Leisure Reading

Classic Science Fiction

Dune

By Frank Herbert

Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, heir to a noble family tasked with ruling an inhospitable world where the only thing of value is the “spice” melange, a drug capable of extending life and enhancing consciousness. Coveted across the known universe, melange is a prize worth killing for...

When House Atreides is betrayed, the destruction of Paul’s family will set the boy on a journey toward a destiny greater than he could ever have imagined. And as he evolves into the mysterious man known as Muad’Dib, he will bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream.*

Review by Lizzie Cope - Assessment Projects Librarian

Visions, spice, Paul ain’t so nice.

Review contains spoilers of Dune 1!

He who controls the Spice, controls the universe. In Dune Messiah, Frank Herbert's second book in the Dune series, Paul Atreides, now Emperor, holds that power. But can he control the future?

As conspiracies swirl around Muad'Dib, new threats emerge, including the Tleilaxu, masters of genetic engineering. The tension escalates: who can Paul trust, and can he even trust his own visions? More critically, can he alter the future he foresees?

Herbert masterfully delves into the complexities of political power and the radicalization of movements, making this a particularly intriguing read during the 2024 presidential election.

You can find this book in the Hodges Library Leisure Reading Collection. Check it out and let us know what you think of the book! Make sure to tag your responses on social media with #utksharedshelf so we can see what you think! 

* Book Description and image provided by Goodreads