'sHeretics of Dune.
TheHeroes of Dune series followed, focusing on the time periods between Frank Herbert's original novels.[45][49][50][51] The first book,Paul of Dune, was published in 2008,[52] followed byThe Winds of Dune[50][53] in 2009.[54] The next two installments were to be calledThe Throne of Dune andLeto of Dune (possibly changing toThe Golden Path of Dune),[55] but were postponed due to plans to publish a trilogy,Great Schools of Dune, about "the formation of the Bene Gesserit, the Mentats, theSuk doctors, the Spacing Guild and the Navigators, as well as the solidifying of the Corrino Imperium."[56]Sisterhood of Dune was released in 2012,[56] followed byMentats of Dune in 2014. In a 2009 interview, Anderson stated that the third and final novel would be titledThe Swordmasters of Dune,[48] but by 2014 it had been renamedNavigators of Dune.[57] The novel was published on September 13, 2016.[58] A thirdHeroes of Dune novel,Princess of Dune, was released on October 3, 2023.[59]
In July 2020, Herbert and Anderson announced a new trilogy of prequel novels calledThe Caladan Trilogy. The first novel in the series,Dune: The Duke of Caladan, was published in October 2020,[60][61] and the second,Dune: The Lady of Caladan, was released in September 2021.[62][63] The third novel,Dune: The Heir of Caladan, was released on November 22, 2022.[64]
In 1985, Frank Herbert wrote an illustrated short work called "The Road to Dune", set sometime between the events ofDune andDune Messiah. Published in Herbert'sshort story collectionEye, it takes the form of a guidebook for pilgrims toArrakis and features images (with descriptions) of some of the devices and characters presented in the novels.[65]
Brian Herbert and Anderson have written eightDune short stories and fourDune 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 collectionTales 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 collectionSands of Dune, which released on July 28, 2022.
In 1984, Herbert's publisher Putnam releasedThe Dune Encyclopedia.[66][67] Approved by Herbert but not written by him, this collection of essays by 43 contributors describes in invented detail many aspects of theDune universe not found in the novels themselves.[68] Herbert's estate later confirmed its non-canonical status after Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson had begun publishing prequel novels that directly contradictThe Dune Encyclopedia.[69] The 1984Dune film spawnedThe Dune Storybook (September 1984,ISBN 0-399-12949-9), anovelization written byJoan D. Vinge,[67][70] andThe Making of Dune (December 1984,ISBN 0-425-07376-9), amaking-of book byEd Naha.[67][71]
In May 1992,Ace Books publishedSongs of Muad'Dib (ISBN 0-441-77427-X), a collection ofDune-related poems written by Frank Herbert and edited by his son Brian.[67][72] Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson releasedThe Road to Dune on August 11, 2005. The book contains a novelette calledSpice Planet (an alternative version ofDune 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.[73] In the 1999gazetteerThe Stars and Planets of Frank Herbert's Dune: A Gazetteer (1999), Joseph M. Daniels estimates the distance from Earth inlight-years (ly) for manyDune planets, based on the real-life distances of the stars andplanetary systems referenced by Frank Herbert when discussing these planets in the glossary of the novelDune. 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.[74]
The Science of Dune (2008) analyzes and deconstructs many of Herbert's concepts and fictional inventions.[75][76][77]
TheDune series is a landmark ofsoft science fiction. Herbert deliberately suppressed technology in hisDune 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.[78] Jon Michaud ofThe New Yorker called the originating novelDune "an epic of political betrayal, ecologicalbrinkmanship, and messianic deliverance."[22] DirectorJohn Harrison, who adaptedDune forSyfy's2000 miniseries, called the novel a universal and timeless reflection of "the human condition and its moral dilemmas", and said:
A lot of people refer toDune as science fiction. I never do. I consider it an epic adventure in the classic storytelling tradition, a story of myth and legend not unlike theMorte d'Arthur or any messiah story. It just happens to be set in the future... The story is actually more relevant today than when Herbert wrote it. In the 1960s, there were just these two colossal superpowers duking it out. Today we're living in a more feudal, corporatized world more akin to Herbert's universe of separate families, power centers and business interests, all interrelated and kept together by the one commodity necessary to all.[79]
