"I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain."

Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear - From Frank Herbert's Dune Book Series

It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.
It is by the juice of sapho that thoughts acquire speed,
the lips acquire stains.
The stains become a warning.
It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.

Mentat Piter de Vries (Brad Dourif) recites this litany in the movie version of Dune, and Mentat Hayt de Vries (Robert Carin) repeats it in Westwood's computer game Dune 2000. It does not appear anywhere in the books, but is a movie construct from the mind of David Lynch.

This mantra has been adapted by many computer geeks and caffeine junkies to read as:

"It is caffeine alone that sets my mind in motion. It is through beans of java that thoughts acquire speed, that hands acquire shakes, that shakes become a warning... I am... IN CONTROL... OF MY ADDICTION!" -- From the Minicon Graffiti Wall, 1989

The Legends of Dune Trilogy covers a time 10,000 years before the first book published, "Dune." This series covers some areas mentioned in the earlier (written not timeline) books.

In their mission to explain some of the mythos created by Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson have created a great set of prequals to the Dune Universe in the 3 "Legends of Dune" books. There is some great science-fiction writing in these books. Some "Dune"/Frank Herbert fans have been upset by the addition of robots into the Dune Universe by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson, but if you really read into the books the hints have been there that there is something more to the thinking machines and I think with the "Legends of Dune" Series they have explained enough to still fit in with Frank Herbert's philosophy.

Now you could read the books in any order you would like, but for fun, and since I've already read a couple of the Frank Herbert Books, I'm going in the order of timeline not in order of publication date. It seems more fun this way.

With the books of the "Legends of Dune" a lot has been explained, maybe or maybe not in the way Frank Herbert would have, but definitely these Legends become more understandable and actually more realistic. Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson have kept to the Middle eastern religious symbology, and even building on that.

As it stands in this book there are 3 factions of planets: the Synchronized worlds (run by thinking machines & Cymeks), The League of Nobles (the humans), and the unallied planets (which consists of Arrakis or Dune).

As is learned in "Dune: The Butlerian Jihad," published in 2002, The empire had grown "lazy and complacent." A group of humans decided to overthrow the empire and started calling themselves "the Titans." These Titans have enhanced their bodies to live for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. This is not enough, they then find a way to remove their brains from their bodies and place them into "robot" bodies. Now called Cymeks they take over the empire. After enslaving man the Cymeks then allow the thinking machines to work for them, even giving the thinking machines human traits. One such trait, the need to conquer goes too far. The thinking machines then take over, enslaving the human race and creating the Synchronized worlds. Worlds that are all linked to the great evermind "Omnius." Omnius keeps the Cymeks for his dirty work and because deep in the programming the evermind cannot bring harm to the Cymeks.

There are the Synchronized worlds, ruled by Omnius, and the League of Nobles, a democratic form of planet alliances, that pretty much get by without harming each other, but then the Cymeks and the Thinking machines attack, forcing intergalactic war. During this war heroes and martyrs are made. If you have read the other books and wondered why there are no computers, how the Fremen got their start, why Spice Melange is so vital or how the 3 main houses (Harkkonen, Atreides and Corrino) came to be in power. This book is a must read.

The authors create and build on the mythos which include the same ideals created by Frank Herbert. In this first book we learn how Tio Holtzmann created the personal shields and the shield technology (which I thought was so cool in the series). The beginnings of the Bene Gesserit witches are also discussed and why they came to be. So basically this book (along with the other 2 "Legends" books) tells the whys of the mythos created in one of the best epic Sci-Fi series ever.

If you have not ever read any of the Frank Herbert's Dune series, it won't hurt to start out with this introductory book. It is written with the same passion as all the others and besides, it's always good to start at the "beginning."

This book takes part 10,000 years before the original book and 20 years after the first in the series "The Butlerian Jihad." The Jihad against the thinking machines is 20 years in force and neither side can claim any victory. The rise of power of former slave to the machines, Iblis Ginjo, has created a monster. After discovering human spies for the machines Ginjo, the Grand Patriarch of the Jihad, has created the JiPol, Jihad Police. The JiPol are used to round up spies, but they are also used to do Ginjo's bidding, when a noble crosses paths with Ginjo and goes against his plans they are soon "discovered" to be spies for the thinking machines. Very similar to jack-booted thugs during world war II or even closer to home much like the McCarthyism of discovering Communists.

