65Science fiction
Pick it up if you want a foundational science fiction epic about power, ecology and religion.
Before you read
A noble family takes control of a desert planet that holds the most valuable substance in the universe, and a young heir must survive the betrayal that follows.
No plot outcomes, twists, or ending details appear in this version.
Spoiler-free reading guide
In the far future, the Padishah Emperor gives House Atreides control of Arrakis, also called Dune, a harsh desert world. Arrakis is the only source of the spice melange, which extends life and makes interstellar travel possible, so whoever controls it holds enormous power.
Fifteen-year-old Paul Atreides moves there with his father, Duke Leto, and his mother, Lady Jessica. The family knows the assignment is dangerous. The rivals who gave up Arrakis, the Harkonnens, are not finished with it, and the native Fremen have their own plans. Frank Herbert's novel won the first Nebula Award for Best Novel and shared the 1966 Hugo Award.
It suits readers who enjoy world-building, politics and big ideas more than space battles. If you have seen Denis Villeneuve's films, the book goes much further into the thoughts of its characters. It is a demanding but rewarding read if you are new to science fiction.
The book is long and dense, with invented terms, short epigraphs from in-universe writings at the start of each chapter, and a lot of interior thought. The appendices at the back, including a glossary, are worth checking when a term is unclear. The first hundred pages set up the world; the story then accelerates. Plan for a slower, attentive read.
Ecology. Arrakis is a world where water decides everything, and the book treats the environment as a character.
Religion and power. The novel shows how prophecy can be created, used and misread.
Leadership and its costs. Herbert keeps asking what a leader owes the people who follow, and what following does to them.
Paul Atreides is the fifteen-year-old heir to House Atreides, trained by his mother in unusual disciplines. Lady Jessica is his mother, a member of the Bene Gesserit order. Duke Leto Atreides is Paul's father, a respected leader aware of the trap he has been given. Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is the family's cruel enemy. Stilgar and Chani are Fremen, the people of the desert, and Duncan Idaho, Gurney Halleck and Thufir Hawat are loyal members of Leto's household.
Frank Herbert wrote Dune after years of research into ecology and desert cultures, and it first appeared in instalments in the magazine Analog in 1963 and 1965. The book was turned down by many publishers before being released in 1965 by Chilton, a company known for car repair manuals. It later became one of the best-selling science fiction novels of all time and inspired films, a television series and a large body of sequels and prequels.
Dune Messiah continues the story, and Herbert wrote six Dune novels in total. For another classic of political science fiction, try The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin.