Frank Herbert's World Of Dune

4 Pages 1119 Words

“A beginning is a very delicate time. Know then that it is the year 10191. The known universe is ruled by the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV, my father. In this time, the most precious substance in the universe is the spice melange. The spice extends life, the spice expands consciousness, the spice is vital to space travel. The Spacing Guild and its navigators, who the spice has mutated over four thousand years, use the orange spice gas which gives them the ability to fold space. That is travel to any part of the universe without moving. Oh yes, I forgot to tell you, the spice exists on only one planet in the entire universe : a desolate, dry planet with vast deserts. Hidden away within the rocks of these deserts are a people known as Fremen who have long held a prophecy, that a man would come, a messiah, who would lead them to true freedom. The planet is Arrakis, also known as... DUNE.” (Dune by Frank Herbert)
This starts the beginning to one of the most memorable worlds in Science Fiction. Arrakis or Dune is the creation of SF author Frank Herbert. It is a world and universe full of complex cultures, histories and interactions. This world belongs in the same class as Larry Niven’s Ringworld. Isaac Asimov’s Foundation, Philip Jose Farmer’s Riverworld and many others. Mr. Herbert created a world inhabited with complex characters and ideas as well. He explores Arrakis through several books in a connected series.

The exploration of this world begins with the author. Frank Herbert was born and lived throughout the Pacific states during his life time. He had several jobs in his life, but was primarily a journalist and photographer. Most of his knowledge was self-acquired in subjects like geology, marine biology and many others. His knowledge found its way into many of his books and stores. Mr. Herbert had a prolific writing career that ended in 1986 upon his death. Though he wrote many other books, the Dune books were his most ...