Serena Butler the Priestess of the Jihad spends most of her time in mourning for the loss of her son Manion, the start of the whole Jihad. This seclusion is after an attempted assassination on her. Which was planned and put into motion by Ginjo, so that he may hold more power.

Many battles over planets are waged against the thinking machines meaning the loss of millions of lives of humans. This creates the need for more recruits in the war and for body parts for the injured soldiers. Tluaxan slavers are known to sweep through un-allied planets and take slaves for the planets that do support slavery. They are also known for their ability to clone body parts for the soldiers of the Jihad. But, they are also harboring a secret that could destroy Iblis Ginjo. To recruit more soldiers a planet of mercenaries, Ginaz, led by Jool Noret, become the warrior fighting class.

In the meantime the Cimeks, human brains in robot forms, led by General Agamemnon, grow weary of being under the Omnius and the thinking machines rule and plan a revolt by recruiting many humans that were slaves on synchronized worlds the cimeks have invaded.

Another Cimek, Hecate, makes an appearance after going into hiding for hundreds of years. She claims to be fighting the other Cimeks and Thinking machines to help the Jihad. Ginjo does not pass on this opportunity for more help in winning this what seems to be an un-winnable war.

Meanwhile on planet Arrakis, Salim Wormrider is making a name for himself and his group of bandits raiding all people involved in the mining of Spice Melange and selling to offworlders.

Norma Cenva has created the technology to fold space. Creating a means to travel to any point in the universe in the blink of an eye. But just as she is getting this started a human slave revolt destroys the planet Poritrin and soem Zensunni slaves escape in a space-folding ship to Arrakis. On Arrakis Salim Wormrider has died a Martyr, leaving the "bandits" with no leader. The leader of the Zensunnis, Ishmail, becomes leader of what will be forever known as the Fremen.

While this may seem like a lot to read, the authors keep it interesting with battles, loves, and conspiracies. Great formula for sci-fi.

This book takes place 100 years after the beginning of the Butlerian Jihad and about 100 years before the forming of the Guilds, and is separated into 2 parts. Basically the Jihad is still going on but this time the thinking machines with some help from some human traitors, develop a biological weapon to destroy humanity. This scourge is a virus that can wipe out at least 50% of a planets population within a couple of weeks. Once the humans find out that the source of the virus is the evermind Omnious and the thinking machines, it is too late. However a miracle prevention and almost cure exists within the Spice Melange. Now with humanity spending all it's efforts on healing, Omnious gathers all his warships to the planet Corrin for one final attack to destroy all humans. This plan is found out just in time and while all the ships are gathering on Corrin preparing for launch. Jumping to action, Vorian Atraides uses what few (still unreliable) space-folding ships are available and begins nuking all the unprotected synchronized worlds, destroying all but Corrin. At Corrin rather, than destroying the planet the Jihadi warships put a scrambler field around the planet which destroys all gel circuitry machines entering or leaving the planet. Thinking this puts an end to the thinking machines reign of terror, the Jihad is considered over and won by the humans.

However, this still leaves 2 enemies of humanity the thinking machines on the planet and the Cimeks. Although the cimeks numbers are dwindling and are only down to 3 of the original Titans, they are finding new recruits for the new-cimeks.

The Army of the Jihad is renamed the Army of Humanity and once again the League of nobles become complacent. Vorian Atreides is constantly warning the league of problems that could come but he is ignored. Also the Xavier Harkkonen is still viewed as cowardice and as a traitor, for his assassination of the Patriarch of the Jihad, Iblis Ginjo. Vorian is the only one that knows the truth and tells Xavier's grandson, Abulurd Butler the true story. Abulurd takes on the name Harkkonen and starts a committe to reinstate the name.

With 2 enemies and the humans once again becoming lazy, you know the battles aren't over. Instead of giving away too much by only talking about fighting, let's talk about some of the many sub-plots throughout this book. In the Dune Universe, pretty much all the books there are lots of things going on that in order to catch them all sometimes it takes re-reading the book, and, trust me, that's where the fun lies in these books.

The space-folding is still dangerous and not fully acceptable to all as a legitimate means of space travel. Many ships have folded into stars, asteroids or other celestial bodies or have just plainly disappeared. Norma Cenva soon discovers that the Spice Melange holds the key to navigating the space-folders, by opening the human brain potential...but in the process the human doing the guiding loses their humanity...especially with their physical bodies.

