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“Dune” Review: Timothée Chalamet Broods in Style in Big-Scale Adaptation of Coming-of-Age Tale

Rating : 8/10

I listened to Chloé Zhao. The Nomadland  and Eternals  director and Academy Award winner has been vocal about the need to watch Dune  on the big screen.  The film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel  opens simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max this Friday, October 22.

Dune’s director, the Quebecois Denis Villeneuve ( Arrival ), has also strongly advocated for the cinema consumption of his film. “ Dune  is by far the best movie I’ve ever made. My team and I devoted more than three years of our lives to make it a unique big screen experience. Our movie’s image and sound were meticulously designed to be seen in theaters,” the filmmaker wrote in an essay  published after he found out the movie would be available on streaming the same day it opened in theaters.

I experienced Dune  at a Dolby Atmos  press screening where all those meticulously designed images and sounds stood out — to the point where my seat literally vibrated every time a ship took flight or there was a sandstorm taking place in the movie — and I’d say this is one of those cinematic events you may want to enjoy on the biggest screen possible. But I would also understand if you decide to just stay in and watch it at hom e.

Let me also warn you. This is Dune: Part One. Villeneuve approached this epic endeavor as a two-movie adaptation. He co-wrote this first film with Jon Spaihts ( Prometheus ) and Eric Roth ( A Star Is Born ); all three screenwriters had read Dune  as teenagers and were influenced from a young age by the coming-of-age story. Dune: Part Two  hasn’t been greenlit yet. Its fate depends on how well Part One  performs, but Villeneuve has said he’d be ready to start filming in 2022 . I’m just telling you this in case you’re one of those viewers who don’t like inconclusive endings and unfinished narratives. But even if it lacks closure, the movie  is a possible Oscar contender . 

The Hero’s Journey

There’s one story that finds closure by Dune: Part One’ s ending though. The one relating the coming of age and personal growth of our hero: Paul Atreides. He’s played with juvenile conviction and even looks by Gen Z icon Timothée Chalamet, who looks much younger than the 23 year old he actually was during production. By the movie’s closing credits, he’s gone from boy to young man.

Set thousands of years into the future, Paul is the heir to the noble House Atreides on his father’s side and to the power of the Bene Gesserit, women able to influence someone’s actions through their Voice, on his mother’s side. Dad is Duke Leto Atreides, played by Oscar Isaac. Mom is Lady Jessica Atreides, played by Rebecca Ferguson. And I’ll admit to having spent at least half of the movie wondering whether Chalamet makes for a credible offspring of Isaac and Ferguson. I still haven’t reached a conclusion.

The other half, I was trying to pay attention and follow all the initial exposition the movie packs to describe Dune’ s universe to the uninitiated. (Herbert’s book has been collecting dust on my nightstand for months, and I had every intention of reading it before watching the movie. But I never did.) I don’t know how many inaccuracies the fans of the original material may find in Villeneuve’s adaptation, but this Dune  newbie found the plot surprisingly easy to follow and the movie engaging, even if it lasts two hours and 35 minutes. The epic scale of Dune  — and its character development — make allowances for the film’s length.

As part of the galactic Emperor’s request, the Atreides leave their home planet of Caladan and head to the desertic Arrakis. Their orders are to keep harvesting the Spice, the most valuable substance in the universe for its hallucinogenic qualities but also because it allows space travel. Arrakis is inhabited by the native Fremen, a tough civilization of blue-eyed desert dwellers who’ve perfected the art of moisture conservation.

Javier Bardem plays the Fremen leader, Stilgar. His digital blue eyes brought memories of Robert De Niro in The Irishman  the first time I saw him on screen. I soon became accustomed to it. Even though the movie is busting with CGI, Dune  boasts the most crafty and quasi-naturalistic CGI money and technology can buy right now.

Jason Momoa, Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin and Sharon Duncan-Brewster round out a luxurious cast that also includes the other Gen Z icon, Zendaya. She plays Chani, a fierce Fremen and someone Paul has been seeing in his sort-of-premonitory dreams. It doesn’t get much cooler than Zendaya and Chalamet. Look at the two of them at the London premiere of Dune . They have great chemistry in the movie. Just don’t expect to see much of her in Dune . Zendaya is expected to have a bigger role in Part Two , where she’d play the female protagonist .

Dune  is Paul’s story, his hero’s journey. He’s a boy conflicted about his destiny. He even asks his father if he’ll be the right heir for House Atreides. Leto shares some of the wise lessons his own father imparted to him: “A great man doesn’t seek to lead. He’s asked to and he answers,” he tells Paul. I would have preferred to hear something like “A great person doesn’t seek to lead. They’re asked to and they answer.” But then I remembered this is based on a 1965 novel. I wouldn’t have minded more of a 21st-century touch.

Jessica is teaching Paul the ways of the warrior priestesses Bene Gesserit. Their Reverend Mother, played by Charlotte Rampling, feels it’s a waste Paul was graced with the Voice. He’s a male after all. Paul also spends a good deal of time training, fighting, learning. He’d rather be brooding. The movie takes its time to establish Paul as a regular boy. There’s a sequence of him in Caladan where he’s watching the sunset among the mist, the planet sketched in muted blues, greens and greys. He’s on a rocky beach, the water is choppy and he wears a long black coat. The image reminded me of the 19th-century painting The Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog , the quintessential representation of Romanticism. Paul is the ultimate Romantic, hence the ultimate teenager.

Beyond the Human Story

That very human tale is enhanced by beautiful imagery throughout. The coldness of Caladan contrasts with the heat of Arrakis; the film shot on location in Jordan and Abu Dhabi. The desert planet is painted in warm colors and heightened by the cinematography of Greig Fraser. He’s directed episodes of The Mandalorian  and you’ll recognize his taste for the beauty of sand.

Production designer Patrice Vermette and costume designer Jacqueline Quest dress these very distinct worlds and their people with artistry and care. Some buildings and the home of the Atreides in Caladan reminded me of Blade Runner ‘s Frank Lloyd Wright influence. Then again, Villeneuve also directed Blade Runner 2049  and is familiar with that universe. Every costume seemed to intensify how a character was feeling but also the task they had at hand. I found particularly comfortable-looking and chic the suits Fremen wear when on the surface of their planet. They’re meant to conserve all the body’s hydration.

“Do not run. You will only waste your body’s water,” Bardem’s character warns about how to proceed on his native planet. And the line reminded me of the ecological message that’s at the core of the novel. I felt the movie didn’t have time to properly make the argument for conservation. I hope Dune: Part Two  does.

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How to Read the Dune Book Series in Order

25 books with no obvious road map. Let's dive in!

Published in 1965 by an automotive manuals publisher, after twenty (!) mainstream publishers rejected the story, Dune is the world's best-selling science fiction novel of all time. It's also considered one of the best books of all time, as well as a seminal work in the sci-fi genre . The book's massive success inspired Herbert to write a number of sequels, which brought the total number of novels in the series up to six when he died in 1986.

