I thought I would kick off my author website by talking about the novel that inspired my love of science fiction.
At fifteen, my bestie more or less forced the book into my hands and insisted that I read it ―she knew I was not a fan of the genre. She swore that I would love it. Reluctantly I took it home and forced myself to open the pages of Frank Herbert’s Dune. I was immediately and deeply captivated, which set me on a course to become an avid sci-fi reader and, eventually, to create of my own scifi books.
DUNE, by Frank Herbert, is a futuristic dystopian, metaphysical romp, full of adventure, intrigue, betrayal, murder and romance. Herbert uses oodles of futuristic tech, a political landscape of feudal fiefdoms stretching across worlds, and borrows from a variety of religious and metaphysical practices to weave a universe that is dark, believable, and completely engaging.
This book is packed with interesting characters that grab your attention immediately. You will love to hate Herbert’s wicked villains who employ some grisly practices, while rooting for heroes that must find ways to survive the dangers of political intrigue and violent rebellion.
Wonderfully inventive and descriptive, yet it moves along at a good pace. I could not put the book down. So I was thrilled when I saw that Herbert had made it into a series. And while most of these books are good, they can’t compare to the first novel, which was so rich in storyline and characters.
Dune has made its way onto the big screen a few times, but the translation has yet to do it justice. As it would happen, there is another version coming out again this year (2020), and I await the debut with great anticipation.
Sadly, Frank Herbert passed away in 1986; at the age of sixty-five. Shortly before his death, Herbert co-authored Man of Two Worlds with his son Brian. Decades later, Brian partnered with Kevin J. Anderson to write a prequel to Dune: the duo have since published more than a dozen novels.
Dune has stood the test of time and will endure, I believe, as long as science fiction lives on.
By Frank Herbert:
- DUNE
- DUNE MESSIAH
- CHILDREN OF DUNE
- GOD EMPEROR OF DUNE
- HERETICS OF DUNE
- CHAPTER HOUSE
Also by Frank Herbert (short list)
- Destination Void
- The Godmaker
- White Plague
- The Collected Stories of Frank Herbert
- By Frank Herbert and Bill Ransom:
- The Pandora Sequence (Sequel to Destination Void)
- The Jesus Incident
- The Lazarus Effect The Ascension Factor