Questions tagged [dune]
For questions about "Dune", a science fiction franchise which originated with the 1965 novel Dune by Frank Herbert. Use this tag for the franchise, universe and/or the novel.
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In general, should I look through a novel's appendix(es) before, during or after reading?
I'm about 100 pages into Dune. I noticed the novel has more than one appendix.
As a rule of thumb, when a sci-fi or fantasy novel has an appendix, should I:
read through it before I start the book;
...
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What is the use of the Voice in the 'Weirding Way'?
In the movie Dune, the Weirding Way is shown to be sonic based. There are problems to say the least with the rest of the interpretation, but that much follows the prerequisite of the use of the Voice ...
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Is there a canonical reference to the extent of the martial arts training that Bene Gesserit received?
This came up via discussion in another question. I do remember that Bene Gesserit get self defense training, but, basically I'd like to know any and all sources for the extent of the training, its ...
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What did Leto do to earn the enmity of the Padishah Emperor?
Leto Atreides seemed an open and honorable man. Yet the Padishah Emperor conspired with House Harkonnen to deliberately betray Leto, and destroy House Atreides.
Why?
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Why did the emperor send the Atreides to Arrakis, then the Sardaukar to remove them?
I am reading book 1 of the Dune series. I just read the chapter in which the Harkonnen took control over the house of Atreides in Arrakis with the help of Yueh.
I know the Emperor sent a legion of ...
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Why did the Dune mini-series (2000) not make Muad'Dib god-like, unlike the 1984 movie?
In the mini-series adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune (2000), Muad'Dib (Paul Atreides) does not become godlike by the end of the movie. At the end of the 1984 movie
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What were the selection factors in the breeding program conducted by the Bene Gesserit to produce the Kwisatz Haderach?
I recall a line from the David Lynch film, that an Atreides daughter (presumably, Alia) could be wed to a Harkonnen heir (Feyd Rautha) to "seal the breach". ??
There's an analogy of sorts with ...
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Why doesn't the Guild control CHOAM?
Given that the Guild controls all interstellar travel, why don't they entirely control CHOAM?
It's pretty clear that CHOAM is the basis of the wealth of the galactic nobility (beyond what is available ...
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Why doesn't the Emperor control Dune (Arrakis) himself?
I finally decided to read Dune as I have never read a book from that series. I immediately had a question. Why doesn't the Emperor control Dune (Arrakis) himself? Why does he let houses control it? As ...
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Why did Leto II outlaw Mentats?
I didn't recall this detail from the books -- though I do recall the multiple Idaho gholas -- but this entry in the Dune Wiki indicates that the mentat order was outlawed during the reign of Leto II ...
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In the Dune series, how was Paul Atreides' choice of the mouse's name of Muad'Dib a natural choice?
Considering the messiah prophesy which was also Muad'Dib, I don't get it - how could he choose that name, and not be calling himself the messiah? The context of when he chose his name to be that of ...
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What Did Paul Atreides Do As Emperor? Who Ruled While He was Missing?
In Dune (the original and first book), Paul Atreides is able to stop the flow of spice and force the Emperor to come to Arrakis, where Paul makes it clear he will be running things from then on. He ...
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Why didn't the Empire transplant sandworms to other planets?
Later in the Dune series, the Bene Gesserit have transplanted some sandworms and there are sandworms living on other planets besides Arrakis.
Considering the importance of melange and that it was ...
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How Does Earth Fit In With the Rest of the Galaxy in Dune?
By the time of Paul Atreides, many planets are inhabited and the galaxy is ruled from somewhere other than Earth.
Is Earth still habitable? If so, what kind of place does it have in the galaxy at ...
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How Did the Bene Gesserit Plan on Controlling the Kwisatz Haderach?
Paul Atreides was the Kwisatz Haderach the Bene Gesserit planed on creating, but he appeared a generation early and they were unable to control him.
Even if the Kwisatz Haderach had been born a ...
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How did Paul Atreides Differ From the Intended Kwisatz Haderach?
It's been a while since I've re-read the Dune books, but I remember the Bene Gesserit were upset with Jessica because she was ordered to bear only female children. The long range plan was to breed ...
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Do The Fremen Realize Their Plans Will Destroy Sandworms?
On Arrakis the Fremen have a deep spiritual regard for the sandworms (and essentially consider them an embodiment of their view of god), but they are also collecting water and saving it, with the idea ...
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Was there specific evidence that Dune's house of Atreides was related to Ancient Greeks?
Goran Jovic in Are Jews in Chapterhouse: Dune the same cultural group as in our universe/timeline? states:
... a book which features direct descendants of Ancient Greeks in far future as main ...
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Are Jews in Chapterhouse: Dune the same cultural group as in our universe/timeline?