More than a decade after Herbert's death, his son, Brian, teamed up with science fiction writer Kevin J. Anderson to co-author a trilogy of Dune prequels. (This would come to be known the Prelude to Dune series.) Herbert and Anderson have remained dynamic collaborators in the years since, churning out over a dozen novels together. But what's the right way to go spelunking through all these books and their complicated chronology? There's no right answer; some argue that the books should be read in the order of the fictive timeline, while others argue that they should be read in the order of publication.

Here's our advice: read Frank Herbert's six novels first, then dabble in the unauthorized spin-offs however you like. Given that many are grouped into smaller series that exist within the larger story, you can sample bits and pieces of the universe. That's the beauty of the Dune —it's a detailed series that rewards completionism, but the entry points are numerous.

Read on for a full breakdown of the books, listed here in the order in which they were published. Happy reading, spiceheads!

Ace Dune, by Frank Herbert

Dune is set far into the future, in an intergalactic feudal society where powerful noble houses fight for control over resources, armies, and planetary power. House Atreides is ordered to take control of Arrakis, a barren desert planet with a brutal climate. Arrakis is the only place to mine melange, a natural resource that produces a psychoactive drug called spice, which allows humanity to unlock their minds. On Arrakis, House Atreides is betrayed by rival House Harkonnen, which sets off a battle over the valuable planet. The planet itself is inhabited by giant sandworms and a native population known as Fremen, who, over the generations, have learned to survive with water as their most precious resource and currency. When House Atreides scion Paul is targeted as a potential messiah to lead the planet—and galaxy—toward a new era, an epic story of war, betrayal, and mysticism unfolds.

Ace Dune Messiah, by Frank Herbert

In Herbert's first sequel, Paul Atreides, now known as Muad'Dib, rules the known universe as the most powerful emperor of all time. Worshipped as a messiah by the people of Arrakis, Paul faces enmity from the warring political houses under his control. Is any one ruler meant to have such absolute power? In Dune: Messiah , Herbert unmakes his previous novel, all while warning, "No more terrible disaster could befall your people than for them to fall into the hands of a hero."

Ace Children of Dune, by Frank Herbert

Children of Dune picks up with Leto and Ghanima Atreides, the twin children of Paul Atreides, nine years after their father's mysterious disappearance into the wastelands of Arrakis. The twins' prophetic abilities are coveted by their manipulative aunt Alia, who rules the Empire, but these two young prophets refuse to be anyone's pawns.

Ace God Emperor of Dune, by Frank Herbert

3500 years after the events of Children of Dune , the once-desert planet of Arrakis is now a lush paradise, and Leto Atreides sits on the throne. Millennia ago, Leto merged with a sandworm to grant himself immortality, but the cost to his humanity has been enormous. Can a rebellion led by Siona, a rival relative, unseat this fearsome despot?

Ace Heretics of Dune, by Frank Herbert

Leto Atreides is dead, Arrakis (now called Rakis) is once again a desert wasteland, and the Empire has fallen into ruin. A young girl named Sheeana seems to fulfill a prophecy foretold by the late God Emperor, sending religious fervor through the galaxy. Is Sheeana destined to return the Empire to its former glory?

Ace Chapterhouse: Dune, by Frank Herbert

In Herbert's final Dune novel, Arrakis has been destroyed, and the fate of the Empire rests in the hands of a mysterious matriarchal order known as the Bene Gesserit. On the planet Chapterhouse, the sisters are breeding sandworms and seeking to control spice production, with the goal of remaking the galaxy for a brighter future.

Del Rey House Atreides, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's Prelude to Dune trilogy begins with this story of the generation before Dune ; namely, Leto Atreides, father of Paul. In House Atreides , we see how Leto's rivalries and relationships sowed the catalyzing events of Dune .

Del Rey House Harkonnen, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

In House Harkonnen , Leto Atreides' longtime rival, the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, comes into view. We also meet Abulurd Rabban, brother and foil to the Baron. Turns out, there are good people in House Harkonnen—who knew?

Del Rey House Corrino, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

In House Corrino , Brian and Anderson conclude their prequel series, bringing the story up to the climactic events set to unfold in Dune . This tapestry of politics, warmongering, and spice battles ends with the birth of Paul Atreides, teeing us up to the saga we know and love (and now, have already read).

Brand: Hodder Paperback The Butlerian Jihad, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

Working from Frank Herbert's notes, titled "Dune 7," Brian and Anderson again expanded the series in Legends of Dune , a new trilogy. The first installment, The Butlerian Jihad , digs into an event Herbert often referred to, but never captured at scale: the long-ago war where humans fought for their freedom from "the thinking machines." Set 10,000 years before Dune , the familiar chess pieces come into view in this volume.

Tor Science Fiction The Machine Crusade, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

Legends of Dune continues with The Machine Crusade , set two decades after The Butlerian Jihad . The thinking machines fight back, refusing to go quietly into that good night; meanwhile, on Arrakis, a band of outlaws take their first steps to becoming the Fremen, a race of people that OG Dune fans know and love.

Tor Science Fiction The Battle of Corrin, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

Check out that sandworm on the cover! The Legends of Dune trilogy concludes with The Battle of Corrin , which tees up a final apocalyptic showdown between humans and robots. Fans of Dune know how this one ends, but it sure is fun to see how Herbert and Anderson get there.

Hunters of Dune, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

Dune Sequels , a two-volume spin-off series, concludes the storyline from Herbert's six original novels, with insight from a long-lost outline that was found hidden in one of the author's safety deposit boxes. In Hunters of Dune , we pick up with the escaping fugitives last seen at the end of Chapterhouse Dune as they strengthen their powers and fight for the future of the human race.

Sandworms of Dune, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

Herbert and Anderson tie up more burning questions in this second volume of the Dune Sequels series: namely, the future of Arrakis and the outcome of the war between Man and Machine.

Tor Science Fiction Paul of Dune, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

The Heroes of Dun e spin-off series opens with this tale of Paul Atreides, set between Dune and Dune Messiah . Dune ends with Paul ruling Arrakis, while Dune Messiah opens with Paul ruling the galaxy. Just how did Paul gain control of the Empire? Read Paul of Dune to find out.

Tor Science Fiction The Winds of Dune, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

Heroes of Dune continues with this second and final installment, set after the events of Dune Messiah . The Winds of Dune picks up after Paul Atreides' disappearance into the Arrakis desert, leaving the Empire in crisis and the line of succession in question. Who will hold everything together?

