Dune by Frank Herbert was a strong influence in our wonder | wander | women lives. When we first read it in the late 70s, pregnant with Mahala.
Throughout the years, we ardently studied the Bene Gesserit training manual and the Mentat handbook, in our own quest to immerse ourselves totally in the made up world of Dune.
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| Dune cover art |
We are delighted that a new movie directed by Denis Villeneuve is being released this September. So far the reviews and coverage have been positive and that has been so encouraging.
The truth is, we were so gaga over Dune that when the David Lynch version first came out we rushed to watch it. Even if it fell short of all our expectant excitement, we loved that it stayed true to the book anyway.
A novel that takes place on another planet such as Dune, imagines a whole new world on a such a grand scale. Frank Herbert’s creation of the planet Arrakis, also known as Dune is the novelistic equivalent of a satisfyingly rich and layered ethnography.
Back then we were waking up to the effects humanity was imposing on our planet - the destruction of its natural balance, too many species facing extinction, overpopulation, inequality, climate change, divisiveness. The ugly underbelly of progress - corruption and greed.
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What the author achieves is both stunning and striking. Herbert did not just postulate the existence of intelligent life in another part of the universe, he created this alien culture in a thickly nuanced world that enticed and informed his readers.
Teeming with distinctive flora, fauna, ecology, traditions, institutions, religious beliefs, ancestral conflicts, technologies, myths and other cultural elements. The richness of his contextual framework refined his storytelling and speculative fiction - setting it apart from the rest.
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The plot of Dune may initially appear like the typical jumble of stock situations and narrative archetypes. The novel is set primarily on the desert planet Arrakis, a barren wasteland which would be worthless except that it is the source of the valuable spice mélange, known for its ability to prolong life, as well as enhance vitality and alertness.
Duke Leto Atreides has brought his family to Arrakis, where he will take over the valuable spice trade. Yet the gift is actually a trap hatched by his enemies, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen and Emperor Shaddam IV. Although the Duke has a powerful and loyal entourage, the battle for survival on this inhospitable planet will ultimately depend on his concubine Lady Jessica and especially his son Paul.
Addressing ideas and ideals that were at the forefront of its times - evolution and revolution. To create a fresh new world, peopled by better enlightened human beings. Everything we aspired for -then and now.
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Frank Herbert excels in the ability to address big themes - ranging from ecology to religion - without being heavy-handed preaching. Those who believe that books set on distant worlds are mere escapism, without serious thematic content or the deep inner meaning of more serious novels, are surprised by what they find within the pages of Dune.
In the end, he never really extricates himself from this story - the curse of the Dune franchise. Although he wrote books about other subjects, he kept coming back to the scene of his greatest triumph - sequels are a curse for the creative mind.
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| Dune in other translations |
The imaginative soul that forged the richly conceived fictional world of Dune succumbed to its siren call - incapable of leaving it behind to move on to other projects.
Although other Dune related works never quite lived up to the great potential of his original epic, we are all grateful that Dune was such a grand inspiration in and of itself.
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| the new Dune movie |
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