The Sorceresses of Rossak are cateloging the bloodlines of humanity in order to keep the human genes "clean." But a mutated form of the virus has hit Rossak, threatening to destroy all they have worked for. Vorian Atreides' grand-daughter, Raquella Berto-Anirul, becomes miraculously healed of the scourge and during the process has visions and her mind alters to that of a sorceress, and she forms what will become the Bene-Gesserit in which the human bloodlines will be kept going.

We can't leave out the Fremen on the planet Arrakis (Dune). They become split and some want to start selling all the spice to offworlders while some still hold to the visions of Salim Wormrider, that the spice is the life of Arrakis. So the actual Fremen become more militant while some Zensunnis set up commerce with offworlders.

The robot Erasmus has trained Gilbertus Albans to use his brain as a machine would. In the process Erasmus has discovered what the love of a parent must feel. In the training of Gilbertus, Erasmus has created the first Mentat. What will later become the human computers.

Yes, all this in this final book in the series, but, it is such a great read that to become immersed in this universe it creates the urge for more.

In their mission to explain some of the mythos created by Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson have created a great set of prequals to the Dune Universe in the 3 "Legends of Dune" books. There is some great science-fiction writing in these books. Some "Dune"/Frank Herbert fans have been upset by the addition of robots into the Dune Universe by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson, but if you really read into the books the hints have been there that there is something more to the thinking machines and I think with the "Legends of Dune" Series they have explained enough to still fit in with Frank Herbert's philosophy.

So, after reading the 3 Legends of Dune books, you then have 3 Prequals to Dune, 6 Frank Herbert novels, then two more books, "Hunters of Dune" and "Sandworms of Dune" written by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson, these take place after the 6th Frank Herbert Novel, "Chapterhouse: Dune."

There are also rumors of Herbert & Anderson teaming up to do 3 more books that cover the lives of Paul Maud'dib, Lady Jessica and Princess Irulan.

Prelude to Dune is one of the first sets of Dune novels written by Herbert (Brian) and Anderson and takes place 35 years prior to the original "Dune". The three prelude novels, House Atreides, House Harkonnen, and House Corrino cover the rise of the houses to the powers held in "Dune."

An aging tyrant emperor rules the known universe, Emperor Elrood Corrino IX, and his son Shaddam IV, cannot wait for him to die, so that Shaddam may become emperor. He and his minion, Hasimir Fenrig devise a slow poison to kill off the old man so Shaddam may sit in the "Golden Lion Throne."

While this is going on Elrood has some schemes going that could change the universe. Spice Melange, only found on Arrakis (Dune), is needed for the Space Guild to fold space, it prolongs life, and is highly addictive. "He who controls the spice, controls the Universe." So Elrood has set out to devise an alternative to spice. Teaming up with the genetic scientist race of the Tleilaxu, Elrood has commissioned them to develop the newly engineered spice. As payment to the Tleilaxu, Elrood plans a takeover of the machine planet IX, where in place are the facilities to for such a genetic engineering feat. To do this the House Vernius must be defeated. Instead of being defeated the house goes renegade, meaning they are no longer supported or recognized by the league and are criminals. The children are sent to Calidan to live with Duke Paulus Atreides. They are raised along with the Duke's son, Leto Atreides.

The Bene Gesserit discover they are only 2 or 3 generations from the Kwisatz Haderach a prophesied messiah figure. But first they must get Baron Vladimir Harkonnen to "donate the genetic material." The first union of a Bene Gesserit sorceress and Harkonnen is deformed and must be repeated. This time Harkonnen violently rapes the sorceress and in the process she curses him with an incurable disease.

Paulus Atreides dies during a bullfight with a drugged Salusan Bull, and Leto becomes Duke. Harkonnen has developed a ship that renders itself invisible. And frames Atreides for an attack on the Tleilaxu.

In the meantime on Arrakis, Dune, Pardot Kynes a planetologist sent by Emperor Elrood, arrives on Arrakis and begins his duties there. He starts to dislike the Harkonnen rule there, and is getting more and more interested in the native Fremen of the desert and the possibility of terraforming the planet. Pardot is discovering more and more proof that some time, long ago, Arrakis was covered with giant oceans, and gets curious about what changed the climate to what it is today.

Once again another book filled with lots of material lots of action and great political interaction. This Dune series just keeps getting better and better.

Once again a Dune prelude book chock full of information leading up to the novel originally written by Frank Herbert. This book takes place approximately 20 years after the Book "House Atreides" and about 30 years prior to the original. I will attempt to summarize the many plotlines with out giving away too much but I do warn you that some spoilers will exist.

