The Dune Series (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Frank Herbert
- First Published: 1963
- Type of Work: Novels
- Genres: Long fiction, Bildungsroman, Science fiction, Epic
- Subjects: Dictators, Maturation or coming of age, Power, personal or social, Politics, Love or romance, Nature, Revolutions, Extrasensory perception or powers, Future, Other worlds, Space flight or travel, Religion, Obsession, Substance abuse, War, Good and evil, Loyalty, Rulers, Drug addiction or addicts, Drugs, Science fiction, Christ figures or saviors, Reincarnation, Deserts, Superman or superbeings, Worms
- Locales: Arrakis (fictive), Dune (fictive)
Herbert's position as a preeminent science-fiction author who transcended the perceived bounds of his craft and enticed a large new audience to the genre—especially from college campuses—clearly rests upon Dune and its sequels. The power of his fictional world and its peoples to capture the imaginations of readers has been much analyzed, and there are many aspects and strands to the evaluations. Dune and its successors are rich in historical analogies. The feudal political setting suggests that social conflict is a Darwinian necessity—ruthlessly clearing away the old to...
[The entire page is 1768 words long]