Tor Science Fiction Sisterhood of Dune, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

The Great Schools of Dune trilogy opens with Sisterhood of Dune , set almost a century after the game-changing Battle of Corrin. With the thinking machines destroyed, political and religious movements rise, teeing up an epic conflict between reason and faith. You'll want to read this one to prepare for HBO's upcoming Dune: The Sisterhood .

Tor Science Fiction Mentats of Dune, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

With the thinking machines destroyed, a new school opens to teach humans the efficient techniques of thinking machines. But the Butlerian jihadists staunchly oppose any machinist way of life, and pick a dangerous fight with the Mentat School. What ensues is an epic showdown for humanity's future, with a potential dark age at stake.

Tor Science Fiction Navigators of Dune, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

Want to learn more about the Bene Gesserit sisterhood from Herbert's original novels? Then Navigators of Dune is the book for you. In this third and final volume of the Great Schools of Dune trilogy, we learn about the origins of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood, and see their secretive way of life develop. This one will be important when Sisterhood of Dune hits HBO Max.

Tor Books The Duke of Caladan, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

The latest trilogy from Herbert and Anderson, The Caladan Trilogy , begins with The Duke of Caladan , a prequel about the life of Leto Atreides. Just how did the ruler of a quiet planet become such a power player in a galactically fateful story? If that's the question on your mind, this is the book you ought to hit next.

Adrienne Westenfeld is the Books and Fiction Editor at Esquire, where she oversees books coverage, edits fiction, and curates the Esquire Book Club. 

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• Classic Dune

Dune (novel)

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Dune is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert and published in 1965. A winner of the Hugo Award and Nebula Award for outstanding science fiction, Dune is popularly considered one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time, and is frequently cited as the best-selling science fiction novel in history. Dune spawned five sequels written by Herbert, and inspired a film adaptation by David Lynch , two miniseries made by the United States-based Sci-Fi Channel , computer games , another adaptation by Denis Villeneuve [part 1 in 2021, part 2 is upcoming in 2023] as well as a series of prequels, interquels, and sequels co-written by Brian Herbert , the author's son, and Kevin J. Anderson .

Dune is set far in the future, amidst a sprawling feudal intergalactic empire , where planetary fiefdoms are controlled by Noble Houses that owe allegiance to the Imperial House Corrino . The novel tells the story of young Paul Atreides , heir apparent to Duke Leto Atreides I and scion of House Atreides , as he and his family relocate to the planet Arrakis , the universe's only source of the spice melange . In a story that explores the complex interactions of politics , religion , ecology, technology , and human emotion, the fate of Paul, his family, his new planet and its native inhabitants , as well as the Padishah Emperor , the powerful Spacing Guild , and the secretive female order of the Bene Gesserit , are all drawn together into a confrontation that will change the course of humanity .

The novel was originally serialised in the magazine, Analog , from 1963 to 1965 as two shorter works: Dune World and The Prophet of Dune .

• 1.1 Political backdrop of Dune
• 1.2 Synopsis
• 2 Detailed Plot Summary
• 5.1 Characters
• 5.2 Planets and locations
• 5.3 Organizations
• 6 The Houses
• 7 References to the real world
• 8 Allusions/references from other works
• 9 Awards and nominations
• 10 Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
• 12 References

Synopsis [ ]

Political backdrop of dune [ ].

Opening twenty-thousand years into the future, the human race has scattered throughout the galaxy, populating multiple planets ruled by aristocratic Houses who themselves answer to the galaxy's Imperial family House Corrino . Key is the control of the desert planet Arrakis , the only source of the valuable spice melange , which gives those who ingest it extended life and prescient awareness . Melange is crucial as it enables space travel , which in turn is monopolized by the Spacing Guild ; its Navigators use the spice to safely plot a course for the Guild ships via prescience using " foldspace " technology, which allows instantaneous travel to anywhere in the galaxy.

Ten thousand years before the beginning of the story, the human race had purged all machines that had replicated many of the functions of the human mind. This event, known as the Butlerian Jihad, resulted in the destruction of all the robots, computers , “ thinking machines ,” and - significantly - the computer navigator. Subsequently, it was necessary to replace spaceship computers with the spice-addicted Guild Navigators to allow ships to travel safely through space. The functions of the logical computers were replaced by the Mentats , humans who, through intensive training, learned to enter a heightened mental state in which they could perform complex logical computations.

The spice is also crucial to the powerful matriarchal order called the Bene Gesserit . The secretive Bene Gesserit, often referred to as "witches", possess mental and physical powers developed through a combination of thousands of generations of genetic selection and years of physical and mental conditioning. When a Bene Gesserit acolyte becomes a full Reverend Mother by undergoing a massive overdose of specific narcotics (called "The Agony"), she gains access to her "ancestral memories" — the complete life experiences of all her female ancestors back to the point of conception. Only women have been able to survive the transformation. However, the Bene Gesserit have a secret, centuries-old breeding program to create a prescient superhuman — and male equivalent of a Reverend Mother — called the Kwisatz Haderach , who would not only be able to survive The Agony, but whose “organic mental powers would bridge space and time”.

The planet Arrakis itself is completely covered in a desert ecosystem, hostile to most organic life. It is also sparsely settled by a human population of native Fremen tribes. Tribal leaders are selected by defeating the former leader in combat. The Fremen also have complex rituals and systems focusing on the value and conservation of water on their arid planet. They conserve the water distilled from their dead, consider spitting an honorable greeting, and value tears as the greatest gift one can give to the dead. Their culture also revolves around the spice, which is created as part of the life cycle of the giant sandworms who dominate the deserts. Bene Gesserit missionary efforts have implanted a belief in a male Messiah who will one day come and transform Arrakis into a world more hospitable to humans.

Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV has come to fear House Atreides , partly due to the growing popularity of Duke Leto Atreides I and also because the talent of Leto's fighting force is beginning to rival the effectiveness of the Emperor's own dreaded Imperial Sardaukar guard. Shaddam decides that House Atreides must be destroyed, but cannot risk an attack on a single House, which would, by necessity, unite the other Houses against him. The Emperor instead uses the centuries-old feud between House Atreides and House Harkonnen to disguise his assault, enlisting the brilliant and power-hungry Baron Vladimir Harkonnen in his plan to trap and eliminate the Atreides. Shaddam forces Leto to accept the lucrative fief of the desert planet Arrakis, the only known source of the spice melange , previously controlled by the Harkonnens. Enter into this conflict the Bene Gesserit . Their ancient breeding program, now only one generation from completion, has suddenly become horribly jeopardized: They had planned to breed an Atreides daughter with a Harkonnen son to unite the two bloodlines and produce their long-awaited superbeing, the Kwisatz Haderach . However fate would decide otherwise and instead of bearing a daughter, the Bene Gesserit Lady Jessica (the Duke’s Concubine ) fulfilled her beloved Duke's wishes for a son and bore Paul .

