Children of Dune

Frank Herbert’s Dune Chronicles consists of six books published between 1965 and 1985. After Herbert’s death, his son Brian and writer Kevin J. Anderson continued the saga. Together, they authored two subsequent novels based on Herbert’s notes and published several prequels. Herbert’s extensive world-building, often referred to as the Duniverse, features a galactic cast that includes the Kwisatz Haderach, who can access the past present, and future; gholas, replicants made from the tissue of the deceased; mentats, who have the calculating abilities of computers; and Reverend Mothers, members of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood who can access genetic memories, command others with the power of Voice, and control the intricate nerves and muscles in their bodies. The saga takes place thousands of years in the future, with the primary setting on the planet Arrakis, also known as Dune. The central plot revolves around control over the planet’s natural resource, a spice known as melange that the giant sandworms produce. It has the properties to extend life, heighten cognition, and enable space travel. Herbert uses this premise to explore the ways religion, politics, economics, the environment, and family become corrupted and exploited by prized commodities.