Shaddam Corrino IV is the emperor and his Bene Gesserit wife, Anirul produces only daughters, leaving him without an heir to the throne. The emperor is aware of the Bene Gesserit ability to determine the sex of their children and grows annoyed at Anirul for not giving him a son. Along with this stress factor for the Emperor the Tleilaxu have yet to produce a synthetic equal to the Spice Melange. This was the reason the planet of Ix was taken over and House Vernius went renegade.

Dominic Vernius is still in hiding as a renegade but his children, Kailea and Rhombur, are living with Duke Leto Atreides on Caladan. Leto arranges fro Rhombur to take in a concubine from the Bene Gesserit, and Kailea becomes Leto's concubine. Kailea gives birth to Victor the son of Leto and heir to House Atreides, but due to politics and the fact that Kailea is considered renegade Leto cannot marry her. Besides, the Bene Gesserit have other plans with Jessica, the daughter of Vladimer Harkonnen and a Bene Gesserit witch. Leto does arrange to have a lady-in-waiting to help Kailea. Kailea's lady-in-waiting, Chiara, is actually a Harkonnen agent sent to poison Kailea's mind against Leto. Kailea and Chiara scheme to assassinate Leto thus making Victor the Duke and Kailea a Regent. But the plan backfires and the planned explosion kills young Victor and mutilates Rhombur. Kailea then kills Chiara and commits suicide unable to face what she has done.

The Tleilaxu offer to make a ghola,a clone, of Victor in exchange for the barely alive body of Rhombur Vernius. Leto ultimately refuses, after much soul-searching, knowing that the Tleilaxu intend only harm towards House Vernius. Instead, Leto hires Dr. Wellington Yueh, an expert in the field of cybernetics, to fashion a cybernetic replacement body for Rhombur. Leto and Jessica fall deeply in love, leading Jessica to decide to conceive a son for Leto's sake, directly disobeying the Bene Gesserit's order that she have a daughter.

Baron Harkonnen grows weaker due to his disease, but he becomes more vicious, destroying his half-brothers life (figuratively first then literally). A Suk doctor determines the cause of the illness is from the Bene Gesserit he raped. Harkonnen seeks reveng on the witches but through mind tricks they show him who is really in charge. Meanwhile, the Baron's brother, Abulurd, uncovers an illegal stockpile of spice on Lankiveil. Rather than turn his brother in to the Emperor, Abulurd, a benevolent ruler and the polar opposite of his brother Vladimir, uses the stockpile to benefit his people. Upon discovery of this, Glossu Rabban, Abulurd's firstborn son, strangles his father to death, an act which earns him the nickname of "Beast." Baron Harkonnen also kidnaps Abulurd's other son, Feyd-Rautha, and tries to raise him as his own.

We are also introduced to Gurney Halleck. Gurney's village is raided and his sister is taken away. He later finds she is forced to work in a "pleasure house" for the Harkonnen military. He tries to rescue her but is capture and made a slave. He then tries to attack Rabban, but is outnumbered and Rabban punishes him by killing his entire family. Gurney escapes to Salusa Secundus to help Dominic Vernius with his attacks against the empire.

Dominic learns of the atrocities going on on Ix and gathers all his stockpiles of atomics to the south polar region of Arrakis in order to deliver them to the homeworld of the Emperor and destroy the House Corrino. But his plan is discovered and the Sardukar guards are sent to stop him. Instead he detonates the atomics destroying most of the south pole area of Arrakis.

Gurney Halleck learns of this and goes to Caladan to pledge himself to Duke Leto Atreides.

On Arrakis it is learned that the Bene Gesserit have been mixing with the Fremen in order to blend prophecies of the Qwissatz Hadderach and the myths of the Missionaria Protectiva.

And this is only scratching the surface of this wonderful adventure into the Duniverse. Now for House Corrino, the final book of the prelude to Dune series, and one book closer to Dune.

Book three of the prelude to the original Dune series answers many questions, but also leaves some unanswered, which is good. Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson, to be honest to the Duneverse could not try to explain it all away, that is one of the many features of the Original Dune novels by Frank Herbert that keeps the reader intrigued, and makes the the books more adventuresome, the philosophy is within the reader.