Shortly after arriving on Arrakis, the Atreides are unable to withstand a devastating Harkonnen attack, supported by Imperial Sardaukar disguised as Harkonnen troops. Betrayed by Dr. Yueh , Duke Leto dies in a failed attempt to assassinate Baron Harkonnen; Paul and Jessica escape into the deep desert, their exit from the city guaranteed by Yueh himself. They manage to join a band of Fremen, ferocious fighters who ride the giant sandworms of Arrakis and can survive in the hostile desert environment of the planet. Paul and his mother quickly learn the ways of the Fremen, while teaching them the Bene Gesserit methods , particularly their style of combat. Paul leads armies of Fremen in a guerilla campaign, nearly halting spice mining on Arrakis. 

Jessica becomes a Reverend Mother, taking the Water of Life , poison derived from juvenile sandworms, while pregnant with her Duke’s second child. Her daughter Alia experiences all that her mother does from the poison, gaining wisdom even prior to her birth. Living on the spice diet of the Fremen , Paul's prescience increases dramatically, enabling him to foresee future events and gaining him a religious respect from the Fremen, who regard him as their prophesied Messiah. As Paul grows in influence, he begins to plot revenge against the Harkonnen rule of the planet under his new Fremen name, Muad'Dib .

Disturbed by his lack of complete prescience Paul decides to take the Water of Life, an act that could kill him. After three weeks in a near-death state, Paul emerges as the Kwisatz Haderach , with the power to see both the past, the present and the future clearly. Looking into space, he sees that the Emperor and the Harkonnens have amassed a huge armada to invade the planet and regain control. Paul also discovers the way to control spice production on Arrakis. Alia is captured by Sardaukar and brought to the planet's capital Arrakeen by the Emperor himself. At that moment, under cover of a gigantic sandstorm, Paul and his army of Fremen attack the city. Alia kills the Baron with a poisoned needle during the confusion. Paul quickly overcomes the city's defenses and confronts the Emperor, threatening to destroy the spice and thereby effectively end space travel and cripple both the Imperial power and Bene Gesserit in one shot. Realizing that Paul is capable of doing all he has threatened, the Emperor is forced to abdicate and to promise his daughter in marriage to Paul. Paul ascends the throne, his control of Arrakis and the spice establishing a new kind of power over the Empire which will change the face of the known universe.

Detailed Plot Summary [ ]

The central figure of the book is Paul , son and heir presumptive to Duke Leto Atreides , head of the House Atreides , and Leto's concubine , Jessica , a Bene Gesserit . The Bene Gesserit perform many functions in the Empire, as Truthsayers (human lie detectors), negotiators, advisors, and teachers, but all these functions serve one deeper purpose: for at least ten thousand years, they have been selectively breeding humans trying to improve humanity.

The goal of their breeding program is the Kwisatz Haderach , a human being who will be aware of both maternal and paternal ancestral memories, and have prescient abilities greater than those of the Guild's navigators. The Bene Gesserit are close, they believe, to the fruition of their plan, and Paul Atreides is at the heart of it. Jessica , his mother, disobeyed Bene Gesserit orders out of attachment to Leto Atreides , and gave birth to a boy, Paul . Her express orders had been to produce a girl, whom the Bene Gesserit would have mated with a Harkonnen, and they hoped from this union they would produce the Kwisatz Haderach . Ultimately, the change in plan causes Paul Atreides to exhibit unexpected resources, and possibilities that were unforeseen by the Bene Gesserit plan.

With House Atreides becoming increasingly more powerful within the Landsraad , the Padishah Emperor concocts a plan to rid the Imperium of the great house under the guise of a Harkonnen attack. The emperor awards House Atreides with the stewardship of Arrakis , a desert planet and the only source of the most valuable substance in the universe, spice melange . Whilst Leto is aware that the Emperor is out to betray him, he sees Arrakis as a way to prove himself within the Landsraad and grow in power by turning around Arrakis — a feat that had not been acomplished by the Harkonnens in eight decades.

The move to Arrakis is difficult for the Atreides, and they find that the equipment left by the Harkonnens has been deliberately sabotaged in order to increase their chances of failing. Navigating the complex relationships on Arrakis too proves difficult, and it is often unknown where alliances lie. It quickly becomes clear to Jessica and the other members of the Atreides house that there are several stakeholders at play on Arrakis, among them, the powerful Spacing Guild whom have been taking bribes from the Fremen to keep Arrakis clear of sattelites.

The Harkonnen attack is more diabolical, more powerful, and comes more quickly than the Atreides expect, however The Harkonnens manage to gain a spy in the Atreides inner household, and in doing so achieve something unique in Imperial history: they break the "imperial conditioning" of a Suk doctor, which had been universally believed to make a person incapable of consciously causing physical harm. The Harkonnens bend the Atreides doctor – Yueh – to their will by promising to release his wife from prolonged torture.

When the Harkonnens attack, Yueh lowers the defensive house shields and uses sedative drugs to disable Leto , Paul , and Jessica , leaving the Atreides leaderless and disorganized under the Harkonnen and Sardaukar military onslaught. The Atreides army is crushed, with only a few remnants managing to escape.

Paul and Jessica are sent into the desert to die. Because of the use of truthsayers in the Empire, the Baron Harkonnen needs to be able to say truthfully that he was not (directly) responsible for their deaths. However, this plan is foiled by arrangements made by Yueh (he hates the Baron and wishes to at least save Paul and Jessica) and Paul and Jessica manage to kill their captors and escape into the desert.

Yueh, eager for a shot at killing the Baron he so deeply despises and knowing he won't have the chance, plants a fake tooth in the Duke Leto's mouth. When bitten, the tooth emits a poison that will be fatal to both Leto, and hopefully, the Baron Harkonnen . When Yueh hands over Leto, Baron Harkonnen kills Yueh. Leto, still paralyzed, but conscious, attempts to kill the Baron by breaking the gas capsule, but misjudges his moment, and is only successful in killing the Baron's adviser and Mentat , Piter de Vries .

Paul and Jessica initially met up with Planetologist Liet Kynes and Swordmaster Duncan Idaho, hiding in a botanical testing station abandonded long ago. However, they are not there long before the station is attacked by Sardaukar, who kill Duncan. Paul and Jessica flee to the deep desert in an ornithopter, parting ways with Dr Kynes. They let the Harkonnens think they have died from a coriolis storm.

In the deep desert, under the pressure of extreme circumstances and the increased doses of Spice that he has been ingesting simply by living on Arrakis , some of Paul's powers come into fruition, and his ability to see possible futures explodes into awareness. He sees many things, a way out of his situation, and the restoration of the Atreides, if only he can make contact with the native Fremen and survive.

