.jpg) Dune: House Atreides (1999) | |
| |
| Author | Brian Herbert Kevin J. Anderson |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | |
| Published | 1999–present |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) Audiobook eBook |
TheDune prequel series is a sequence of noveltrilogies written byBrian Herbert andKevin J. Anderson. Set in theDune universe created byFrank Herbert, the novels take place in various time periods before and in between Herbert's original six novels, which began with 1965'sDune. In 1997,Bantam Books made a $3 million deal with the authors for threeDuneprequel novels, partially based upon notes left behind by Frank Herbert, that would come to be known as thePrelude to Dune trilogy.[1] Starting with 1999'sDune: House Atreides, the duo have published 15Dune prequel novels to date.
Dune itself is frequently cited as the best-selling science fiction novel in history,[2][3] and won the 1966Hugo Award[4] and the inauguralNebula Award for Best Novel.[5] Herbert wrote fivesequels before he died in 1986.[6]
Brian Herbert and Anderson have also publishedHunters of Dune (2006) andSandworms of Dune (2007), sequels to Frank Herbert's final novelChapterhouse: Dune (1985) which complete the chronological progression of his original series and wrap up storylines that began with hisHeretics of Dune (1984).[7]
Prelude to Dune is aprequeltrilogy of novels written byBrian Herbert andKevin J. Anderson, set inFrank Herbert'sDune universe. The series takes place in the years leading up to the events in the original novelDune (1965) and explores the origins of some of its characters. In 1997,Bantam Books made a $3 million deal with the authors for threeDune prequel novels that would come to be known as thePrelude to Dune trilogy.[1] The novels draw from notes left behind by Frank Herbert after his death in 1986.[1][8][9][10]
The books in the series are:
In May 2020,Boom! Studios was announced to have acquired the comic and graphic novel rights toDune: House Atreides, with the intent of doing a 12-issue comic adaptation written by the original authors Brian Herbert and Anderson.[11]
ThePrelude to Dune series begins four decades before the events ofDune, with an eager Crown PrinceShaddam plotting to succeed his aging fatherElrood IX, youngHouse Atreides heirLeto becoming close with the ruling family of the important technology worldIx, and theBene Gesserit scheming behind the scenes to create theKwisatz Haderach. As the series progresses, Leto becomes the new Atreides Duke, Shaddam becomes the emperor and aligns with theBene Tleilax in their takeover of Ix to develop synthetic spice, and the Bene Gesserit punishBaron Vladimir Harkonnen for raping one of them with a disease that slows his metabolism. The Baron Vladimir Harkonnen then plots his revenge against the Bene Gesserit. TheSpacing Guild, having found the Tleilaxu synthetic spice to be fatal to its Navigators, forces Shaddam to capitulate to theLandsraad, with Leto playing a role in forcing Shaddam to sign humiliating peace accords, confirming his status as the emperor's leading rival.
Dune: House Atreides debuted at No. 13 on theNew York Times Best Seller list, and rose to No. 12 in its second week of publication.[12][13]Dune: House Harkonnen debuted at No. 11 on the same list, and rose to No. 8 its second week.[14][15] The third installment,Dune: House Corrino, debuted at No. 8 on theNew York Times list.[16]
John Snider ofSciFi Dimensions found Herbert and Anderson'sPrelude to Dune prequels to be "pulpy", though he allowed that they "make [Frank] Herbert's esoteric and philosophical stories more accessible to general audiences."[17]
Legends of Dune is aprequeltrilogy of novels written byBrian Herbert andKevin J. Anderson, set inFrank Herbert'sDune universe. The series takes place over 10,000 years before the events of the 1965 novelDune, and chronicles the universe-spanning war againstthinking machines that would eventually become known as theButlerian Jihad.[18] It also explores the origins of the families and organizations that populate the distinctive universe in otherDune works.
The books in the series are:
The series begins more than a millennium after a group of immortal, militantcyborgs calling themselves theTitans seized control of the entire universe in indestructiblecymek bodies and then accidentally relinquished control to anartificial intelligence program calledOmnius. Omnius and the immortal Titans rule over the 500 planets of the Synchronized Worlds with cruelty while a handful of free planets are united under the League of Nobles, a government using what resources it has to defend against machine aggression. A prominent figure in the human rebellion isSerena Butler, whose young son dies at the hands of the independent robotErasmus and sparksthe Butlerian Jihad, with humanity mounting a decisive offense against machine rule.[18]This crusade against the machines lasts for nearly a century, with much loss of human life but ending in human victory at theBattle of Corrin. The Jihad also gives rise to theBene Gesserit, theSpacing Guild, theSardaukar army, theLandsraad, andHouse Corrino, whosePadishah Emperors rule the universe for the next 10,000 years until the events ofDune.