In this book the Emperor of the known Universe, Shaddam IV has devised a plan with his right hand man Hasimir Fenrig, to create a synthetic form of the Spice Melange. In doing so he will hold even more power over the universe. As you may know, the Spice extends life, and makes space travel possible and is only found on one planet, Dune (Arrakis).

On the machine planet, Ix,Tleilaxu "scientists" use slaves and prisoners as part of a horrific plan to manufacture a synthetic form of melange known as amal. If amal can replace the spice from Dune, it will give Shaddam what he seeks: absolute power. However the amal is not quite right. Adjudica the Tleilaxu that has created the amal, has not run adequate testing but has been taking the amal and has been dosing the Sardukar guards with the amal and gains some control over the Emperor's terror guards. Also we learn how the Tleilaxu use women to become living tanks to produce the amal, thus explaining why there are no Tleilaxu women.

Duke Leto Atriedes, grief-stricken yet unbowed by the tragic death of his son Victor, in an assassination attempt is determined to restore the honor and prestige of his House, has his own plans for Ix. He will free the Ixians from their oppressive conquerors and restore his friend Prince Rhombur, injured scion of the disgraced House Vernius, to his rightful place as Ixian ruler. In doing so Leto leaves his home planet of Caladan unguarded. Hearing of this and in order to save face The Beast Rabban (Harkkonen), attempts to conquer Caladan, but the master of assassins and Mentat to House Atriedes, Thufir Howat devises a plan to keep any attackers at bay.

Meanwhile, Duke Leto's concubine, the Lady Jessica, obeying the orders of her superiors in the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, has conceived a child that the Sisterhood intends to be the penultimate step in the creation of an all-powerful being. Yet what the Sisterhood doesn't know is that the child Jessica is carrying is not the girl they are expecting, but a boy. Jessica's act of disobedience is an act of love -- her attempt to provide her Duke with a male heir to House Atreides -- but an act that, when discovered, could kill both mother and baby. Learning of the heir to house Atreides, House Harkkonen's mentat, Pitor Dufries attempts to kidnap the baby.

Like the Bene Gesserit, Shaddam Corrino is also concerned with making a plan for the future -- securing his legacy. Blinded by his need for power, the Emperor will launch a plot against Dune, the only natural source of true spice. If he succeeds, his madness will result in a cataclysmic tragedy not even he foresees: the end of space travel, the Imperium, and civilization itself. With Duke Leto and other renegades and revolutionaries fighting to stem the tide of darkness that threatens to engulf their universe, the stage is set for a showdown unlike any seen before.

This book has a great storytelling and a great culmination of many battles that as you come to the end you won't want to put it down.

A few items before we proceed into the "Original" Duneverse by Frank Herbert.

In the Prelude to Dune books by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson there were some major continuity errors that I should prepare you for.

First Baron Harkonnen's mentat, Pitor was killed by a Bene Gesserit and The Baron ordered a clone from the Tleilaxu...well in Dune the Baron says the mentat predicted Lady Jessica would give birth to a daughter...these 2 things could not have happened simultaneously.

Second one of the reasons Lady Jessica gives birth to a son rather than a daughter, as she was ordered, is because she believed she could give birth to the Qwisatz Haderach...yet in the Prelude books she didn't know of the Qwiszatz Haderach breeding program until after she had allowed a son to develop.

I would also like to make a remark here, I may explore this further in another post, but for now I would like to point out the remarkable similarities to the Dune Universe Frank Herbert created in 1965 to what is happening in the world today. In Frank's Universe the Emperor Shaddam (Saddam?) runs the universe and controls the flow of Spice (oil?). Arrakis (Iraq?) is the only source of the spice. HMMMMM....

When Frank Herbert wrote "Dune" in 1965, it was something different. Although Dune was accepted and read by the same circles who read Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke, "Dune" represented a new kind of science fiction. Asimov's and Clarke's works were original but stylistically plain-all one needed was a futuristic idea. Dune combined the basics of science fiction's trademark futurism with strong literary and social ambitions. The novel boasted an elaborate epic plot and intricately developed characters with quasi-mystical powers such as telepathy and precognition. It also featured a bold ecological message and even a little sociological equality mission hidden within.

Dune proved that literary science-fiction novels could be more than thinly veiled social satires, such as George Orwell's 1984 or Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange. Like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, Dune presents us with a self-contained world, complete with its own races, religions, politics, and geography. Herbert introduces this new world and then adds a fascinating and intricate story, with vivid characters and scenes bolstered by an underlying ecological message. Dune has become the central masterpiece of science fiction, just as The Lord of the Rings is to the genre of modern fantasy.