NovelistBrian 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."[80] He wrote that the invaluable drugmelange "represents, among other things, the finite resource of oil".[80] 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."[22] Each chapter ofDune begins with anepigraph excerpted from the fictional writings of the characterPrincess 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.[81]
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 thatDune is even more relevant now than when it was first published."[22] 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."[22]
The originating novelDune has been called the "first planetary ecology novel on a grand scale".[82] After the publication ofSilent Spring byRachel 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 onArrakis, from giantsandworms (for whom water is life-threatening) 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 asA Door into Ocean (1986) andRed Mars (1992).[82] Environmentalists have pointed out thatDune's 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 internationalEarth Day.[83]
Lorenzo DiTommaso comparedDune's portrayal of the downfall of a galactic empire toEdward Gibbon'sThe History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, which argues thatChristianity allied with the profligacy of the Roman elite led to the fall ofAncient Rome. In "History and Historical Effect in Frank Herbert'sDune" (1992), DiTommaso outlines similarities between the two works by highlighting the excesses ofPadishah EmperorShaddam IV on his home planet ofKaitain and of the BaronVladimir 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'sDecline 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'sSardaukar fighters are little match for theFremen 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.[84] 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 byPaul Atreides, described by Herbert as depicting "war as a collective orgasm" (drawing on Norman Walter's 1950The Sexual Cycle of Human Warfare). These themes reappear inGod Emperor of Dune'sScattering andLeto II Atreides's all-femaleFish Speaker army.[85][86]
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...[that] resembles the myth described by an unknown English poet inBeowulf, the compelling tale of a fearsome fire dragon who guarded a great treasure hoard in a lair under cliffs."[80]
Paul's rise to superhuman status follows thehero's journey 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.[87][88] 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.[89] Frank Herbert said in 1979, "The bottom line of theDune trilogy is: beware of heroes. Much better [to] rely on your own judgment, and your own mistakes."[90] 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."[91]
Juan A. Prieto-Pablos says Herbert achieves a new typology with Paul's superpowers, differentiating the heroes ofDune from earlier heroes such asSuperman,van Vogt'sGilbert Gosseyn andHenry 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 and Sardaukar) or mental abilities (Bene Gesserit, Mentats, Spacing Guild Navigators).[92]
Due to the similarities between some of Herbert's terms and ideas and actual words and concepts inArabic, as well as the series' "Islamicundertones" and themes, aMiddle Eastern influence on Herbert's works has been noted repeatedly.[93][94][95][96]
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 historicalT. E. Lawrence,[97] whose 1962 biopicLawrence of Arabia has also been identified as an influence.[98]Lesley Blanch's novelThe Sabres of Paradise (1960) about Muslim resistance to theRussian conquest of the Caucasus, has also been identified as a major influence uponDune, with its depiction ofImam Shamil, theCaucasian Imamate, and the Islamic culture of theCaucasus inspiring some of the themes, characters, events and terminology ofDune.[99][100] Multiple proverbs recorded by Blanch'sThe Sabres as originating from the Caucasus Mountains are included inDune, such as "polish comes from the city, wisdom from the hills," becoming "polish comes from the cities, wisdom from the desert" for Arrakis.[99]
The environment of the desert planet Arrakis is similar to the Middle East, particularly theArabian Peninsula andPersian Gulf, as well as toMexico. The novel also contains references to the petroleum industries in theArab states of the Persian Gulf as well as Mexico.[101] The Fremen people of Arrakis were influenced by theBedouin tribes of Arabia, and theMahdi prophecy originates fromIslamic eschatology.[102] Inspiration is also adopted from medieval historianibn Khaldun's cyclical history and hisdynastic concept in North Africa, hinted by Herbert's reference to ibn Khaldun's bookKitāb al-ʿIbar "The Book of Lessons" as known among the Fremen.[103][104]