Dune: The Butlerian Jihad rose to No. 7 onThe New York Times Best Seller list in its second week of publication.[19]Dune: The Machine Crusade debuted at No. 7 on the list.[20] The third installment,Dune: The Battle of Corrin, reached No. 9 on theNew York Times list.[21]
John Snider ofSciFi Dimensions found theLegends of Dune prequels as having "cartoonish" AI characters that were "little different than Harkonnens with metal faces."[17]
Heroes of Dune was a plannedtetralogy of novels byBrian Herbert andKevin J. Anderson set in theDune universe created byFrank Herbert. The potential series was initially referred to asPaul of Dune by the authors as early as 2004.[22][23] These novels were intended to "fill in the story" between Frank Herbert's earlyDune novels.[22]
The books in the series are:
Half of the story ofPaul of Dune takes place between Frank Herbert'sDune (1965) andDune Messiah (1969) asPaul's Jihad rages,Shaddam seeks to regain his throne andPrincess Irulan accepts the "task of building the legend of Muad'Dib". She in turn chronicles Paul's early years (between the 2001prequelDune: House Corrino and the 2020 prequelDune: The Duke of Caladan), which feature "his friendship withDuncan andGurney andDuke Leto'sWar of Assassins againstGrumman".[23][24][25][26]The Winds of Dune (originally announced asJessica of Dune)[27][28] chronicles events between Frank Herbert'sDune Messiah (1969) andChildren of Dune (1976),[29] as well as events between the prequel sections ofPaul of Dune and the originalDune, and events betweenPaul of Dune andDune Messiah. The third novel,Princess of Dune, focuses on Irulan and Chani two years before the events ofDune.[30]
The final two novels in the series were to be calledThe Throne of Dune[29] (formerlyIrulan of Dune)[27][28] andLeto of Dune (formerlyThe Golden Path of Dune).[29] However, in a July 2010 blog post Anderson announced that these novels had been postponed due to plans by Herbert and Anderson to publish atrilogy (later known asGreat Schools of Dune) about "the formation of theBene Gesserit, theMentats, theSuk doctors, theSpacing Guild and theNavigators, as well as the solidifying of theCorrino imperium."[31] In January 2023, Brian Herbert announced a thirdHeroes of Dune novel,Princess of Dune, a prequel focused on Chani and Irulan, set two years before the events ofDune.[32] It was released on October 3, 2023.[30]
InPaul of Dune, Paul Atreides's childhood lessons in the political intrigues of the empire are juxtaposed with his current struggle to secure his control over it. HisFremen armies are spread across the universe in attempt to bring rebel worlds to heel, and Paul avoids one assassination attempt only to nearly die in another.[33] InThe Winds of Dune, Paul's disappearance into the desert has left apower vacuum, and his closest advisors struggle to determine what path his empire should take.[34]
The Winds of Dune rose to No. 15 onThe New York Times Best Seller list in its second week of publication.[35]
Great Schools of Dune is aprequeltrilogy of novels written byBrian Herbert andKevin J. Anderson, set inFrank Herbert'sDune universe. A sequel to theLegends of Dune trilogy (2002–2004), the series takes place nearly a century after the events of Brian Herbert and Anderson'sDune: The Battle of Corrin (2004), in which the Army of Humanity finally defeats thethinking machine armies ofOmnius. Now, the fledglingBene Gesserit,Mentat andSuk Schools, as well as theSpacing Guild, are threatened by the independent anti-technology forces gaining power in the aftermath of theButlerian Jihad.[36][37][38] TheGreat Schools of Dune trilogy, first discussed by Anderson in a 2009 interview and later named by him in a 2010 blog post, chronicles the early years of these organizations, which figure prominently in the originalDune novels.[31][38][39][40][41][42] Though the third and final novel was originally identified by Anderson asThe Swordmasters of Dune in 2009,[39] in 2014 Brian Herbert and Anderson confirmed that its title would beNavigators of Dune.[43][44][45] It was released on September 13, 2016.[46]
The books in the series are:
InSisterhood of Dune, the anti-technology Butlerian movement is gaining momentum under the leadership of the popular Manford Torondo. He and his forces are scouring the universe to cleanse humanity of its reliance on convenient technologies, destroying any machinery they can find. Torondo's growing power threatens theCorrino Emperor Salvador, as well as the Sisterhood onRossak and the Mentat School onLampadas, each of which harbors secret technology. Space travel tycoon Josef Venport also plots to salvage machinery which he believes can be useful in his business empire.[47]Mentats of Dune findsGilbertus Albans carefully managing his Mentat School under the watchful eye of the fanatical Butlerians, whileRaquella Berto-Anirul seeks to rebuild her own Sisterhood School onWallach IX. To secure his control of interstellar commerce and strike a blow against the Butlerians, Venport places a trade embargo on any planet which embraces Torondo's movement.[41]
Sisterhood of Dune debuted at No. 23 onThe New York Times Hardcover FictionBest Seller List,[48] andMentats of Dune was released at No. 17 on the same list.[49]Publishers Weekly calledSisterhood a "shallow but fun blend ofspace opera and dynasticsoap opera."[36]
In July 2020, Herbert and Anderson introduced a new trilogy of prequel novels called theCaladan trilogy, set afterDune: House Corrino (2001) and beforeDune (1965).[50][51]
The books in the series are:
In 2011,Publishers Weekly called the series "a sprawling edifice that Frank Herbert's son and Anderson have built on the foundation of the originalDune novels."[36] Jon Michaud ofThe New Yorker wrote in 2013, "The conversion ofDune 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."[52]
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.
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.
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.
Half of the story is set in the Jihad betweenDune andDune Messiah, whenPrincess Irulan decides to becomePaul's official biographer, and she will tell the other half of the story, chronicling Paul's younger years (betweenHouse Corrino andDune)
[The series] fills the gap betweenHouse Corrino andDune: in other words, the younger years of Paul Atreides and his friendships with Duncan Idaho and Gurney Halleck interwoven with the story of Paul's Jihad, which fits betweenDune andDune Messiah.
[The series will] tell the story of Paul's younger years, his friendship with Duncan and Gurney and Duke Leto's War of Assassins against Grumman ... And it will also fill in the story betweenDune andDune Messiah, Paul's great Jihad, Princess Irulan's task of building the legend of Muad'Dib, Shaddam's bid for a return to power...
But we think there are perhaps three moreDune novels afterHeroes. We may go on to the founding of the great schools: Dad says there are five, but we're going to do it in three. You've got the Bene Gesserit -- that would beThe Sisterhood of Dune; then there'sThe Mentats of Dune andThe Swordmasters of Dune.