After a dangerous crossing of the desert, Paul and Jessica manage to meet up with a troop of Fremen . Paul and Jessica prove their worth by disarming Fremen in unarmed combat, aided by Bene Gesserit prana-bindu tralietining – the " Weirding Way " – and the Fremen leader Stilgar gladly accepts them into his troop because he would like to add that skill to the Fremen people. Paul also meets a young woman, Chani , daughter of Liet Kynes , who dies in a spice blow after wandering through the desert having hallucinations of his father. Paul has long seen Chani in his dreams. During this scuffle, Paul disarms a proud Fremen, Jamis, who takes offence at this "presumptuous" youth, and challenges Paul to a fight to the death. Superficially, this contest between a grown man and an untried fifteen-year-old boy would seem grossly unfair. But Paul had been trained by masters of the sword , and although at first unwilling to kill, he triumphs easily, making his name in the tribe, and also succeeding to the position of head of the household of the dead man. At the same time, Paul and Jessica are introduced to the deadly harshness of the Fremen lifestyle, as the Fremen ritually and literally render Jamis down to his water because it is so precious to them. Stilgar gives Paul the name Usul – meaning "the strong base of a pillar" – as his private name within the troop; Paul gives himself the name "Paul Muad'dib" as his public Fremen name.

When they return to the troop's hidden cave dwelling, known as a sietch, they discover the Fremen Reverend Mother is near death, and with the fortuitous arrival of Jessica, a Bene Gesserit, they make Jessica their Sayyadina . The Fremen have been so influenced by the Bene Gesserit that they attempt to emulate many of their actions with some success including the creation of Reverend Mothers. Jessica, not realizing the consequences of what the Fremen are about to do, accepts to cement her place in the tribe. Halfway through the process she realizes she has made a mistake, that she is involved in a similar process to how the Bene Gesserit make their own Reverend Mothers who can see genetic memories, and realizes that the baby in her womb, fathered by Leto before his death, will also go through the process. This has truly unfortunate consequences, because it is a Bene Gesserit teaching that any such baby will not have the strength to withstand the memories of its ancestors.

Years pass. Paul Muad'dib learns to be a Fremen, and becomes something of a religious leader among the Fremen. Chani becomes his lover (but not his wife, as will become significant later) and bears him a son, whom he calls Leto. He and his mother train the Fremen of Sietch Tabr and other Fremen who seek out Paul in his religious guise, in the Weirding Way , the Bene Gesserit's prana-bindu fighting techniques. Under his leadership his "Fedaykin" experience victory after victory against the Harkonnens, and Paul's prestige and aura among the Fremen grow.

In order to be truly accepted by the Fremen he must become a sandrider . The Fremen have a great secret: they have learned to control the giant sandworms native to Arrakis . Through the use of "maker hooks", they have learned to climb aboard the worms and take control of their course, enabling them to quickly move around the desert. This has given the Fremen better mobility than any of the series of occupying armies of Arrakis, as air power cannot be projected in the face of common coriolis storms. Obviously riding a giant sandworm is not the safest of tasks, but Paul attempts it and succeeds, becoming a full member of the sietch.

The same day, a band of smugglers sought melange too deep in the desert, and the Fremen of Sietch Tabr spring a trap. In the middle of the battle Paul recognises his weapons teacher, Gurney Halleck , and calls on him and his men to surrender. Gurney is overjoyed and overwhelmed in equal measure. He surrenders his men, and joins Paul's service. Among Gurney's men, however, are some Imperial spies who attempt to kill Muad'dib. They are unsuccessful, and they are captured by the Fedaykin. Paul gives secret orders for the spies to be allowed to escape, so that they would reveal that Paul Atreides still lives on Arrakis. Taking advantage of recruiting Gurney Halleck, Paul uses the moment to solve his leadership problem. Since he has become a wormrider many of his followers have expected Muad'dib to challenge Stilgar, his greatest friend among the Fremen, in order to take control of Sietch Tabr. But Paul breaks tradition and in doing so forces Stilgar to do the same, managing to sidestep this issue by proclaiming himself the ruling Duke of Arrakis, and thus taking power without killing his friend.

They return to Sietch Tabr. Gurney is shocked to discover Jessica is still alive, because he believes she was the one who betrayed the Atreides and that Paul does not know. Gurney is about to kill her when Paul walks in, manages to stop him, and explains that Yueh was the traitor. Gurney is almost broken by his nearly fatal and tragic error, but Jessica forgives him and he is bound even further into Atreides and Jessica's service.

Paul's power among the Fremen grows, but he is still frustrated. He is not all he could be: he cannot control his journeys into the future, and much of it is still blank to him. So he takes a truly risky step and consumes a tiny amount of a concentrated form of melange called spice essence , and so attempts to perform the male equivalent of the Reverend Mother ceremony. Previously to this no man has survived this experience, and it seems he fails also, because he sinks into a coma.

Paul neglects to tell anyone what he is doing; many people think he is dead, although others, primarily the Fedaykin, believe he is in a religious trance. His mother, Jessica, does all she can to wake him but fails, so out of desperation she calls Chani from the deep desert to help. Chani, through her more personal knowledge of Paul's dreams and desires, realises what a mad thing Paul has done, and uses spice essence converted by Jessica using her powers as a Reverend Mother to bring him out of his trance. For Paul no time has passed, and he glories in his new memories and powers — he tells his mother and Chani immediately that the Emperor himself is currently orbiting the planet with many Sardaukar, ready to attack. He has proven the Bene Gesserit wrong: he is the Kwisatz Haderach , appearing one generation ahead of the prediction. He declares that it is now time to destroy the Harkonnens.

Fremen attacks on the Harkonnens had already managed to almost entirely stop the flow of the spice from Arrakis. This forced the Emperor to act, and he comes to Arrakis with all his Sardaukar, and also levies of all the other noble houses, to annihilate the Fremen if necessary in order to get the spice flowing again.

By now the Emperor is aware of who Muad'dib is. In advance of his arrival, he sends a large Sardaukar force into the deep desert for information. Attacking a sietch, they manage to kill Paul's son, and capture Alia – Paul's sister – but are driven off by Fremen children, old people and women.

After the Emperor himself has landed, Paul launches the final attack. Using the House Atriedes' family atomics (nuclear weapons) that his men managed to retrieve after the Harkonnen attack, he blows a hole in the Shield Wall (a mountain/rock wall) that protects the capital of Dune, Arrakeen, from the surrounding desert and its fierce storms. By using the weapons this way, he narrowly avoids contravening the universal ban against using atomics on people, which would have required the other noble houses to retaliate with "planetary annihilation". The Fremen attack under cover of a huge desert storm, riding sandworms from the desert through the hole in the Shield Wall. The great static force of the sandstorm then shorts out all of the Sarduakar's defensive shields. The Sardaukar are unable to withstand the full force of the Fremen, caught as they are in total surprise, and the Emperor is forced to surrender. The combined forces of the Landsraad still loom in orbit around the planet, but Paul threatens to destroy the Spice if any of them try to land, and they back off. In the surprise of Muad'dib's attack, Alia manages to escape, and in the process kills Baron Harkonnen, by now revealed to be hers and Paul's grandfather, having illegitimately sired Jessica.