In addition to Arabic,Dune derives words and names from multiple other languages, includingHebrew,Navajo,Latin,Chakobsa, theNahuatl language of theAztecs,Greek,Persian,East Indian,Russian,Turkish,Finnish,Dutch andOld English.[105] Herbert created a fictional language, also calledChakobsa, used by the Fremen on Arrakis for rituals and other purposes.[99] Through the inspiration from Lesley Blanch'sThe Sabres of Paradise, there are also allusions to the Tsarist-eraRussian nobility andCossacks.[99] Herbert stated that bureaucracy that lasted long enough would become a hereditary nobility, and a significant theme behind the aristocratic families inDune was "aristocratic bureaucracy" which he saw as analogous to theSoviet Union.[106][107]
Brian Herbert called theDune universe "a spiritual melting pot", noting that his father, Frank Herbert, incorporated elements of a variety of religions, includingBuddhism,Sufi mysticism and other Islamic belief systems,Catholicism,Protestantism,Judaism, andHinduism.[108] 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."[108] 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".[109] Soon after, anecumenical council created asyncretic religion defined by theOrange Catholic Bible, which would become the primary orthodox religious text in the universe.[109] Its title suggests a merging of Protestantism (Orange Order) and Catholicism.[110][111] Herbert writes in the glossary ofDune:
Orange Catholic Bible: the "Accumulated Book," the religious text produced by the Commission of Ecumenical Translators. It contains elements of most ancient religions, including the Maometh Saari, Mahayana Christianity, Zensunni Catholicism and Buddislamic traditions. Its supreme commandment is considered to be: "Thou shalt not disfigure the soul."[112]
Early in his newspaper career, Frank Herbert was introduced toZen, aschool ofMahayana Buddhism, by twoJungian psychologists, Ralph and Irene Slattery, who "gave a crucial boost to his thinking".[113] Zen teachings ultimately had "a profound and continuing influence on [Herbert's] work".[113] Throughout theDune series and particularly inDune, Herbert employs concepts and forms borrowed from Zen Buddhism.[22][113][114] The Fremen areZensunni adherents, and many of Herbert's epigraphs are Zen-spirited.[115] In "Dune Genesis", Frank Herbert wrote:
What especially pleases me is to see the interwoven themes, the fuguelike relationships of images that exactly replay the wayDune took shape ... I involved myself with recurrent themes that turn into paradox. The central paradox concerns the human vision of time. What about Paul's gift of prescience—the Presbyterian fixation? For the Delphic Oracle to perform, it must tangle itself in a web ofpredestination. Yet predestination negates surprises and, in fact, sets up a mathematically enclosed universe whose limits are always inconsistent, always encountering the unprovable. It's like a koan, a Zen mind breaker.[41]
The Bene Gesserit practice "religious engineering" (social engineering), through theMissionaria Protectiva, which spreads contrived myths, prophecies and superstition on primitive worlds so that the Sisterhood may at a much later time exploit embedded belief to advance their universal strategies.[116] Herbert suggests a process of wish-fulfilling recognition of "sacred" texts created by the Bene Gesserit's master plan in a particular person, and transforming events intocommon belief.[117] In the novels, the Fremen religion on Arrakis has been thus influenced, allowing Paul to embody their prophesied messiah.[118] Paul is agonized by visions of terrible jihad which will destroy the Imperium, but he becomes Paul Muad'Dib,Mahdi of the Fremen, accepting the role imposed by Bene Gesserit. A new religion sweeps Paul to power.[90]
Between the events ofDune andDune Messiah, the name Muad'Dib becomes a battle cry on the lips of the Fremen army that sweeps across the universe in a jihad in the name of Muad'Dib's religion.[119] The population of the universe sees Muad'Dib as their god, whether they like it or not, and they cannot deny his power religiously.[120] The Fremen culture is irreparably damaged by jihad; the new religion takes shape of rituals that are dependent on Muad'Dib'somnipresence.[90] As Muad'Dib, Paul is the messiah and the Emperor (King of Kings) who gives himself to fate and becomes a martyr to his followers, wanders blinded into the desert to die,[90] later finding emancipation as a heretic of his own church as the Preacher.[121] The regency of Paul's sisterAlia and the Qizarate priests continue to promote Muad'Dib's religion to help keep control of the universe, ensuring that others do not oppose them.[120] In hisGolden Path, Herbert presents an argument of how to create a healthy society, avoiding despotism and hero worship, a trap in which social groups can be caught:
To make a world where human kind can make its own future from moment to moment, free from one man's vision. Free from the perversion of the prophets words. And free of future pre-determined...[121]
Thepolitical,scientific, andsocialfictional setting of Herbert's novels and derivative works is known as theDune universe orDuniverse.[77][122][123]Dune has been widely influential, inspiring numerous novels, music, films, television, games, and comic books.[124] It is considered one of the greatest and most influential science fiction novels of all time, with numerous modern science fiction works such asStar Wars owing their existence toDune.[102]Dune has also been referenced in numerous other works ofpopular culture, such asStar Trek,The Chronicles of Riddick,The Kingkiller Chronicle, andFuturama.[125]Dune was cited as the prime inspiration forHayao Miyazaki'smanga, and laterfilm,Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1982–1994).[126]
Jon Michaud noted in 2013 inThe New Yorker, "what's curious aboutDune's stature is that it has not penetrated popular culture in the way thatThe Lord of the Rings andStar Wars have."[22] 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 whyDune lacks "true fandom among science-fiction fans".[22]
Since 2009, the names of planets from theDune novels have been adopted for the real-worldnomenclature of plains (planitiae) and complexes of valleys (labyrinthi) onSaturn's moonTitan.[127][128][129] Planet names used to date includeArrakis,Caladan,Giedi Prime,Kaitain,Salusa Secundus, andTleilax.[128][129] TheHagal dune field and other sites onMars are informally named after planets mentioned in theDune series.[130] The city ofTacoma, Washington, Herbert's birthplace, dedicated part ofPoint Defiance Park as the "Dune Peninsula" to honor the writer and the series.[131]
| Film | U.S. release date | Directed by | Screenplay by | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dune | December 14, 1984 | David Lynch | Universal Pictures | |
| Dune | October 22, 2021 | Denis Villeneuve | Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve andEric Roth | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| Dune: Part Two | March 1, 2024 | Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve | ||
In 1973, director and writerAlejandro Jodorowsky set about creating a cinematic adaptation, taking over the option that producerArthur P. Jacobs had taken on the film adaptation rights in 1973 shortly before his death. Jodorowsky approached, among others,Peter Gabriel, the prog rock groupsPink Floyd andMagma for some of the music, artistsH. R. Giger andJean Giraud for set and character design, andDan O'Bannon for special effects. Jodorowsky cast his own sonBrontis Jodorowsky in the lead role of Paul Atreides,Salvador Dalí as Shaddam IV, Padishah Emperor,Amanda Lear as Princess Irulan,Orson Welles 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, andMick Jagger as Feyd-Rautha.[132] He began writing a vast script, so expansive that the film was thought to potentially last 14 hours. The project 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 the100 Notes – 100 Thoughts catalog of the13thdocumenta exhibition.[133]Frank Pavich directed a documentary about this unrealized project entitledJodorowsky's Dune, which premiered at the2013 Cannes Film Festival in May 2013,[134] and was released theatrically in March 2014.[135]
In 1984,Dino De Laurentiis andUniversal Pictures releasedDune, a feature film adaptation of the novel by director and writerDavid Lynch.[136] The film starsKyle 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, andJosé Ferrer as Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV.[137] Although a commercial and critical failure upon release, Frank Herbert himself was reportedly pleased with the film, as it stayed more faithful to the book than earlier film 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.[91] In 2021, Ballyhoo Motion Pictures released a documentary entitledThe Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune. It chronicles the making of Lynch'sDune film. Initially intended to be released on a special feature for theArrow Films'Dune disc release, it was later released on their paid streaming service Arrow Player.[138][139]