Set 10,000 years after the Butlerian Jihad, dune takes place in a future where interstellar travel is achieved through folding space. This travel is not without a price. The universe depends on what is known as Spice Melange. The Spice, prolongs life, gives some individuals prescience, is a highly addictive recreational drug and enables the Guild navigators to Fold Space. The universe has come to rely on Spice so much that the slightest upset in the flow of spice is felt throughout all the universe. The major fault in all this is that the Spice is found only on one planet, Arrakis (Dune).

The Atreides family headed by Duke Leto Atreides, has just been assigned governorship of Arrakis by Emperor Shaddam IV, a position previously held by the sworn enemy to the Atreides, the Harkonnens. As is with all of this book there are plans within plans within plans. The emperor wants to rid the universe of the Atreides because they are becoming too popular with the Landsraad, the league of planets. By sending Duke Atreides to Arrakis, the Emperor hopes to seal their fate and let the Harkonnens destroy House Atreides.

The Harkonnens attack the Atreides and kill the Duke, but not before the Dukes Concubine, Lady Jessica, pregnant with the Duke's daughter, and the Dukes son and heir Paul Atreides escape into the desert of Arrakis, to a land ruled by the Fremen. Before we talk about the Fremen, Paul must be explained. Paul's mother the Lady Jessica is a Bene Gesserit witch, she was ordered to bear a daughter to the Duke but disobeyed to give the man she loved an heir. The Bene Gesserit have been interbreeding bloodlines for thousands of years to create the Kwisatz Haderach, a superbeing that can be in all places and times at once. Paul is that Kwisatz Haderach.

The Fremen are the desert people of Arrakis, they are working to make Dune a planet of life. By secretly creating water basins and plantings, they are wanting to change the face of Dune to a planet with water and abundant life. Doing so could destroy the Sandworms which are the source of the Spice.

Paul becomes the leader of the Fremen due to his supernatural powers and the religion of the Fremen, in a final battle he takes back Dune with himself as Duke and dethrones the Emperor.

That's it in a nutshell, but this book is more like an onion with layers upon layers of plots, subplots and messages. A great classic novel in the literary and Science Fiction worlds.

Paul of Dune by Brian Herbert& Kevin J. Anderson (2008)
Read by Scott Brick
Published by Macmillan Audio
Running time 18.5 hours
Published 2008

In the world of science-fiction, one of the best series of books to come down the pike is the Dune series created by Frank Herbert. After Frank Herbert's death, his son, Brian Herbert, teamed up with sci-fi author Kevin J. Anderson and pretty much wrapped up the series by providing 6 prequel and 2 sequel books. The prequels offered some backstory to events and ideas only barely mentioned by Frank Herbert in the original series. The sequels ended the series that had a huge cliff-hanger which Frank Herbert left when he passed away. So with all of that taken care of, one has to ask, what more is there in the Dune Universe? (Or the Duneverse)

Actually, there is the potential for lots more. Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, with the backing of the Herbert estate, are just the folks to provide more stories in the Duneverse. Paul of Dune is one of three novels (at least only three planned so far) filling in some gaps and providing the fans of Dune with some more stories to devour. After all, "The spice must flow."

This audiobook is read by Scott Brick. I will have to say that Brick is one of my favorite voices for audiobooks. I first heard him when I was listening to the audiobook "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote. He expressed such great emotion in that book. Then later, when I was making it my mission to read or listen to every book in the Dune series, I heard his voice again in the prequels. I was glad to hear he was voicing this one as well. Brick can express emotion and characterization with such subtlety that, while you are still getting the same reader, your ears are treated to a near dramatization.

His voice-work really shapes a character. In the book "Dune," Count Hasimir Fenring was Emperor Shaddam's right hand man. Frank Herbert had written in quite a few strange speech patterns, like lots of nasal sounds, and would create sentences similar to: "mmmmwah, I think we can destroy House Atreides, mmmmmm." While this could have presented challenges for some narrators, Brick works these into his reading to sound like the character does not have a speech problem but is thinking as he's speaking. This approach makes these moments ring with clarity and portrays a new dimension of the not-so-good Count's personality, who plays a vital role in Paul of Dune.

All the books in the Dune series feature plans within plans, conspiracies within conspiracies and plots within plots. As a result, many scenes include both the speech and thoughts of various characters. Brick reads these sections without flaw so the listener is not confused as to what is said aloud or thoughts the character shares with no one.