Realizing that Muad'dib is not some mad Fremen religious leader changes the situation dramatically for the Emperor. Feyd-Rautha , the Baron's nephew, an acclaimed gladiator, challenges Paul to single combat; claiming rights of kanly as had been declared by Paul's father Leto. Kanly is a formal feud or vendetta under the rules of the Great Convention carried on according to the strictest limitations. Paul agrees even knowing that it is possible he will die, but after a difficult fight during which Feyd-Rautha attempts treachery in the form of a poisoned knife and needle, Paul eventually triumphs.

Paul refuses to take any more nonsense. He forces the Emperor from the throne by the simple expedience of taking power from the real rulers of the Empire – the Spacing Guild – who control space travel. He again threatens to destroy the spice if they do not ship all the troops home. The Spacing Guild have no choice – their limited powers of prophecy show Paul is capable of it – and they send everyone home. The Emperor abdicates and retires to Salusa Secundus. Paul marries the Emperor's eldest daughter, Irulan (in name only; Chani remains his close companion and mother of his heirs, as Jessica did for Leto), and assumes control of the Empire. Irulan later writes extensively on the subject of Muad'Dib, having nothing of him but knowledge of his lifestyle and patterns of thought.

Paul promises the Fremen that he will turn Arrakis into a garden planet, while permitting that the deserts remain so that the sandworms (and consequently the melange) will survive; and all seems well in the real life of Paul Atreides.

Setting [ ]

At the time of the novel, advanced computers have long been forbidden due to an event known as the Butlerian Jihad , and the ensuing commandment of the Orange Catholic Bible : "Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of a man's mind," with the penalty of being sentenced to death. In lieu of computer assistance, human skills have been developed to an astonishing degree:

• Mentats through intensive training learn to enter a heightened mental state in which they can perform complex logical computations. Most of the best Mentats, and all of the popular "twisted Mentats," are trained/grown by the Bene Tleilax , although Paul Atreides is not, having been trained by the Master of Assassins, Thufir Hawat as well as his own mother the Lady Jessica Atreides . Mentats are also used in lesser extent by the Bene Gesserit.
• The Spacing Guild holds a monopoly on interstellar transport. Its navigators use the spice/drug melange to gain limited prescient abilities, enabling them to safely use the "fold space" technology — guiding Guild Heighliner ships safely to their destination by using a Holtzman engine, which allows instantaneous travel to anywhere in the galaxy.
• The Bene Gesserit is a secretive female society, often referred to as "witches," with mental and physical powers developed through thousands of generations of controlled gene lines and many years of physical and mental conditioning called prana-bindu training. When a Bene Gesserit acolyte becomes a full Reverend Mother , by undergoing the Agony she gains her "ancestral memories" — the complete life experience of an infinite line of female ancestors (she cannot recall the memories of her male ancestors, and is terrified by the psychic space within her that the masculine memories inhabit). The Agony is caused by taking the bile of a dying sandworm, a poison that they must metabolically render benign within their bodies, or else they would fail the trial, and die from its lethal toxicity.

On the fringes of the Galaxy are the geneticist Tleilaxu , who create shape shifters, reincarnated gholas, and Mentats, and Ix , a planet whose history is lost in the mists of time and whose society is dominated by technology. The CHOAM corporation is the major underpinning of the Imperial economy, with shares and directorships determining each House's income and financial leverage.

The universe's entire power structure, including the financial and military power of the Imperium and the Great Houses, the Guild's control of interstellar travel, and the Bene Gesserit's special powers, are all subject to the availability of Melange. The control of Melange by a single group is a sociopolitical condition known as hydraulic despotism (utilizing control of a commodity with a single source to hold power over others).

A prominent feature of the setting is the use of evolved languages and linguistic traits, just as J.R.R. Tolkien developed ancient languages and linguistic traits in The Lord of the Rings .

The consequences of the actions of superheroes, and humanity's responses, form an overarching theme in the Dune series. In an interview with Frank Herbert published in Omni Magazine in July 1980, the author said:

The emphasis on ecological and religious ideas and the use of many cultural themes made the novel a provocative departure from previous science fiction.

Political themes in the Dune series include human beings' susceptibility to mass manipulation by political propaganda, religious dogma (e.g., The Missionaria Protectiva ), and sexual temptation, and the importance of self-awareness and self-mastery in resisting these types of control, as well as the study of power and control.

Continuity [ ]

Characters [ ].

• Abulurd Harkonnen (Mentioned only)
• Abulurd Rabban (Mentioned only)
• Ali Ben Ohashi (Mentioned only)
• Alia Atreides
• Anirul Corrino (Mentioned only)
• Chalice Corrino (Mentioned only)
• Chani Kynes
• Duncan Idaho
• Elrood Corrino IX (Mentioned only)
• Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen
• Feyd-Rautha's chief Handler
• Gaius Helen Mohiam
• Glossu Rabban Harkonnen
• Gurney Halleck
• Halleck's Lieutenant
• Hasimir Fenring
• Hawat's lieutenant
• Iakin Nefud
• Irulan Corrino
• Jessica Atreides
• Josifa Corrino (Mentioned only)
• Leto Atreides I
• Lingar Bewt
• Maometh (Mentioned only)
• Margot Fenring
• Nisai (Mentioned only)
• Pardot Kynes (Mentioned only)
• Piter de Vries
• Rugi Corrino (Mentioned only)
• Shaddam Corrino IV
• Staban Tuek
• Thufir Hawat
• Unnamed Atreides Gladiator
• Unnamed Atreides Trooper
• Unnamed Escort Service Woman
• Unnamed Escort Whore
• Unnamed Factory Commander
• Unnamed Fremen Leader
• Unnamed Harkonnen Assassin
• Unnamed Sand Worker
• Unnamed Gamont Slave-boy
• Unnamed Guild Bank Agent
• Unnamed Guildsman
• Unnamed Harkonnen Slavemaster
• Unnamed Manufacturer's Companion
• unnamed Manufacturer's daughter
• Unnamed replacement parts dealer
• Unnamed Slave-Concubine
• Unnamed Spacing Guild Mentat
• Unnamed Sardaukar Commander
• Unnamed Sardaukar Officer
• Unnamed Sardaukar Soldier
• Unnamed Stillsuit Manufacturer
• Vladimir Harkonnen
• Wanna Marcus (Mentioned only)
• Wensicia Corrino (Mentioned only)

Planets and locations [ ]

• Sietch Tabr
• Imperial Basin
• Cave of Riches
• Mount Idaho
• Tuck’s Sietch
• Tuono Basin
• Hagga Basin
• Sihaya Ridge
• Giedi Prime
• Salusa Secundus
• Bela Tegeuse