In 2008,Paramount Pictures announced that it had a new feature film adaptation ofDune in development withPeter Berg set to direct;[140] Berg dropped out of the project in October 2009,[141] and directorPierre Morel was signed in January 2010.[142] Paramount dropped the project in March 2011.[143][144]
In November 2016,Legendary Pictures acquired the film and TV rights forDune.[145][146]Variety reported in December 2016 thatDenis Villeneuve was in negotiations to directDune,[147] which was confirmed in February 2017.[148] In early 2018, Villeneuve stated that his goal was to adapt the novel into a two-part film series.[149] He said in May 2018 that the first draft of the script had been finished.[150][151] In July 2018, Brian Herbert confirmed that the latest draft of the screenplay covered "approximately half of the novelDune."[152]Timothée Chalamet was cast to playPaul Atreides.[153]Greig Fraser joined the project as cinematographer in December 2018.[154] In September 2018, it was reported thatRebecca Ferguson was in talks to playJessica Atreides.[155] In January 2019,Dave Bautista[156] andStellan Skarsgård[157] joined the production, playingGlossu Rabban andVladimir Harkonnen, respectively. It was reported later that month thatCharlotte Rampling had been cast asReverend Mother Mohiam,[158]Oscar Isaac asDuke Leto,[159]Zendaya asChani,[160] andJavier Bardem asStilgar.[161] In February 2019,Josh Brolin was cast asGurney Halleck,[162]Jason Momoa asDuncan Idaho,[163] andDavid Dastmalchian asPiter De Vries.[164] Filming began March 18, 2019, and the film was shot on location in Budapest, Hungary and Jordan.[165] Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures, Villeneuve'sDune was released on October 22, 2021.[166][167]Dune was a critical and commercial success, leading Legendary Pictures to greenlight a sequel,Dune: Part Two, within that week.[168] The film was released on March 1, 2024.[169]
Prior to the release ofDune, Villeneuve confirmed at the 2021Venice Film Festival that a film based onDune Messiah was planned, and it would serve as the third film in a trilogy.[170] AfterDune: Part Two was officially greenlit in October 2021, Villeneuve reiterated his hope to continue the series with a third film focusing onDune Messiah.[171][172] ScreenwriterJon Spaihts confirmed in March 2022 that Villeneuve still planned on a third film.[173] Villeneuve began writing a script for aDune Messiah film in 2023.[174] In February 2024, he said the script was "almost finished" but also wanted to take time to ensure his satisfaction, citing Hollywood's tendency of focusing on release dates over a film's overall quality.[175] In April 2024, following the critical and commercial success ofDune: Part Two, Legendary Pictures confirmed thatDune Messiah was in development with Villeneuve returning as director.[176]
| Series | Season | Episodes | Originally aired | Network | Based on | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||||
| Frank Herbert's Dune | 1 | 3 | December 3, 2000 | Sci Fi Channel | Dune | |
| Frank Herbert's Children of Dune | 1 | 3 | March 16, 2003 | March 26, 2003 | Dune Messiah andChildren of Dune | |
| Dune: Prophecy | 1 | 6 | November 17, 2024 | December 22, 2024[177] | HBO | Original (inspired bySisterhood of Dune) |
TheSci-Fi Channel premiered a three-partminiseries adaptation calledFrank Herbert's Dune on December 3, 2000.[79] Its March 16, 2003 sequel,Frank Herbert's Children of Dune, combined bothDune Messiah andChildren of Dune.[178][179] As of 2004, both miniseries were two of the three highest-rated programs ever to be broadcast on Syfy.[45]Frank Herbert's Dune won twoPrimetime Emmy Awards in 2001, forOutstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie[180] andOutstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special.[181] The miniseries was also nominated for an Emmy forOutstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special.[182]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.[183] The miniseries was also nominated for Emmys forOutstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special,[184]Outstanding Hairstyling for a Limited Series or Movie,[184] andOutstanding Makeup for a Limited Series or Movie (Non-Prosthetic).[185]