Religion features a huge role in Dune universe and there are many religions involved in the story line.
These fictional religions are mostly ecumenical or syncretic combinations of existing ...
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Was there a reincarnation (as opposed to a ghola) of Baron Harkonnen in any Dune book?
From https://scifi.meta.stackexchange.com/a/1056/976:
questions about the reincarnation of Baron Harkonnen in the Dune saga would be entirely on topic
Was there actually a reincarnation (as ...
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Why was Paul given the test in the beginning?
In Dune, Paul was given the test of the gom jabbar, where tremendous pain is inflicted on his hand by the Reverend Mother. She said the purpose behind this was to know whether Paul is human, to ...
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How true to the original vision of Frank Herbert were the sequels published by his son?
Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson based their sequels to original Dune series on research material composed by Frank Hebert before his death.
Are there any sources that describe how much material ...
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Do I need to check on wiki for unknown terms in Dune?
I just started to read Dune, the terms and content is like bizarre to me. There are special terms without previous introduction of its nature. For example: Muad'Dib, Gom jabber( fortunately, it was ...
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In Dune, how is water replaced after being transformed into melange in a pre-spice mass?
If the sandtrouts turn water into a pre-spice mass resulting in desertification, wouldn't the water source deplete, which would stop the production of melange? Then the sand plankton, which feed on ...
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When did Paul become aware of the Golden Path?
The believe the first mention of the Golden Path was is in Dune Messiah, but did Herbert ever mentioned when Paul first became aware of of the Golden Path?
Did he foresee it shortly after ...
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Does a good map of Dune exist?
Did Frank Herbert include a map somewhere in the books? I only found low resolution and hard to read maps on google. The Arrakeen city and surroundings would be most interesting.
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Who edited Dune?
Who was the editor for the Frank Herbert novel, Dune? I've heard that the following books in the series were not edited by the same person and suffered for it and that a lot of credit to the novel's ...
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In Dune, how do they communicate between planets?
In the Dune books, I couldn't understand how interplanetary communications work. Is there a real-time way of communications, or do they depend on Guild ships to make the trip, and thats how they get ...
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How did the sandworms and sandtrout appear on Arrakis?
Were they native species?
My impression was that Arrakis was turned into Dune fairly recently, geologically/paleontologically speaking.
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In the Dune universe, how do the sandworms enlarge the desert?
In Chapterhouse Dune and in Hunters of Dune, it is clear that the Sandworms are causing the desert area to grow and take more and more of the surface of the planet. However, the sandworms need desert-...
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Why didn't the Omnius wipe out free humans before Tio Holtzman and Sorceresses of Rossak developed the means to defend/attack?
Was there an explicit in-Universe explanation for why Omnius never bothered to physically destroy humans before Tio Holtzman and Sorceresses of Rossak developed the means to defend/attack?
It seems ...
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Similarities between Dune and Wheel of Time?
When I first read Wheel of Time (shortly after I read Dune), I was struck by the similarity between the Aiel and the Fremen, as well as the White Tower and the Bene Gesserit. Are there any other such ...
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What is the explanation for the basis of Buddhislamic faith in Dune Universe?
As a follow-up to a previous Dune question, Buddhislamic religion always struck me as a somewhat strange concept.
From my limited (but greater than a random westerner) understanding of both, they ...
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Are there any churches in Dune?
In the Dune series there are several mentions of the Orange Catholic Bible and quotations from it. But it looks like the book from the long forgotten past. Are there any mentions of major functioning ...
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In what order should the Dune follow up books be read? [duplicate]
I have read all of Frank Herbert's Dune books twice now, and was never all that interested in Brian Herbert's follow ups "House of..." and "Legends of...". Are these best read in publication order, ...
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Which names and terms in the Dune series come from Hebrew-inspired phrases?
Kwisatz Haderach is one example of a name that is inspired by a Hebrew phrase. What is a complete list of terms that are used in Dune and share this property?
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How many times throughout the Dune novels is Duncan Idaho ghola'd?
Throughout the Dune novels I would like to know how many times Duncan Idaho is ghola'd (cloned) before he reaches Kwisatz Haderach status?
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In Dune, was the Golden Path really necessary?
I am trying to understand the reason why Leto II merged with the sandtrout in Children of Dune and why he was so committed to the Golden Path.
I just finished the first four books and I fear that I ...
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Who rules the universe at the end of the Dune saga?
Back in the day, I read the first 2 1/2 or so Dune books and I'm wondering who ends up ruling the universe at the end of the series. I know there was a Sandworm Atreides emperor who ruled for a few ...
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In the Dune series, why are they not using computers and programming related technologies?
I've never quite understood this about the series. They have space travel, but most other things about their universe seem primitive compared to ours.
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