Book Review: Dune
The Opening book in the six-part epic saga
Topic: Book Review

Spoiler Warning: This is an involved discussion of the book. I will assume that you have read the book or do not mind some plot being revealed. If however, you are of the type that hates having any part of the story revealed - stop reading now! You may instead read an introduction to Science fiction and Dune here, and come back to read this after you have completed reading the book.

The difference between a Classic and any other story, lies more in the story-telling than the story itself. Remember the best story-teller you knew when you were a kid. You would have liked him, not just for the stories he could spin, but for the fact that he made then come to life for you. For the duration of the story, you are in the story and it was all around you. You were the valour of the hero and the trechery of the villain. You were the power of the witch and the pain of the victim. Such is the power of good story telling that transforms the world around you, contributing - in no small means - to your suspension of disbelief.

Frank Herbert is a great story teller. He weaves a tight fabric of intensive narrative, and in doing so leaves much of the story to the imagination. He doesn't invent scenes to have characters recount history for the benefit of the readers - rather launches directly to the thick of the plot, with just references to help the readers guess the context and background of the story. While this makes reading difficult for a new reader, it is also precisely what makes Dune an enduring Classic.

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The Setting of the Story

The breakneck speed at which the story launches into the narrative, leaves little breathing time to reflect upon the story of the Imperium. If you have completed the book, use this to reflect upon the rich history of the context; if you have not, use this to form the base to quickly return to the book.

The Imperium is a closely knit part of the known Galaxy, ruled by monarchs belonging to royal families. These royal families are also called the Houses. All Houses were represented at the Landsraad council, which was presided over by the head of the most powerful House - House Corrino - who was also the Emperor of the known Galaxy.

The three Houses that are the core of the story in Dune are House Atreides, House Harkonnen and House Corrino. House Corrino is the most powerful house and its head is the Emperor. The current Emperor is Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV, who is 81st in the unbroken line of Corrino rulers to occupy the Golden Lion Throne as the Emperor. House Atreides is Major House, which has been ruling for 20 generations on the planet of Caladan. Its head, Dule Leto, moved his fief from Caladan to the desert planet of Dune.

House Harkonnen was the holder of the fief on Dune, before it was handed over to House Atreides. House Harkonnen and House Atreides have a long standing blood feud - dating back to the time of the Butlerian Jihad. The story goes that it was a Harkonnen Bashar (military commander) Abulurd whose cowardice (or treachery - as maintained by House Atreides) cost the humans a major battle in their war against the machines. House Atreides never forgave House Harkonnen and both houses have been involved in a War of Assassins ever since. The current ruler of House Harkonnen is known as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen.

There were many factors that figured in the transfer of the fief of Dune from House Harkonnen to House Atreides. While some of these are hinted to in the book of Dune, many ideas are from the prequels written by Frank herbert's son - Brian. Dune was a powerful fief, since whoever controlled it controlled the production of Spice, which was the most important substance in the whole Galaxy. In order to prevent any House from becoming too powerful because of a continued control on production of Spice, Dune was rotated between different Houses, all the time completely under the control of the Emperor and House Corrino.

At the transfer from House Harkonnen to House Atreides, Harkonnen rule had not completed its prescribed period of rule. The premature transfer was precipitated by a number of events that started with the Emperor's search for an artificial alternative to Spice. Simultaneously, House Harkonnen was also found to have skimmed off and created stockpiles of Spice, which was against all rules governing the fiefdom of Dune. The maneoverings of House Corrino and House Harkonnen, were exposed due to the work of the Spacing Guild and the House Atreides. As a result, the Emperor was forced to transfer the fief from House Harkonnen to House Atreides, while nursing a grudge for having been forced to do so.

When Leto Atreides decided to accept moving to Dune, he was aware that he walking into a snake pit. Vladimir Harkonnen would not leave Dune behind without laying enough traps to end the Atreides bloodline, while the Emperor himself would not be very unhappy about any unfortunate accidents to the Atreides family. However Leto realized that the power of Dune could give the House Atreides a much needed increase in power not withstanding a directorship in the trading conglomerate CHOAM. Torn between the risk he was exposing his family to and the benefits if he was able to pull off the transfer, Paul made the decision to shift from Caladan to Dune.

Dune the Novel

The novel Dune is divided into three books - DUNE, MUAD-DIB, THE PROPHET. The first book talks about the House Atreides leaving planet Caladan and setting up operations at Arrakeen on Arrakis or Dune. It then closes with the betreyal of Leto, and the flight of Paul and Lady Jessica with the gradual transformation in Paul struggling to don the mantle of the man of the house at 15. The second book MUAD-DIB starts with the escape of Paul and Lady Jessica, presumed dead by the Harkonnens, and the brave sacrifice by Duncan Idaho. The two then fight for acceptance into the Fremen, and Paul is called Usul in his seitch and takes on the name of Muad-dib for all world. It is also at this time that Paul has visions of his 'terrible purpose' and foreboding of his prescient ability. The third book is the culmination of the transformation of Paul as he becomes the Kwisatz Haderach, and leads the Fremen in the assault upon Arrakeen to retake his rightful place as the ruler of Dune. He then proceeds to establish his power in the entire Imperium by showing the Guild his true power and marrying Princess Irulan, the daughter of the emperor.