In June 2019 it was announced thatLegendary Television would be producing a spin-off television series,Dune: The Sisterhood, forWarnerMedia's streaming service,HBO Max. The series would focus on the Bene Gesserit and serve as a prequel to the 2021 film. Villeneuve was set to direct the series' pilot withJon Spaihts writing the screenplay, and both would serve as executive producers alongside Brian Herbert.[186] Though he initially served as showrunner, on November 5, 2019,The Hollywood Reporter reported that Spaihts had stepped down from this position to focus more on the sequel to the 2021 film.[187] Diane Ademu-John had been hired as the new showrunner by July 2021.[188] The series was retitledDune: Prophecy in November 2023,[189] and was moved toHBO in July 2024, and was set to premiere later that year.[190] The series was released on November 17, 2024.[191]
A comic adaptation of David Lynch's filmDune, by writerRalph Macchio and artistBill Sienkiewicz, was produced byMarvel Comics and was published in various formats. On December 1, 1984, it was published withBerkley in a small paperback asDune: The Official Comic Book (ISBN 0-425-07623-7).[67] It was later released asMarvel Super Special #36: Dune[192] on April 1, 1985, and as a three-issue limited comic series from Marvel entitledDune from April to June 1985.[67][193]
In January 2020,Entertainment Weekly reported thatAbrams Books was developing a three-partgraphic novel adaptation ofDune, which was the first time the novel has been published in this format. The graphic novel was written by Brian Herbert and Anderson and illustrated by Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín, with covers by Bill and was published on November 24, 2020. Sienkiewicz.[194] In May 2020,Boom! Studios was announced to have acquired the comic and graphic novel rights to the 1999 prequel novelDune: House Atreides, with the intent of doing a 12-issue comic adaptation written by the original authors Brian Herbert and Anderson.[195] In 2021 they announced another 12-issue comic series based on Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's 2019 short story "Blood of the Sardaukar." In 2022, Dune: The Graphic Novel, Book 2: Muad’Dib, was published on July 5, 2022.
Six licensedDune computer andvideo games have been released. The first wasDune (1992) developed byCryo Interactive.[196][197] Another game developed at the same time,Westwood Studios'Dune II (1992), is generally credited for popularizing and setting the template for thereal-time strategy genre ofcomputer games.[198][199]Dune II is considered to be among the most influential video games of all time.[200]
Dune 2000 (1998) is aremake ofDune II fromIntelligent Games.[201] Its sequel was the3D video gameEmperor: Battle for Dune (2001) by Intelligent Games/Westwood Studios/Electronic Arts.[202][203] The 3D gameFrank Herbert's Dune (2001) by Cryo Interactive/DreamCatcher Interactive is based on the 2000Sci Fi Channelminiseries of the same name.[204][205]
On February 26, 2019,Funcom announced that it was entering into an exclusive partnership with Legendary Pictures to develop games related to the upcomingDune films.[206] The first game,Dune: Spice Wars, developed byShiro Games, was released in early access on April 26, 2022.[207]
In January 2022, characters from bothRick and Morty parodies ofDune (in particularPaul Atreides-themed versions ofMorty Smith) were made available asplayable characters in thefranchisevideo gamePocket Mortys.
Theboard gameDune was released byAvalon Hill in 1979,[208][209] followed by aParker Brothers gameDune in 1984.[210] A 1997collectible card game calledDune[211] was followed by therole-playing gameDune: Chronicles of the Imperium in 2000.[212][213] The 1979 Avalon Hill game was republished by Gale Force Nine in 2019.[214] The board gameDune: Imperium was published by Dire Wolf in 2021.[215] In May 2021, a tabletop RPG,Dune: Adventures in the Imperium, was released by Modiphius Entertainment.[216] It won a GoldENNIE Award for "Best Writing" and was also nominated for "Product of the Year.".[217]
A line ofDune action figures from toy companyLJN 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 ofView-Masterstereoscope reels. Figures of Gurney and Lady Jessica previewed in LJN's catalog were never produced.[218][219] In 2006,SOTA Toys produced a Baron Harkonnen action figure for their "Now Playing Presents" line.[219] In October 2019,Funko announced a "Dune Classic" line of POP! vinyl figures, the first of which are Paul in astillsuit and Feyd in a blue jumpsuit, styled after Lynch's film.[220][221] An alternate version of Feyd in his blue loincloth was released for the 2019New York Comic Con.[222]
Soundtrack albums have been released for the1984 film, the 2000 TV miniseries, and the 2003Children of Dune miniseries, as well as the 1992 video game, the 2001 computer gameEmperor: Battle for Dune, and select tracks from the entire series ofDune video games.[223]
In the following table, all works are byFrank Herbert unless stated otherwise.