Organizations [ ]

• Corrino Empire
• Bene Gesserit
• Spacing Guild
• Commission of Ecumenical Translators
• Padishah Emperor
• Reverend Mother
• Arrakis Revolt
• Battle of Corrin (Mentioned only)
• Butlerian Jihad (Mentioned only)
• War of Assassins of Houses Ginaz and Moritani (Mentioned only)

The Houses [ ]

• House Atreides
• House Harkonnen
• House Corrino

References to the real world [ ]

A From a historical perspective, many have noted similarities between the events of Dune , in which a foreign-born son of an old colonial order unites disparate and warring tribes of religious desert nomads to win freedom from a decaying Imperial power, and the Arab Revolt of early 20th century Middle Eastern history, in which the British liaison officer T.E. Lawrence mobilized Arab fighters to break the power of the Ottoman Turks in the Arabian peninsula. While there are many striking parallels, one of the most trivial and bizarre may be that in the film adaptations Dune (1984) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962) , both characters representing the old Imperial order (Emperor Shaddam IV and the Turkish Bey, respectively), are played by the actor José Ferrer . In his interview with OMNI , Herbert explicitly identified CHOAM with OPEC , equating the spice melange to oil (it should be noted that OPEC did not become notable as a political power until after the publication of the first novel). Parallels can also be drawn to the European/Asian spice trade of early modern Europe and later eras, in particular between the Spacing Guild and the Dutch East India Company .

Another parallel story can be found in Basil Dearden's film Khartoum (1965), with Charlton Heston as General Gordon. The baroque, stylish and brocaded uniforms are very reminiscent of the Caladan ducal-court uniforms used in the first Dune movie. The British Empire sends out Gordon to administer Sudan and its capital Khartoum on behalf of Egypt, aware that this is virtually a suicide mission. Like Leto Atreides, General Gordon, a legendary and formidable warrior of the Empire, goes willingly to his demise. The historical basis of this film lies in the story of the Sudanese supposed Mahdi , Muhammad Ahmad, an Islamic messianic figure that rose to power in the late 19th century. Paul Atreides is referred to as "Mahdi" at one point in the novel and in later novels, particularly Dune Messiah . The Mahdi's jihadist army prevails over the technologically superior British army in Sudan, just as the inspired Fremen defeat the Harkonnen forces and imperial troops.

Another connection exists between the name of house Atreides and the name of the legendary Greek house of Atreus , whose members figure prominently in many Greek tragedies.

These parallels can be pushed too far. In particular, none of them has rebels dethroning the emperor, any parallel to the Bene Gesserit and its program, or to the ecological aspects of the Dune story.

Dune was written shortly after LSD appeared in America as a recreational drug. The psychedelic experience of LSD can be directly related to the altered states of consciousness that the spice Melange can induce.

Allusions/references from other works [ ]

After its release, Dune has influenced many other SF works.

• In the Japanese anime Last Exile , the theme of nations waging war with a supposedly neutral arbiter strikes a similar parallel to the Dune series. Also, the Claudia fluid and high value of water can also said to be inspired by Dune. More interestingly is the Guild in the series, which bears a similarity (in name and some characteristics) to the Spacing Guild of Dune.
• In the science fiction MMORPG Anarchy Online, a hypercorporation called Omni-Tek was granted control of a seemingly useless desert planet called Rubi-Ka. However, Rubi-Ka is the only known source of notum - an extremely valuable mineral. This situation is very similar to that in the Dune novels. There are also Krys knives and giant sandworms in the game.
• The song "To Tame a Land" by the heavy metal band Iron Maiden from the album Piece of Mind is based on the novel. Originally, it was going to be called Dune. According to the band's fansite , Frank Herbert's agent relayed his refusal stating that "Frank Herbert doesn't like rock groups. Especially hard rock and especially groups like Iron Maiden."
• Various work by heavy metal band Fear Factory contain titles and themes related to Dune, including the song Hunter-Killer on Demanufacture album and the remix album Fear is The Mind Killer.
• Comedian Dane Cook references Dune being like Nestlé Nesquik on his cd Harmful If Swallowed on the track Hopped Up On the Q .
• The metal band Shai Hulud drew their name from the Fremen word for the sandworms .
• The planet Tatooine in the Film series Star Wars is a planet completely covered by desert, and one of the species on the planet, the Tusken Raiders , share some traits with the Fremen (wearing moisture-retaining clothing and masks, living a semi-primitive existence in the desert)
• The cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants has an episode referencing Dune where SpongeBob and Sandy track down a ravenous "Alaskan Bull Worm" that is massive in size and length. Near the end of the episode, the two characters ride on the worm's back and at one point, Sandy even mentions finding a "Worm-sign" (Which turns out to be a palm-sized picket sign with the word "worm" written on it).
• The song 'Traveler In Time' by the power metal band Blind Guardian from the album Tales from the Twilight World starts with the lyrics 'The Morning Sun of Dune'.
• In the video game Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy , one of the optional missions takes place on a desert-like world with giant worms — much like the planet Dune.
• On an episode of Futurama, Al Gore claims to have ridden the "Moon Worm."
• In the 519th episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 Crow says "we have worm-sign" when a scene with a desert appears on screen. And then later, in the same episode, says "Arrakis, Dune, Desert Planet" the exact words used in the novel.
• The heavy metal band Star One released a song on their album Space Metal called "Sandrider".
• The song "Painamplifier" by Swedish synthpop band Covenant from the U.S. version of the album Dreams of a Cryotank references the 1984 Dune movie and includes 2 samples from the movie.
• A weapon called a Lasgun
• A guild of psychic, mutated navigators known as the "Navis Nobilite"
• A religious prohibition on robotics and artificial intelligence
• A galaxy-spanning empire known as "The Imperium", ruled over by a psychic, immortal monarch with the title of "God Emperor" that protects mankind as a whole
• An all-female army zealously devoted to said God Emperor
• Dune is also thought to be an example of the "Hero's Journey" (or "Monomyth") as described by Joseph Campbell.
• Canadian musician Grimes released album called Geidi Primes which contains songs with Dune references, such as "Caladan", "Sardaukar Levenbrech", "Feyd Rautha Dark Heart" and "Shadout Mapes".
• The British goa-trance project Juno Reactor used several samples from the 1984 Dune movie in the song Rotorblade .
• The track 'Weapon of Choice' by the artist Fatboy Slim features the lyrics "Walk without rhythm, it won't attract the worm", apparently referencing the sand worms of Dune.