Dune, the series, is based around Spice. The book itself provides clues that help us piece together a much comprehensive picture of Spice or Melange and its production. Spice itself is an orange substance strongly smelling of cinnamon. It is extremely potent and addictive, a drug with a variety of effects on its users. Continuous use has been known to prolongue life and provide good health. When taken in larger quantities it is known to induce a state of trance where the user is visited by 'visions' which are prescient in nature. But not everyone can withstand a Spice overdose - for most it is simply a poison in large quantities. The Guild is the biggest user of Spice simply for its prescient qualities. Guild Navigators are humans who live forever in tanks of Spice gas, and have consequently an ability to peer into the future which helps them navigate space-ships across space. Without Spice, therefore, space travel is impossible. Bene Gesserit are also heavy users of Spice. They use Spice-induced trance as part of their activities.

Spice is produced solely on Arrakis as a product of the life processes of the Sandworm. Spice is however not the only substance produced by the Sandworms - they are also responsible for the water of life, the water of death. Not much has been spoken about the natural processes involving the Sandworm but it will be clearer in the later books. If you are looking for a preview, peek away here. Spice is one of the products produced by one of thes stages in the life process of a Sandworm. It manifests itself as a Spice-blow, which is an explosion that causes a large underground Spice deposit to be deposited on the ground. Spice blows always attract Sandworms, and Spice harvesting has to be done between the time after the Spice-blow and before the attack of the inevitable Sandworm.

Dune is as much a story about Spice as it is a story about the characters or class of characters. One of the most fascinating characters in the series of Dune are the Bene Gesserit and the Fremen.

Bene Gesserit is the name of an order of women, who are schooled in extreme control of the body and mind. The Fremen on the other hand are the original inhabitants of Dune. While Bene Gesserit are schooled in extreme control of their bodies, Fremen, because of their harsh environment have developed into a secretive, disciplined and a warrior society. Both Bene Gesserit and Fremen provide a sort of balance to the story, what Bene Gesserit lack in numbers, the Fremen provide and what the Fremen lack in longitude of thought, the Bene Gesserit provide as their Sayyadinas.

The Bene Gesserit motives are however not as simple as that. Bene Gesserit, amidst all their other involvement in Landsraad politics, have secretly run a program to breed the ultimate man. No man can survive the trial by water of life, essential to be a full Bene Gesserit. Hence no man could be a part of the Bene Gesserit order. However, the Bene Gesserit have been, through all of 90 generations, breeding a male Bene Gesserit, the only man who can not only survive exposure to their awareness spectrum drug, but will also be able to seek out memories and abilities that cannot be accessed by the Bene Gesserit themselves. They called this man, the Kwisatz Haderach, the man who can be in more places than one. According to the original breeding plans, Lady Jessica was supposed to breed with Duke Leto to produce a girl (Bene Gesserit can, through their control of bodily functions decide the sex of the child at the time of conception). This girl would then be mated with Harkonnen bloodline to produce the Kwisatz Haderach.

But Lady Jessica, in violation of Bene Gesserit directives, produced a boy for the Duke who had just lost his first born son and was devastated over it. This boy, Paul Atreides, turns out to be Kwisatz Haderach himself, a full generation ahead of schedule and nothing like what the Bene Gesserit wanted. While he was all that the Bene Gesserit had predicted in terms of prowess, he was not the obedient male that they could "use". Instead he turned out to be one of the most powerful men the Galaxy had seen ever, putting the Atreides House on the path to the Emperor, while whipping the rest of the Galaxy into obedience.

The sheer power of Kwisatz Haderach is stunning. Because of his successful trial by the water of life, he now had access to the past like all Bene Gesserit and more. His dependence on Spice combined with his unique abilities had given him prescient capabilities where he could actually see the future; the future of himself and the entire Galaxy. He commanded the Fremen and his own personal Fedaykin, who started as body guards, but became the fanatically loyal warriors who could follow any order without a question. He controlled Spice, and he was willing to destroy it. The Bene Gesserit Kwisatz Haderach program produced a quantity so known yet so unknown that Bene Gesserit end up despising the success of their most prized program.

Closing Remarks

Dune is a fantastic work, in terms of the world it produces, in terms of its narrative and in terms of the reflection of its characters and events in today's world.

Many of the concepts for Dune have been taken from the contemporary events and have been modified enough to make them fit in well with society of the future. Frank's master stroke in having the Butlerian Jihad remove all references to thinking machines, has given him a canvas that does not need too much guess-work to fill in. There are no cyborgs, or thought guided elevators to deal with. Instead the story is based on old fashioned action and dialogue.

In fact a major part of the story takes place a dialogue between the different characters in a single setting. This sets tone for the understanding the characters and the setting. Frank also takes us along on intense soul searching sometimes by Paul, and other times by Jessica, giving us a glimpse into the power yet futility of their actions.

If you havent read the book till now, it is time you started. If you have, it is time you started with Book 2.

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Document Changes
May 1, 2005: First published version.