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 1964 Hugo Awards | Best Novel | "Dune World"[b] | Nominated | [225] |
| 1966 | 1965 Nebula Awards | Best Novel | Dune | Won | [33] |
| 1966 Hugo Awards | Best Novel | Won | [34] | ||
| 1974 | 1974 Seiun Awards | Best Translated Long Work | Dune | Won | [226] |
| 1975 | 1975 Locus Poll | Best All-Time Novel | Dune | Won | [227] |
| 1977 | 1977 Hugo Awards | Best Novel | Children of Dune | Nominated | [37] |
| 1977 Locus Awards | Best Novel | 4 | [228] | ||
| 1982 | 1982 Locus Awards | Best SF Novel | God Emperor of Dune | 6 | [229] |
| 1985 | 1985 Locus Awards | Best SF Novel | Heretics of Dune | 17 | [230] |
| 1986 | 1986 Locus Awards | Best SF Novel | Chapterhouse: Dune | 20 | [231] |
| Best Collection | Eye[c] | 19 | [231] | ||
| 1987 | 1987 Locus Poll | Best All-Time SF Novel | Dune | Won | [232] |
| 1988 | 1988 Locus Awards | Best Nonfiction | The Maker of Dune: insights of a master of science fiction | 13 | [233] |
| 1998 | 1998 Locus Poll | Best All-Time SF Novel before 1990 | Dune | Won | [234] |
| 2000 | 2000 Geffen Awards | Best Translated SF Novel | Dune: House Atreides byBrian Herbert andKevin J. Anderson | Won | [235] |
| 2004 | 2004 Hugo Awards | Best Related Non-Fiction Book | Dreamer of Dune: The Biography of Frank Herbert by Brian Herbert | Nominated | [236] |
| 2004 Locus Awards | Best Non-Fiction or Art | 6 | [237] | ||
| 2012 | 2012 Locus Poll | Best 20th Century SF Novel | Dune | Won | [238] |
| 2022 | 2022 Dragon Awards | Best Graphic Novel | Dune: House Atreides Volume 2 by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, andDev Pramanik | Won | [239] |
| 2023 | 2023 Dragon Awards | Best Comic Book or Graphic Novel | Dune: House Harkonnen by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, andMichael Shelfer | Won | [240] |
| Film | Box office gross | Box office ranking | Budget | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | Other territories | Worldwide | US and Canada | Worldwide | ||||
| Dune (1984) | $30,925,690 | $55,301 | $30,983,782 | – | – | $40 million | ||
| Dune (2021) | $108,897,830 | $297,120,170 | $406,018,000 | #698 | – | $165 million | ||
| Dune: Part Two | $282,144,358 | $432,300,000 | $714,444,358 | – | – | $190 million | ||
| Totals 2021 & 2024 | $391,042,188 | $729,420,170 | $1,120,462,358 | — | — | $355 million | ||
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Locus ran a poll of readers on April 15, 1975 in whichDune 'was voted the all-time best science-fiction novel … It has sold over ten million copies in numerous editions.'
Since its debut in 1965, Frank Herbert'sDune has sold over 12 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling science fiction novel of all time ... Frank Herbert'sDune saga is one of the greatest 20th Century contributions to literature.
Quinn, Judy (November 17, 1997)."Bantam Pays $3M forDune Prequels by Herbert's Son".Publishers Weekly.Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. RetrievedFebruary 6, 2014.The new prequels ... will be based on notes and outlines Frank Herbert left at his death in 1986.
Anderson, Kevin J. (December 16, 2005)."Dune 7 blog: Conspiracy Theories". Archived fromthe original on October 12, 2007. RetrievedOctober 12, 2008 – via DuneNovels.com.Frank Herbert wrote a detailed outline forDune 7 and he left extensiveDune 7 notes, as well as stored boxes of his descriptions, epigraphs, chapters, character backgrounds, historical notes—over a thousand pages worth.
I got a call from an estate attorney who asked me what I wanted to do with two safety deposit boxes of my dad's ... in them were the notes toDune 7—it was a 30-page outline. So I went up in my attic and found another 1,000 pages of working notes.