Awards and nominations [ ]

• Nebula award for best novel in 1965
• Hugo award for best novel 1966 in literature. Joint first place with ...And Call Me Conrad by Roger Zelazny

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations [ ]

• Dune (1984 film) film adaptation by David Lynch
• Frank Herbert's Dune made by the Sci Fi Channel (United States)
• Dune (2021 film)
• The original novel, Dune , was rejected by twenty publishers; it has since become the bestselling science fiction novel of all time, selling more than twelve million copies, including millions more of the five sequels.

References [ ]

• 1 Leto Atreides II
• 2 Paul Atreides
• 3 Sardaukar

Table of Contents

Frank herbert.

Frank Herbert’s 1965 science fiction novel Dune follows Ducal heir Paul Atreides during his rise to power on the futuristic desert world Arrakis, the only known source of the potent and dangerous spice melange. On Arrakis, Paul discovers that, for better or for worse, his actions may determine the fate of the universe.

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A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

• Part 1, Chapters 1-10
• Part 1, Chapters 11-22
• Part 2, Chapters 23-29
• Part 2, Chapters 30-37
• Part 3, Chapters 38-48
• Character Analysis
• Symbols & Motifs
• Important Quotes
• Essay Topics

Summary and Study Guide

Dune is a 1965 science fiction novel by American author Frank Herbert. As the first in a series of novels, Dune introduces Paul Atreides and his gradual emergence as a unifying, powerful figure in a galaxy filled with political intrigue and the threat of religious war. Now considered one of the foremost examples of American science fiction, Dune won numerous prestigious awards and has been adapted several times in films and television series, most recently in 2021. This guide uses the 2010 eBook version of the text published by Orion Books.

Plot Summary

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In the year 10,191, the human race sprawls across the galaxy. Individual planets are ruled by great houses, all of which pledge loyalty to Emperor Shaddam IV. Intergalactic travel is made possible by a mysterious substance known as melange, or “the spice,” which is found only on the barren desert planet Arrakis. Duke Leto of House Atreides rules over Caladan. His concubine partner Lady Jessica is the mother of his only son, Paul Atreides. The Emperor awards Duke Leto the fiefdom of Arrakis, allowing Leto to take control of the profitable but dangerous planet from a rival house, the cunning and brutal Harkonnens. The Duke is certain that he is being lured into a trap by the Emperor and the Harkonnens, but he believes that he can outwit them. Paul has been trained by Leto’s military lieutenants for years, including Thufir Hawat , a Mentat with incredible powers of computation; Gurney Halleck , a soldier with a grudge against the Harkonnens; and Duncan Idaho , the Duke’s swordmaster and faithful servant.

Paul has also been trained by his mother, a member of a clandestine organization of women called the Bene Gesserit. Through a centuries’ long selective breeding program, the Bene Gesserit have tried to bring about the birth of a chosen person named the Kwisatz Haderach, a messianic figure who is destined to bring huge change to the universe. Before leaving for Arrakis, a leading member of the Bene Gesserit subjects Paul to a test of his ability to withstand intense physical pain. He passes, meaning that he may be the Kwisatz Haderach, but he is wary of his prophetic dreams that show his dangerous future on Arrakis, especially among the local desert people known as the Fremen.

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House Atreides sets up its operation on Arrakis. They move quickly to secure the cities from the departing Harkonnens. Leto plans to recruit the Fremen as a fierce fighting force after they have spent decades under the oppressive Harkonnen rule. The Fremen are fascinated by Paul and Jessica, who they believe will fulfill an ancient prophecy of a chosen figure who will lead them to glory and turn Arrakis into a water-filled paradise. Jessica, however, believes that this ancient prophecy was deliberately cultivated by the Bene Gesserit.

Before Leto can secure Arrakis, however, he is betrayed by the family doctor, Yueh. By kidnapping the doctor’s wife, the Harkonnens manipulate Yueh into lowering the shields around the city, using the opportunity to invade and reclaim Arrakis in a secretive alliance with the Emperor and the Emperor’s elite Sardaukar warriors. However, Yueh plots revenge against Baron Harkonnen . He plants a false tooth filled with poison in the Duke’s mouth and then helps Paul and Jessica escape into the desert. As Baron Harkonnen brags about his victory to the Duke, Leto bites down on the tooth and fills the room with poisonous gas. The Baron survives but many of his advisors are killed. Thufir Hawat and Gurney Halleck also escape the attack, though Hawat is quickly captured by the Harkonnens and forced into the service of the Baron. Meanwhile, Gurney joins the local smuggling organization and begins to plot revenge against the Harkonnens.

Paul and Jessica flee into the desert. With the help of the planet’s Imperial ecologist, Dr. Kynes, they find the Fremen. Kynes is revealed as a secret leader of the Fremen who plans to turn Arrakis’s hostile, arid climate into something vastly more habitable. A Fremen leader named Stilgar accepts Paul and Jessica into his tribe, but one of the members does not. A Fremen named Jamis challenges Paul to single combat. Paul wins, killing Jamis. Impressed with the Bene Gesserit training exhibited by Paul and Jessica, the Fremen come to believe that Paul is the person spoken about in their prophecy. They make him a full-fledged member of the Fremen while Jessica becomes their Reverend Mother. Paul meets Chani , a young Fremen woman who he previously glimpsed in his dreams. His visions take on a more violent tone , and he fears that he may lead the Fremen in a galaxy-conquering religious war. As he consumes more spice, the substance’s hallucinogenic properties make him even more powerful.

Two years later, Baron Harkonnen continues his plan. He has installed his brutal, slow-witted nephew Glossu Rabban to rule over Arrakis in the cruelest, most oppressive way possible. Later, he will remove Rabban and install his chosen successor—his nephew, Feyd-Rautha—whom he believes will be welcomed as a benevolent hero in comparison to Rabban. Meanwhile, Paul has spent two years in the desert with the Fremen. Under his Fremen title Muad-dib, he has become a powerful and successful military leader. Paul and Chani have a child named Leto II, while Jessica has given birth to Duke Leto’s daughter, Alia. They plot revenge against the Baron and the Emperor, though Paul is wary about his visions of the future.

When the Fremen receive word that the Baron is cutting his support to Rabban, Paul knows that the moment to attack has arrived. He reunites with Gurney Halleck and leads the Fremen against the Harkonnens. The Emperor and the Baron arrive on Arrakis to oversee what they believe to be an easy military victory but are shocked by the raw power of the Fremen. They are quickly overwhelmed. However, Paul’s son is killed during an imperial raid on a Fremen base, and Alia is captured. Seemingly unafraid of her captors, Alia defies the Emperor and kills the Baron with a poisoned needle. Paul wins the battle and demands that the Emperor surrender the throne. Paul plans to marry the Emperor’s daughter and take the throne for himself. He defeats Feyd-Rautha in single combat and exhausts the Emperor’s options. Eventually, the Emperor accepts defeat. Paul takes control of the Imperial throne but still worries that his ascent will bring about billions of deaths in a religious war that now seems inevitable.

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