Bahayeldin, Khalid (January 22, 2004). "Arabic and Islamic themes in Frank Herbert's Dune". Baheyeldin.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2011 . Retrieved July 21, 2009. In Herbert's God Emperor of Dune (1981), Leto II Atreides indicates that the Jihad had been a semi-religious social upheaval initiated by humans who felt repulsed by how guided and controlled they had become by machines. [12] This technological reversal leads to the creation of the universal Orange Catholic Bible and the rise of a new feudal pan-galactic empire that lasts for over 10,000 years before Herbert's series begins. [13] [14] Several secret societies also develop, using eugenics programs, intensive mental and physical training, and pharmaceutical enhancements to hone human skills to an astonishing degree. [13] Artificial insemination is also prohibited, as explained in Dune Messiah (1969), when Paul Atreides negotiates with the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, who is appalled by Paul's suggestion that he impregnate his consort in this manner. [15] Csicsery-Ronay, Jr., Istvan (November 28, 2008). The Seven Beauties of Science Fiction. Wesleyan. ISBN 978-0819568892. Busch, Anita (November 21, 2016). "Legendary Acquires Frank Herbert's Classic Sci-Fi Novel Dune For Film And TV". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 22, 2016 . Retrieved November 27, 2016.

The first part of Denis Villeneuve’s movie adaptation was received exceptionally well by both audiences and critics, indicating that Dune may have finally achieved a breakthrough in pop culture to match Tolkien. This was helped by a star-studded and devoted cast made up of Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Oscar Isacc, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, and many more. This is sure to be repeated with the release of Part Two on November 3, 2023. The film will see the addition of actors like Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, Christopher Walken as Shaddam IV, and more. But new fans coming to the books by way of Villeneuve's films may struggle to find the proper starting place. There are many more Dune novels than there are for Middle-earth, stretching in two directions in time out from the original Dune book of 1965. Different books cover different conflicts, each with some relation to one another, and then there are all those strange names and terminology to keep straight. a b "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature: Titan Labyrinthi". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on October 16, 2011 . Retrieved January 3, 2015– via Planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov. a b Stasio, Marilyn (December 3, 2000). "Cover Story: Future Myths, Adrift in the Sands of Time". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015 . Retrieved August 21, 2015.

Juan A. Prieto-Pablos says Herbert achieves a new typology with Paul's superpowers, differentiating the heroes of Dune from earlier heroes such as Superman, van Vogt's Gilbert Gosseyn and Henry Kuttner's telepaths. Unlike previous superheroes who acquire their powers suddenly and accidentally, Paul's are the result of "painful and slow personal progress." And unlike other superheroes of the 1960s—who are the exception among ordinary people in their respective worlds—Herbert's characters grow their powers through "the application of mystical philosophies and techniques." For Herbert, the ordinary person can develop incredible fighting skills (Fremen, Swordmasters of Ginaz and Sardaukar) or mental abilities (Bene Gesserit, Mentats, Spacing Guild Navigators). [97] Middle-Eastern and Islamic influences [ edit ] Brian Herbert and Anderson have written eight Dune short stories and four Dune novellas, most of them related to and published around their novels. The eight short stories include " Dune: A Whisper of Caladan Seas" (2001), " Dune: Hunting Harkonnens" (2002), " Dune: Whipping Mek" (2003), " Dune: The Faces of a Martyr" (2004), " Dune: Sea Child" (2006), " Dune: Treasure in the Sand" (2006), " Dune: Wedding Silk" (2008), and " Dune: Red Plague" (2016). These eight short stories were published together in the 2017 collection Tales of Dune: Expanded Edition. The four novellas include " Dune: The Waters of Kanly" (2017), " Dune: Blood of the Sardaukar" (2019), " Dune: The Edge of a Crysknife" (2022), and " Dune: Imperial Court" (2022). The four novellas were published together in the collection Sands of Dune, which released on July 28, 2022.

The Dune universe, set in the distant future of humanity, has a history that stretches thousands of years (some 15,000 years in total) and covers considerable changes in political, social, and religious structure as well as technology. Creative works set in the Dune universe can be said to fall into five general time periods:With God Emperor of Dune, the story jumps thousands of years ahead as Leto II’s plan to prevent the extinction of humanity reaches its pivotal moment. The result is the Scattering, humanity’s forced spread across the universe. More millennia pass until Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse: Dune, which tell of tensions that arise among the keepers of Arrakis after waves of refugees return from the Scattering, fleeing from a great enemy. Taylor-Foster, Kim (January 16, 2018). " Dune Adaptation Will Be ' Star Wars for Adults' Says Director". Fandom. Wikia, Inc. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018 . Retrieved July 16, 2018. Six licensed Dune computer and video games have been released. The first was Dune (1992) from Cryo Interactive/ Virgin Interactive. [188] [189] Another game developed at the same time, Westwood Studios' Dune II (1992), is generally credited for popularizing and setting the template for the real-time strategy genre of computer games. [190] [191] Dune II is considered to be among the most influential video games of all time. [192]

Medina, Joseph Jammer (July 10, 2020). " Dune Is Getting a New Trilogy". LRM Online. Archived from the original on August 7, 2021 . Retrieved January 21, 2021. The political, scientific, and social fictional setting of Herbert's novels and derivative works is known as the Dune universe or Duniverse. Set tens of thousands of years in the future, the saga chronicles a civilization that has banned all " thinking machines", which include computers, robots, and artificial intelligence. In their place, civilization has developed advanced mental and physical disciplines as well as advanced technologies that adhere to the ban on computers. Vital to this empire is the harsh desert planet Arrakis, the only known source of the spice melange, the most valuable substance in the universe.Cantz, Hatje. "Alejandro Jodorowsky". Hatje Cantz. Archived from the original on December 26, 2013 . Retrieved May 16, 2014.