"BeforeDune, After Frank Herbert".Amazon.com. 2004. Archived fromthe original on April 9, 2009. RetrievedNovember 12, 2008.Brian was cleaning out his garage to make an office space and he found all these boxes that had'Dune Notes' on the side. And we used a lot of them for ourHouse books.
"Interview with Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson". Arrakis.ru. 2004. Archived fromthe original on September 8, 2012. RetrievedNovember 12, 2008.We had already started work onHouse Atreides ... After we already had our general outline written and the proposal sent to publishers, then we found the outlines and notes. (This necessitated some changes, of course.)
... we are ready to tackle the next major challenge—writing the grand climax of the saga that Frank Herbert left in his original notes sealed in a safe deposit box ... after we'd already decided what we wanted to write ... They opened up the safe deposit box and found inside the full and complete outline forDune 7 ... Later, when Brian was cleaning out his garage, in the back he found ... over three thousand pages of Frank Herbert's other notes, background material, and character sketches.
Adams, John Joseph (August 9, 2006)."NewDune Books Resume Story". SciFi.com. Archived fromthe original on December 19, 2007. RetrievedDecember 19, 2007.Anderson said that Frank Herbert's notes included a description of the story and a great deal of character background information. 'But having a roadmap of the U.S. and actually driving across the country are two different things,' he said. 'Brian and I had a lot to work with and a lot to expand...'
Snider, John C. (August 2007)."Audiobook Review:Hunters of Dune by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson". SciFiDimensions.com. Archived fromthe original on March 24, 2008. RetrievedFebruary 15, 2009.the co-authors have expanded on Herbert's brief outline
Mankind's movement through deep space placed a unique stamp on religion during the one hundred and ten centuries that preceded the Butlerian Jihad.
Jihad, Butlerian: (see also Great Revolt)—the crusade against computers, thinking machines, and conscious robots begun in 201 B.G. and concluded in 108 B.G. Its chief commandment remains in the O.C. Bible as 'Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of a human mind.'
The target of the Jihad was a machine-attitude as much as the machines...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.
We've a three-point civilization: the Imperial Household balanced against the Federated Great Houses of theLandsraad, and between them, theGuild with its damnable monopoly on interstellar transport.
Vladimir Harkonnen...the direct-line male descendant of the Bashar Abulurd Harkonnen who was banished for cowardice after the Battle of Corrin.
The Baron cannot forget that Leto is a cousin of the royal blood—no matter what the distance—while the Harkonnen titles came out of the CHOAM pocketbook. But the poison in him, deep in his mind, is the knowledge that an Atreides had a Harkonnen banished for cowardice after the Battle of Corrin.
Today the novel is more popular than ever...It has been translated into dozens of languages and has sold almost 20 million copies
When Herbert completed the third book of the series,Children of Dune (1976), it became an authentic hardcover best-seller with seventy-five thousand copies sold (not including book club sales). It was the first hardcover best-seller in the science fiction field.
... we are ready to tackle the next major challenge—writing the grand climax of the saga that Frank Herbert left in his original notes sealed in a safe deposit box ... after we'd already decided what we wanted to write ... They opened up the safe deposit box and found inside the full and complete outline forDune 7 ... Later, when Brian was cleaning out his garage, in the back he found ... over three thousand pages of Frank Herbert's other notes, background material, and character sketches.
Brian was cleaning out his garage to make an office space and he found all these boxes that had'Dune Notes' on the side. And we used a lot of them for ourHouse books.
We had already started work onHouse Atreides ... After we already had our general outline written and the proposal sent to publishers, then we found the outlines and notes. (This necessitated some changes, of course.)
I got a call from an estate attorney who asked me what I wanted to do with two safety deposit boxes of my dad's ... in them were the notes toDune 7—it was a 30-page outline. So I went up in my attic and found another 1,000 pages of working notes.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)Page 883, Table 1: Sites imaged systematically by HiRISE in study year 3 (MY31) of seasonal campaign. The names are informal, some based on the sand dunes in the science fiction bookDune.
The director ofBlade Runner 2049 has also revealed that a first version of the screenplay ofDune ... is now ready.
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