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There are similar aspects between Dune, and the technology in The Lazarus Effect.

Noticeable similarities:

  1. Lasguns - this weapon exists in both of the books, and has similar architecture in both books.
  2. Merman and Ixians - are both technologically sophisticated in similar ways. Rely on mechanical technology as opposed to organics or similar.

Is this merely Herbert sticking to his original style?

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    I don't have a source, so I am limiting this to a comment, but: no they don't. The emergence of AI in the Destination Void series doesn't mesh well with Dune. That said, there are millennia between the calendar dates of the respective stories, and if someone wanted to shoehorn them together, that leaves potential room to do so.
    – Politank-Z
    Jan 25, 2016 at 20:18
  • The WorShip book of novels are said in various places to be in the Destination Void Universe, which would suggest that it is separate from the Dune universe. But I cannot find anywhere where this is explicitly said by Frank Herbert so leaving as a comment.
    – Cearon O'Flynn
    Jan 26, 2016 at 11:44

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Simply put: Not the same universe (storytelling or physical), just similar terminology (which appears in other Herbert books without explanation). I think this was a convention that Herbert used in his writing.

Complicated version (in universe):

  • Ship explained that it went to many different universes to pick up humans, and those humans came from many different points in their histories. this was in the early chapter of Jesus Incident when Raja Flattery is reviving from hybernation.

  • Those humans brought many things with them and it seems that ship limited access to only a small set of technologies. (referenced through out the book) - so by random chance Lasguns appeared.

Out of Universe:

  • Ship itself is technology far advanced over anything made by the Synchronized Worlds (for those who accept the prequels), Ix, or even Dune Encyclopedia. Omnius and Erasamus were nothing like as sophisticated as Ship. We might consider them to be the antithesis of Ship.

  • e-Clone technology was primitive compared to Tleilaxu bio-tech. The "axolotl tanks" refer to the same animal but that is where the comparison ends. The attitude towards the technology was completely different.

  • No alien intelligence appears in Dune at any point. The only alien biology in Dune is the sand-worms, which remains unexplained to this day. (and may not be alien)

  • Herbert uses Ship and Muad-Dib/Leto II to explore similar topics in human development and technology. One is about a god-like computer, the other about a god-like superhuman.

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  • "The only alien biology in Dune is the sand-worms, which remains unexplained to this day. (and may not be alien)" I don't think that's entirely true. First of all there's sand trout. Then there are the fish and whales of Caladan. Also the beasts and plants of Salusa Secundus. Is you are saying these were transplanted, then why is it one of the only places shigawire will grow? Also the pillingtam tree of Geidi Prime. If these are all evolutions of earth transplants, then surely worm with its sand trout origin is no different.
    – Joshua
    Feb 29, 2016 at 14:52
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    I meant that the source of the sandworm was never explained. The others are not explained enough to know whether they are actually non-terran biology, or not.
    – SteveED
    Mar 2, 2016 at 2:34

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