Dune by Frank Herbert ****

Dune by Frank Herbert is a 1965 Science Fiction classic centered around an arid planet. Or is it a fantasy? Frank Herbert built an environment and culture around the scarcity of water. Few other science-fiction works construct such a detailed world. In this way, Dune is more like fantasy (Harry Potter, LOTR) than sci-fi (Star Trek, Star Wars).

Dune uses many tropes that were later popularized in Sci-Fi movies and television. Mentats are hyper-logical and Bene Gesserit are hyper-perceptive, character types repeated throughout SF. Bene Gesserit use a “command voice” that cannot be ignored or disobeyed. This is also common in several SF contexts.  The “cone of silence” also appeared in Get Smart and elsewhere. While the book predates Star Wars by more than a decade, much foreshadows that franchise—the evil emperor and galactic politics.

Dune is a classic—worth reading over 50 years later, combining the best of fantasy and SF.

“As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Check out https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN to see my books.

Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075 for book recommendations.