The classic science fiction novel by Frank Herbert Sand dunes, first published in 1965, is still incredibly influential to this day. Science fiction author Matthew Kressel reread recently Sand dunes for the first time in more than a decade.
“I was so nervous,” Kressel said in Episode 417 of Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy audio file. “I thought, ‘I’m going to read this and not like it now? Have I grown beyond this book? ‘ And absolutely not. It’s completely the opposite. I love it even more.”
Sand dunes Contains a depth of world-building that is rarely found in science fiction. Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy host David Barr Kirtley I’ve always found the book a bit slow, but he admits it’s a great accomplishment.
“It’s a really impressive book, just from a writer’s point of view,” he said. “I was literally in awe, just thinking about the kind of effort and thought it would take to write a book like this.”
Sand dunes has influenced many subsequent works, from Star Wars to Game of Thrones. TV writer Andrea Kail say Sand duneseffect of Wheel of time series is particularly obvious. “I clearly remember reading Wheel of time books for the first time,” she said, and I was like, “Wait a minute, this is absolutely Sand dunes. ‘ He just raised it to wholesale.”
Frank Herbert wrote five sequels to Sand dunes, and his son Brian Herbert (along with Kevin J. Anderson) wrote more than a dozen other works. imaginary author Rajan Khanna sampled several early sequels, but remained most interested in the original novel.
“I have felt the returns dwindle the further I go,” he said. “So I decided, ‘No, I’m fine. I’ll just re-read it Sand dunes. ‘ Maybe one day I’ll read the whole series. But after watching so many movies that they just kept getting worse, I thought, ‘Maybe this time I’ll just leave it at the beginning.’
Listen to the full interview with Matthew Kressel, Andrea Kail and Rajan Khanna in Episode 417 of Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy (above). And check out some highlights from the discussion below.
David Barr Kirtley on Dreamer of Dune:
“There is a biography of Frank Herbert that I have read called Dreamer of Dune, was written by his son Brian Herbert, who went on — along with Kevin J. Anderson — to write a sequel/prequel book. Unfortunately I read it 15 or 20 years ago so I don’t remember the details, but I remember very clearly that there was a passage [Frank Herbert] put everything in Sand dunes, and if it didn’t work out, he’d have to give up writing. I just remember that I closed the book at the time, and was really depressed. I said, ‘Wow, that’s hard.’ Then I picked it up the next day and started reading it again, and things turned out great for him, in terms of the book, after that.”
Matthew Kressel on the court conspiracy:
“What I like about this book is that there are a lot of layers of manipulation — and Herbert has spoken openly about this, confusing things in classes within classes. People are playing against each other on many levels, even to the point of Bene Gesserit could have been played by someone else on a larger scale. … [Herbert] understand what really motivates people. In that dinner scene, every look, every movement, the position of someone standing, it all makes sense. Sometimes I read a science fiction book and I’ll say, ‘Oh, that’s ridiculous. I feel the author’s hand. ‘ But in Sand dunes, never did I think, ‘Wow, that’s ridiculous. That will never happen. ‘ He’s just a keen observer of human nature. “
Rajan Khanna on Sand dunes compare to Game of Thrones:
“When I was reading [Dune]it feels so Game of Thrones with me, where you realize that Vladimir Harkonnen, Baron, is playing the game better. In a way, you can draw a line from Leto with Ned Stark, and was like, ‘Oh, he died from playing the wrong game.’ He’s trying to be too noble, and the game doesn’t work out that way. So I think as you read more about it, the Baron is just doing what needs to be done to put his house first. And I feel like if you look at the other houses of landraad you’ll probably see more of that kind of intrigue, based on every other single aristocrat we see in this book. “
Andrea Kail on the power of literature:
“Read [Dune] made me realize where I got my entire life philosophy from. I always say that I grew up with books — my whole approach to life that I got from books. This is the book where I learned about honor, sacrifice, and doing the right thing regardless of the cost. I forgot where it came from – I know it came from the book – but here it is, this is like a personal Bible to me. And realizing that was incredibly emotional. I was reading it while I was on a business trip, and I was sitting alone in my hotel room, reading and really just crying. Not because of the book but because I am rediscovering myself as a teenager susceptible to literature.”
Stories with WIRED are more amazing