Paul of Dune takes place essentially between the time of the original novel Dune and the second book Dune Messiah" Paul Maud'Dib is in control of the planet Arrakis, Dune, and is the emperor of the known universe. The former Padisha Emperor Shaddam Corrino, IV, has been exiled to the planet Salusas Secundus, the training planet for his Sardaukar army which were defeated by Maud'Dib and have since joined the jihad of Maud'Dib.

This book tells more of what happened during the jihad and of the assassination attempts on the Emperor Paul Maud'Dib. Another interesting aspect of this book is that it also covers the time before Paul Atreides (soon to be the Maud'Dib) came to the spice planet, Arrakis, Dune. In flashback sequences Paul is making sure that Princess Irulan is telling the actual story of his life and the reader is transported to the War of Assassins which occurred when Paul was only 12. In the Dune timeline this would be between the prequel book "House Corrino" and the original book, "Dune." It feels as though you are getting two novels in one, but both stories meld into a single idea and fantastic climactic end.

The Star Wars universe is said to be heavily influenced by the Dune novels. This is a hotly debated topic among fans, as many of the themes present could be said to be archetypes of science fiction and fantasy novels, as well as of world mythology; other fans contend that the Star Wars films are only action films, with almost no deeper meaning. Thus, by this logic any ties between Star Wars and Dune would be very much superficial and coincidental.

The similarities are more common with the early drafts of Star Wars' script. Princess Leia is transporting a crate of spice instead of station plans, the Jedi are identified as Jedi Bindu and the galaxy is divided into great houses. Herbert decided not to sue Star Wars creator George Lucas because the court battle would have gone on for years, making it more costly and troublesome than it was worth.

Desert Planet

Both Arrakis (Dune) and Tatooine (Star Wars) are desert planets with no naturally-occurring rainfall, with only sparse habition and few cities. Arrakis has two moons, while Tatooine orbits two suns. Inhabitants of both planets make use of artificial means of water collection, such as vapor harvesters (windtraps in Dune, moisture vaporators in Star Wars). Additionally, Smugglers are common on both worlds. In Dune this is the result of a Spacing Guild monopoly and taxation; in Star Wars, smuggling occurs as result of high tariffs imposed by the Empire, as well as the Rebellion against the Empire.

About 10 years after Paul Muad'Dib gains the throne as Emperor of the Known Universe, the threat of the Jihad in his name still persists in Paul's prescient visions. Paul does everything to keep that Jihad from continuing, because this path can only lead to stagnation of the human race.

In "Dune Messiah" there continues that great Frank Herbert trademark of "plans within plans within plans." So with more patience this book can be very rewarding. The entire "original" Dune series is comparable to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Trilogy, in scope and adventure.

In this book one of the many plots/conspiracies involved is that of reversing the events that led to Paul being emperor. This conspiracy is led by remnants of the displaced House Corrino, the Bene Gesserit who have lost control of their Kwisatz Haderach, the Spacing Guild, now utterly beholden to Paul, and the Bene Tleilax. They all scheme to kill Paul who has not produced an heir to the throne. In doing so a "ghola" of Duncan Idaho is grown by the Bene Tleilax and given as a gift to Paul. (A ghola is a clone, in this case of Duncan Idaho, one of Paul's closest confidants and mentors.) As time progresses it is found that this ghola named Hayt, actually has the memories of Idaho. However Hayt is sent to be the destruction of Paul Maud'Dib.

The reason Chani has not given Paul an heir is that Princess Irulan has been slipping contraceptives into her food. This causes Chani to think she is barren and she seeks out ancient Fremen fertility drugs. This cause her to become pregnant with twins.

At the time Hayt is to kill Paul he cannot do it, his conditioning is broke because of the memories of Duncan's love for Paul and House Atreides. Now an ally Hayt-Duncan, helps to stop the execution of Paul's newborn children.

In the meantime some Fremen Traitors use a Stone Burner to destroy a house that is faithful to the Maud'Dib, causing Paul to be blinded. This furthers the religious fervor behind Paul because with his prescience he can still "see." It is through this prescient vision that Paul thwarts the Tleilaxu face dancer's attempt at killing Paul's 2 children, Leto II and Ghanima. These children are as Paul's sister Alia, in that they are born fully aware of their prescient powers of being Kwisatz Haderach.