“Set on the desert planet Arrakis, it is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who will become the mysterious man known as Muad’Dib. Paul’s noble family is named stewards of Arrakis, whose sands are the only source of a powerful drug called “the spice.” After his family is brought down in a traitorous plot, Paul must go undercover to seek revenge, and to bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream.”

Dune by Frank Herbert is considered one of the best science fiction novels of all time and for good reason. The book originally came out in 1965, shared the Hugo Award in 1966 for Best Novel, won the inaugural Nebula Award for the same category, was turned into a movie released in 1984, adapted into a miniseries released in 2000, and was in the recent Great American Read coming in at #35 of the 100 best-loved novels. A star-studded cast has been gathered to once again bring this intricate story to life on the big screen with an expected release in December 2020.

Though there are 20 Dune novels, six written by Frank Herbert and 14 by his son, Brian Herbert, and Kevin J. Anderson, this first volume can be read as a stand alone story. I knew nothing of this book when I first jumped in aside from the fact it is held in high regard within the genre and among many writers. I was surprised at how much I liked this book and how it drew me in until all I could think of was turning the next page. Perhaps you may find a similar experience.

Interested in this book? Look for it at your local library. If you’re affiliated with Lindenwood, you can request this book from MOBIUS.