Book Review: Dune by Frank Herbert
The book was set in a far future in an interstellar society where different households controlled different planetary fiefs. It begins with a fifteen old boy, Paul Atreides, who is visited by Reverend Mother Mohiam, her mother’s former teacher at Bene Gesserit school. Paul‘s father, Duke Leto, headed their household living in Caladan. Reverend Mohiam, together with Lady Jessica, Paul’s mother, decided to test Paul nature through a painful but necessary procedure, which he passed ascertaining that indeed he was human and not an animal. Throughout the galaxy, only in Arrakis planet existed the most demanded drug called “melange” or “the spice.” This made every household aspire to rule over Arrakis, despite its hostile environment. The house of Harkonnen was in charge of Arrakis and Melange production. This drug was believed to enhance mental abilities and extend life, and everyone demanded its supply despite its addiction effects. Its control was an immense and dangerous task.
Leto’s lead-men, Thufir, Hawat, Gurney, and Idaho, trained Paul in warfare in readiness to conquer Arrakis. The whole house of Caladan led by Leto after that, en route on a journey to capture Arrakis and overthrow the Harkonnen empire from the planet. Leto cunningly befriended Fremen, the natives of Arrakis, with intentions of recruiting them in the fight against Harkonnen household. Harkonnen approached Leto’s doctor Yueh and lured him into betraying Leto. Although they succeeded in betraying him, Yueh double-crossed them and arranged for Jessica and Paul’s escape. Yeuh placed a poisonous gas in Leto’s tooth that, despite killing Harkonnen’s Mentat De Vries, it took Leto’s life too.
Paul and his pregnant mother, Jessica, got accepted into the fremen’s society. They got integrated into their culture and ways of life. As a result, Paul Atreides adopted another name, Muad’Dib, while his mother decided to take “the water of life,” ritual qualifying her to be a reverend mother. Jessica later gave birth to Alia, Pual’s younger sister. Paul then married Chani, a Fremen’s kin and together begot a son, Leto II.
Paul, in a quest for more powers, drank “the water of life” prohibited for the male gender. Despite serious side effects, he became Kwisatz Haderach, the ultimate goal of the breeding program of the Bene Gesserit group. He gained the ability to see and travel through space and time. His powers found favor in the Fremen, who looked upon him as their most awaited “Messiah.” Through the alliance between the Freme and the Atreides household, they attacked and overthrew Harkonnen through bloody warfare in which Leto II died, and Alia got abducted. Fortunately, Alia managed to kill Baron and escaped. Paul realized his ultimate goal, which was to capture and reign in Arrakis.
In my opinion, though the book is based on science fiction, its content is relevant in today’s world. The world today is impacted by politics, ecology, and religion. Despite the harshness in Arrakis, the Fremen adapted to it with a desire to access mélange. Their religion is mocked through placing a lot of power on one leader. Characters like Pual, Hawart, and De Vries illustrates the persistence needed for success in this life. These characters, especially the Mentat, shows the possibilities for a human being to develop processing powers better than some overrated technology we have. Resilience, portrayed by Jessica, depicts a woman equally contributing to the development of society. Women today participate in all spheres of life, making remarkable contributions in their nations. Although people may be divided through tribe culture or religion, demand for a common commodity can unite them. Today countries may fight, but reconnect to protect the scarce resources in the world,